In an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes, the Missouri Valley Conference has created the State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award. Twelve student-athletes have been named by Commissioner Jeff Jackson as the honorees for the 2022 Fall season.
This year's Fall honorees includes JP Armbruster, Belmont, Men's Soccer; Roy Alvarez, Bradley, Men's Cross Country; Tessa Laska, Drake, Women's Cross Country; Emilee Schuemann, Evansville, Volleyball; Dani Grgas, Illinois State, Women's Soccer; Nora Henderson, Indiana State, Women's Soccer; Alyssa Buchheit, Missouri State, Women's Soccer; Bailey DeMier, Murray State, Volleyball; Luke Malone, UIC, Men's Cross Country; Payton Ahrenstorff, UNI, Volleyball; Bailey Neuberger, Southern Illinois, Volleyball; Natalie Graf, Valparaiso, Women's Soccer.
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 12 student-athletes three times annually (Fall, Winter, Spring), for a total of 36 honorees. Institutions select their State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award honorees.
JP Armbruster, Belmont, Men's Soccer
- 2022 President's Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America®
- 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District® First Team
- Three-time SoCon Commissioner's Medal recipient (maintaining a 3.8 GPA or higher for the academic year)
- Three-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll member
- Two-time Academic All-SoCon selection
- Belmont University Dean's List regular
- Public Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Scholar for the 2021-22 academic year
- The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation that oversees auditors of issuers and broker-dealers.
- Only the second Belmont men's soccer player to earn Academic All-America® status
Campus Involvement
- Belmont Men's Soccer: three-time Team Captain
- Belmont Student-Athlete Advisory Committee: Member 2020 – 2021
- Alpha Chi Honor Society: Alpha Chi is an honor society which awards and acknowledges the achievements of Belmont students at the top of their class. Students ranked in the top 10% of Belmont University's junior and senior classes are invited to join Alpha Chi and become a life-long member of this organization.
Community Service
- Team IMPACT: Team IMPACT matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams. Belmont Men's Soccer fostered a relationship with Josh Miner, a teenager from Clarksville, TN battling severe epilepsy and other health issues, and his family.
Roy Alvarez, Bradley, Men's Cross Country
- Electrical Engineering major and Marketing minor 3.4 cumulative GPA
- MVC Honor Roll 2020-21, 2021-22
- Athletic Director's Honor Roll 2020, 2021-22
- Dean's list Spring 2022
- President of Braves Council (Student Athlete Advisory Council)2022-23
- Braves Council Board 2021-22
- One of two Bradley representatives on the Missouri Valley SAAC.
- Vice President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Bradley
- Teacher Assistant in the Electrical Engineering department.
- Bradley Student Admissions Representative
- Intercollegiate Athletics Committee representative,
- Admissions Office Intern.
- Bold Leadership Institute member, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Association of Latin American Students.
Community Service:
- Red Cross Blood Drive Volunteer at Bradley
- Dream Center Volunteer, Peoria IL
- Spalding Renewal Center Volunteer, Peoria IL,
- Volunteer for ESPERE
Tessa Laska, Drake, Women's Cross Country, Senior
- Tessa is currently in pursuit of her Masters in Athletic-Training at Drake University.
- During her time at Drake, she has maintained a 3.57 undergraduate GPA in Health Sciences: Clinical & Applied, while also being named to the Dean's List and President's List.
Community Service:
- Beyond finding success in the classroom, Tessa has made an impact on the community around her.
- Tessa has spent time volunteering with Special Olympic athletes, assisted in Girls in Sports Day activities, and spent time doing trash clean up with the Drake OT/Pharmacy program.
- Tessa has represented Drake for the Iowa Athletic Trainers Society Student Leadership Council, held the secretary seat for the Drake Athletic Training Club, supervised and officiated Drake Rec Services intramurals, and has been the track and field/cross-country SAAC representative.
Emilee Schuemann, Evansville, Volleyball, Junior
Commuinity Service
- Member of the volleyball developmental program teaching within the community
- President of a Christian non-profit (Faith in Action) that connects college students to their faith
- MVC SAAC representative
- Evansville SAAC Vice President.
