Senior midfielder Kate Del Fava is one of two athletes featured in this week's Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Spotlight, presented by Enterprise Bank and Trust Company, the conference announced Wednesday, Oct. 3. Kyle Hiebert of Missouri State men's soccer was the other athlete to be honored.
To qualify for the MVC Scholar-Athlete Spotlight, 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. Redshirt freshmen and junior college transfers are not eligible. In addition to the academic qualifications, student athletes are evaluated on their campus involvement and community service.
Del Fava is a standout on the field and in the classroom, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA while double-majoring in pre-veterinary medicine and animal science and minoring in chemistry. She has a passion for helping animals and volunteers at several local veterinary clinics and animal hospitals with aspirations to one day run her own veterinary clinic. She has earned a number of academic accolades during her time at Illinois State, including the Presidential Scholarship, AFNI Honor Roll, MVC Honor Roll, MVC Commissioner's List, 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-American and she is currently one of 10 national finalists for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award.
This school year, Del Fava was named a recipient of the Robert G. Bone Scholarship. The Bone Scholarship, named in honor of ISU's late president, is the highest university-wide honor to be bestowed upon undergraduate students. Bone Scholars are selected through a rigorous campus-wide competition based on their scholarly achievements and their engagement and leadership in activities in the university community and beyond. Only 14 of Illinois State's more than 20,000 students were tabbed for this honor.
Del Fava has played in every single Illinois State soccer match since her arrival on campus in 2016 and has started in all but two. The midfielder has been recognized by the conference every year, earning All-MVC First Team honors as a junior (2018) and sophomore (2017) and being recognized on the MVC All-Freshman Team (2016) in her first season. She helped the Redbirds to MVC regular season and tournament championships in 2016, playing all 110 minutes as a freshman in the NCAA First Round match that saw ISU advance over Michigan in double overtime.
The senior finished the 2019 regular season leading the Valley in goals (15), points (34) and game-winning goals (6).
Del Fava serves in many leadership roles, including as a member of the soccer team's leadership group for the past two seasons, Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Leadership Academy and Emerging Leaders. Her investment in serving the team and Illinois State University in these leadership roles has provided a platform for her to make a powerful and positive impact on the ISU soccer program.
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