May 12, 2011
ST. LOUIS -
Illinois State student-athletes Brittany Smith and JD Learnard were selected as Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Week, as announced by Valley Commissioner Doug Elgin Thursday. Smith and Learnard were honored for their performances during the period of May 2-8.
A member of the Illinois State women's track and field team, Smith, a sophomore from Oak Park, Ill., competed in the shot put, discus and hammer throw at the Billy Hayes Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., May 6, and recorded top-five finishes in each event. The reigning MVC Women's Field Athlete of the Week, Smith has a 3.72 cumulative grade-point average in math¬ematics.
Smith finished fourth in the shot put with a season-best effort of 51-07.25 and later placed second in the discus (164-04) and fifth in the hammer throw (192-02) at the one-day invitational hosted by Indiana.
Smith previously earned Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors during the indoor season, after she finished third in the shot put with a school record throw of 56-04.75 at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. That performance also earned her All-America honors in the event.
A pitcher for the Redbird baseball team, Learnard, a sophomore from Fairmount, Ill., pitched 6.1 innings while earning an 8-3 victory over Missouri State on May 8. Learnard, who has a 3.24 cumulative grade-point average in biological sciences, scattered eight hits and permitted three runs (all earned), while striking out two and walking four.
Now in its 12th year of existence, The Valley's Scholar-Athlete program is sponsored by Prairie Farms, Roberts and Hiland Dairies. On a weekly basis, the conference honors its student-athletes for their athletic performance for a one-week period and academic success in the classroom.
To qualify for Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week laurels, student-athletes must carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20, must have completed at least one academic year at a Valley institution and must be at least a sophomore in academic standing. Redshirt freshmen and first-year junior college transfers are not eligible. In addition to the academic qualifications, student-athletes will be evaluated on their athletic performance for a one-week period.
Smith and the rest of the Redbirds return to action Friday, May 13, at the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Learnard and the baseball team will play in-state rival Southern Illinois in a three-game series beginning Friday, May 13, at 3 p.m., in Carbondale, Ill.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
