The College Male Athlete of the Year Award dates back to 1968. Prior to then, the Male Athlete of the Year was awarded to the top athlete among all levels of competition.
| Year | Athlete | Sport(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Treysen Eaglestaff, UND | Basketball |
| 2024 | Jackson Blake, UND | Hockey |
| 2023 | Cody Mauch, NDSU | Football |
| 2022 | Danny Kittner, University of Mary | Football |
| 2021 | Shane Pinto, UND | Hockey |
| 2020 | Trey Lance, NDSU | Football |
| 2019 (tie) |
Jay Liggens, Dickinson State | Football |
| Payton Otterdahl, NDSU | Track & Field | |
| 2018 | Tyler Rudolph, Minot State | Basketball |
| 2017 (tie) |
Tyler Rudolph, Minot State | Basketball |
| Quinton Hooker, UND | Basketball | |
| 2016 | Joe Haeg, NDSU | Football |
| 2015 | Kyle Emanuel, NDSU | Football |
| 2014 | Billy Turner, NDSU | Football |
| 2013 | Marcus Williams, NDSU | Football |
| 2012 | Marcus Williams, NDSU | Football |
| 2011 | Matt Frattin, UND | Hockey |
| 2010 | Pat Paschall, NDSU | Football |
| 2009 | Ben Woodside, NDSU | Basketball |
| 2008 | Weston Dressler, UND | Football |
| 2007 | Ryan Duncan, UND | Hockey |
| 2006 | Ross Walker, Dickinson State | Football, Track |
| 2005 | Derrick Atkins, Dickinson State | Track |
| 2004 | Zach Parise, UND | Hockey |
| 2003 | Jerome Beasley, UND | Basketball |
| 2002 | Todd Fuller, NDSU | Wrestling |
| 2001 | Jeff Panzer, UND | Hockey |
| 2000 | Lee Goren, UND | Hockey |
| 1999 | Jim Kleinsasser, UND | Football |
| 1998 | Brock Lesnar, Bismarck State | Wrestling |
| 1997 | Hunter Berg, UND-Williston | Basketball |
| 1996 | Teeder Wynne, UND | Hockey |
| 1995 | Brian Kapusta, NDSU | Wrestling |
| 1994 | Shannon Burnell, UND | Football |
| 1993 | Greg Johnson, UND | Hockey |
| 1992 (tie) |
Prentiss Perkins, ND State School of Science | Basketball |
| Shannon Burnell, UND | Football | |
| 1991 | Phil Hansen, NDSU | Football |
| 1990 | Dave Vonesh, UND | Basketball |
| 1989 | Terry Letkeman, NDSU-Bottineau | Hockey, Baseball |
| 1988 | Steve Johnson, UND | Hockey |
| 1987 (tie) |
Tony Hrkac, UND | Hockey |
| Jeff Bentrim, NDSU | Football | |
| 1986 | Jeff Bentrim, NDSU | Football |
| 1985 | Paul Syvrud, Jamestown College | Wrestling |
| 1984 | Jon Casey, UND | Hockey |
| 1983 | James Patrick, UND | Hockey |
| 1982 | Ron Hausauer, Jamestown College | Football |
| 1981 | Pat Hennessy, Minot State | Baseball, Football |
| 1980 | Mark Taylor, UND | Hockey |
| 1979 | Bob Piatz, Jamestown College | Track, Baseball |
| 1978 | Mike Bollmann, NDSU | Cross Country, Track |
| 1977 | Steve Kilwein, Dickinson State | |
| 1976 | Randy Hedberg, Minot State | Football, Basketball |
| 1975 | Brad Rheingans, NDSU | Wrestling |
| 1974 | Gary Hoffman, Bismarck Junior College | Wrestling |
| 1973 | Phil Reimnitz, NDSU | Wrestling |
| 1972 | Mike Slack, NDSU | Track, Cross Country |
| 1971 | Louis Clark, Dickinson State | Track |
| 1970 | John Marks, UND | Hockey |
| 1969 | Tim Mjos, NDSU | Football, Baseball |
| 1968 | Dwight Farrell, Minot State | Wrestling, Football |