The Great Lakes Valley Conference has named Rockhurst alumnus Michael Ragsdale as one of the two recipients of the 2026 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction, it was announced by the Conference office on Thursday.
 
Ragsdale and Barry Koenemann of Missouri S&T were chosen as this year's winners by the GLVC Awards Committee and will be formally recognized by the league at the GLVC Spring Awards Reception in Brentwood, Missouri, on Tuesday, May 19.
 
Ragsdale's nomination was submitted by the Rockhurst administration following a four-year career as a men's soccer student-athlete for the Hawks. The Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction is an honor that extends beyond one's collegiate career. It is presented to individuals who displays academic excellence, athletic ability and achievement, character, and leadership, while serving their institutions with personal distinction since their graduation, while also making postgraduate public or community service contributions to athletics at any level.

A 2007 and 2009 (master's) graduate of Rockhurst, Ragsdale was a four-year member of the Hawks' men's soccer team. He was named to the All-GLVC Honorable Mention team in his senior season (2006), tallying five assists over 18 games. Ragsdale also played a key role as the box-to-box winger on the 2005 team, helping Rockhurst finish with a 15-5-1 record to win the GLVC Championship Tournament title and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. He completed his career on the pitch with 65 games played, five assists, and three goals.
 
Long-time Rockhurst men's soccer coach Tony Tocco said, "When I think of Mike Ragsdale, the word consistency comes to mind. We knew we could count on Mike to give us his best effort every day whether it was practice or a game. His consistency was his strongest virtue; he could play against any opponent and do well…Michael excelled because of his dedication to keeping himself in peak physical condition."
 
Ragsdale obtained his Bachelor of Science in business administration in 2007 before deciding to further his education at Rockhurst and secure a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 2009. He did, however, enter the workforce after earning his bachelor's degree in 2007, landing a job with Kansas City Chiefs.
 
The Chiefs hired Ragsdale as a staff accountant, and he remained in that position until 2016 when he was promoted to Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Ragsdale garnered another promotion to Director of Strategy and Analytics in 2019 before moving into in his current position as Vice President of Finance, Strategy, and Analytics in 2022. In his current role, he is responsible for all areas of finance, budgeting, forecasting, investment analysis, and analytics – along with serving as the finance lead for special non-NFL events at the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium.
 
Ragsdale has also been very active in the Kansas City community. He gives back to Rockhurst Athletics by serving on the University's Board of Trustees (2014-16), returning as a guest speaker for campus events, and annually contributing to the Fr. Joseph M. Freeman, S.J., Rockhurst Cup golf tournament fundraiser. Ragsdale serves on the American Cancer Society Chairman's Circle, provides support for the Young Professional Association at the University of Kansas Health System, and is a member of the Missouri Society of Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.