Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324

NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Winners - Fall 2025

Mar. 12, 2026 - Former North Central College men's soccer student-athlete Aidan Westerberg '24 is one of just 42 recipients across all NCAA divisions to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship following a standout career both on the pitch and in the classroom.

The NCAA's Postgraduate Scholarship program, instituted in 1964, promotes and encourages education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes. To qualify, student-athletes must maintain at least a 3.2 grade-point average and be nominated by their institution's faculty athletics representative. The one-time, non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year, corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter, and spring). Each sports season, there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program.

Westerberg, a Belvidere, Ill., native and Belvidere North graduate, is a three-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-American and Academic All-District honoree. He earned the 2023 Jack Swartz Academic All-CCIW award and was the CCIW's Elite 25 recipient in 2021. The United Soccer Coaches named him a Scholar All-American in both 2022 and 2023, and he helped the Cardinals secure the USC Team Academic Award in each of his four seasons.

On the field, the North Central standout is a three-time All-CCIW selection, earning first-team honors in 2022 and 2023. He was voted the 2022 CCIW Offensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches and is a two-time USC All-Region pick. Westerberg became the third player in program history to earn All-America recognition with a third-team nod in 2022 and graduates as the Cardinals' career assists leader with 21.

The student-athlete earned his Bachelor of Science degree from North Central, majoring in biochemistry with a minor in sociology, and graduated magna cum laude. He served as his team's representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and volunteered with organizations including Feed My Starving Children, the Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Illinois High School Association's Soccer State Tournament. He was also a member of TriBeta, the national biology honor society, where he served as treasurer. Westerberg is currently pursuing his Doctor of Dental Medicine at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine.

Westerberg is the first Cardinal men's soccer student-athlete to receive the prestigious scholarship. Since the award's inception, nine North Central student-athletes have been selected, including four since 2024.