HELENA, Mont. - Carroll College Athletics is proud to present another installment of a celebration of our outstanding Fighting Saints who model excellence in all they do, embodying the NAIA Champions of Character values of respect, integrity, responsibility, servant leadership, and sportsmanship.

Student-athletes from each program will be recognized as Fighting Saints Champions of Character. Carroll Athletics is excited to partner with Joe Mitchell State Farm to present this recognition, highlighting some of the most impactful student-athletes on campus. Joe Mitchell State Farm is a proud corporate champion of Carroll Athletics, supporting all 17 sports and 400-plus student-athletes.

FOOTBALL - Daxon Graham (Dillon, Mont. / R-SR)

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Daxon Graham has been a cornerstone of Carroll Football's success over the past four seasons, representing all the best qualities of a Fighting Saint and truly embodying what it means to be a Champion of Character.
 
Graham, a three-year starter on the field for the Fighting Saints was just as impactful off the field over his Carroll career.
 
In 2025, he was honored with the Michael Murphy Outstanding Collegiate Citizenship Award – an honor that serves as a testament to leadership, service, and a commitment to excellence.
 
Graham serves as the secretary on the Carroll Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and is widely respected among his peers for his dedication to serving those around him. The redshirt-senior has spent countless hours in the community over the past several years, volunteering his time and efforts in numerous outreach programs. He's been a Lunch Buddy at Broadwater Elementary, helping mentor local children. He's also made weekly visits to God's Love, helping serve dinners to homeless in the Helena community. A leader on his team, Graham helped present the Carroll Football Boys to Men program, and has traveled to Colon, Mexico on a mission to serve orphans and poor community members. Graham, alongside former Champion of Character honoree, Hunter Peck, helped establish Carroll SAAC's Christmas presents for families in need program three years ago. Additionally, Graham has volunteered at many other community events such as Paint the Town Pink, the Special Olympics, Red Cross Blood Drives, Thanksgiving Food Drives, and multiple Nursing Home visits.
 
"Dax is someone who has embodied a hard work ethic from his first day on campus." said teammate Chris Akulschin "Over the years, he's not only led with his actions, but has also grown into a vocal leader as well. Dax is someone who's unmatched work ethic and leadership is truly admired by us all as his teammates."
 
 
VOLLEYBALL - Molly O'Connor (Bozeman, Mont. / SR)

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A vibrant leader on the Carroll Volleyball team throughout her four-year career, Molly O'Connor is one of the most deserving of a Champion of Character honor as Carroll has to offer.

One of the top academic performers on one of Carroll's most impressive academic teams, O'Connor has provided value to those around her for several years as a tutor for various math classes. The Computer Science major is set to graduate this spring with a near-perfect 3.97 GPA and spends hours of her week helping others excel as well. Throughout her time, she has volunteered at the Helena Food Share, as well as ample time working volunteer hours at the Lewis & Clark Humane Society. This past winter, O'Connor volunteered her time at the Montana Robotics Alliance FIRST Tech Challenge, which had 25 youth teams participate in robotics competition at the PE Center.

Now in her final semester, O'Connor is working on building computer software that will analyze cell movement to be used in future years by the Carroll College Biology department. Additionally, she's assisting the Carroll Athletic Training staff, building a brand-new scheduling tool to be used sports medicine, helping streamline equipment usage and rentals for Carroll's 400-plus student athletes.
O'Connor teaches spin classes at a local studio, and was instrumental in creating a student discount that has evolved into a student-membership available to the entire Carroll student-body. At her studio, O'Connor has helped with various fundraisers aimed at supporting Parkinson's Disease patients. On top of it all, she's recently taken on her first coaching role, coaching a youth club volleyball team here in Helena.
 
"Molly is the kind of leader that never lets anyone know she's having a bad day." said teammate Sidney Gulick. "She's always the first to fill your cup, even when she's running low. No matter what, Molly puts her team first and gives all that she has for everyone around her."