MVC Release
ST. LOUIS – Junior Shelby Palmer of the Missouri State women's cross country team has been awarded the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Good Neighbor Award for her achievements both on and off the track, announced Wednesday by league commissioner Doug Elgin.
 
Palmer is one of ten student-athletes from the Valley to receive the distinguished honor that is awarded three times throughout the year for the fall, winter, and spring athletic programs.  
 
The junior from Leeton, Mo. has scored in all five cross country meets this season for MSU, including a top-3 finish at the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 19.  As a biology major who boasts a 3.86 GPA, she was declared a 2019 MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award recipient as well as a Maroon and White Scholar Athlete in 2018 and 2019.  She has made the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and Dean's List in both of her academic years here at Missouri State.
 
In the Springfield community, Palmer has been a part of various volunteer programs, including the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, Auburn Society Christmas Bird Count, and the Missouri State University Culture Fair.  She has also volunteered at the Mercy Children's Hospital in Springfield. 
 
The MVC created the award in an effort to honor the achievements of exceptional student-athletes. 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.  Institutions select their State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award honorees.
 
Previous Missouri State winners of the MVC Leadership and Service Award are:
Fall 2007 - Carrie Vestal, Sr., women's cross country
Winter 2007-08 - Amy Crowder, Sr., women's swimming & diving
Spring 2008 - Chris Playter, Jr., baseball
Fall 2008 - David Arkin, So., football
Winter 2008-09 - Roxy Stiles, Jr., women's basketball
Spring 2009 - Jen Carr, Sr., softball
Fall 2009 - Terry Phillips, So., women's cross country
Winter 2009-10 - Will Creekmore, Jr., men's basketball
Spring 2010 - Scott Glenn, Jr., men's golf
Fall 2010 - Heath Melugin, Jr., men's soccer
Winter 2010-11 - Rene Smith, Sr., women's swimming & diving
Spring 2011 - Emily Matthews, Jr., women's golf
Fall 2011 - Ashlee Mason, So., volleyball
Winter 2011-12 - Christiana Shorter, Jr., women's basketball
Spring 2012 - Emily Beaver, Jr., women's track/cross country
Fall 2012 - Chelsea Voet, Sr., women's soccer
Winter 2012-13 - Jared Roberts, Jr., men's swimming & diving
Spring 2013 - Kimsue Grant, Sr., track & field
Fall 2013 - Caleb Schaffitzel, Jr., football
Winter 2013-14 - Bryonna Snow, Sr., women's basketball
Spring 2014 - Eric Straub, Sr., men's golf
Fall 2014 - Leah Reitmayer, Jr., field hockey
Winter 2014-15 - Tyler McCullough, So., men's basketball
Spring 2015 - Ali Trickey, Sr., softball
Fall 2015 - Tenaly Smith, Sr., cross country
Winter 2015-16 - Ibby Simcox, Sr., women's swimming & diving
Spring 2015-16 – Caroline Boone, Jr., women's golf
Fall 2016-17 – Shelby Harris, Sr., football
Winter 2016-17 – Brandon Weissman, Sr., men's swimming & diving
Spring 2016-17 – Alex Jefferson, Sr., baseball
Fall 2017-18 – Lily Johnson, Sr., volleyball
Winter 2017-18 -- Christopher Heye, Sr., men's swimming & diving
Spring 2018 – Claire Schwarz, Sr., cross country
Fall 2018 – Kaitlin Maxwell, So., women's soccer
Winter 2019 – Loretta Stelnicki, Sr., swimming &: diving
Spring 2019 -- Mikaela Mosquera, Jr., beach volleyball