Eighteen Southern student-athletes earn Academic All-MIAA

Eighteen Missouri Southern student-athletes are among the 166 selected from around the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association for Academic All-MIAA honors.

To earn the distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative 3.50 grade-point average in two terms of attendance at the nominating institution, and must have earned All-MIAA honos in their sport over the past season. A total of 112 women and 54 men are being recognized in this program, introduced in 1998 by MIAA commissioner Ralph McFillen.

Here are the 18 Missouri Southern athletes to receive the honor in 2002-03:

MEN’S SELECTIONS

Mika Alahaivala (Ylivieska, Finland): All-MIAA as a sophomore in outdoor track & field as he won the conference championship and finished as national runner-up in the javelin ... carries a 3.714 GPA as an international business major.

Magnus Holmstrom (Inga, Finland/Karis Billnas HS): Was all-conference in cross country (ninth place), indoor track (fourth in the mile) and outdoor track (MIAA champion in the 3000-meter steeplechase) ... placed seventh nationally in the steeplechase and helped the cross country men to their third straight league title and a seventh-place national finish ... a junior in cross country and a senior in track, he maintains a 3.647 GPA in kinesiology.

Jamie Tallman (Neodesha, Kan./Independence CC): All-MIAA in indoor (fourth in the weight throw) and outdoor track & field (third in the hammer and fifth in the shot put) ... this senior made his first ever national championships appearance and placed 12th in the hammer ... carries a 3.872 GPA in computer information science.

Jeff Taylor (Joplin, Mo.): An honorable mention All-MIAA first baseman in his freshman season, Taylor batted .300 with two home runs and 19 RBI as the Lions finished 27-23 overall ... holds a 3.824 GPA as an undecided major.

Craig Winfrey (Bluejacket, Okla./NE Oklahoma A&M): Earned honorable mention All-MIAA accolades as a sophomore wide receiver on the 5-6 Lions football squad this past fall ... had 32 receptions for 434 yards and a team-leading five receiving touchdowns ... has a 3.899 GPA but is undecided on a major.

WOMEN’S SELECTIONS

Jana Allison (Lebanon, Mo.): Second-team All-MIAA utility player in 2003 and a second-team Verizon Academic All-America ... the 2003 winner of Missouri Southern’s E.O. & Virginia Humphrey Award as the school’s most outstanding student-athlete ... batted .253 with a team-high 13 doubles as a senior ... went 10-10 as a pitcher with a 2.54 ERA ... graduated with a 3.944 GPA in biology/pre-medicine.

Mary Barrow (Muskogee, Okla./Hilldale HS): An honorable mention all-league catcher as a sophomore in 2003, she batted .290 and threw out 40.5 percent (15-of-37 would-be base-stealers) while picking off six more ... holds a 3.552 GPA in biology/pre-medicine.

Michelle Brenner (Coffeyville, Kan./Field Kindley HS): A freshman, she collected All-MIAA honors as part of Southern’s third-place two-mile relay team at the MIAA Indoor Championships ... a 3.689 student in accounting.

Iashia Castle (Kansas City, Mo./Hickman Mills HS): Another freshman from the women’s track & field squad, she was all-conference during the indoor season as part of the third-place mile relay unit ... an accounting student with a 3.878 GPA.

Mary Garrett (Carthage, Mo.): A junior, Garrett turned in a national runner-up performance in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA-II Outdoor Championships last month ... was all-conference in the 400 hurdles outdoors (second place) and indoors in the 400-meter dash (conference champion, All-America), 200-meter dash (second place), 60-meter hurdles (fifth place) and as part of the mile relay squad (third place) ... named Southern’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2002-03 ... holds a 3.977 GPA with majors in psychology and English.

Kim McMunn (Parsons, Kan.): Was honorable mention All-MIAA at No. 3 singles for the Lady Lions tennis squad ... finished with an 8-9 record individually at No. 3 singles ... the mother of Lacey McMunn, another academic all-conference performer ... has a 3.934 GPA in general studies.

