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 2023 Spring season.
 
This year’s Spring honorees include Grace Litzinger, Belmont, Women’s Track & Field; John Stillman, Bradley, Men’s Golf; Mackenzie Hupke, Drake, Softball; Hannah Hood, Evansville, Softball; Delaney (Dee Dee) Caskey, UIC, Softball; Emme Olson, Illinois State, Softball; Lane Miller, Indiana State, Baseball; Manuela Ngo Tonye Nyemeck, Missouri State, Women’s Track & Field; Lindsey Carroll, Murray State, Softball; David Holesinger, Northern Iowa, Men’s Track & Field; Thomas Cleaton, Southern Illinois, Men’s Golf; Caleb VanArragon, Valparaiso, Men’s Golf.
 
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.
 
Grace Litzinger, Belmont, Women’s Track & Field, Sr.
Academic Achievement:

• 3.81 cumulative GPA majoring in English and global leadership studies - minoring in Spanish
• 2022 MVC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Team
• 2020 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Cross Country All-Academic Athlete
• Two-Time Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll member
• Belmont University Dean’s List honoree every semester

Community Service:

• K-Life Christian Ministries - Student Mentor (Oct 2020-present)
• FCA Bible Study Leader (September 2022-present)
• Belmont Office of Leadership Development Program Participant (BOLD) (September 2021-present)
• Young Life Capernaum Volunteer
• Organized “A Run to Remember: 6 Miles for 6 Lives” in honor of the victims of the Covenant School shooting (April 2023)
• New Life Ranch Junior High School Summer Camp Counselor - (Summers 2020 and 2021)
• KIPP Collegiate Intern/Assistant Track Coach (January-May 2022)
• Teach For America Ignite Fellowship - 3rd-grade student mentor/reading specialist (September 2022- January 2023)

 
John Stillman, Bradley, Men’s Golf, Sr.
Academic Achievements:

• Dean's List: Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022
• AD Honor Roll: Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022
• MVC Honor Roll: 2020, 2021, 2022
• MVC Commissioner's Excellence Award: 2020-2021, 2021-2022
• 2021-2022 MVC Scholar Athlete Team Honorable Mention
• 2023 Liberal Arts and Sciences College Outstanding Graduate for Political Science
• Served as undergraduate research assistant and published 2 research articles as a co-author with the Political Science Department 2021-2022

Community Service:

• Fundraising Director for Bradley St. Jude Board 2020-2021, 2021-2022
• Volunteer at IESA Golf Tournament
• Morton Pumpkin Festival yearly with Men's Golf Team
• SAAC Board Member all four years, vice president 2022-23
• Juvenile Diabetes Resource Foundation (JDRF) Charity Golf Outing Volunteer 2022
• OSF -At Home Kids Volunteer

 
Mackenzie Hupke, Drake, Softball, Sr.
Academic Achievements:

• Mackenzie is majoring in finance with a management minor.
• She currently holds a 3.56 cumulative GPA.
• Mackenzie has been a member of the Dean’s list three different times and once on the President’s list.
• She has also been named to the Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll.

Community Service:

• Mackenzie has helped pack meals for Meals From the Heartland, participated in the ALS Walk, and spent time volunteering with United Volleyball – Special Olympics.
• She and her teammates also volunteered their time during the Beautiful Bulldog contest at Drake University.
• Mackenzie gave back to the sport that has given her so much by assisting with youth softball practices in the Des Moines area.

Hannah Hood, Evansville, Softball, Sr.
Academic Achievements:

• Hannah currently holds a 3.294 GPA in Nursing and is expected to graduate this May.
• She has already secured a position in Nursing post-graduation.
• She has made the Dean’s List two of her semesters at UE.

Community Service:

• Hannah has continued to show leadership within the UE community.
• She has worked with at least seven organizations over the last year logging over 30 hours of service.

Delaney (Dee Dee) Caskey, UIC, Softball, Jr.
Academic Achievements:

• Deans List fall 2022
• Fall 2021 Horizon League honor roll
• Spring 2022 horizon league honor roll
• Spring 2022 Deans list
• Fall 2021 deans list
• deans list fall 2020
• deans list fall 2021

Community Service:

• Special Olympics bocce ball -6 hours
• Mark Sheridan school-3.5 hours
• Set up for Light the Night @alk -5 hours
• Worked softball camp for Cubs charity event-3 hours
• “Ms. Caskey is a great candidate for this award not only for her academic achievements and community service listed on this application but also for her commitment to members of our community off the field that is not mentioned on that form.  She spent time with a young lady named Zaelyn, who battling health issues resulting in multiple amputations.  The Softball team was connected to Zaelyn and her family through a charitable organization called Team Impact. Of these team leaders, Ms. Caskey volunteered to be the primary liaison for the team with Zaelyn and has taken the lead on scheduling team activities with her, leading communications from her to the team and vice versa, and I am sure has be a tremendous comfort to this brave young person at this challenging time. We recently had Zaelyn out to a game in the dugout where she threw out the first pitch before needing further medical intervention, which she is currently recovering from. I strongly contend that Ms. Caskey's leadership and willingness to take this on speaks to her character, empathy, and desire to lead.” – Drew Edson, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Finance Administration/CFO at UIC

 
Emme Olson, Illinois State, Softball, 5^th Year
Academic Achievements:

• Integrated MPA/BS-Professional Accountancy Major
• 4.00 cumulative GPA
• 2022-23 MVC Scholar Athlete of the Year
• 2022-23 MVC Scholar Athlete- First Team
• 2022-23 CSC Academic All District (Division 1)
• CoSIDA Academic All District 2021-22 season
• MVC Scholar Athlete-First Team 2019-20, 2021-22
• Easton/NFCA All America Scholar Athlete 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22 season
• ISU Athletics AFNI Honor Roll- Every semester of career-FA18-SP23
• MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award-2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23
• Presidents’ Council Academic Excellence Award-2022-23

Community Service:

• Illinois State University Curb Birds

• Day of the Dozer
• Parkside Elementary Welcome Back Volunteer
• Operation Christmas Child
• Westminster Village Retirement Volunteer
• Evening of the Stars
• 100 Caring Adults Volunteer

 
Lane Miller, Indiana State, Baseball, Sr.
 
