SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) has announced former men’s golf head coach Aaron Aberson as its recipient of the 2024-25 GPAC Coach of Character Award. It is the second consecutive year and third time in four years that a Northwestern coach has received the honor.
“I am so humbled and honored to receive this award,” Aberson said. “Northwestern and the GPAC are filled with incredible coaches of character. To be a part of such a competitive conference that still puts integrity and character at the forefront of everything we do is special.”
An eight-time GPAC Coach of the Year, Aberson recently resigned from his role at Northwestern after 15 years of service. Since being hired as head coach in 2010, Aberson guided Northwestern to eight GPAC titles and eight NAIA Championship appearances. Seven individuals were crowned GPAC champions under his direction, as he also coached three NAIA All-Americans and two GCAA All-Americans.
The 2024-25 season was among one of the best in program history. The Raiders set the single-season program record for team average (72.9), and Axton Miller (72.4) and Jackson Laven (73.0) posted season averages that sit in the top three of the record books. Northwestern tied for 16th at the NAIA Championships, marking the program’s second-best NAIA finish.
“For the past 15 years, Coach Aberson has demonstrated the core characteristics of an NAIA Coach of Character,” stated Vice President for Athletics Tony Hoops. “His passion for the game and golf program is exhibited daily within his loyal commitment to the institution and program. Aaron lives his life with a high standard of excellence. Hundreds of young men’s lives have been changed through the game of golf under Coach Aberson’s authentic leadership style.”
This season, Aberson set aside intentional time before each practice to pray as a team and share in intentional conversations. The team’s focus this year was to honor student and friend Aden De Jong through striving to “live like Aden”, following a model of living with respect for others and guiding the world to Christ. As a team, they also focused on maintaining positive body language and picking each other up in times of struggle.
His teams have also reflected Northwestern’s mission of Honoring Christ Through Excellence in Athletics by volunteering at local schools through High Five Fridays and the My Choice program. Last summer, the men’s golf team gave back in a hands-on manner by serving in the cleanup effort in local flood-stricken communities.
Aberson will be the conference’s nominee for the NAIA Coach of Character Award, named at the 2025 NAIA National Awards Day in September.
