FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2006

Two Lions earn MIAA academic award

JOPLIN, Mo.   Two members of the Missouri Southern State University basketball teams were named to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll for excellence in the classroom.

From the Missouri Southern women's team, senior Dacie Reutlinger (Owasso, Okla.) captured the honor. The Lion men were represented by senior Dan Jones (Sarcoxie, Mo.).

Reutlinger, a 6-foot forward, maintains a 3.033 grade point average as a business major at Missouri Southern. On the court, the Owasso, Okla. native led the Lions in 2005-06 with 12 points per game and tied for the team lead with 5.6 rebounds an outing. She is the daughter of Danny and Linda Reutlinger.

Jones, a 6-foot-7 center, claimed the honor for the third time in his career. He maintains a 3.846 GPA as a biology (pre-medicine) major. This season, Jones finished second on the Lions in scoring (12.4 ppg) and led the team with 6.3 rebounds per game. He closed out his career having played in 102 games with the Lions. The son of Greg and Lois Jones, he was a starter in 48 games with the Green & Gold including a string of 38 straight.

A total of 50 basketball student-athletes, 36 women and 14 men, from around the MIAA were named to the 2005-06 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.

Student-athletes are named to the list under the following criteria: 1.) The student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better at the qualifying institution; 2.) The student-athlete must have at least two terms of attendance at the member school, excluding summer sessions; 3.) The student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior or senior in athletic eligibility; 4.) Student-athletes inactive due to redshirt or hardship qualification are not eligible.

.