ST. LOUIS – Missouri State's Alye Darter, Ellie Burger, and Claire Martin were recognized Thursday for their work in the classroom and on the court, with Darter and Burger earning first-team laurels while Martin landed on the honorable mention list after a vote from the league's sports information directors.
 
Darter, who carries a 3.72 GPA as a speech and pathology major, posted an 8-10 doubles mark in the No. 1 spot for the Bears this spring. The senior had a standout fall performance, advancing to the round of 16 at the ITA Central Regional and placing third in first flight doubles at the MVC Individual Championships. Darter is one of three student-athletes to earn multiple MVC Scholar-Athlete nods, making the honorable mention team in 2018 and 2019.
 
A general business major with a 3.59 GPA, Burger was a standout for the Bears this spring, compiling a team-high 8-2 singles record in the shortened season. The junior went undefeated in the No. 3 position with a 6-0 mark and touted a four-match win streak in February. This fall, she won a singles title and placed third in doubles at the MVC Individual Championships.
 
Martin earned MSU's final spot on the MVC Scholar-Athlete list with a 3.94 GPA as a marketing research major. The junior posted a 7-8 singles mark and totaled three victories in the spring including sealing the Bears' win over South Dakota. She made an immediate impact on the court, finishing third in fifth flight singles at the MVC Individual Championships.
 
Twenty student-athletes were nominated for the Valley's scholar-athlete team. The criterion for the honor parallels the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) standards for Academic All-America voting. Nominees must have participated in at least 50% of the team's regular-season matches played, with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.00 scale). Studentathletes must have reached sophomore status in both athletic and academic standing at their institution (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen were not eligible).