BISMARCK, N.D. -- Bismarck State College has been named a 2025-26 NAIA Champions of Character Five-Star Institution, earning a perfect score of 100 points and GOLD status, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced Wednesday morning.
BSC was one of seven Frontier Conference schools to receive GOLD recognition, joining Bellevue (Neb.), Carroll (Mont.), Dakota State (S.D.), Dickinson State (N.D.), MSU-Northern and Montana Tech. Six of those institutions, including BSC, posted a perfect 100 on the scorecard.
The strong showing across the league also earned the Frontier Conference its own 2025-26 Five-Star Conference Award, with 10 full-time member institutions recognized overall. Montana Western earned SILVER status, while Providence (Mont.) and Rocky Mountain (Mont.) each received BRONZE.
The Champions of Character scorecard evaluates NAIA member institutions annually on their commitment to character-driven athletics, measuring growth in character training, promotion and conduct in competition, among other categories, across five key areas. Institutions are recognized at three levels: GOLD (90-100 points), SILVER (75-89) and BRONZE (60-74).
The NAIA Champions of Character program is built around five core values, integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership, and aims to help student-athletes and coaches embody those principles both on and off the field.
BSC's perfect score reflects the athletic department's ongoing commitment to developing student-athletes as leaders in their communities, not just competitors in their sport.
"This recognition speaks to the culture our coaches and student-athletes have built here at Bismarck State," Director of Athletics Jason Harris said. "A perfect score doesn't happen by accident; it's the result of our staff holding our student-athletes to a high standard every day, both in competition and in how they carry themselves in the classroom and around our community. I couldn't be prouder of what this group has accomplished."
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The Bismarck State College Mystics are current full members of the Frontier Conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Bismarck State is proud to be the home of 20 athletic and club teams, more than 100 career pathways and $1.8 million in student scholarships annually. BSC is North Dakota's Polytechnic Institution, providing tailored, hands-on learning to equip students with the skills to thrive in high-demand industries. Visit bismarckstate.edu to learn more about the college, and visit bscmystics.com for everything Mystics Athletics.
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