Academic Achievements:

• Graduated with a Degree in Sports Management and Minor in Sports Leadership.
• 2020: MVC Honor Roll
• Fall 2022 Deans List
• Spring 2023 Deans List
• Spring CSC Academic All-District Team

Community Service:

• 2020-2021 Sycamore Leadership Academy.
• 2017-2018 Hoosiers Outrun Cancer.
• 2017-2018 Indiana University Hoosier Excellence Academy.
• Terre Haute Tree planting volunteer work around Vigo County Community.
• North Little League Volunteer baseball camp.
• Rex Summer Baseball kids camp volunteer hours.
• Maryland Church Food Drive Volunteer.
• December 2022: 10 days in the Dominican Republic helping those in need, going to orphanages, villages, and communities volunteering time to kids and adults in need.
• Volunteered to be on the coaching staff for the first part of the 2023 baseball season, before I was put on roster to be a player against Purdue.
• Volunteer baseball lessons to youth athletes in the Terre Haute community.
• Have attended Community and volunteer webinars throughout the spring semester.
• Have volunteered to join the United States Marines.

Manuela Ngo Tonye Nyemeck, Missouri State, Women’s Track & Field, Sr.
Academic Achievements:

• Dean’s List: Spring 2020
• Athletic Director’s Honor Roll: Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021
• MVC Honor Roll: 2019-2020

Community Service:

• Bears Read
• Girls on the Run
• Convoy of Hope
• Hill City Church Kids Ministry Volunteer
• Mercy Hospital Volunteer
• Heartland 180 Inc. Youth Organization in Kansas City Volunteer
• SAAC Street Clean Ups
• International Student-Athlete Club 2023
• Bears Leadership Institute Participant Spring 2023
• Black Student-Athlete Alliance 2021-Present, President 2022
• Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Member 2022
• Student Diversity in Leadership Institute Fall 2021

Lindsey Carroll, Murray State, Softball, Sr.
Academic Achievements:

• Dean’s List: Fall 2019Spring 2022
• OVC Academic Medal of Honor: 2020-2021 Academic Year

Community Service:

• MSU Special Olympics Volunteer- 2018-2022
• Spring Creek Nursing Home Volunteer- 2018-2022
• Polar Plunge Participant- 2018-2023 / 2022 Fundraising Leader
• SAAC Canned Food Drive Team Leader- 2020-2022
• Watch Center of Murray Volunteer- 2022
• North Calloway Elementary School Dr. Seuss Week Reader- 2023

David Holesinger, Northern Iowa, Men’s Track & Field, Sr.
Academic Achievements:

• 3.3 GPA- Marketing & Sport Administration
• Three Time MVC Honor Roll
• Member of National Honor Society
• Student Leader Award Nominee

Community Service:

• David is a Co-President and founder of a student organization called, Morgan’s Message. Morgan’s Message is a campus-wide organization that is dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in athletics. This Spring, Morgan’s Message won the Most Promising Student Organization Award.
• Volunteered at the Gift of Giving
• Cedar Valley Jaycees Event
• Homecoming Parade Participant
• Volunteered at Poyner Elementary to discuss leadership.

Thomas Cleaton, Southern Illinois, Men’s Golf, Sr.
Academic Achievements:

• 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 MVC Scholar-Athlete team
• 2020-21 Golf Coaches Association of America All-American Scholar
• Earned SIU Dean’s List 5 years in a row
• 2021-22 MVC President’s Council Academic Award recipient
• 2020-21 MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence award recipient
• 2018-19, 2019-20 MVC Honor Roll recipient

Community Service:

• 4-year SAAC member
• Coats for Kids
• Boys & Girls Club of Carbondale
• Visiting veterans at Marion Veteran’s Affairs hospital
• Carbondale Public Library volunteer

Caleb VanArragon, Valparaiso, Men’s Golf, G.S.
Academic Achievements:

• 2021, 2022, and 2023 MVC Elite 17 Award Winner
• 2021, 2022, and 2023 MVC Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large First Team for District 5
• 2023 Valpo Laurel Award Winner for highest student-athlete GPA
• Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Valparaiso University with a double major in biology and statistics with a 4.0 GPA

Community Service:

• Minnesota Junior PGA: During the summers of 2020 and 2021, I ran over twenty junior golf tournaments throughout the state of Minnesota for the Minnesota Junior PGA.  For each tournament, I was in charge of setting up the golf course for the juniors, getting everybody started at the correct time, being available during the tournament in case there were any issues, and recording scores afterwards. 
• Valpo LuMin: In Fall of 2020, I helped pick up trash at the Indiana Dunes along the Lake Michigan lakeshore, and I also wrote many letters to Valpo janitorial staff thanking them for their work.
• Math/Stat Tutor: During the fall of 2021, I was a tutor for Calculus 3 as well as two introductory Statistics classes.  For four hours every week, I held tutoring sessions where students in these classes could receive supplemental instruction or help on their homework
• Stats Teaching Assistant: During spring of 2021 and 2023, I was a teaching assistant for an introductory statistics class, which mostly involved grading weekly assignments and providing feedback for the professor on how well the students were understanding the topics.
• Biology Lab Aide:  During the 2020-2021 school year, I helped a biology professor make Zoom recordings of classes for his students, and I also did general lab work such as caring for aquatic organisms.