ST. LOUIS, Mo. – An impressive 14 Illinois State student-athletes earned the highest academic award given by the Missouri Valley Conference on Wednesday, as the league released its extensive list of annual academic awards on Wednesday.
Redbird student-athletes Michael Sebby (baseball), Megan Talbot (women's basketball), Becca Black (women's golf), Kate Del Fava (soccer), Mikayla Unger (soccer), Kari Balson (swimming & diving), Molly Hill (swimming & diving), Rachel Johnston (swimming & diving), Jensen Keck (swimming & diving), Mariah Brodie (women's track & field/cross country), Kennidi Knoblock (women's track & field/cross country), Annie Moore (women's track & field/cross country), Jordyn Bruce (women's track & field) and Ariana Cranston (women's track & field) all earned the MVC President's Council Academic Award, presented to student-athletes who have maintained a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.8 or higher through the spring semester, participated in athletics for at least two years and are within 18 credit hours of graduation.
A remarkable 108 Redbirds received the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award, honoring student-athletes who maintained a GPA of 3.5 or higher over the previous two semesters and a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. Illinois State also placed 280 student-athletes on the MVC Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes who recorded a GPA of 3.2 or higher in either semester during the 2019-20 academic year, while completing at least 12 credit hours during that semester.
Student-athletes from every Illinois State athletic team, with the exception of the football team, were represented in the MVC's announcement of academic awards. The Missouri Valley Football Conference announced its academic awards on Feb. 14, as 64 Redbirds earned honor roll recognition. Trey Georgie and Garrett Hirsch collected the league's highest academic award, the MVFC President's Council Academic Excellence Award.
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