ST. LOUIS – Led by a pair of first-team honorees, Missouri State placed a trio of sophomores on the Missouri Valley Conference's Scholar-Athlete Team, which was released Tuesday by the conference office. Catcher/designated hitter Drew Millas and first baseman Ben Whetstone earned first-team recognition, while outfielder Jack Duffy picked up an honorable mention citation after helping lead the Bears to a season sweep of the Valley's regular-season and tournament championships and their third NCAA Regional berth in the last four seasons.

Millas was a first-team All-MVC choice as the Bears' primary designated hitter, hitting a career-best .321 to lead Missouri State. The Swansea, Ill., native also paced the club with 68 total hits and 61 RBIs, while recording 18 multi-hit games and 18 multi-RBI efforts as well. He logged three separate four-hit games to go along with a career-high seven home runs this season and was a three-time MVC Player of the Week honoree. Millas, a sales management major at MSU, maintains a 3.33 GPA.

Like Millas, Whetstone enjoyed a breakthrough sophomore campaign this spring, batting .278 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs while making all 57 starts at first base for the Bears. The Overland Park, Kan., product was named most valuable player at the MVC Championship after driving in eight runs in four games to lead the Bears to the title. He recorded a standout season in the field as well, committing just four miscues in 492 defensive chances and turning 45 double plays. Whetstone, who was named to the MVC's Academic Honor Roll and received the Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award in 2016-17, maintains a 3.56 GPA as a business major.

Duffy made 54 starts in the Bears' outfield and appeared in all 57 games overall this spring, turning in career-best numbers in nearly every offensive category, including hits (55), home runs (3) and RBIs (30). The Kansas City, Mo., native recorded 12 multi-hit games this spring and a .992 fielding percentage, with five outfield assists and just one error in 126 total chances in the field. An advertising and promotion major who maintains a 3.66 GPA, Duffy was named to MVC's Academic Honor Roll in 2016-17.

To qualify for consideration for the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team, players must have a minimum 3.20 grade-point average and be a starter or key reserve. The team is voted on each year by the league's eight sports information directors.