Awarded each fall (but based on the prior year's achievements), the OVC Scholar-Athlete Award is the highest individual honor that can be earned by OVC student-athletes and it is given annually to three men and three women of junior or senior status who have accomplishments in both the classroom and athletic arena, as well as leadership qualities.
The winners are selected from a group of nominees by OVC Faculty Athletics Representatives. To be eligible, honorees must have at least a 3.5 GPA and conduct themselves in a manner which has brought credit to the student-athlete, his or her institution, intercollegiate athletics and the Ohio Valley Conference.
MEN'S ALL-TIME AWARD WINNERS
1981-82
Jim Baker, Austin Peay
Ken Hopkins, Morehead State
Dan Durben, Eastern Kentucky
1982-83
Mark Bender, Eastern Kentucky
Mats Ljungman, Murray State
Brad Taylor, Murray State
1983-84
Tom Abbas, Youngstown State
Dave Arango, Akron
Kerry Spurgin, Murray State
1984-85
Mike Bender, Eastern Kentucky
Tony Catlin, Akron
Steve Conely, Murray State
1985-86
Roger Chapman, Eastern Kentucky
Mike Ishmael, Morehead State
Derek Lane, Tennessee Tech
1986-87
Jay Connell, Murray State
Willie Feldhaus, Morehead State
Kevin Kalen, Tennessee Tech
1987-88
Jeffrey Collier, Morehead State
James Cornelius, Tennessee Tech
Samuel Richey, Tennessee Tech
1988-89
Dan McNamara, Murray State
Scotty Smallwood, Morehead State
1989-90
Stephen Arnette, Tennessee Tech
Eric Crigler, Murray State
Timothy Fox, Austin Peay
1990-91
James Appel, Morehead State
Reggie Kennedy, Murray State
Robert Teague, Eastern Kentucky
1991-92
James Appel, Morehead State
John Ackerman, Murray State
Alistair Tuffnell, Austin Peay
1992-93
Chris Wilson, Murray State
Terence Bryan, Morehead State
Charles Link, Austin Peay
1993-94
Bradley Hart, Morehead State
Reid Huber, Murray State
Kevin Smith, Austin Peay
1994-95
Ronald Giacone, Southeast Missouri
Michael Gossett, Murray State
Jason Rice, Austin Peay
1995-96
Pontus Hiort, Murray State
Bryan Walker, Southeast Missouri
Christopher Whitefield, Eastern Kentucky
1996-97
Klas Brunskog, Tennessee-Martin
Justin Weiss, Eastern Illinois
John Wright, Eastern Kentucky
1997-98
Arthur Castle, Tennessee-Martin
Luke Finley, Austin Peay
Robert Hart, Murray State
1998-99
Wes Gallagher, Tennessee Tech
Sam Hoehner, Morehead State
Scott Niewland, Austin Peay
1999-00
Robert Powell, Austin Peay
Shane Sewell, Tennessee Tech
Michael Turner, Murray State
2000-01
Kevin Boucher, Tennessee Tech
Matthew Britton, Eastern Illinois
Justin Schrader, Austin Peay
2001-02
Bryan Johnson, Southeast Missouri
Brad Morris, Eastern Kentucky
Grant Swallows, Tennessee Tech
2002-03
Stephen Gordon, Tennessee Tech
Alan Horton, Eastern Kentucky
David Rella, Eastern Illinois
2003-04
Philip Kuhl, Eastern Kentucky
C.J. Weber, Eastern Illinois
Rhet Wierzba, Austin Peay
2004-05
Aaron Grobengieser, Eastern Illinois
Brady Wahlberg, Tennessee-Martin
Brian Whitehead, Southeast Missouri
2005-06
Jamie Frazier, Murray State
Chad McMahan, Tennessee-Martin
Daniel Strackeljahn, Eastern Illinois
