FULL MVC RELEASE

ST. LOUIS – University of Evansville student-athletes James Kohler and Stephanie Thompson were announced as winners of the Missouri Valley Conference's postgraduate scholarship "Emerson Excellence Award" Thursday morning. 
 
The prestigious postgraduate scholarship, which was awarded to just six student-athletes from around the MVC, is a $5,000 scholarship that is awarded to student-athletes for their exemplary academic and athletic performances.  This year's selections marks the first time that two student-athletes from Evansville have earned the award in the same academic year.
 
Kohler was a member of Evansville's baseball team that captured the 2014 MVC regular-season title and was a professional biology major at UE.  Kohler earned Dean's List honors all four years and was a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team member.  In addition to his academic and athletic responsibilities, Kohler completed more than 400 hours of community service and plans to attend medical school at The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in the fall.
 
Thompson was a member of the Purple Aces' women's soccer team and earned All-MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team honors three times.  The Evansville native was a CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team selection in 2012 and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team in 2013, becoming just the second player in program history to earn Academic All-American accolades.  Thompson helped Evansville to a 9-6-4 record this season, scoring seven points on three goals and an assist to earn All-MVC First Team accolades for the second-straight season.  An exercise science major at UE, Thompson hopes to continue her studies at Evansville in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
 
To be eligible for consideration for the "Emerson Excellence Award", recipients must have achieved a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.40, participated with distinction in a Missouri Valley Conference championship sport for at least two seasons at the nominating institution and must graduate from their institutions within 18 months following selection at the spring meetings of the Faculty Athletics Representative Committee.
 
Also, the recipients must be accepted for postgraduate studies at an institution of higher learning at the time they receive the scholarship.  In addition, the recipients must have completed eligibility for participation in intercollegiate athletics in the academic year in which nominated.