ST. LOUIS – Illinois State track & field earned strong representation on the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team, with 17 Redbirds recognized for their success in the classroom and in competition during the 2025-26 academic year.
Six student-athletes posted perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point averages, including Jake Welch (Construction Management) from the men's team, along with Nora Brady (Nursing BSN), Brianna Brodie (KNR Physical Education), Morgan Foes (Construction Management), Becca Heitzig (Exercise Science) and Mattison Plummer (College Student Personnel Administration) from the women's team.
Illinois State's scholar-athlete selections represented a diverse group of academic programs, including nursing, agriculture, exercise science, mathematics, English and construction management.
Women's honorees included Brady (4.00 GPA), Heitzig (4.00 GPA), Plummer (4.00 GPA), Foes (4.00 GPA), Isabelle Hemmen (Agriculture, 3.82 GPA), Carmyn Huston (Early Childhood Education, 3.61 GPA), Abigail Milott (English, 3.54 GPA),  Maggie Reed (Mathematics, 3.78 GPA),  Laney Nelson (Prelicensure BSN, 3.50 GPA) and Astrid Van Breedam (Exercise Science, 3.84 GPA).
Men's honorees included Welch (4.00 GPA), Luke Barham (Mathematics, 3.65 GPA), Will Gelon (Finance, 3.69 GPA), Blake Oleson (Marketing, 3.66 GPA), Zach Paul (Business Administration, 3.68 GPA), Astor Snaider (Computer Science, 3.84 GPA) and Cole Stevens (Exercise Science, 3.51 GPA).
The women's track & field team posted a program-record 3.56 team GPA during the spring semester, while the men's squad also achieved a program-best mark with a 3.38 spring GPA.Â
To be eligible for MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50, both as an undergraduate and graduate student, where applicable. Student-athletes must also be at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing and must have competed in six regular-season meets (combination of indoor and outdoor) OR finished top eight at a conference championship in individual events and top-three in relay events.
