March 1, 2006
Senior Neil Plank became the fourth men's basketball player from Illinois State to repeat as an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® when he was named to the 2006 University Division Men's Basketball Team on Wednesday. It marked the 13th time a player from the Illinois State basketball program had been honored on the national team.
Plank, who claimed third team honors, joins the likes of Dan Muller, Jeff Harris and Doug Collins on the list of two-time academic all-America Redbirds.
The 2006 Prairie Farms Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year was the only representative from the league on the three-team list, while Plank and Notre Dame's Chris Quinn, a first team selection, were the only players from District V.
Not only did Illinois State's Neil Plank repeat his place on the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team, he also was named, for the second straight year, the Prairie Farms Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Tuesday.
The three-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® University All-District V Team selection, received his bachelor's degree in finance from Illinois State in May 2005. He carried a 3.93 grade point average during his undergraduate career and is currently finishing up his first year in the master's of business administration (M.B.A.) program.
