KANSAS CITY, MO. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics unveiled its latest hall of fame class, with the battery of Trent Solsma and Connor Niles among the inductees.
Solsma amassed 14,016 yards of passing on 1,393 attempts for 165 touchdowns, with another eight touchdowns scored on the ground. He was named the 2018 NAIA Player of the Year, a 2018 AFCA, NAIA, and Associated Press First Team All-American, the 2018 Great Plains Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, was a three-time GPAC All-Conference selection, was selected to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, and was a College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-American.
Niles hauled in 367 receptions over the course of his career, covering 6,339 yards for 73 touchdowns through the air. He added 1760 return yards with four touchdowns and 124 yards rushing for two touchdowns. Between receiving and returns, he was a six-time All-Conference selection, a two-time AFCA, NAIA, and AP All-American, and was a College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-American.
The battery, whose connection only grew from their time at Bishop Heelan High School, linked up for arguably some of the most significant catches in Morningside history, as the overtime game winner in a blizzard to send Morningside to the 2018 national championship and the final score at said championship both featured the duo.
Niles and Solsma were part of five GPAC Championship teams, and qualified for the NAIA postseason as many times, reaching the quarterfinals once, semifinals three times, and collecting the national title in their final attempt.
Solsma and Niles join Larry Bos (Cornerstone and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference), Cindy Potter (Columbia), Chris McDonald (British Columbia), Candace Moats (Indiana Wesleyan), and Carmen Wynn-Parks (Wayland Baptist) as 2026 Hall of Fame inductees. The NAIA is expected to honor each inductee at a later date, with detailed information being released prior to each ceremony.
