Nov. 20, 2007

www.siusalukis.com

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Southern Illinois volleyball player Kristie Berwanger was one of 12 student-athletes to be named to the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team by a vote of the league's volleyball sports information directors and eight additional student-athletes have earned honorable mention, the league office announced today.

This year's first team includes nine players that have received previous MVC volleyball scholar-athlete recognition, including five repeat first team selections and one student-athlete making her third appearance on the first team.

Berwanger, the only student-athlete to carry a perfect 4.0, majors in fashion design merchandising. She started and played in 24 matches this season. Named a 2006 Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic Honorable Mention and CoSIDA Academic All-District V Third Team selection a year ago, she moved from outside hitter to right side this season. The junior leads the team with 13 career double-doubles including five this season. She was also named to 28th Saluki Invitational All-Tournament team. Berwanger leads the team in kills per game and is one of four Salukis with over 245 kills this season.

Berwanger was also one of five Valley first team scholar-athletes that were members of their respective ESPN The Magazine/CoSida Academic All-District Teams.

Fifty-six student-athletes were nominated for the Valley's scholar-athlete team. The criteria for the honor parallels the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) standards for Academic All-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.00 cumulative gpa (on a 4.00 scale). Also, students must have participated in at least 75 percent of the regular-season matches. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen were not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution.

MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team
Name, School, Yr., Pos., GPA, Major, Hometown
Jamie Adams!, Missouri State, Sr., OH, 3.58, Entertainment Management, Liberty, Mo.
Abby Baumann^*, Creighton, Sr., OH, 3.96, Organizational Communications, North Platte, Neb.
Kristin Belzung^, UNI, Sr., S, 3.52, Health Promotion, Ankeny, Iowa
Kristie Berwanger!, Southern Illinois, Jr., OH, 4.00, Fashion Design Merchandising, Lake Zurich, Ill.
Kelly Broussard, Wichita State, Jr., L, 3.58, International Business/Management, San Antonio, Texas
Jenna Harrison, Bradley, Sr., MB, 3.81, Actuarial Science, Edwardsville, Ill.
Abby Harsh^, Wichita State, Sr., S, 3.55, Social Work, Newton, Kan.
Erin Lindsey^, Illinois State, Jr., S, 3.68, Physics, Eureka, Mo.
Sara Lungren^#, Wichita State, Sr., OH, 3.84, Elementary Education, Caldwell, Kan.
M.C. Richmond!, Illinois State, Jr., MB, 3.65, Physical Education, St. Louis, Mo.
Ashten Stelken, UNI, Jr., MB, 3.34, Elementary Education, Manchester, Iowa
Julie Walroth!, Evansville, Sr., L, 3.65, Sociology, Cincinnati, Ohio

MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention
Name, School, Yr., Pos., GPA, Major, Hometown
Lindsey Eckenrode, Wichita State, So., OH, 3.90, Liberal Arts and Sciences, The Woodlands, Texas
Angela Jakubov^, Wichita State, Jr., OH/MB, 3.82, Finance, Maize, Kan.
Korie Lebeda^, Creighton, Jr., S, 3.38, Finance, Omaha, Neb.
Samantha Nelson, Drake, Sr., MB/OH, 3.87, Psychology, Ceresco, Neb.
Peggy Riessen, Illinois State, So., OH, 3.90, Business Administration, Wilton, Iowa
Megan Spurlock, Evansville, Sr., RS, 3.04, Social Studies, Education/US History, Carmel, Ind.
Sara Staubach, Missouri State, So., OH, 3.57, Undecided, Cincinnati, Ohio
Nikki Vandepopulier, Missouri State, Jr., DS, 3.71, Public Relations, Kansas City, Mo.

^2006 First-Team
! 2006 Honorable Mention
* 2005 First-Team
# 2005 Honorable Mention