Northern Michigan University swimmer Leo Nolles has been named a recipient of the 2025-26 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship, according to an April 8 announcement.
The scholarship provides $5,000 in aid to one male and one female student-athlete from GLIAC member institutions, chosen by the Faculty Athletic Representatives. This recognition highlights academic and athletic achievement as well as community involvement among student-athletes.
Nolles is recognized as one of the most decorated athletes in the Northern Michigan Wildcats Men’s Swimming program. Over four seasons, he represented Uruguay at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, became a 21-time All-American, earned three NCAA Championship medals and eight golds among his nineteen GLIAC Championship medals. He also holds multiple school and pool records at NMU. In addition to his athletic achievements, Nolles has received three CSC Academic All-District honors and one CSC Academic All-America honor. He was awarded a GLIAC Commissioner’s Award and named GLIAC Swimmer of the Year in 2025. His academic accomplishments include CSCAA First-Team Scholar All-American honors.
Beyond athletics, Nolles volunteers with Special Olympics coaching swimming and resistance training for specially abled athletes, participates with the Northern Center for Lifelong Learning sharing his Olympic experiences with older adults, visits Beacon House to support families facing difficulties, helps at Marquette Marathon aid stations, works at NMU sporting events and assists with community projects such as raking leaves at Marquette Elementary School.
Nolles will return to Northern Michigan University to pursue a Master’s of Science in Exercise Science. He becomes only the third student-athlete from NMU to receive this scholarship after Stephanie Howe (cross country) in 2005/06 and Nathan Rotundo (swimming/diving) in 2018/19.
The Wildcats men’s swimming team competes in NCAA Division II competitions according to its official website. The roster features broad geographic representation with athletes from various U.S. states as well as countries including Italy, France, Brazil, Belgium, Uruguay and Tunisia according to its official website. The program operates under NMU’s athletics department focusing on athlete development across swimming and diving disciplines according to its official website.
The scholarship is named after former Northwood University Athletic Director Pat Riepma who passed away in July of 2015 following a battle with cancer.
