2025-26 Winter State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Awards Introduced

In an effort to honor the achievement of remarkable student-athletes, the Missouri Valley convention has created the State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award. Eleven student-athletes have been named by Commissioner Jeff Jackson because the honorees for the 2026 Winter season.
 

This 12 months’s winter honorees embrace Tuti Jones, Belmont, Women’s Basketball; Claire McDougall, Bradley, Women’s Basketball; Taedyn Gray, Drake, Women’s Basketball; Evelyn Chin, Evansville, Women’s Swimming and Diving; Malloy Kroeger, UIC, Women’s Swimming and Diving; Delany Boulden, Illinois State, Women’s Swimming & Diving; Brenna Woodruff, Indiana State, Women’s Swimming & Diving; Haven Ford, Murray State, Women’s Basketball; Kaylynn Janes, Northern Iowa, Women’s Basketball; Kelowna Ngoyi, Southern Illinois, Women’s Basketball; Eli Liebmann, Valparaiso, Men Swimming & Diving.
 
Tuti Jones, Belmont, Women’s Basketball, Graduate 

•  2025 DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team
•  2024-25 CSC Academic All-District®
• 2024-25 MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team
•  2024-25 Allstate NACDA Good Works Team Winter Nominee
• 2024 DI-AAA ADA Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient
• 2024 DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team
• 2023-24 CSC Academic All-District
• 2023-24 MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team
• Community Service:

  • Childcare Assistant at Harvest Hands – Nashville, TN (January 2021 – Present)
  • Food Server at Dream Street Grocery Delivery – Nashville, TN (January 2022-May 2022)
  • Food Server at Second Harvest Food Bank – Nashville, TN (January 2023 – May 2023)
  • Food Preparation at Harvest Hands – Nashville, TN (January 2024-Present)
  • Participates within the annual “Shop with the Bruins” occasion to offer vacation items for economically deprived households
  • Participates in TAK PAK with Belmont Athletics – a fundraiser offering backpacks and faculty provides for Nashville-area foster kids
  • Helped with Belmont’s basketball clinic for The Covenant School on April 13, 2023. The clinic was placed on for all Covenant School households lower than a month after the tragic occasions of March 27, 2023, at The Covenant School.

 
Claire McDougall, Bradley, Women’s Basketball, Senior

• Sports Communication Major and Health Minor with 3.88 Cumulative GPA
• Bradley University Spring Spotlight Student (2025)
• Dean’s List: Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025
• Athletic Directors Honor Roll: Fall 2023-Fall 2025
• MVC Honor Roll: 2023/2024
• MVC Commissioners Academic Excellence Award: 2024/2025
•  Braves Council Representative and Secretary- Fall 2024-Current
• Member of BOLD Institute- scholar management Institute (2025/26)
• Community Service:

  • Bradley University “Bid for the Braves” (2023-Current)
  • Group Leader for Bradley University’s Power of Sport Initiative with Peoria elementary & center faculties (Fall 2024-Current)
  • Peoria Friendship House- Back to School Block Party 
  • Peoria Riverfront Farmers Market
  • Morton Pumpkin Festival
  • Bradley University Homecoming- Lighting of the B
  • Heller Center for Kids with Cancer
  • Proctor Rec. Center- After School Reading Program
  • OSF Almost Home Kids
  • 50/50 raffle vendor at Men’s Basketball Games (2024)
  • Night Out with the Braves

 
Taedyn Gray, Drake, Women’s Basketball, Senior

• Pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication Public Relations
• Dean’s List: Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025
• Community Service:

  • Active volunteer with Boys & Girls Club
  • Volunteer with Miracle League of Urbandale
  • Participant within the Hospital Elder Life Program at UnityLevel Health
  • Volunteer at UnityLevel Health Cancer Center
  • Visited The Arbordale for social night time with residents
  • Participated in Books with Bulldogs
  • Volunteered at Habitat for Humanity ReStore
  • Volunteer with ChildServe 

 
Evelyn Chin, Evansville, Women’s Swimming & Diving, Junior

• Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science
• Dean’s List each semester of attendance at Evansville
• 3.988 GPA
• Community Service:

  • Works within the athletic coaching room at University of Evansville as a part of her diploma program
  • Created a swimming faculty offering swim classes to people in want throughout the neighborhood 

 
Molly Kroeger, UIC, Women’s Swimming & Diving, Junior

• Maintains a 4.0 GPA in Biomedical Engineering
• Dean’s List each semester of her collegiate profession
• Honored as a Flames Scholar-Athlete
• 2024–2025 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete
• Recipient of the Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award
• Selected to the CSCAA 2025 Spring Scholar All-American Second Team
• Named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team
• 2025 All-MVC Scholar-Athlete Team 

• Community Service:

  • Committed to neighborhood constructing via swimming and pediatric help, reflecting the values of the State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award
  • Team IMPACT Student Fellow—plans and executes main service occasions together with the Chicago-area All-In 5K and UIC x Team IMPACT Awareness Game
  • Volunteers at youth-focused actions similar to Chicago Area Field Day, strengthening connections with kids dealing with severe diseases
  • Participated within the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign in 2022, elevating almost $10,000 individually and contributing to a staff whole of $50,000
  • Taught water security to kids via the No More Under Swim Safely Series, selling drowning prevention and protected aquatic entry in underserved communities
  • Contributed to fundraising for gastrointestinal most cancers analysis and affected person help by way of Eisenopoly with the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation
  • Active member of the student-Athlete Advisory Committee Community Service Subcommittee (2024–current), organizing initiatives and volunteering throughout UIC and Chicago
  • Helped lead a campus “food fight,” donating over 1,750 objects to UIC Pop-up Pantry
  • Known for empathy, initiative, and galvanizing fellow student-athletes; service impacts kids, households, and the broader neighborhood 

 
Delaney Boulden, Illinois State, Women’s Swimming & Diving, Senior 

• Nursing Major
• Carries a 4.00 cumulative GPA
• Illinois State University Athletics Honor Roll Every Semester of Career- Fall2022-Current
• Illinois State University Dean’s List- Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring2025, Fall 2025
• MVC Honor Roll- 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26
• MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award-2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26
• Illinois State University Honors Program
•  Student Nurses Association
• Illinois State University Athletics SAAC Representative (2023-Current)

  •  Served on SAAC Executive Board as Events Coordinator (2024-25)
  • Serves on SAAC Executive Board as Vice President (2025-26)

• Community Service:

  • Illinois State University Athletics SAAC Canned Food Drive
  • Illinois State University Athletics Pen Pals Program
  • Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City
  • Lee’s Summit School District Volunteer
  • Coldwater Non-Profit Donation Center Volunteer
  • Bridging the Gap Trash & Waterway Clean Up
  • Bloomington/Normal YMCA
  • Happy Bottoms Diaper Non-Profit Volunteer
  • Bloomington/Normal Midwest Food Bank
  • Bloomington/Normal Shelter Donation Drive Volunteer
  • Illinois State University Athletics/State Farm Million Meals Volunteer
  • Illinois State University Homecoming Window Painting Volunteer
  • Illinois State University Athletics Play4Kay Volunteer
  • Red Cross Blood Donation Volunteer
  • Illinois State University Women’s Basketball Cancer Fundraiser Volunteer
  • OSF St. Joseph’s Medical Center Hospital Cancer Fundraiser Volunteer
  • CIDSO Buddy Walk
  • Jeremiah 33:6 Non-Profit Food Pantry and Medical Health Screening Volunteer

 
Brenna Woodruff, Indiana State, Women’s Swimming & Diving, Senior 

•  3.7+ GPA in Applied Medicine with public well being minor on the pre-PA Track
• Dean’s List each semester
• Community Service:

  •  President of SAAC and spokesperson/chief for the psychological well being subcommittee
  • The management staff of Fellowship of Christian Athletes serves via many occasions, together with:

    •  Happiness bag
    •  The yearly grace gala (a promenade hosted for particular wants people)
    •  Yearly FCA banquet
    • As properly as different organizations via FCA, in addition to pre-huddle and huddle each Monday night time

