In an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes, the Missouri Valley Conference has created the State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award.  Ten student-athletes have been named by Commissioner Doug Elgin as the honorees for the 2017-18 Fall season.

This year’s Fall honorees include Jacob Taylor, Bradley, Men's Soccer; Bailee Cofer, Drake, Women's Cross Country; Matt Keller, Evansville, Men's Soccer; Wes Ward, Illinois State, Men's Cross Country; Sarah Peterson, Indiana State, Volleyball; Maddy Moser, Loyola, Volleyball; Lily Johnson, Missouri State, Volleyball; Ashley Norem, Northern Iowa, Women's Cross Country; Abby Barrow, Southern Illinois, Volleyball; Jacob Keck, Valparaiso, Men's Soccer.

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 10 student-athletes three times annually (fall, winter, spring), for a total of 30 honorees.  Institutions select their State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award honorees.

Jacob Taylor, Bradley, Men's Soccer, Senior

• 3.61 GPA in Mechanical Engineering
• MVC Honor Roll (2014-17)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2015, 16, 17)
• MVC Scholar-Athlete Team (2016)
• Bradley Athletic Director's Honor Roll (2014-17)
• Bradley SAAC Member (2015-17)
• CoSIDA Academic All-District 5 (2016)
• MVC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week (2015)
• Bradley COUNTRY Financial Scholar-Athlete of the Week (2016)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2016)
• Community Service:
  • Megan Fong Blood Drive
  • Sterling Middle School "College Colors Day"
  • Christian Center Children's Soccer Camp
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Galva Illinois Children's Soccer Camp
  • 2nd Annual Color the Way to Clean Water Run/Walk
  • Peoria's Catholic Charities Campus

Bailee Cofer, Drake, Women's Cross Country, Senior

• Drake Payton Prize Winner
• Paul Morrison Scholarship & Presidential Scholar
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (3-times)
• MVC Academic Honor Roll (3-times)
• MVC Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Team
• President's List
• Dean's List (5-times)
• 3.81 GPA in Public Relations and Writing
• Community Service:
  • Everybody Wins! Iowa - Mentor 2nd Grade Reading Buddy weekly
  • FCA Leadership Team - Coordinate service opportunities in Des Moines
  • SAAC Community Outreach Chair
  • Public Relations Student Society of America

Matt Keller, Evansville, Men's Soccer, Senior

• 3.992 cumulative GPA
• Dean's List (3-time)
• MVC Honor Role (3-time)
• MVC Commissioner Excellence Academic Award (2-time)
• UE Soccer Academic Award (2016)
• Community Service:
  • Men's Soccer Team Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative
  • Hebron after school soccer program
  • UE spring break kids camp
  • St. Ben's holiday reading program
  • Gleener's food bank volunteer
  • St. Vincent DePaul society volunteer

Wes Ward, Illinois State, Men's Cross Country, Redshirt Senior

• Illinois State University Bone Scholar (2017-18)
• Illinois State University Athletics Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2017)
• MVC Commissioners List (2016-17)
• MVC Honor Roll (2016-17)
• AFNI Honor Roll (2016-17)
• Dean's List (Fall 2016)
• Community Service:
  • 162 volunteer hours with Immigration Project
  • 21 volunteer hours with McLean County Clerk Campaign

Sarah Peterson, Indiana State, Volleyball, Senior

• Dean's List Honoree, maintaining a 3.85 GPA (since Freshman year)
• AD Honor Roll
• Community Service:
  • Student Athlete Advisory Committee
  • Catholic Charities
  • Bethany House
  • 4th and Chestnut Center
  • Hanson House
  • Ran volleyball camps and clinics

Maddy Moser, Loyola, Women's Volleyball, Junior

• 3.856 cumulative GPA
• Alpha Sigma Nu member
• Community Service:
  • Clinical practice (84 hours)
  • All American Nursing Home
  • Agape Ecclessia
  • Assists in running an event for local youths at the broadway armory

Lily Johnson, Missouri State, Women's Volleyball, Senior

• Dean's List (Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017)
• 2nd Team CoSIDA Academic All-American (2016)
• Missouri State Board of Governors Scholarship
• Golden Key National Honor Society
• Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
• Community Service:
  • Springfield Boys and Girls Club
  • Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center
  • Mercy Hospital Kids Open House
  • Fellowship of Christian Athletes
  • Catholic Campus Ministry
  • Missouri State Cell and Molecular Biology Society
  • Missouri State SAAC President
  • MVC SAAC President
  • MVC SAAC Representative
  • NCAA SAAC Co-Vice Chair

Ashley Norem, Northern Iowa, Women's Cross Country, Senior

• Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Team (May 2017)
• Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Team (November 2016)
• Elite 18 Award (October 2016)
• Commissioner Academic Excellence Award (2016-17)
• President's Council Academic Award (2016-17)
• Dean's List (Fall 2014-Sping 2017)
• Honor Roll
• Community Service:
  • Boys and Girls Club of the Cedar Valley (Fall 2014-present)
  • Park to Park (Fall 2016)
  • Hy-Vee Healthy Kids Initiative (Spring 2017)

Abby Barrow, Southern Illinois, Women's Volleyball, Senior

• 3.8 cumulative GPA in Exercise Science
• Dean's List (every semester)
• MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award
• Honorable Mention Scholar-Athlete
• Scholar-Athlete First Team
• Community Service:
  • SIU Dance Marathon to raise money for Children's Miracle Network
  • SIU's Strong Survivors Program
  • Special Olympics
  • WIN for Life
  • Read with Children program

Jacob Keck, Valparaiso, Men's Soccer, Senior

• 3.124 cumulative GPA
• Plans to attend medical school
• Men's Soccer Team Captain
• Community Service:
  • They Often Cry Outreach
  • St. Baldrick's
  • #oneVALPO
  • Men's Soccer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative