ST. LOUIS - Indiana State's Lane Miller has been named the MVC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year and headlines a group of 19 student-athletes named to the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference baseball scholar-athlete first team and honorable mention team, announced by the league office today. With a 3.93 grade point average pursuing a degree in communications, Miller is a first-time selection on the scholar-athlete first team.  

Belmont, Evansville, Indiana State, Missouri State and Valparaiso each had two players earn first-team honors, while Illinois State and Murray State each placed one on the first team.  Missouri State's Cam Cratic and Valpo's Nolan Tucker are repeat first-team honorees, while Indiana State's Matt Jachec and Valpo's Alex Ryan moved up to first team after being named honorable mention in 2022.  Belmont's Brodey Heaton and Sam Kirkpatrick, Evansville's Jarrett Blunt and Donovan Schultz, Indiana State's Lane Miller, Illinois State's Greg Nichols, Missouri State's Spencer Nivens and Murray State's Ben Krizen are all first-time selections. 

Five of the 12 first-team spots are held by graduate students or seniors, while five juniors and two sophomores complete the makeup of the squad. Seven of the 10 league schools are represented on the first team, with an additional seven student-athletes named to the honorable mention team. A total of 38 student-athletes were nominated for scholar-athlete honors.  

The criteria for the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team voting parallels the College Sports Communicators (CSC) standards for Academic All-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves, with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average.  Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution.

The Valley's scholar-athlete team is voted on by the league's baseball sports information directors.