  • Medical scribe at Union Hospital Emergency Department
  • Critical Care Coordinator at Union Hospital Emergency Department
  • Gymnastics coach at Wabash Valley Tumbling and gymnastics teaching ranges 4, 5, 6, and seven, mentoring the youthful athletes and serving to set them up for fulfillment
  • Front desk employee within the scholar athlete success middle, whereas additionally tutoring athletes on the themes of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and pathophysiology
  • Working with Kairo, a visualization teaching app, spreading consciousness on the significance of visualization for youthful athletes and college-level athletes
  • Athlete-to-athlete mentorship program, mentoring youthful athletes via the game of gymnastics and diving

 
Haven Ford, Murray State, Women’s Basketball, Junior 

• President’s List (4.0) – Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025
• Community Service:

  • Murray-Calloway County Need Line, 
  • Sleep in Heavenly Place (constructed beds),
  • Journey Church (Back to School Bash, sorting donations, arrange for occasions, and many others.), 
  • Murray/Calloway County Special Olympics and their Champions Ball, 
  • Racers Day of Service, 
  • Murray Elementary School Tackle Hunger, 
  • Classroom of the Month, 
  • Seasons Readings (studying to college students at completely different elementary faculties and preschools), 
  • Family Resource Center (helped put together backyard luggage), 
  • Racers Food Drive, 
  • Kids Day (completely different elementary faculties and grade ranges got here to campus to expertise numerous sports activities), 
  • High Attendance Day at Murray Middle (encouraging college students to not skip faculty), 
  • Murray Middle School (helped arrange for numerous summer time packages they’ve), 
  • Explore Murray (helped arrange an occasion held in August that exhibits college students and their households what there may be in Murray), 
  • CFSB at Sunset on the Doran Arboretum (helped with video games and path of deal with)

 
Kaylynn Janes, Northern Iowa, Women’s Basketball, Junior

• Majoring in Kinesiology (Exercise Sciences) with a minor in Coaching and Sports Administration
• 3.93 GPA
• Dean’s List: Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025
• 2024–2025 Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll
• 2024–2025 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete
• 2024–Current member of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) 
• Community Services
• Coach and coach for younger basketball gamers in camps and coaching classes for native Iowa youth
• Community Service:

  • Helped host UNI Women’s Basketball Golf Charity Event (2024 & 2025)
  • Helped host/volunteer at UNI’s Hoops for Heels Charity Event (2024 & 2025)
  • Catered and volunteered at UNI’s Rally within the Valley Night (2024)
  • Participated in UNI’s Pack the Dome Charity Event (2025 & 2026)
  • Participant and volunteer in UNI’s Live Purple Give Gold Event (2024)
  • Volunteer at native church Sunday dinners
  • Volunteer at nursing dwelling occasions
  • Volunteer at House of Hope
  • Volunteer at neighborhood occasions round UNI campus (Sturgis Parade, Trunk or Treat, Unity Walk, and many others.)

 
Kelowna Ngovi, Southern Illinois, Women’s Basketball, Sophomore 

• 3.91 GPA in Computer Science, Graduating May 2026 in her sophomore season
• SIU Dean’s List 2024-25 and Fall 2025
• 2024-25 Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll
• Community Service:

  • Don’t Dirty the Dale neighborhood clean-up 
  • Prairie Living Nursing dwelling go to 
  • Special Olympics Adopt-A-Duck fundraising marketing campaign 
  • Volunteer at recess at Lewis Elementary 
  • 9/11 Stair Climb Challenge 
  • Hopewell Baptist Church Vacation Bible School volunteer

 
 
Eli Liebmann, Valparaiso, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Senior 

• Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award (2024–2025)
• Cumulative GPA: 3.013 
• Community Service:

  • Over 250 hours of service over the previous 3 years
  • Active member of Phi Kappa Psi, closely concerned in philanthropy
  • Indiana Dunes Cleanup
  • Dorchester Swim
  • Valpo Freshman Move-In
  • Chefs Around the Table
  • Boys & Girls Clubs
  • Smart Start Learning Center
  • St. Don Bosco Children’s Center
  • Bringing Children Hope
  • Valpo Athletics
  • Served two summers at One life Camp Role: Camp counselor—led every day actions, Bible devotions, battle decision, and ensured campers felt valued and included