General 3/21/2023 11:55:58 AM 2023 Winter State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Awards Announced 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 2022-23 Winter season. This year's Fall honorees includes Derek Sabin, Belmont, Men's Basketball; Hannah Ivy, Bradley, Women's Indoor Track and Field; Anna Miller, Drake, Women's Basketball; Abby Feit, Evansville, Women's Basketball; Kamryn Blake, Illinois State, Swimming and Diving; Madie Rutan, Indiana State, Swimming and Diving; Damien Mayo Jr., Missouri State, Men's Basketball; Jaidah Black, Murray State, Women's Basketball; Grace Heneghan, Southern Illinois, Swimming and Diving; Tiana Joy Jackson, UIC, Women's Basketball ; Cynthia Wolf, UNI, Women's Basketball ; William Arthur Neupert, Valparaiso, Men's Indoor Track and 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 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. Derek Sabin, Sr., Belmont University - Men's Basketball 2018/2019 – Dean's list, OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll 2019/2020 – Dean's list 2020/2021 – OVC Academic Medal of Honor, Dean's list, OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll 2021/2022 – Dean's list, NABC Honors Court, OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Belmont Athletic Department Academic Achievement Award 2022/2023 – Published author in the Journal of Sports Biomechanics Community Service: Mission trip to Poland – Service oriented missionary work through Proem Ministries Assistant Director Youth basketball camps for children with limited opportunity Prom for underserved developmentally disabled community. Construction of first Christian church for locals Pre-medicine mentor to freshman and sophomore undergraduate pre-medicine students Associate member in Belmont's chapter of Best Buddies Coach for youth basketball camps every summer. Hannah Ivy, Gr., Bradley University - Indoor Track Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary English Education May 2022, 3.25 cumulative GPA Master's Degree in English, expected May 2024 Bradley Busey Bank Scholar Athlete of the Week Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 MVC Scholar Athlete Honor Spring 2020 and 2021 Braves Council Student Athlete Representative 2019-2023 MVC Honor Roll of 3.2 GPA 2018 Fall, 2019 Spring & Fall, 2020 Spring & Fall, 2021 Spring, 2022 Fall Athletic Director's Honor Roll 3.3 GPA, 2018 Fall, 2019 Spring & Fall, 2020 Spring & Fall, 2022 Fall University Dean's list 3.5 GPA 2019 Spring, 2022 Fall Community Service: Braves Council representative-creative involvement on multiple athletic products including video submissions, student athlete programs and community service Peoria Run Volunteer Bradley Intercollegiate and Pink Classic Volunteer Community Prayer Volunteer, Peoria 2019 Soup Kitchen Volunteer, United Methodist Church,Peoria 2015-2019 United Methodist Church, Holiday Support Basket Drive, Peoria 2015-2019 Christmas Angel Boxes, 2019-2021 Food Drive Collector 2019, 2021, 2022 Anna Miller, So., Drake University - Women's Basketball Anna is currently majoring in Health Sciences: Clinical & Applied and minoring in Biology and Spanish for Medical Health Professionals. She holds a 4.00 cumulative GPA and was named to the President's list in Fall 2021, Spring 2022, and Fall 2022. She was also a member of the 2021-2022 MVC Honor Roll. Community Service: While Anna has actively contributed to her team's community service at the Boys and Girls Club and Miracle League of Urbandale among others, she has also found additional organizations in the Des Moines area to volunteer her time. Anna has volunteered consistently for the Hospital Elder Life Program at Unity Point, and recently, she has started spending time working with children in the nursery at Walnut Creek Church. Abby Feit, Sr., University of Evansville - Women's Basketball Abby currently holds a 3.6 GPA and has been a member of the Dean's List for five semesters of her career at UE. She will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry this spring. Community Service: Abby has served a variety of agencies in the city of Evansville, including the Boys and Girls Club, Saint Vincent Center for Children and participated in the MVC service project in the Quad Cities. Kamryn Blake, Sr., Illinois State University - Swimming and Diving Major-Nursing ISU AFNI