ST. LOUIS – Missouri State women's soccer's Grace O'Keefe was named Missouri Valley Conference Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year and was selected to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team alongside Camielle Day. In addition, six Bears were also selected to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team, as both organizations announced the news today.
Jenna Anderson, Kaeli Benedict, Abby Couch, Kyli Jackson, Day and O'Keefe rounded out the CSC's selections from MSU. As of the end of the summer 2022 period, all six Bears boast over a 3.75 cumulative GPA, respectively.
O'Keefe, who was also named the MVC Player of the Year and to the MVC All-Tournament team, finished up the 2022 season with 12 points, including four goals, and 40 shots, to lead the Bears. A member of the MVC Honor Roll from 2021-22, O'Keefe is majoring in mechanical engineering technology.
Day led The Valley in shutouts, recording nine on the season, and tied the MSU program record for clean sheets in a season, a mark that hadn't been reached since 2000. A third-team all-MVC selection, Day is majoring in sports medicine and has previously been awarded the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award from 2021-22 and was selected to the MVC Honor Roll from 2020-22.
The MVC Tournament MVP, Benedict racked up four points in two Valley tournament games, including the game-winning score versus UNI in the semifinals on Nov. 3. On the season, Benedict accounted for four goals and three assists. A MVC Honor Roll member from 2021-22, Benedict is majoring in exercise and movement science.
A second-team all-MVC selection and 2021 MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team member, Couch continued to excel in the classroom and on the pitch this season. Couch started the first 20 matches for MSU and recorded two assists on the season. Previously, Couch was awarded the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award in 2021-22 and named to the MVC Honor Roll from 2020-22. She is majoring in speech-language pathology.
A MVC All-Tournament team selection, Anderson started all 21 matches for the Bears this season. She was a key component of a stout MoState defense that tied the program record for shutouts in a season this year with 11. A member of the MVC Honor Roll from 2021-22, Anderson is majoring in financial planning.
Another starter of all 21 matches, Jackson played the full 90 minutes in 14 contests this year. She helped anchor a defense that pitched eight shutouts in 12 games against Valley foes and was a third-team all-MVC selection. Jackson was awarded the MVC Commissioner's Award from 2020-21 and has made the MVC Honor Roll from 2020-22. She is majoring in interior design.
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