KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
ST. LOUIS, MO. ? Indiana State senior Scott Keeney has been named one of 10 recipients of the Missouri Valley Conference State Farm Good Neighbor Award for the fall season. The recipients were selected by MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin and were announced Monday by the Valley office.
Keeney, who has a 3.96 Grade Point Average while majoring in mathematics, was named All-Missouri Valley Conference in cross country for the fourth straight year following the conference championships on Oct. 31 where he finished fifth overall. He is the first Indiana State cross country runner to be named All-MVC for all four years as a student-athlete.
“There certainly cannot be a more deserving athlete,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's cross country coach said. “He has distinguished himself as one of the top cross country runners at Indiana State by being a four-time all-conference runner and a national qualifier as a junior. He has not only been busy with the team this fall but also has had three medical school interviews and has still excelled in the classroom.”
The award, presented in by the MVC in partnership with State Farm, was established to honor model student-athletes in the Missouri Valley Conference. The other honorees were Bradley's Katie Nowak (women's cross country), Creighton's Claire Zach (women's soccer), Drake's Mason Bucklin (football), Evansville's Blake Schneider (men's soccer), Illinois State's Ruth Zemke (women's soccer), Missouri State's Terry Phillips (women's cross country), Northern Iowa's Chelsie Hochstedler (women's soccer), Southern Illinois' Tony Colletti (football), and Wichita State's Kim Wadsworth (volleyball).
The Sycamore senior was honored for his effort on the cross country course, in the community and in the classroom. Keeney (Frankfort, Ind.) was named a United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Academic All-American and has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team twice (2007-08 and 2008-09).
He is a four-time selection to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll, and is a three-time selection to the Missouri Valley Conference cross country scholar-athlete team. Keeney was named the 2008 Indiana State Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year and received the Presidential Scholarship from Indiana State.
Off the course, Keeney is the treasurer of SAAC, has volunteered at the Take Back the Night Fundraiser, and volunteered at the St. Ann's Clinic (for people without health insurance who have low income levels).
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.
