ST LOUIS – Illinois State's Rachel Root has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week, MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin announced Wednesday.
Root, a sophomore member of Illinois State's swimming and diving team, scored a pair of second-place finishes on Jan. 4 at the Copa Coqui Invitational in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A native of Monroe, Wisconsin, Root earned runner-up finishes in both the 100-meter backstroke (1:09.23), and as a member of Illinois State's 200-meter medley relay team (2:06.59).
Root has been just as successful in the classroom, where she owns a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, while pursuing a degree in communication sciences and disorders.
To qualify for Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week laurels, student-athletes must carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20, completed at least one academic year at a Valley institution and must be at least a sophomore in academic standing.
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