In an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes, the Missouri Valley Conference has created the State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award.  Ten student-athletes have been named by Commissioner Doug Elgin as the honorees for the 2019-20 Spring season.

This year’s Spring nominees include Emma Jackson, Bradley, Softball; Mandi Roemmich, Drake, Softball; Halie Fain, Evansville, Softball; Mack Leonard, Illinois State, Softball; Collin Liberatore, Indiana State, Baseball; Katie Polaski, Loyola, Softball; Alye Darter, Missouri State, Women's Tennis; Jaclyn Spencer, UNI, Softball; Erica Kerr, Southern Illinois; Women's Golf; Brian Pecyna, Valparaiso, Men's Tennis.

In order to be eligible for the award, the student-athlete must be in good academic standing, must demonstrate good citizenship through good sportsmanship and significant community service, and must participate in a sport, during the season of recognition.  The Valley will recognize 10 student-athletes three times annually (fall, winter, spring), for a total of 30 honorees.  Institutions select their State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award honorees.

Emma Jackson, Bradley, Softball, Senior

• 3.45 Cumulative GPA in Social Work and Religious Studies
• NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete (2017-18, 2018-19)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2019)
• MVC Honor Roll (2017, 2018, 2019)
• Bradley University's Dean's List (Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Spring 2019)
• Bradley Athletic Director's Honor Roll (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fal 2018, Spring 2019)
• Community Service:
  • Small Wonder Miracle Walk (2016-19)
  • Festival of Trees (2016-19)
  • Cancer Game (2016)
  • Children's Hospital Visits (2016-17)
  • Alzheimer's Walk (2017)
  • Peoria Park District Halloween Party (2017)
  • American Cancer Society Night of Hope (2017)
  • Crittenton Family Centers Crisis Nursery (2018)
  • Mexico Missions Trip, ITESO University (2019)
  • Vacation Bible School - As You Are Missionary Church (2019)
  • Valeska Hinton Preschool (2019)
  • Almost Home Kids (2019)
  • Operation Christmas Child (2019)

Mandi Roemmich, Drake, Softball, Senior

• 4.00 GPA in Biology, minor in Business
• President's List (seven-time)
• Drake Biology Department Fae M. Shawan Pre-Medical Award Recipient
• CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team
• MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team (two-time)
• MVC Elite 17 Award Winner (two-time)
• MVC President's Council Academic Award Recipient
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence & Honor Roll (three-time)
• Community Service:
  • United Sports Volleyball with Special Olympics Iowa
  • Courage League Sports
  • Meals from the Heartland
  • Lutheran Church of Hope
  • ALS Iowa
  • Drake SAAC Rep and Operations Chair

Halie Fain, Evansville, Softball, Junior

• 3.77 GPA in Neuroscience
• NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete (two-time)
• Community Service:
  • BGRA Habitat
  • GCHS Softball Camp
  • Ace Race
  • Boo at the Zoo
  • UE International Bazaar
  • Toys for Tots
  • Sayre Christian Village
  • Night of Memories
  • Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk
  • Bridal Expo
  • Evansville Rescue Mission Race

Mack Leonard, Illinois State, Softball, Sophomore

• 3.91 Cumulative GPA in Exercise Science
• MVC Honor Roll (2018-19)
• AFNI Student-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019)
• Community Service:
  • Day of the Dozer
  • Recess Buddies
  • 100 Caring Adults
  • Humane Society Volunteer
  • Eisenhower Elementary School Visit
  • Illinois State University Curb Birds Move-In
  • Calvary Baptist Church Volunteer
  • Operation Christmas Child
  • Illinois State University Volunteer Notetaker

Collin Liberatore, Indiana State, Baseball, Redshirt Senior

• MVC First Team All-Academic
• MVC Scholar-Athlete Team
• Dean's List (Fall 2018, Spring 2018, Fall 2019, Spring 2019, Fall 2020)
• Community Service:
  • Angels' Place
  • SAAC Member
  • Sycamore Leadership Academy

Katie Polaski, Loyola, Softball, Junior

• 3.86 Cumulative GPA in Information Systems and Marketing
• Dean's List (each semester)
• Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society
• Community Service: 
  • More than 25 hours
  • Special Olympics Competition
  • By the Hand after school program
  • St. Jude's Children's Hospital Holiday Heroes
  • Shoes That Fit
  • St. Thomas of Canterbury Soup Kitchen
  • Greater Chicago Food Depository's 33rd Annual Hunger Walk

Alye Darter, Missouri State, Women's Tennis, Senior

• ITA Scholar-Athlete (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19)
• MVC Academic Honor Roll (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19)
• MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention (2017-18)
• MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team (2018-19)
• Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019)
• Maroon & White Scholar-Athlete (Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020)
• Dr. Bruce Johnson Scholar-Athlete (2020)
• Community Service:
  • The Bandana Project (Co-Director)
  • Bear Mentor Program
  • Miracle League
  • MSHSAA State Tournament Volunteer
  • Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter
  • Tennis Kids Day
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • SAAC President

Jaclyn Spencer, UNI, Softball, Senior

• 3.73 GPA (straight A's the past three semesters)
• Student Teaching and will graduate in Fall 2020
• Dean's List
• Athletic Director's Honor Roll
• MVC Honor Roll
• Community Service:
  • Small Group Leader for Prairie Lakes Church High School Ministry
  • Travel Softball coach
  • Minority Student-Athlete Leadership Team
  • Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (Executive Member)
  • KBBG Parade Participant
  • Boys and Girls Club

Erica Kerr, Southern Illinois, Women's Golf, Senior

• 3.72 GPA
• BA in Biological Sciences
• Dean's List (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018)
• MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team (2019, 2020)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2018)
• MVC Honor Roll (2018)
• Community Service:
  • Nearly 75 Hours 
  • Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale
  • Trick or Treat Canned Food Drive
  • Unity Point Elementary School
  • Valiant Player at the Marion VA Medical Center
  • United Way - Holiday Helping Hands
  • Nubability Game Changer Camps
  • St. Francis Animal Shelter

Brian Pecyna, Valparaiso, Men's Tennis, Redshirt Senior

• Presidential Academic Honors (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence (2018-19)
• MVC Honor Roll (2017-18)
• Community Service:
  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2015-present)
    • Huddle Leader (2019-present)
    • Camp Leader (2018-present)
  • Calvary Church Student Ministry Leader (2019-present)
  • World Relief Organization
  • Valparaiso Church of the Nazarene
    • Clean-up for Night to Shine
    • Kid's Game Night