NORMAL, Ill. – Each year, deserving Illinois State baseball student-athletes are chosen as recipients for prestigious endowed scholarships at Illinois State University, and this year four outstanding Redbird baseball players were selected for these honors by ISU head baseball coach Steve Holm.
The 2018-19 winners of the four endowed scholarships dedicated to baseball included juniors Joe Butler, Colton Johnson, and Joe Aeilts and sophomore Jacob Gilmore. Each reflect the standards set forth by those who created the endowments, and each truly represent what it means to be a Redbird baseball student-athlete.
"I could not be happier presenting these scholarships to Joe Butler, Johnson, Aeilts, and Gilmore" said coach Holm. "Each of these young men represent everything about Redbird baseball there is. They work hard on and off the field, they are outstanding students and most importantly they are even better people. Society gets better with the addition of these young men."
Duffy Bass Endowed Scholarship Recipient // Joe Butler, Junior, Infielder/Outfielder, Channahon, Illinois
Butler is one of four Redbirds that has started every game this season, playing at both right field and third base. The Channahon, Illinois, native leads the 'Birds in batting average (.397), runs (16), hits (27) and is tied in triples during conference play.
The scholarship is named after the former Illinois State head coach who guided the program to more than 700 wins and the 1969 College Division National Championship. It is awarded each year to an ISU junior or senior baseball player who most exhibits the legacy of Bass.
Schuster Family Endowed Scholarship Recipient // Colton Johnson, Junior, Left-Handed Pitcher, Kewanee, Illinois
Johnson is a three-year letterwinner for the Redbirds appearing in 59 games with 144 innings pitched over his career. Johnson has struck out 110 batters with opponents hitting .279 lifetime against the hurler. This season, the Kewanee, Illinois, native leads the team in appearances, and is second on the team in ERA.
The Schuster Family Endowed Scholarship was established in 2009 to honor Andrew Schuster, a four-year letterwinner in baseball for the Redbirds, and Danielle Miller-Schuster, a member of the Redline Express. The scholarship was established by Robert and LaNita Schuster, and is presented annually to a junior or senior member of the Illinois State baseball team.
Raymond W. Fairchild Endowed Scholarship // Jacob Gilmore, Sophomore, Left-Handed Pitcher, Bloomington, Illinois
Gilmore leads the Redbirds pitching staff in saves with 10 this season. Gilmore has four appearances with four saves this season in conference, and has 31 strikeouts over 22.2 innings pitched. The Bloomington, Illinois, native was added to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year midseason watch list.
The Fairchild Endowment is a scholarship awarded each academic year to one Redbird baseball player who excels in the classroom and on the field of play. It is named after former Illinois State President Raymond W. Fairchild, who guided the university from 1933 to 1954.
Stephen Heaton Endowed Scholarship Recipient // /Joe Aeilts, Junior, Outfielder/Infielder, Champaign, Illinois
Aeilts is one of four Redbirds that has started every game this season, playing both right field or third base. This season, Aeilts leads the Redbirds in batting average (.355), on-base percentage (.413), slugging percentage (.564), hits (75), and is tied for the team-lead in doubles (13). The Champaign, Illinois, native has been named to the Missouri Valley Conference academic honor rolls each season he has been on campus.
The scholarship was established in March 2010 by the Heaton Family and Nancy Heaton in honor of her late husband Steve. Steve lettered in baseball beginning in 1965 until he graduated in 1968. He majored in Business Education earning dean's list distinction six of his eight semesters. Steve dedicated his life to teaching business and coaching baseball. His dedication and leadership inspired many students and players to pursue careers in education and coaching. Nancy is also a proud graduate earning both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Illinois State University. The scholarship is for a male student-athlete in the college of business, with a preference for baseball and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
These endowed scholarships are among the 30 available to Illinois State student-athletes that are funded by private donors. For more information about establishing or contributing to an endowed scholarship, please call the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund office at (309) 438-3803. To read about each current endowment in more detail, visit the WSF website at www.weisbeckerscholarshipfund.com. For updates on Illinois State Baseball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (@isuredbirdbaseball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
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