At their spring meeting of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) Board of Governors meeting, HAAC officials announced Mitch Boshart of Peru State was selected as the conference's male Champions of Character scholarship winner. Kelsi Martin of Graceland University was selected as the female winner.

The HAAC annually awards a $1,000 scholarship to both a male and female student-athlete who best represents the NAIA Champions of Character initiative. Each conference institution submitted electronic nominations which were sent to each Board of Governor member to review prior to voting at their annual spring meeting. The recipient of the award must be a student-athlete who will enroll at his or her institution the following fall semester. 

Boshart, a senior-to-be from Wood River, was selected by Peru State's athletic department as their nominee. In learning of his award, Boshart said, “I was honored initially just to be selected by Peru State to represent my college. When I learned of this conference recognition, it makes me feel very proud to be a student-athlete, not only at Peru State, but in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.”