Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis lead conference with 21 athletes named MVC Scholar-Athletes
04/06/2016 | 12:00:00 | Swimming & Diving
By Elizabeth Robinson
SIUSalukis.com
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Twenty-one members of the Saluki women's swimming and diving team were named to the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team, the conference announced Tuesday. SIU holds the most spots on the team of all seven schools in the conference, with all but eight members of the squad earning scholar-athlete recognition.
"These are days we live for. I think it confirms when someone says, ‘It's great to be a Saluki,'" SIU head coach Rick Walker said. "For the conference to come out with 73 scholar-athletes, and we had 21 of them, that's impressive."
Of the 21 Salukis that earned MVC Scholar-Athlete accolades, four registered perfect 4.0 grade point averages: Nicole Fuller, Bryn Handley, Rachel Hauer and Jordan Ries. SIU had half of the 4.0 GPAs accomplished by members of this year's MVC Scholar Athlete team, with eight in the conference overall.
This year's recognition marks the second consecutive for Lauren Stockton, Kristina Ksarjian, Katy Ovington and Sarah James, who were all named Scholar-Athletes last year. Seniors Kiley Handley, Morgan Timms, Helena Amorim and Kaixuan 'Sherry' Zhang are all three-time honorees, earning Scholar-Athlete accolades in 2014, 2015 and this year.
"It is clear that our athletes, the ones that we have sought and managed to get here, want it to be about more than just when they're in the pool. For them to accomplish that and so much more is a real highlight of the program," Walker said.
The women's dominance in the classroom is paired with their dominance in the pool. For the first time in nine years, the Saluki women's team won the MVC Championship title, knocking off Missouri State by only half a point.
"For them to be succeeding like that in the classroom and at the very top of the conference, I mean wow. Usually I'm not left speechless, but wow," Walker said. "That's why we're here."
The following 21 members of SIU's 29-person squad were named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team:
Nicole Fuller – 4.00
Bryn Handley – 4.00
Rachel Hauer – 4.00
Jordan Ries – 4.00
Lauren Stockton – 3.88
Mikaela Montgomery – 3.87
Rachel Williams – 3.87
Penny Bowser – 3.84
Kristina Ksarjian – 3.83
Chandler Ott – 3.83
Kiley Handley – 3.82
Emma Brazeau – 3.80
Morgan Timms – 3.77
Jess Peck – 3.73
Helena Amorim – 3.71
Kaixuan 'Sherry' Zhang – 3.70
Kelsie Walker – 3.68
Liane Tatigian – 3.62
Riley Schroedter – 3.51
Katy Ovington – 3.29
Sarah James – 3.28
Players Mentioned
