NORMAL, Ill. - Senior Mel Routledge, a forward on the women's soccer team, was named the Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week Tuesday, Oct. 7. Routledge earned the honor, which recognizes a female and male MVC student-athlete each week for academic and athletic success, for the first time in her career.
Routledge scored the game-winning goal in ISU's 1-0 triumph over Creighton Oct. 4. She tallied the goal with 1.4 seconds left in regulation, which was the latest game-winner in ISU soccer history. Routledge, who holds a 3.40 cumulative grade-point average in elementary education, leads the Redbirds with five goals and 11 points on the season.
"Mel stepped up Saturday and provided a big goal when we needed it most," said ISU head coach Drew Roff. "We have talked all season about having players step up in big situations and this was a perfect example of a senior doing just that."
An Illinois State soccer player has been named the Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week six times in the 10-year history of the award. Routledge joins former Redbird soccer players Bethany Russ (9/6/07), Andrea Shaw (9/30/04), Tiffany DeClark (10/9/03), Dana Schulte (10/16/03) and Diana Puckett (10/24/02).
The Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week program is in its 10th year of existence and is sponsored by Prairie Farms, Roberts and Hiland Dairies. To qualify for Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week laurels, student-athletes must carry a cumulative grade-point average of at least a 3.00, have completed at least one academic year at a Valley institution and must be at least a sophomore in academic standing. In addition to the academic qualifications, student-athletes will be evaluated on their athletic performance for a one-week period.
