May 6, 2008         
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE         

Britton, Selby-Tallman named Southern Athletes of the Year, Bado named Humphrey winner

Joplin, MO -- The Missouri Southern Athletic Department is pleased to announce that TJ Britton and Jessica Selby-Tallman have been named the 2007-08 Male and Female Athletes of the year, as well as naming Colin Bado the recipient of the EO and Virginia Humphrey Award.

Britton, a senior basketball and track athlete, was a unanimous pick to the MIAA’s All-Defensive Team this year and has been a two year starter for the Lions. He helped the basketball team to a 17-11 record this season and helped lead the scoring attack for the second-best offense in the MIAA.

Britton led the team in field goal percentage (.582), helping the Lions to the top shooting mark in the MIAA (.466). He was part of the defensive pressure that gave the Lions the top steals total in the MIAA this year (11.5 per game) and helped the Lions to the top turnover margin in the MIAA this season (+7.07)

Also a track athlete in the 400m, 800m, long jump and mile relay team, Britton is ranked 12th nationally in the 800m and had the fastest time in the 800m this year in the MIAA. Britton is a native of Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Selby-Tallman won her third-consecutive Female Athlete of the Year Award. The senior thrower from Galena, Mo. is a four-time indoor and four-time outdoor undefeated MIAA shot put champion. She is a four-time All-American in the Indoor Shot Put and an All-American in outdoor shot and hammer. She is the MSSU record holder in the indoor and outdoor shot put, as well as outdoor hammer and was selected as the MIAA Field Athlete of the Week six times in 2008.

A 12-time conference champion (8 in shot put, 1 in weight throw and three in hammer), Selby-Tallman is the MIAA record holder in the hammer throw and was selected as the Division II South Central Regional Field Athlete of the Year in the 2008 indoor season. She is a two time Division II Runner Up in the Indoor Shot Put and currently ranked first nationally in both the shot put and the hammer throw.

Bado is a senior wide receiver from McKinney, Texas and holds an cumulative GPA of 3.84 in Marketing. He has had four straight semesters at a 4.0 GPA and is a three time member of the MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, as well as being named to the  the Academic All-MIAA team in 2005-07 (must have a 3.5 GPA and be All-MIAA athletically).

He was an Academic All-District selection in 2007 and a National Football Foundation Draddy Award Semi-Finalist this year. The NFF recognizes 150 semi finalists out of more than 80,000 college football players nationwide and the award goes to the top Student-Athlete in College Football, regardless of division. He was also a member of the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society.

A first team All-MIAA receiver in 2007, Bado was also an All-Southwest Region selection in 2007 and holds the MSSU single season and career record in receptions with 250. He ranked seventh in Division II this year in receptions per game and ranks third all-time in the MIAA in career receptions (250). He ranks 13th all-time in Division II in career receptions and ranks second all time in MSSU history in receiving yards.

Bado has spent the spring 2008 semester studying abroad in France.