Thursday, November 10, 2016

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 2016-17 Fall season.

This year’s Fall honorees include Taylor Thiele, Bradley, Volleyball; Reed Fischer, Drake, Men's Cross Country; Olivia Goldstein, Evansville, Volleyball; Sara Stankoskey, Illinois State, Women's Soccer; Shannon Murphy, Indiana State, Volleyball; Morgan Reardon, Loyola, Volleyball; Shelby Harris, Missouri State, Football; Kelsey Hansen, UNI, Soccer; Billy Reed, Southern Illinois, Football; Dani Mostrom, Wichita State, Volleyball.

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.

Taylor Thiele, Bradley, Volleyball, Junior

• MVC Honor Roll (2015)
• Bradley AD Honor Roll (2014-2016)
• Dean's List (2014-2016)
• Bradley University Outstanding First Year Student Award (2015)
• Bradley SAAC Member (2015-16)
• Nominee of National Honor Society of Leadership
• LINCS (Leaders Instilling Knowledge through Cooperative Service)
• Student Advisory Committee (Bradley Athletics Representative)
• Volunteered with:
  • Unity-Point Methodist Hospital Volunteer
  • NOLA Volunteer Trip - United Saints Recovery Project
  • Special Olympics Bowling
  • Boys & Girls Club Volleyball Camps
  • Sterling Middle School
  • Glen Oak Elementary School
  • Peoria High Schools - Volleyball Camps
  • OSF Children's Hospital
  • Bradley Late Night BU
  • Megan Fong Blood Drive
  • Bradley University Center for Learning Assistance note taker

Reed Fischer, Drake, Men's Cross Country, Senior

• 3.81 GPA in Public Relations & English
• President's List (2015, 2016)
• Dean's List (2014)
• MVC Honor Roll (2014, 2015, 2016)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2015, 2016)
• NCAA Division I Academic All-American (Two-time)
• MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week (Four-time)
• Academic All-Conference Selection (Eight-time)
• SAAC Executive Committee Member
• Volunteered with:
  • Bulldog Pride Chair
  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes Student Leader
  • Volunteer Writer for Drake Bulldog Club Fundraising Group
  • Public relations coursework has directly benefited nonprofit hunger initiatives
  • Community resource centers 
  • Public school districts

Olivia Goldstein, Evansville, Volleyball, Sophomore

• Dean's List (Fall 2015, Spring 2016)
• Student-Athlete Academic Honors for a GPA over 3.5
• Member of the Exercise Science Major Club
• Member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (Fall 2015-now)
• Volunteered with:
  • UNICEF campus initiative (Spring 2016)
    • Chair of Event Planning on Executive Board (Fall 2016)
  • Planned events in tandem with Friends of Dago, Aurora Shelter, International Club
  • Leads the efforts of Community Service with helping our Team accumulate over 100 hours overall so far this Fall

Sara Stankoskey, Illinois State, Women's Soccer, Senior

• 3.66 GPA in Exercise Science
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2013-14, 2014-15)
• AFNI Honor Roll (6 semesters)
• MVC Female SAAC Representative (2015-16, 2016-17)
• Team SAAC Representative (2015-16, 2016-17)
• Volunteered with:
  • Fusion Sports Youth Soccer
  • Glenn Elementary Pen Pals
  • Midwest Food Bank
  • Normal West High School Post Prom
  • Leadership Academic Panel
  • Recess Buddies Participant
  • Young Hearts EKG Screening
  • American Heart Association
  • Pepperidge Welcome Back to School Parade

Shannon Murphy, Indiana State, Volleyball, Senior

• 3.840 GPA in Criminology
• Honors Program (each semester since Freshman year)
• AD Honor Roll (each semester since Freshman year)
• Dean's List (each semester since Freshman year)
• Helped the team earn the AVCA Team Academic Award (4 years)
• Volunteered with:
  • Taught volleyball to youth girls at the West Vigo Community Center
  • Jam the Bus
  • Special Olympics
  • Be the Match
  • Donated 10 inches of hair for Pantene Beautiful Lengths event hosted by the soccer team

