Nov. 28, 2011

St. LOUIS -- In an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes, the Missouri Valley Conference, in partnership with State Farm, has created the MVC State Farm Good Neighbor Award. Missouri State volleyball player Ashley Mason is among 10 student-athletes named by Commissioner Doug Elgin as the honorees for the 2011 fall season.

A third-year sophomore libero from Granby, Mo., Mason ranks fifth in the MVC and 81st nationally with an average of 4.69 digs per set. That average ranks fifth in school history for a single season, while her 506 total digs rank sixth for a single season with the NCAA Tournament still to be played. Mason has topped the 20-dig mark nine times this season as the Bears have out-dug the opposition in all but one match in 2011.

Mason carries a 3.92 GPA in business education and has made the Dean's List in each of her first four semesters at MSU. Her off-the-court activities include tutoring through the A+ program, volunteering at the YMCA, volunteering at Ozarks Food Harvest, serving as volleyball's representative on MSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the MVC Just Read Program and assisting in the tornado relief effort in Joplin.

In order to be eligible for the award, a 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 Good Neighbor Award honorees.

State Farm Insurance is a long-time sponsor of the Missouri Valley Conference and serves as title sponsor for all 18 MVC championship events. Also, State Farm is a prominent sponsor of the league's television network and a sponsor of the Missouri Valley Conference's community outreach program, "Just Read!"