Missouri State University placed 111 student-athletes on the 2007-08 Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll, announced by the league office Tuesday (May 13). Additionally, three Bears -- Kate Blair (women’s soccer), Chris Playter (baseball) and Carrie Vestal (track/cross country) -- were selected for the conference’s highest academic distinction.
Blair, Playter and Vestal were chosen for the President’s Council Academic Excellence Award, which requires a minimum 3.8 cumulative grade point average (through fall 2007 semester) and participation in athletics a minimum of two years. The student-athlete must also be within 18 hours of graduation. This year, a total of 38 Valley student-athletes were tabbed for the honor.
Also, 29 MSU student-athletes received the league’s Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award, requires a minimum grade point average of 3.5 for the previous two semesters, a minimum 3.2 grade point average for the current term (Fall 2007), and participation in athletics. Freshmen are not eligible to receive the award.
Amongst all Missouri State athletics programs, the women’s swimming and diving team placed the most student-athletes on the Honor Roll with 20, followed closely by track and field/cross country with 18 and women’s soccer and baseball with 15 apiece. Softball had eight honorees, while volleyball, men’s swimming and diving and women’s golf each placed seven on the list. Women’s basketball, men’s golf and men’s soccer each received four citations, and men’s basketball rounded out the list with two honorees.
To qualify for the Valley Honor Roll, a student-athlete must have recorded a minimum 3.2 grade point average for a specified term (Fall 2007), must have been a member of an athletics team, and must have a minimum of 12 hours of enrollment during the given term.