SPRINGFIELD — A Missouri Valley Conference record six Missouri State University student-athletes earned their respective sport's MVC Elite 17 Award this year, an honor presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average competing at the finals site at each of the MVC's 17 team championships.

Jessica Allen earned the MVC Elite 17 Award at both the 2017 MVC Cross Country Championship and the 2018 Outdoor Track and Field Championship. It was the second straight year for Allen to win this award in track. Likewise, Brianne Dixon won her third straight Elite 17 Award at the 2017 MVC Volleyball Championships. Swimmer Sydney Zupan, tennis standout Alye Darter and golfer Ashley Childers also earned Elite 17 distinction for the Bears this year.

MSU's six honorees are the most ever by a Valley school in a single academic year. Southern Illinois in 2016-17 received five Elite 17 honors, marking the sixth time a Valley school had amassed five honorees, joining Drake (2015-16, 2014-15, 2013-14) and Illinois State (2011-12, 2012-13) in elite company.

The Elite 17 Award Program (formerly the Elite 18 Award), was established by the MVC in the fall of 2010 to honor the highest achievement in academics and athletics by a student-athlete in each MVC sponsored sport. It is modeled after the NCAA Elite 90 Academic Recognition Award Program. The selection process varies from sport to sport, as the winner of the award in team sports such as volleyball, baseball, softball and basketball comes from one of the two teams participating in the MVC championship game or match. For sports such as track and field, golf and cross country, the winners are chosen from nominated student-athletes who have met an athletic performance threshold.

Missouri State also recieved five CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees in 2017-18, matching the second-most in school history. Zupan earned Academic All-America first-team honors as part of the 2018 At-Large Team. A pair of men's soccer players -- Liam Priestley and Kyle Hiebert -- were both third-team honoress in their sport. And volleyball standouts Lily Johnson (first team) and Dixon (third team) were also named Academic All-Americans this year with Johnson earning the unique distinction of Academic All-American of the Year in her sport.

Under the direction of Director of Athletics Kyle Moats, Missouri State enjoyed one of its most-successful campaigns in its Division I era in 2017-18, claiming 10 conference championships and the program's fifth MVC All-Sports Award.