2006-07
Matthew Carter, Southeast Missouri
Jeffrey Lester, Murray State
Steven Thieme, Morehead State
2007-08
Jake Byrne, Eastern Illinois
Thomas Nelson, Tennessee Tech
Joe Oliver, Eastern Kentucky
2008-09
Brian Morrell, Eastern Illinois
Bradley Thompson, Tennessee Tech
Andrey Yesipov, UT Martin
2009-10
Josh Cain, Jacksonville State
Leonardo Locatelli, Austin Peay
Derek Hardman, Eastern Kentucky
2010-11
Alex Das, Eastern Kentucky
Dustin Davis, Southeast Missouri
Cody Terry, UT Martin
2011-12
Emory Attig, Eastern Kentucky
Ty Proffitt, Morehead State
Paul Ritzheimer, Murray State
2012-13
Sean Bailey, Austin Peay
Patrick Ford, Eastern Kentucky
Hunter York, Murray State
2013-14
Chase Brookshire, Belmont
Dennis Ogbe, Tennessee Tech
Ben Stansfield, Austin Peay
2014-15
Jason Blum, Southeast Missouri
J.J. Mann, Belmont
Aleksas Tverijonas, Austin Peay
2015-16
Logan Hogge, Morehead State
Ben Reeves, UT Martin
Dalton Screws, Jacksonville State
2016-17
Alberto Esteban, Tennessee Tech
Ben Fisher, Eastern Kentucky
Riley McInerney, Eastern Illinois
2017-18
Justin Lea, Jacksonville State
Joseph Martin, UT Martin
Josh Poplar, Tennessee Tech
2018-19
Brandon Bryer, Morehead State
Dylan Windler, Belmont
Stephen Zagurski, Southeast Missouri
2019-20
Joe Caputo, Eastern Illinois
Nick Howie, Eastern Kentucky
James Sappington, Murray State
2020-21
Jaime Marcos, Eastern Illinois
Joe Muschong, Morehead State
Zack Woodard, Jacksonville State
2021-22
Riley Baker, Eastern Illinois
Seth Carlisle, Tennessee Tech
Takeem Young, UT Martin
2022-23
Anton Albers, Little Rock
Jun Sasagawa, Tennessee Tech
Bryce Ward, Morehead State
2023-24
Peyton Calitri, Tennessee Tech
Logan Lommel, Western Illinois
Ryley Preece, Morehead State
2024-25
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri
Chad Smith, Eastern Illinois
Jonathan Xoinis, UT Martin
WOMEN'S ALL-TIME AWARD WINNERS
1981-82
Jerilynn Harper, Tennessee Tech
Jennifer Oberhausen, Murray State
Donna Stephens, Morehead State
1982-83
Arlene Hale, Middle Tennessee
Allison Hall, Morehead State
Martha Rust, Morehead State
1983-84
Lori Barrett, Murray State
Mitzi Grogan, Middle Tennessee
Donna Slagle, Morehead State
1984-85
Sally-Ann Birch, Morehead State
Maria Salas, Middle Tennessee
Ann Traxler, Akron
1985-86
Kay Holt, Murray State
Claudia Porras, Eastern Kentucky
Jan Schuler, Tennessee Tech
1986-87
Kady Berger, Morehead State
Angie Duncan, Tennessee Tech
Pat Spurgin, Murray State
1987-88
Glorian Duricy, Youngstown State
Laura Luther, Youngstown State
Kelly Scutari, Morehead State
1988-89
Lianne Beck, Middle Tennessee
Allison Kotouch, Eastern Kentucky
Pamela Wise, Eastern Kentucky
1989-90
Melissa Blanford, Morehead State
Lisa Malloy, Eastern Kentucky
Deena Wigger, Murray State
1990-91
Lee Ann Allen, Murray State
Ruth Charlton, Morehead State
Cecilia Ramsey, Tennessee Tech
1991-92
Julie Jones, Tennessee Tech
Julie Pinson, Murray State
Graciela "Lea" White, Middle Tennessee
1992-93
Jill Doty, Murray State
Theresa Woods, Eastern Kentucky
Isabel Canedo, Austin Peay
1993-94
Rebecca Burnett, Murray State
