In an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes, the Missouri Valley Conference has created the MVC Leadership & Service Award.  Ten student-athletes have been named by Commissioner Doug Elgin as the honorees for the 2014-15 Winter season.

This year’s Winter honorees include Xzavier Taylor, Bradley, Men's Basketball; Elizabeth Heap, Drake, Women's Basketball; Taylor Shotwell, Evansville, Women's Swimming & Diving; CJ Hamilton, Illinois State, Men's Track & Field; DeSean Prentice, Indiana State, Men's Indoor Track & Field; Sam Penzenstadler, Loyola, Men's Indoor Track & Field; Tyler McCullough, Missouri State, Men's Basketball; Marvin Singleton, UNI, Men's Basketball; Ella Otto, Southern Illinois, Women's Swimming & Diving; Cara Detmer, Wichita State, Women's Indoor Track & Field.

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 MVC Leadership & Service Award honorees.

Xzavier Taylor, Bradley, Men's Basketball, Sophomore

• 3.68 GPA, majoring in Social Work
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2014)
• MVC Honor Roll (2014)
• Bradley Honor Roll (Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014)
• Bradley University Outstanding First-Year Student (2014)
• Volunteer at Methodist Medical Kamp Kourage for Kids
• HOIDSA Buddy Walk volunteer
• Volunteer at Doughnuts for Dads
• Participant in Team Impact and team adoption of the Sahr brothers
• Volunteer at the Komen's Foundation plant sale fundraiser
• Crittenton Center Crisis Nursery volunteer

Elizabeth Heap, Drake, Women's Basketball, Senior

• Dean's List, 3.5-3.99 GPA (Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Spring 2013)
• President's List, 4.0 GPA (Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014)
• Top Junior Award Recipient (April 2014)
• MVC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention (March 2014)
• Completed 1000 Team Hours (May 2013-May 2014)
• Working on completing 1000 Team Hours (May 2014-May 2015)
• Habitat for Humanity volunteer
• Volunteer at HyVee Road Race Blue Mile
• Hawthorn Hill volunteer
• Volunteer at Central Iowa Shelter & Services

Taylor Shotwell, Evansville, Women's Swimming & Diving, Senior

• Dean's List (Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014)
• University of Evansville Student Athlete Academic Honor Award (2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14)
• Received direct entry into the University of Evansville's Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program
• 2014 MVC Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete Team
• Raised money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation by helping organize a dinner (2011-14)
• Volunteered at PBS's WNIN Kids Festival (2014)
• Made breakfast for Ronald McDonald House residents (2014)
• Pickerington Nursing and Rehabilitation Center volunteer (2014)
• Made Valentine's Day cards for the residents of Riley Children's Hospital (2014)
• Race for the Cure volunteer (2011-2013)
• Made blankets for Project Linus (2011-2014)
• Relay for Life participant (2011-14) and volunteered to set-up (2014)
• Volunteer coach for the Chevington Woods Swim Team (2012)
• Raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (2012-14)
• Camp Reveal volunteer (2011)
• Painted a fence around a playground as a volunteer for Evansville Arc (2011)

CJ Hamilton, Illinois State, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Senior

• Cumulative 3.47 GPA
• Illinois State's President's List (Fall 2011, Fall 2012)
• Illinois State's Honor Roll (Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2013, Fall 2014)
• Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity
• MVC Scholar-Athlete Team (2014)
• Weekly volunteer as a hotline worker at the 24-hour Crisis Help Line
• Providing Access to Help (PATH) volunteer
• Volunteered at Recess Buddies
• Reggie's Fun Zone volunteer
• Nominee for Grabill-Homan Community Peace Prize offered by the Political Science Department at Illinois State

DeSean Prentice, Indiana State, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Senior

• SAAC Officer
• 3.3 GPA
• Special Olympics volunteer (2011-2014)
• Volunteer for Unholy Soles (2014-15)
• Boys and Girls Club volunteer (2013-14)
• Volunteer at Up til Dawn (2011-13)
• Riley's Children's Hospital volunteer (2011)
• Volunteer at Parents Night Out (2013)
• Take Back the Night volunteer (2011-12)

