Bethel athletics has received a top character award for the eighth straight year.
When the NAIA recently announced its Champions of Character® Five-Star Gold Award winners for 2024-25, Bethel was named to the Gold Level Champion of Character for the eighth year running.
Champions of Character® designations are announced at the beginning of the fall semester for the previous school year.
Through this initiative, schools strive to produce character-driven athletic programs.
Institutions are measured on demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character® – earning points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion, and based on exceptional student-athlete GPAs and minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the academic year.
The Champions of Character® Scorecard holds 100 possible points to be earned, measured through growth in training, promotion, conduct in competition and commitment in five key areas. Gold Level status schools score 90 points or higher.
Bethel was one of 210 total Five-Star winners for 2024-25, one of 112 at Gold Level and one of eight Gold institutions within the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
“I am extremely proud of our student-athletes, coaches and others at Bethel College who have been instrumental in achieving this benchmark,” said Tim Swartzedruber, athletic director.
“We are proud to represent the five core values of NAIA: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership. I don’t take this lightly, as each year brings new challenges and opportunities, which means achieving this recognition is special.”
See all of the Champions of Character® Five-Star institutions at https://www.naia.org/champions-of-character/five-star-winners-2025
In athletics, Bethel competes within the 13-school KCAC and the NAIA. For more information, see www.bethelthreshers.com
Bethel is a four-year liberal arts college founded in 1887 and is the oldest Mennonite college in North America. Bethel was the first Kansas college or university to be named a Truth, Community Healing and Transformation (TCHT) Campus Center, in 2021. For more information, see www.bethelks.edu
