Illinois States Stacia Beste and Kress Shores were each selected to the 2000 GTE Academic All-District V University Division Womens Spring At-Large Team, Thursday.
Beste, a native of Shorewood, Wis., is majoring in psychology and has a 3.86 GPA. She is a two-time member of the United States Womens Cross Country Coaches All-Academic Team and has been selected to the Valley Scholar-Athlete Team all three years. In the fall she was a second-team member of the 1999-2000 GTE Academic All-District V University Division Womens Fall/Winter At-Large Team. She has also been named as a 2000 Illinois State Bone Scholar, the highest academic honor on campus.
Last weekend Beste claimed her first league championship on the track after winning the 5,000-meter run at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Beste also legged a second-place finish in the 10,000-meter run.
In the fall, Beste qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships after finishing sixth at the District V Regional. She has named to the All-Valley team in 1999, 1998 and 1997, while being a part of the AFNI Athletic Honor Roll five times, including two 4.0 semesters.
Shores, a native of Champaign, Ill., recently graduated with a degree in biological sciences and a 3.97 GPA. She was also a Bone Scholar in 1999 and was named the Illinois State Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
During her Redbird career, Shores posted 69 career singles victories which ranks 10th all-time in school history. She also helped lead the Redbirds to their second-place finish at the 2000 Valley Championships, the highest team finish in school history.
In 1995, Shores became the first Redbird to win a conference title since 1992 when she claimed the No. 7 singles crown. She defended her title in 1996 and teamed with Brigette Zarazee to win the leagues No. 3 doubles title in 1999. Shores is a six-time member of the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll that included five 4.0 semesters.
The district team is made of Division I schools in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario and Manitoba. To be nominated, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve, and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher.
Team members are selected by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) within the district.
Both Beste and Shores will represent District V on the national ballot.