Morgan Reardon, Loyola, Volleyball, Senior

• 3.631 Cumulative GPA 
• MVC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Team Honorable Mention (2014, 2015)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2015)
• MVC Honor Roll (2014, 2015)
• SAAC Representative
• Volunteered with:
  • Labre Homeless Ministry
  • St. Thomas of Canterbury Soup Kitchen
  • Ronald McDonald House Chicago
  • Lincoln Park Community Center
  • Pen Pal with Parker Elementary
  • Rogers Park Community Center - coaching free volleyball clinics
  • Loyola University Relay for Life

Shelby Harris, Missouri State, Football, Senior

• 3.98 overall GPA in Chemistry and Cell & Molecular Biology
• Dean's List (Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016)
• Maroon & White Scholar-Athlete (2014, 2015, 2016)
• MVFC Commissioners Academic Excellence Award (2014, 2015)
• CoSIDA Academic All-District VI (2015)
• Volunteered with:
  • Coordinator of "Buddy Bear" Program (2014-present)
  • Mercy Hospital (2014-present)
  • Ozarks Trail Council of Boy Scouts (2013-present)
  • Healthy Heroes (2014)
  • Convoy of Hope (2014, 2015)
  • Habitat for Humanity (2014)
  • Fall Festival, Rutledge Wilson Farm (2015)
  • Ozarks Science and Engineering Fair (2015)

Kelsey Hansen, UNI, Women's Soccer, Junior

• 3.89 GPA
• UNI Teacher Education Convocation Keynote Speaker
• UNI Student Leadership Nominee for Emerging Leader Award
• Leisure Youth and Human Services Meritorious Leadership Award
• Leisure Youth and Human Services Academic Achievement Award
• MVC Commissioner Academic Excellence Award (2015, 2016)
• Dean's List (Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016)
• Connecting Alumni to Students Emerging Leader Award
• Connecting Alumni to Students Seed Planter Award
• Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative
• Volunteered with:
  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes leadership team
  • Help host the annual coach's dinner hosted by Fellowship of Christian Athletes
  • Worship team leader and small group leader at Nazareth Lutheran Church during Sunday School and Bible School (2014-Present)
  • Rally in the Valley Scholarship Fundraiser - volunteer event coordinator (Spring 2015)
  • Gift of Giving event with the Boys & Girls Club (December 2015)
  • Junior Panthers Day
  • Volunteer Coach for youth soccer clinics
  • Earth Day Campus Clean Up Coordinator - Tidy CATS (2015, 2016)
  • UNI Golden Graduate Society Coordinator (2015, 2016)
  • Planned an Olympic themed event for the Alzheimer's and Dementia Unit at the Western Home
  • The North East Iowa Food Bank (Spring 2015, Spring 2016)
  • UNI Study Abroad Fair (2016)

Billy Reed, Southern Illinois, Football, Graduate Student

• 3.723 GPA in Finance
• First Team Academic All-MVFC (2015-16)
• MVFC President's Council Academic Excellence Award (2015-16)
• MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2013-14, 2014-15)
• MVFC Honor Roll (2012-13)
• Volunteered with:
  • Keep Carbondale Beautiful (2016-17)
  • Special Olympics (2015-16)
  • Boys & Girls Club with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17)
  • Souper Bowl for Hunger (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16)
  • SIH Cancer Institute Visit (2016-17)
  • Reading at Tri-C & Carruthers Elementary (2015-16)
  • Carwash for Heart Walk (2012-13)

Dani Mostrom, Wichita State, Volleyball, Senior

• 3.69 GPA in Health Science
• Athletic Director Honor Roll (eight times)
• Shocker Scholar Award Recipient (eight times)
• Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll (four times)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (two times)
• Volunteered with:
  • Allen Elementary Walk-a-Thon
  • Speaker at the Purple Mile Walk
  • Food Bank Fridays
  • Arc of Sedgwick Co. SOC Walk
  • TOP Learning Center
  • Read to students at Kensler Elementary
  • Girl Scout Cookie Kick-Off
  • WSU Health Fair
  • WSU Earth Day
  • Spoke at a Girl Scout Event