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 Jeff Jackson as the honorees for the 2021-22 Winter season.
This year’s Winter honorees include Riley Burger, Bradley, Men's Basketball; ShanQuan Hemphill, Drake, Men's Basketball; Maggie Franz, Evansville, Swimming & Diving; Julie Kolar, Illinois State, Swimming & Diving; Mia Mackenzie, Indiana State, Women's Indoor Track & Field; Chantz Visse, Loyola, Men's Indoor Track & Field; Samantha Roemer, Missouri State, Swimming & Diving; Austin Phyfe, Northern Iowa, Men's Basketball; Caitlin Link, Southern Illinois, Women's Basketball; Alek Trafton, Valparaiso, Men'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 State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award honorees.
Riley Burger, Bradley, Men's Basketball, Senior
- MVC Honor Roll (2020, 2021)
- Bradley Athletic Directors Honor Roll (Spring 2020, Fall 2020)
- Community Service
- Peoria Boys and Girls Club Volunteer (2021, 2022)
- St. Jude Mud Run Volunteer (2019, 20221)
- Can Bike Volunteer (2019)
- Bradley Braves Council SAAC (2021-22)
- Bradley Environmental Club (2019, 2020)
ShanQuan Hemphill, Drake, Men's Basketball, Grad Student
- 3.33 GPA in Master of Arts in Communication
- MVC Honor Roll
- Senior Class Award Recipient
- Community Service
- Special Olympics - Champions Together
- Youth basketball camp counselor and coach
- Donate and distribute food to the homeless
- City clean-up efforts after Iowa derecho
- Nursing homes
- Reading to children
Maggie Franz, Evansville, Swimming & Diving, Senior
- Dean's List (6 semesters)
- MVC Swimming & Diving Scholar Athlete Team (2021)
- MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award
- Community Service
- Evansville Soup Kitchen
- WNIN PBS Kids Fest
- Evansville Half Marathon and the YMCA
- ACES Diving Clinic
- Habitat for Humanity Barn Blitz
Julie Kolar, Illinois State, Swimming & Diving, Senior
- 4.00 GPA in Marketing
- MVC Scholar-Athlete Team (2020-21)
- AFNI Honor Roll (Fall 2018 - Fall 2021)
- MVC Commissioner's List (Spring 2020)
- ILS Dean's List (Fall 2018 - Fall 2021)
- Community Service
- Community Kids Christmas Party
- ILS Pen Pals
- West Swim Club
- Normal Parks and Rec Swimming
Mia Mackenzie, Indiana State, Women's Indoor Track & Field, Senior
- 3.81 GPA in Nursing
- Dean's List (every semester)
- Honor Roll (every semester)
- MVC Indoor Track & Field Elite 17 Award winner (2021)
- Community Service
- Sycamore Santa gift drive for local elementary schools
- Sycamore Pantry Food Drive to benefit Indiana State students
- SAAC member
Chantz Visse, Loyola, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Senior
- Dean's List (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021)
- MVC Scholar-Athlete (Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021)
- Maroon & Gold Society Member
- Sigma Iota Rho Global Studies Honor Society Member
- MVC Scholar-Athlete Spotlight (2020-21)
- MVC Commissioners Academic Excellence
- Community Service
- 360 Retreat Leader (Fall 2019, Fall 2020)
- Search Retreat Leader (Spring 2022)
- Agape Latte Event Coordinator (Fall 2019, Spring 2020)
- Loyola Outreach with team chaplains (Fall 2021)
Samantha Roemer, Missouri State, Swimming & Diving, Sophomore
- 4.00 GPA
- Dean's List (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021)
- MVC Honor Roll (2021)
- Athletic Director's Honor Roll (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021)
- Maroon & White Scholar-Athlete (2021, 2022)
- Community Service
- Student Athlete Advisory Committee
- MSU Bandana Project Member
- Health Services Student Organization Member
- Student Mobilization Bible Study
- High Street Young Adults
- Lutheran Student Center
- SAAC Adopt a Street
- Adopt a Family
- SAAC Lunch Food collection
- Student Moderator for SADEV programs
Austin Phyfe, UNI, Men's Basketball, Senior
- 3.66 GPA in Elementary and Middle Level Education with a minor in Sport Administration
- Dean's List (3 years)
- First Team Academic All-Conference (2-time)
- Athletics Director Honor Roll
- Community Service
- Visit Elementary schools
- Assist with basketball workouts
- Read to children
- Pen Pals
- Adopt a Panther
Caitlin Link, Southern Illinois, Women's Basketball, Senior
- 3.899 GPA with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies
- Currently enrolled in Master of Science in Education with an emphasis on Sport Studies
- MVC Honor Roll (2018-19)
- MVC Commissioners Academic Excellence Award (2019-20, 2020-21)
- Helped women's basketball earn the highest GPA on record (Fall 2020)
- Community Service
- NUBability camp
- Boys & Girls Club of Southern Illinois
- Promoted literacy at local elementary schools
- Visited veterans at the Veteran's Affairs Hospital
- Assisted in organizing a military deployment event
- Organized and participated in the Saluki Run/Walk with proceeds going to Boys & Girls Club of Southern Illinois (2020-21)
- SAAC Marketing Coordinator
Alek Trafton, Valparaiso, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Senior
- 3.8 GPA
- TAU BETA PI - The Engineering Honor Society
- Dean's List (7-times)
- MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week (December 2019)
- Community Service
- Engineering tutor
- Usher at The Chapel of the Resurrection