Lacey McMunn (Parsons, Kan./Labette County HS): A sophomore, she earned first-team all-conference laurels at No. 2 singles and was also an honorable mention selection at No. 1 doubles ... was 11-9 this year in singles and 14-8 with teammate Sheryl Posch in doubles ... maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA as an elementary education major.

Ashley Munnelly (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo HS): This sophomore record-setter was a first-team All-MIAA pick in women’s soccer, as well as the conference’s MVP ... set school and conference records with 19 goals and 43 points in 2003 ... holds a 3.507 GPA as a psychology major.

Kym Mutert (Washington, Mo./St. Francis Borgia HS): As a junior in 2002, she was named second-team all-conference performer in volleyball ... averaged 10.60 assists and was second on the team with a .223 hitting percentage ... is 338 assists away from the Lady Lions’ career record ... has a 3.667 GPA as a dental hygeine major.

Rachel Patterson (Raytown, Mo./Raytown South HS): Was all-league in 2003 in outdoor track & field in the 10,000-meter run (fifth place) and indoors in the 5,000 (sixth place) ... junior holds a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in elementary and special education.

Jessie Puszewski (Papillion, Neb./Marian HS/Nebraska-Omaha): Was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick as a junior in volleyball in 2002 ... averaged 3.15 kills and 3.59 digs per game ... maintains a 3.645 GPA as a criminal justice major.

Jacquie Rzeszut (Lenexa, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas HS/Rockhurst Univ.): First-team All-MIAA in women’s basketball as a senior ... averaged 16.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game ... scored a school record 45 points in an overtime victory at Truman this year ... finished with a 3.632 GPA as a math and education major.

Melissa Turner (Claremore, Okla.): All-conference both indoors and out in track & field as a sophomore in the pole vault, finishing fourth at both the indoor and outdoor MIAA meets ... set school records of 11’-6” outdoors and 11’-2.5” indoors in the event ... has a 3.532 GPA as a health promotion & wellness major.


