SAINT PAUL, Minn. –  The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced senior goaltender Alex Paredes (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) from the Yellowjacket men's soccer team was one of its two 2025 Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award Wednesday.
 
Paredes becomes the third Superior student-athlete to win the award, with Nate Ohman (men's track an field) winning in 2024 and Dante Bender (baseball) winning in 2023. 
 
The league recognizes two outstanding senior student-athletes who demonstrate a healthy balance by achieving excellence in academics, leadership, and service while participating in intercollegiate athletics, through the UMAC Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award. The winner on the women's side was Anna Deichert from North Central (Minn.).
 
A native of Mequon, Wis., Paredes started in net for each of his four seasons at UW-Superior. He finished his collegiate career starting 82-of-83 matches played while garnering 6,622 minutes on the pitch. His save percentage grew higher throughout each season, starting at .727 and ending at .807.
 
Throughout his collegiate career Paredes accumulated 58 total wins, 24 shutouts, and a goals-against average of 0.98, all of which serve as new program records. Furthermore, he has been apart of four UMAC postseason championships and was one of the key contributors to pace the 'Jackets to their first appearance in the NCAA's Sweet Sixteen.
 
Academically, Paredes boasts a 3.619 grade point average while studying business administration. He has been a constant on the institution's Dean's list, while receiving all-district honors from the College Sports Communicators (CSC) and spots on the UMAC Academic All-Conference list.
 
Paredes was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), while coaching for various youth soccer organizations in the Twin Ports area, including Superior Soccer Association, Hermantown Youth Soccer Association, and Gitchi Gummi Soccer Club. His community service activities include bell ringing for the Salvation Army, Caroling for Cans, and serving as a counselor for the Little Yellowjackets Summer Camps program.
 
Paredes will be presented with a custom plaque from the conference.