Ann Carlson, Eastern Kentucky
Amy Clements, Eastern Kentucky
1994-95
Merrie Robin Caldwell, Tennessee Tech
Anna Davis, Tennessee-Martin
Caroline Groves, Tennessee-Martin
1995-96
Dena Adams, Tennessee Tech
Lisa Kraxner, Southeast Missouri
Emily Leath, Eastern Kentucky
1996-97
Heather Fisher, Southeast Missouri
Angela Olsen, Tennessee-Martin
Vanessa Wells, Eastern Illinois
1997-98
Jessica Laska, Eastern Illinois
Rachel Melchiorre, Tennessee Tech
Karen von Deneen, Morehead State
1998-99
Sarah Blossom, Eastern Kentucky
Meredith Ferlic, Tennessee Tech
Julie Virta, Austin Peay
1999-00
Melanie Manley, Middle Tennessee
Diane Seng, Tennessee Tech
Rachel Wright, Eastern Illinois
2000-01
Dana Fohl, Morehead State
Crystal Kern, Murray State
Ayesha Maycock, Austin Peay
2001-02
Zoey Artist, Eastern Kentucky
Kelly Pendleton, Tennessee-Martin
Jessica Wood, Murray State
2002-03
Rachel Ahlers, Tennessee-Martin
Laura Van Hoevelaak, Southeast Missouri
Mercy Udoji, Tennessee State
2003-04
Jennifer Brenneman, Jacksonville State
Lindsey Gustafson, Murray State
Stephanie Ward, Tennessee Tech
2004-05
Jennifer Cross, Southeast Missouri
Erica Gerth, Eastern Illinois
Rebecca Remington, Murray State
2005-06
Shanelle Howell, Jacksonville State
Anne Morrow, Tennessee Tech
Brianna Venable, Austin Peay
2006-07
Adonia Bivins, Austin Peay
Anna Lask, Murray State
Lindy Nettleton, Morehead State
2007-08
Beth Boden, Tennessee Tech
Virginia Penner, Austin Peay
Sara Struve, Murray State
2008-09
Lesley Binning, Jacksonville State
Carrie Burggraf, Austin Peay
Amber Guffey, Murray State
2009-10
Teresa Craig, Tennessee Tech
Jessica Goshert, Eastern Kentucky
Jaime Furstenberg, UT Martin
2010-11
Megan Gingerich, Eastern Illinois
Stephanie Lynch, Eastern Kentucky
Chelsea Pelletier, Jacksonville State
2011-12
Lauren Harkins, Jacksonville State
Jenna Miller, UT Martin
Bridget Sanchez, Eastern Illinois
2012-13
Stephanie Arnold, Eastern Illinois
Kellie Cook, Tennessee Tech
Leah Taylor, UT Martin
2013-14
Heather Butler, UT Martin
Delaney Howson, Murray State
Rebekah Lawson, Southeast Missouri
2014-15
Alison Alcott, Belmont
Ann Eason, Eastern Kentucky
Cori Harris, SIUE
2015-16
Breigh Jones, Austin Peay
Katie Schubert, UT Martin
Hannah Wittman, Belmont
2016-17
Abi Gearing, Tennessee Tech
Kylee Smith, Belmont
Jessica Twaddle, Murray State
2017-18
Allyson Dunn, Tennessee Tech
Sally McCabe, Belmont
Kristen Stucker, Austin Peay
2018-19
Hayley Baker, Belmont
Chloe Rojas, Eastern Kentucky
Lidia Yanes Garcia, Austin Peay
2019-20
Meike Drewell, Murray State
Alexa Potts, Morehead State
Kaitie Shipley, Tennessee Tech
2020-21
Olivia Lohmeier, Morehead State
Fabienne Schmidt, Austin Peay
Ali Verzani, Tennessee Tech
2021-22
Megan Burton, Eastern Illinois
Conley Chinn, Belmont
Amber Schifano, Morehead State
2022-23
Jill Lambrechts, SIUE
MacKenzie Neal, Morehead State
Ruby Wyles, Tennessee Tech
2023-24
Matea Diekema, SIUE
Dylan Mott, UT Martin
Yao Giada Zhou, Tennessee Tech
2024-25
Mackenzie Aldridge, Eastern Illinois
Izzy Patterson, UT Martin
Katie Toney, Tennessee Tech