BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — The KX Sports team — along with their committee of former coaches, athletic directors, and leaders from our community — have picked the three best female college athletes in western North Dakota to be nominated for Female College Athlete of the Year at the KX Sports Awards. Here are the nominees!

Sydney Gustavsson (Bismarck State College Basketball) —This year, Gustavsson was named the Mon-Dak Conference’s MVP for women’s basketball, and selected to the NJCAA Division 1 women’s All-American basketball team. She averaged approximately 20.3 points per game in the NJCAA Region XIII tournament, and led the conference in scoring.

Victoria Murillo (University of Mary Swimming) — Murillo’s college swimming career began in 2019, when she became a three-time champion at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships (winning in the 1000, 200, and 500 Y Free categories). Following this display, she was a two-time champion in the 500 and 200 Y Free Northern Sun competitions of 2020-2021. This year, she beat her previous results and won four champion titles (in the 1650, 500, 1000, and 200 Y Free categories). She also currently holds the University of Mary’s record for the 500 and 200 Y Free categories (at 4:56:55 and 1:50:82 respectively). She has also been selected for the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence, in the Swimming & Diving category.

Megan Zander (University of Mary Basketball) — During high school, Megan Zander was on the All-State team three times, as well as Miss Basketball. In college, Zander earned first-team honors during the Northern Sun women’s basketball all-conference, where the UMary Marauders reached the top six in the NSIC and third place in NSIC’s North division. She is only the 11th student from the school to receive these honors. She has also been selected for the NSIC’s All-Academic team.

Who do you think will win this year’s Female College Athlete of the Year award? Tune in on June 6 to the KX’s Sports Awards to find out!