Aug. 16, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
The hustle, academic prowess and contagious smile of Mike Vandello made him an instant fan-favorite for the Illinois State faithful. His popularity makes him an easy choice to receive the 2006 Bob and Audrey Weber Endowed Scholarship, named after a pair of longtime Illinois State fans.
The Weber's bought their first ISU season tickets in 1974 and Bob has continued to support the Redbirds after Audrey's death in 1991. The scholarship was actually funded from the whole Weber family, which includes five children and 11 grandchildren.
Head coach Porter Moser appreciates the overall support of Bob Weber and his family.
"Bob Weber bleeds red," said Moser. "All you have to do is look at any event, whether it is a radio show, Breakfast Club or game - he's there. The true heart of Bob is how passionate he is through the ups and the downs. His generosity to endow this scholarship shows how much he cares about the student-athletes and Redbird athletics."
As a freshman, Vandello logged the most minutes of any newcomer (582), and played in all 28 games with nine starting assignments. Vandello, who carries a 4.0 grade point average, is working for a double major in biology and business.
"It is really fun to get academic reports back from the faculty on Mike Vandello," said Moser. "You see comments like `best student in the class' and `never had a student work harder.' He is extremely committed to academic excellence. You see Mike and watch him study on the road and put time on the weekends. He's the quintessential student-athlete."
Vandello finished the season averaging 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He tallied three double-digit scoring games on the season and ended the year making 10 of his last 20 three-point field goal attempts.
"I'm really excited about receiving this honor," said Vandello. "It means a lot to have this endowed scholarship come from season-ticket holders and Redbird supporters. For me both basketball and my studies are the same, what you put in is what you get out of it. I'm always putting in extra time in my studying because it just doesn't come to me. I have to work at it to do well."
The Bob and Audrey Weber Endowed Scholarship is one of 14 endowed scholarships available to Illinois State student-athletes funded by private donors. It is also one of eight fully endowed scholarships in athletics.
For more information about supporting this, or any other Illinois State University endowment scholarships, call The Redbird Club office at (309) 438-3803.
