2020 Colorado School of Mines Winter Commencement Program

GOLDEN, Colo. – Oredigger graduates Delaney Duis and Ford Edwards were named the 2020 President's Senior Scholar-Athletes as part of the Colorado School of Mines Winter Commencement Ceremonies.
 
Awarded bi-annually as part of the winter and spring graduations, the prestigious accolade is given to one male and one female graduating student-athlete who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and the leadership qualities of an exemplary student-athlete. Both honorees claim the award following four years of competition for Oredigger athletics. Edwards was a decorated midfielder for the Mines men's soccer team from 2016-19. Duis played setter on four RMAC Champion and NCAA Tournament Oredigger volleyball teams during the same period. Both individuals boast a plethora of academic, athletic and community service honors that are laid out below.
 
Duis came to Mines via Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club Texas. She represented Mines for four years on the volleyball court while majoring in environmental engineering and immersing herself in service to the community. Athletically, Duis helped the Mines volleyball team win RMAC Tournament titles in 2016 and 2019 while also assisting with regular-season crowns in 2017 and 2018. The result was four straight NCAA Tournament appearances including a historic run to the Sweet 16 in her senior season. Duis' top individual performance featured 54 assists in a single match against Westminster in 2017. Additionally, she played her last two years with younger sister Elle Duis who remains the starting libero for Mines.
 
Off the court, the Texan worked extensively with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SACC), Special Olympics and nine other organizations around Golden. Her efforts eventually garnered honor as the SAAC Community Impact Award winner at the 2020 Blaster Awards last spring.
 
Edwards' journey to Mines was a short one from Parker, Colo., and Chaparral High School. He arrived as a petroleum engineering major and central midfielder for the Oredigger men's soccer team. The Colorado product made an immediate impact on the pitch with nine starts and 19 appearances as a true freshman. He eventually helped Mines win three straight RMAC Regular Season and Tournament championships for the first time in program history from 2017-19. That also resulted in three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Edwards' senior postseason featured a 2-1 victory over #1-ranked Azusa Pacific on their home field as the Orediggers advanced to the Sweet 16.
 
Individually, the Parker native earned Second-Team All-RMAC in 2018 and First-Team All-RMAC in 2019 along with RMAC All-Tournament and Second-Team All-Region from the United Soccer Coaches and the D2CCA in 2019. His final resume featured 11 goals and 13 assists in more than 5,000 minutes of action. Additionally, his sister Eliot Edwards joined the Mines women's soccer team as a midfielder in 2018. Academically, Edwards' efforts in the classroom garnered him the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award for the petroleum engineering department.
 
The duo of Duis and Edwards is the second straight volleyball and men's soccer combo to earn the President's Senior Scholar-Athlete honor. Last spring, Abby Tiesman and Jason Zobott brought home the very same accolade upon their graduation which was held virtually. In similar fashion, the winter commencement allowed students to walk across the stage throughout the week in a COVID-19-compliant fashion with a virtual celebration on Friday featuring the undergraduate class at 9 a.m. and the graduate class at 12 p.m.
 
Fans can keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.