Illinois States Corey Harris and Abbie Scott have been named to the 2003 Missouri Valley Conference Softball Scholar-Athlete First Team and Melissa Baker and Kate Stake have received honorable mention honors.
Harris, a senior chemistry major from Dickinson, Texas, carries a 3.93 grade point average. She was named to the Verizon Academic All-District V Second Team as well as the Fun and Sun Classic All-Tournament Team. In addition to these honors, Harris earned Valley Scholar-Athlete of the Week on March 19 and Preseason All-Valley Honorable Mention honors.
Scott is the lone conference player to repeat this honor from last year. She also made the 2001 scholar-athlete team. Scott, a Macomb, Ill. native, is just the 11th softball player to earn scholar athlete honors in three-straight years and only the second softball player from Illinois State to do so. She is a senior psychology major with a 3.97 GPA. Scott, a right fielder for the Redbirds, was also named to the Verizon Academic All-District V Second Team, the All-Valley First Team and received Valley Player of the Week for March 18. Scott, who is an Illinois State Bone Scholar, earned Preseason All-Valley Team honors as well.
Baker, a senior catcher from Reno, Nev., is a business management major with a 3.63 GPA. She earned Valley Scholar-Athlete of the Week for April 22.
Stake, a sophomore second baseman from Buffalo Grove, Ill., is a social science education major with a 3.63 GPA. Stakes other accolades this year include being named to the All-Valley Second Team, earning Valley Scholar-Athlete of the Week for March 26 and being named to the Preseason All-Valley Team.
The criteria for the Valley Scholar-Athlete Team parallels the Verizon/CoSIDA standards for academic all-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their respective universities. The top 11 vote getters receive first-team honors.