Sam Penzenstadler, Loyola, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Senior

• 3.304 GPA with a Mathematics and Computer Science major and Statistics minor
• Dean's List (Fall 2012)
• 4-time Cross  Country MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week
• Horizon League and MVC All-Academic team for Cross Country (2012-14)
• Horizon League and MVC All-Academic team for Track & Field (2012-14)
• USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams (2013, 2014)
• Member of SAAC (2012-15)
• Christmas on Campus volunteer
• Volunteer at Relay for Life
• Hygiene Hijack volunteer
• Volunteered at Shoe Drive
• Ronald McDonald Pop Tab Collection
• Zero Waste Game volunteer
• Volunteer for the Penny Wars
• Helped advertise, collect and fold clothes  at the Jesuit Jam Clothing Drive (2013, 2014)
• Mathematics tutor at Kind College Prep High School (Fall 2014)
• Chicago Marathon volunteer (2012, 2014)

Tyler McCullough, Missouri State, Men's Basketball, Sophomore

• Dean's List (Summer 2013, Fall 2013)
• Athletic Director's Honor Roll (Fall 2013, Fall 2014)
• Maroon & White Scholar-Athlete (Spring 2014, Spring 2015)
• Man Up and Go mission trip to Africa (2014)
• Juvenile Diabetes Walk volunteer (2010, 2011, 2012)
• Volunteered at Salvation Army's Christmas Tree Angel Shopping (2010, 2011, 2012)
• Healthy Heroes volunteer (2014)
• Volunteer at Bears Read (2013, 2014)
• CRU leader (2014-2015)
• FCA leader (2013-2015)
• Men's Basketball SAAC representative (2014-15)
• Teen Cancer Challenge fundraiser (2011)

Marvin Singleton, Northern Iowa, Men's Basketball, Senior

• Athletic Director's Honor Roll (three semesters)
• Marketing: Advertising and Digital Media major
• Has been active in the community with writing a blog
• Adopt A Panther volunteer
• Volunteered at Read to Achieve
• Connecting with Cedar Valley United Way
• Boys and Girls Club volunteer
• Participated in Pay it Forward: Random Acts of Kindness
• Adapted Basketball volunteer
• Volunteered at After School Programs
• Panther Pals volunteer

Ella Otto, Southern Illinois, Women's Swimming & Diving, Senior

• 4.00 Cumulative GPA
• Dean's List (every semester)
• MVC Scholar-Athlete (2012-13, 2013-14)
• MVC Conference Honor Roll (2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2012-13, 2013-14)
• Virginia Gordon Endowed Scholarship Award Recipient
• Student Athlete Advisory Committee Secretary (2014-15)
• Saluki Swim Club Volunteer
• Valiant Player-Visits to the Memorial Hospital and the VA Hospital
• Bouncy House Volunteer at the Saluki Family Weekend
• Distributed Halloween candy to children at the University Mall Team Store
• Hour of Power volunteer
• Jackson County Humane Society volunteer
• WIN for Life volunteer
• American Cancer Society's Bark for Life volunteer
• Volunteer at SIU Athletics Kids Night Out volunteer
• Special Olympics volunteer
• SIU Swim Club volunteer
• Volunteer at Giant City Family Fun Night
• SIU Athletics Thank-A-Thon volunteer
• Volunteer at Parrish Elementary Pumpkin Festival

Cara Detmer, Wichita State, Women's Indoor Track & Field, Senior

• Overall 3.655 GPA in Biological Sciences
• Dean's List for a 3.5+ GPA (four semesters)
• Shocker Scholar for a 3.2+ GPA (six semesters)
• AD Honor Roll for a 3.0+ GPA (seven semesters)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2011-12)
• MVC Honor Roll (three years)
• Prairie Fire Fall Marathon volunteer (2011, 2012, 2014)
• Volunteer at Shocks, Cops and Kids event (2012, 2014)
• Baked for the holidays (2012)
• Helped move freshman into the dorms (2013)
• Colvin Elementary Reading Program volunteer (2014)