NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State sophomore Amanda McClain was one of five student-athletes from the Missouri Valley Conference to represent the league on the 2016-17 CoSIDA Academic All-District™ Men's and Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Teams, announced Thursday.
McClain joins Reed Fischer of Drake, Jake Mazanke and Kevin White of Loyola, and Kyle Landon of Southern Illinois as Academic All-District selections from the Missouri Valley Conference. All first-team Academic All-District honorees advance to the Academic All-America Team National ballot, where first, second and third team selections will be announced next month. To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.0, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his institution and be nominated by his sports information director.
The Findlay, Illinois, native led Illinois State's scoring effort at the 2017 MVC Outdoor Track and Field Championship, ranking fifth in the league with 20 points. She scored 10 points by winning the 400m (54.19), tallied eight points by finishing second in the long jump (19' 9") and two points for helping the 4x400m relay team earn second (3:40.74). A four-time MVC Athlete of the Week and six-time MVC Scholar Athlete of the Week honoree this season, McClain was also the indoor champion in the 400 meters and the long jump and finished her season at the NCAA West Preliminary finishing 20th in the long jump competition.
McClain, who maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.92 as a physical therapy major, was also recognized along with 18 of her teammates on the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team for the 2017 Track and Field season. Over 100 student-athletes from league schools made the list, with 30 athletes holding at least a 3.80 cumulative grade-point average, and seven athletes on the list maintaining a perfect 4.00.
Student-athletes named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete team must maintain 3.2 cumulative grade-point average, be at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing, and must have placed in the top eight of an individual event or top three in a relay events at the MVC Indoor or Outdoor Championships.
Illinois State Men:
Fancis Ehigbai, 3.24, Exercise Science; Connor Ehnle, 3.99, Biology; Adam Shaufelberger, 3.41, Criminal Justice; Skyler Arthur, 3.50, Animal Science/Pre-vet; Tye Sutherland, 3.83, Exercise Science; Paul Steeno, 4.00, Journalism; Jesse Hahne, 3.80, Secondary Education-Mathematics; *Justin Agustin, 3.38, Marketing; Tyler Morse, 3.28, Finance; Andrew Hatch, 3.26, Kinesiology and Exercise Science; Derek Wegman 3.7, Recreation Management
Illinois State Women:
Haley Becker, 3.27, Interior and Environmental Design; *Ashley England, 3.53, Exercise Science; *Kassie Hoyme, 3.73, Exercise Science; *Amanda McClain, 3.92, Physical Therapy; *Ariel Michalek, 3.39, Therapeutic Recreation; Lindsey Lewis, 3.68, Physical Education; Rayanne Wright, 3.61, Accounting; Sydney Billingsley, 3.21, Dietetics
*Indicates athlete received honors at both MVC Indoor and Outdoor Championships
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