ST. LOUIS – Missouri State outfielder Alex Jefferson has been named the Bears' spring recipient of the 2016-17 State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award, the Missouri Valley Conference announced Wednesday. The award was created by The Valley in an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes.

Jefferson, a senior accounting major with a 3.97 grade-point average, has excelled both on and off the field throughout his four-year Missouri State career. The Normal, Ill., product has started 42 of the Bears' 44 games this spring, matching career bests with three home runs and six stolen bases to date. 
 
A CoSIDA Academic All-District VI and MVC First-Team Scholar-Athlete honoree last season, Jefferson  is a three-time MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award-winner, as well as a Maroon and White Scholar-Athlete in each of the last three years. His volunteer experiences include service to Meals-A-Million, the FCA, Adopt-A-Street, Adopt-A-Family with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Salvation Army.

Additionally, Jefferson has served as vice president of MSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee this academic year, and has previous experience on MSU Athletics' Long-Range Planning Committee as a student representative, as well as a spot on the Missouri State President's Diversity Council. A finalist for this year's Virgil Cheek Memorial Award, he also earned a Marine Corps Semper Fi Leadership Award in 2016 and has been a part of MSU's Multicultural Leadership/Inclusive Excellence Program for the past four years.

A total of 10 student-athletes were named by MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin as the honorees for the 2016-17 spring season. In addition to Jefferson, this year's spring honorees include Rachel Sudbury, Bradley, Women's Outdoor Track & Field; Brooke Miller, Drake, Women's Golf; Mickaela Fleming, Evansville, Softball; Abby Turczyn, Illinois State, Softball; Abby McBride, Indiana State, Women's Outdoor Track & Field; Kevin White, Loyola, Men's Outdoor Track & Field; Brad Walski, Northern Iowa, Men's Outdoor Track & Field; Shaye Harre, Southern Illinois, Softball; Cody Scheck, Wichita State, Men's Outdoor Track & Field.

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.