Student-Athlete Honor Roll- Every Semester of Career (FA19-Present) MVC Honor Roll-Every Year of Career (2019/20-Present) MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award-2020-21, 2021-22 Illinois State University Dean's List- Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2022 Community Service: Illinois State University Athletics Pen Pal Program OSF HealthCare Hospital Video Volunteer Hornet Walk Community Kids Holiday Party Volunteer Oakdale Family Knight Bloomington Normal YMC Volunteer Madie Rutan, Jr., Indiana State University - Swim & Dive AD Honor Roll all six semesters Deans List 5/6 semesters Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (21-22) MVC Honor Roll 20-21, 21-22 Community Service: SHINE foster family resources Hygiene Drive Catholic Charities Terre Haute Food Bank Sycamore Pantry Food Drive Damien Mayo Jr., Fr., Missouri State - Men's Basketball Dean's List: Fall 2022 Athletic Director's Honor Roll: Fall 2022 Maroon & White Scholar-Athlete: Spring 2023 Cumulative GPA of 3.65 in Entrepreneurship Community Service: Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Diversity & Inclusion SAAC Subcommittee The Kitchen, Inc. Ronald McDonald House Bears, Badges, & Kids Jaidah Black, So., Murray State University - Women's Basketball 3.5 GPA Dean's List: Fall 2021, Fall 2022 Community Service/ Campus Involvement: Calloway County Middle School (2021-2022) First Baptist Preschool (2022) Murray Elementary School (2022) Eastern Kentucky Flood Food Drive (2022) Murray Calloway County Chamber of Commerce (2022) American Red Cross (2022) SAAC Member Grace Heneghan, Sr., SIUC, Swimming & Diving 3.63 GPA in Radiologic Sciences Dean's List (Fall 2019- Spring 2022) MVC Honor Roll (Every year) MVC Commissioners Excellence Award- 2021-22 Member of Swim & Dive CSCAA Scholar All-American Team Community Service: 2019-20 Carbondale Public Library St Francis Animal Shelter- Dog walking Collect tickets for women's soccer and men's basketball games 2020-21 Rush University Medical Center student volunteer - Coordinate Saluki Dawgspys athletic event 2021-22 Orthopaedic Institute of Southern Illinois student volunteer Coordinate student-athlete tailgate SIU BIG Event volunteer 2022-23 Newman Catholic Church brunch event volunteer Read to Herrin Elementary School Tiana Jackson, Gr., UIC – Women's Basketball 4 semesters Dean's List 4 semester Horizon League Honor Roll UIC SAAC President Chancellor's athletic advisory committee Student Fee advisory committee Community Service: Elementary school read aloud Be the Match Pilsen food pantry Special Olympics kickball tournament Youth basketball clinic UCAN Chicago dodgeball tournament Juneteenth parade UCAN Chicago clean up Cynthia Wolf, Sr., University of Northern Iowa - Women's Basketball Dean's List Every Semester (2018-Current) 2x State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week Winner MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention Team Team's Highest GPA (3.85) Community Service: Intern at Bickford Assisted Living Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Member (2021-2022) Volunteer for Northeast Iowa Food Band Volunteer to speak to middle school aged students William Arthur Neupert, Sr., Valparaiso University - Cross Country/Track & Field Engineering Dean's List (Semesters 1-6) MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2021) MVC Academic Honor Roll (2021) Valparaiso University Presidential Academic Honors (2021 & 2022) Community Service/ Campus Involvement: SAAC - SAAC is a student-athlete led and organized committee that unifies as the voice of Valpo student-athletes. SAAC offers several benefits to student- athletes, in addition to providing a platform for student-athletes to use their voice. (Positions held: Men's Cross Country Representative (2020-2023), Valparaiso University MVC SAAC Representative (2021-2023), D1 SAAC Representative for the Missouri Valley Conference (2022-2023)) WILS (Wisconsin Leadership Seminars) (2018-Present) - A nonprofit organization aiming to identify outstanding high school sophomores throughout Wisconsin for being responsible citizens in their community and/or school and provide them with the opportunity and encouragement to recognize their leadership potential. (Duties: Assist in the planning and execution of an annual leadership seminar for Wisconsin high school sophomores.)