COLUMBIA, Ky. – Former Lindsey Wilson swimmer Maaike Broersma has been voted the 2024-25 Mid-South Conference Female Student-Athlete of the Year, the league office announced Monday.

The annual award is presented to a graduating student-athlete and is based on academic and athletic performances, leadership qualities, and demonstration of the five core character values of the NAIA. The accolade is selected by the Mid-South Conference's eligibility committee and the administrative council.

"Maaike is an incredible swimmer and student – yes – but more important, she is truly one of the best human beings I have ever met," expresses Lindsey Wilson head swimming coach Alicia Kemnitz.

"I feel incredibly honored to receive the Student-Athlete of the Year Award," says Broersma. "The combination of athletics and academics has been such a great fit for me. In the Netherlands, it is extremely hard to combine sports at a competitive level with your studies, which is why I'm so grateful to have had this experience at Lindsey Wilson.

Broersma, a native of Bodegraven, Netherlands, completed her graduate year for the Blue Raiders this past season, earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.82 in pursuit of her Master of Business Administration degree. She was named a Scholar All-American by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), a Scholar-Athlete by the NAIA, a Mid-South All-Academic recipient, and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Team member for the second time in her career. Lindsey Wilson also honored Broersma with her third Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in April.

In the pool, Broersma coasted past the competition as she helped lead the Blue Raider women's swimming program to a third-place finish – the program's best all-time – at the NAIA National Championships in March. She won her third title in the 100-yard backstroke, second in both the 200-yard backstroke and 50-yard freestyle, and anchored Lindsey Wilson's winning 200-yard freestyle relay. Along with her titles, she added four runner-up finishes in the 400 and 800-yard freestyle relays, and the 200 and 400-yard medley relays. For her efforts, Broersma was tabbed the NAIA's and CSCAA's women's Swimmer of the Year for the second consecutive season.

At the conference level, Broersma won six gold medals and set new championship meet records in each of her events in the process. She ultimately garnered women's Co-Swimmer of the Year honors with teammate Kirsten de Goede.

During the 2024-25 season, Broersma was voted Mid-South Swimmer of the Week five times and in January was tabbed NAIA Swimmer of the Month. She also pasted her name on eight school records, including all three of her individual events and all five relays.

"Lindsey Wilson, the Mid-South, & the NAIA will never see another with such speed, dignity, and class," says Kemnitz. "She exemplifies what it is to be an NAIA student-athlete: living and leading with integrity, respect, responsibility, servant leadership, and sportsmanship, all the while being one of the best backstroke competitors in all of collegiate swimming this year."

Broersma is the third different female Lindsey Wilson student-athlete to be named Mid-South Conference Student-Athlete of the Year, joining Krista Burton – 2009-10 – and Reagan Turner – 2020-21. She is the tenth Lindsey Wilson student-athlete all-time.

Since coming to Columbia as a freshman in 2020, Broersma is an eight-time NAIA national champion, a 25-time NAIA All-American, a four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, a six-time NAIA Swimmer of the Month, a four-time CSCAA Scholar All-American, a 27-time Mid-South All-Conference, and a 12-time Mid-South Swimmer of the Week. 

"I'm grateful to be part of a team with such a great atmosphere," says Broersma. "The coaching staff and team members worked hard on creating an environment where we push each other, cheer each other on, and, not to forget, have a lot of fun together. They have done so much to help me grow as both an athlete and a person."