An impressive 14 Illinois State student-athletes have earned the highest academic award given by the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), as the league released its extensive list of annual academic awards in August.
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 and diving), Molly Hill (swimming and diving), Rachel Johnston (swimming and diving), Jensen Keck (swimming and diving), Mariah Brodie (women’s track and field/cross country), Kennidi Knoblock (women’s track and field/cross country), Annie Moore (women’s track and field/cross country), Jordyn Bruce (women’s track and field), and Ariana Cranston (women’s track and 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 2019-2020 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 (MVFC) announced its academic awards February 14. Sixty-four 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.