Dani Grgas, Illinois State, Women's Soccer, Junior
Pursuing degree in Business Administration and Management Illinois State University Athletics AFNI Honor Roll- Spring 2019-Present (Every semester) Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll- Spring 2020-Midyear enrollee, 2020-21, 2021-22 Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award-2021-22.
Community Service:
- Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) President
- Volunteer for FC Central Illinois
- Play4Kay Volunteer
- Bring It Back to Normal Event Volunteer
- Midwest Food Bank Volunteer
- 100 Caring Adults
- Illinois State University Athletics Hog Roast Volunteer
- AFNI Dinner Volunteer
- ISU Pen Pals
- Taste of Redbirds
Nora Henderson, Indiana State, Women's Soccer, Sophomore
- GPA 3.8
- Recreational Therapy- Pre-Occupational Therapy
Community Service
- President of Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- Student Athlete Advisory Committee Representative
- Sycamore Solace Mental Health Peer Mentor
- Happiness Bag Class A volunteer (bowling, basketball, track & field)
- Special Olympics volunteer
- Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Walk 2021
- 14th and Chestnut field day volunteer
- Vigo County Youth Soccer coach
- Applied Behavior Center for Autism Sports camp
- Ben Franklin Elementary School "Bingo for Books"
Alyssa Buchheit, Missouri State, Women's Soccer, Junior
- MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award: 2021-2022
- MVC Honor Roll: 2020-2021, 2021-2022
- Dean's List: Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022
- MSU Athletic Director's Honor Roll: Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022
- Maroon & White Scholar-Athlete: 2021, 2022
- Missouri State Honors College
- 3.95 cumulative GPA in Cell and Molecular Biology
Community Service:
- TOPSoccer volunteer
- Lifehouse Crisis Maternity Home volunteer
- Homeless Outreach volunteer
- Alzheimer's patient visitation
- Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
- Catholic Campus Ministry
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- Undergraduate Lab Assistant
- Pre-med Society
- Biomedical Sciences Society
Bailey DeMier, Murray State, Volleyball, Sophomore
- 4.0 GPA
- Dean's List: Fall 2021, Spring 2022
- OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll- 2021-2022
Community Service:
- Salvation Army Christmas Bell Ringing (2021)
- Murray- Calloway County Need Line (2022)
- Spring Creek Rehab Center (2022)
- FCA Member
- SAAC Member
Bailey Neuberger, Southern Illinois, Volleyball, Junior
Sport Administration major with a 3.97 cumulative GPA Three-time MVC Honor Roll award honoree A member of the three-time winner of the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Team Academic Award
Community Service:
- 2022-23 SAAC Vice-President Participated in NubAbility Camp, providing sport participation for children with missing limbs
- Reading partner for children in kindergarten through 5th grade in area elementary school
- Implemented the Green Bandana Project to bring attention to student-athlete mental health
Luke Malone, UIC, Men's Cross Country, Junior
- Dean's List, 4 semesters
- Horizon League Honor Roll
Community Service:
- All Ohio Cross Country Camp Volunteer Counselor
- Jonathan Alder HS Camp Volunteer Counselor
- CARA 20 Miles Course Marshall Volunteer
- Chicago Marathon Aid Station Volunteer
Payton Ahrenstorff, UNI, Volleyball, Senior
- 3.93 GPA in Social Work
- MVC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention
- Dean's List (every semester)
- Athletic Director's Honor Roll
Community/Campus Involvement:
- Student Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board Member
- Women's Athlete Leadership Committee Member
Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Executive Board Member
- University of Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Selection Committee
- Dance Marathon Volleyball Representative
- Prairie Lakes Church Kidventure Volunteer
- Northeast Iowa Food Bank
- Special Olympics
- Pack the Dome Backpack Program
- Cedar Valley Nonprofit Luncheon
- Walk to School Day - Cedar Falls
Natalie Graf, Valparaiso, Women's Soccer, Senior
- College of Arts and Sciences Deans list
- Presidential Academic Honors
- Commissioners Academic Excellence Award 2019-2020
- Commissioners Academic Excellence Award 2020-2021
- Commissioners Academic Excellence Award 2021-2022
- Valparaiso University Honors College Member
Community Service:
- Valparaiso SAAC President
- FOCUS Hope
- Biology Club Children's Haunted Lab
- Hilltop Children's House
- SAAC Mental Health Awareness Game