ST. LOUIS -- Twelve student-athletes were named to the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference women's soccer scholar-athlete team, as announced by the conference office today. Missouri State tallied the most representatives on the team, with four first-team picks, followed by Illinois State with three. Eight first-team honorees maintain a grade point average above a 3.8, with Anna Stinson of Illinois State and Stephanie Thompson of Evansville, both majoring in Exercise Science, maintaining a flawless 4.0 grade point average. Six members also represent repeat selections to the first-team unit.

 Six student-athletes were honored nationally on the College Sports Information Directors (CoSIDA) Capital One all-district academic teams, and all six are members of the league's first-team scholar-athlete team.

 A total of 44 student-athletes were nominated for the Valley’s scholar-athlete team. The criteria for the honor parallels the CoSIDA standards for Academic All-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.20 cumulative gpa (on a 4.00 scale).  Also, students must have participated in at least 75 percent of the regular-season matches or the State Farm MVC Championship.  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.  Sports Information Directors at MVC institutions voted for the team.

FIRST TEAM        

*%Jessica Teahan, Missouri State     

*%Jessica Carlson, Illinois State   

*Alicia Montgomery, Creighton         

%Anna Stinson, Illinois State            

*Morgan Wendlandt, Indiana State    

Stephanie Thompson, Evansville    

*Emily Lahay, Indiana State         

%Jennifer Hamlin, Missouri State      

*Laura Moklestad, Drake                   

^%Michelle Sommer, Missouri State 

Natalie McCabe, Illinois State 

^%Nia Williams, Missouri State   

*indicates repeat selection to the league's first-team unit; ^honorable mention all-MVC scholar-athlete in 2010

%indicates 2011 CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District

Honorable Mention

Christine Cross, Missouri State  

Kristin Cooley, Illinois State

Kyla Cross, Illinois State

Tara Bailes, Missouri State