	June 18, 2003 Eighteen Southern student-athletes earn Academic All-MIAA Eighteen Missouri Southern student-athletes are among the 166 selected from around the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association for Academic All-MIAA honors. To earn the distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative 3.50 grade-point average in two terms of attendance at the nominating institution, and must have earned All-MIAA honos in their sport over the past season. A total of 112 women and 54 men are being recognized in this program, introduced in 1998 by MIAA commissioner Ralph McFillen. Here are the 18 Missouri Southern athletes to receive the honor in 2002-03: MEN’S SELECTIONS Mika Alahaivala (Ylivieska, Finland): All-MIAA as a sophomore in outdoor track & field as he won the conference championship and finished as national runner-up in the javelin ... carries a 3.714 GPA as an international business major. Magnus Holmstrom (Inga, Finland/Karis Billnas HS): Was all-conference in cross country (ninth place), indoor track (fourth in the mile) and outdoor track (MIAA champion in the 3000-meter steeplechase) ... placed seventh nationally in the steeplechase and helped the cross country men to their third straight league title and a seventh-place national finish ... a junior in cross country and a senior in track, he maintains a 3.647 GPA in kinesiology. Jamie Tallman (Neodesha, Kan./Independence CC): All-MIAA in indoor (fourth in the weight throw) and outdoor track & field (third in the hammer and fifth in the shot put) ... this senior made his first ever national championships appearance and placed 12th in the hammer ... carries a 3.872 GPA in computer information science. Jeff Taylor (Joplin, Mo.): An honorable mention All-MIAA first baseman in his freshman season, Taylor batted .300 with two home runs and 19 RBI as the Lions finished 27-23 overall ... holds a 3.824 GPA as an undecided major. Craig Winfrey (Bluejacket, Okla./NE Oklahoma A&M): Earned honorable mention All-MIAA accolades as a sophomore wide receiver on the 5-6 Lions football squad this past fall ... had 32 receptions for 434 yards and a team-leading five receiving touchdowns ... has a 3.899 GPA but is undecided on a major. WOMEN’S SELECTIONS Jana Allison (Lebanon, Mo.): Second-team All-MIAA utility player in 2003 and a second-team Verizon Academic All-America ... the 2003 winner of Missouri Southern’s E.O. & Virginia Humphrey Award as the school’s most outstanding student-athlete ... batted .253 with a team-high 13 doubles as a senior ... went 10-10 as a pitcher with a 2.54 ERA ... graduated with a 3.944 GPA in biology/pre-medicine. Mary Barrow (Muskogee, Okla./Hilldale HS): An honorable mention all-league catcher as a sophomore in 2003, she batted .290 and threw out 40.5 percent (15-of-37 would-be base-stealers) while picking off six more ... holds a 3.552 GPA in biology/pre-medicine. Michelle Brenner (Coffeyville, Kan./Field Kindley HS): A freshman, she collected All-MIAA honors as part of Southern’s third-place two-mile relay team at the MIAA Indoor Championships ... a 3.689 student in accounting. Iashia Castle (Kansas City, Mo./Hickman Mills HS): Another freshman from the women’s track & field squad, she was all-conference during the indoor season as part of the third-place mile relay unit ... an accounting student with a 3.878 GPA. Mary Garrett (Carthage, Mo.): A junior, Garrett turned in a national runner-up performance in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA-II Outdoor Championships last month ... was all-conference in the 400 hurdles outdoors (second place) and indoors in the 400-meter dash (conference champion, All-America), 200-meter dash (second place), 60-meter hurdles (fifth place) and as part of the mile relay squad (third place) ... named Southern’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2002-03 ... holds a 3.977 GPA with majors in psychology and English. Kim McMunn (Parsons, Kan.): Was honorable mention All-MIAA at No. 3 singles for the Lady Lions tennis squad ... finished with an 8-9 record individually at No. 3 singles ... the mother of Lacey McMunn, another academic all-conference performer ... has a 3.934 GPA in general studies. Lacey McMunn (Parsons, Kan./Labette County HS): A sophomore, she earned first-team all-conference laurels at No. 2 singles and was also an honorable mention selection at No. 1 doubles ... was 11-9 this year in singles and 14-8 with teammate Sheryl Posch in doubles ... maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA as an elementary education major. Ashley Munnelly (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo HS): This sophomore record-setter was a first-team All-MIAA pick in women’s soccer, as well as the conference’s MVP ... set school and conference records with 19 goals and 43 points in 2003 ... holds a 3.507 GPA as a psychology major. Kym Mutert (Washington, Mo./St. Francis Borgia HS): As a junior in 2002, she was named second-team all-conference performer in volleyball ... averaged 10.60 assists and was second on the team with a .223 hitting percentage ... is 338 assists away from the Lady Lions’ career record ... has a 3.667 GPA as a dental hygeine major. Rachel Patterson (Raytown, Mo./Raytown South HS): Was all-league in 2003 in outdoor track & field in the 10,000-meter run (fifth place) and indoors in the 5,000 (sixth place) ... junior holds a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in elementary and special education. Jessie Puszewski (Papillion, Neb./Marian HS/Nebraska-Omaha): Was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick as a junior in volleyball in 2002 ... averaged 3.15 kills and 3.59 digs per game ... maintains a 3.645 GPA as a criminal justice major. Jacquie Rzeszut (Lenexa, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas HS/Rockhurst Univ.): First-team All-MIAA in women’s basketball as a senior ... averaged 16.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game ... scored a school record 45 points in an overtime victory at Truman this year ... finished with a 3.632 GPA as a math and education major. Melissa Turner (Claremore, Okla.): All-conference both indoors and out in track & field as a sophomore in the pole vault, finishing fourth at both the indoor and outdoor MIAA meets ... set school records of 11’-6” outdoors and 11’-2.5” indoors in the event ... has a 3.532 GPA as a health promotion & wellness major.