MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Trenten Heyde has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Ice Hockey Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
A senior from Atlanta, Ga. (Loganville Grayson), Heyde maintains a 3.75 grade point average and is majoring in business management with a minor in marketing. He is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has landed on UW-Eau Claire's Dean's List numerous semesters, including receiving Academic Distinction.
 
Heyde is a three-time All-WIAC first team selection and helped UW-Eau Claire win the WIAC Tournament/Commissioner's Cup in 2025. A team captain this season, he served as an assistant captain during the 2025 campaign. Heyde played in 109 games during his collegiate career.
 
Heyde has volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club and worked at Planet Fitness.
 
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-River Falls' Maxime Collette (Sr., St. Malo, Manitoba/Morris); UW-Stevens Point's Quinton Hill (Sr., Coquitlam, British Columbia); UW-Stout's Tristan Therrien (Sr., Prevost, Quebec/Newbridge Academy); and UW-Superior's Dustin Bergstrom (Sr., Pine City, Minn/Pine City).
 
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for 22 years from 1971-93. He oversaw the transition of the conference from NAIA to full NCAA membership. Sparger arrived at UW-Stout in 1959 and served the institution in a variety of capacities, including an assistant football and basketball coach, head wrestling coach and head football coach. He served as UW-Stout's athletics director from 1969-71 and was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.
 
In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, he must be in his last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.