ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T had 41 of its student-athletes record a 4.0 grade point average during the course of the 2020-21 academic year – its second-most ever in one year -- earning each of them a spot on the Brother James Gaffney, FSC, Distinguished Scholar Award list from the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The 41 recipients from S&T – which exceeded the total of 31 selected two years ago – received the award that is named after the former president at Lewis University and a two-time chair of the league's Council of Presidents.  A total of 536 student-athletes from across the 15 full-time institutions and five associate members were honored for finishing the past academic year with a 4.0 average in the classroom.

Among the 41 Miners to receive the award were six from the women's track & field, football and men's soccer programs. Two of the women's track & field recipients also compete in cross country at S&T.

Missouri S&T swimming and women's soccer teams each had five student-athletes earn the award, while four members of the baseball team were also honored.   The list of the Distinguished Scholars also includes three student-athletes from the men's track & field team, as well as two from the women's golf squad and one apiece from the men's basketball, men's golf, softball and volleyball squads.

Missouri S&T ranked fifth among the 15 GLVC institutions in total selections on the 2020-21 list with its 41 selections, a number exceeded only by the totals from Lindenwood (112), Rockhurst (49), Truman State (48) and Indianapolis (47

Missouri S&T's Recipients -- Brother James Gaffney, FSC, Distinguished Scholar Award
Mia Allesio, Volleyball
Jake Anderson, Men's Track & Field
Gabriel Asevedo, Men's Swimming
Aaron Berkhoff, Baseball
Evan Birsinger, Men's Soccer
Parker Boyce, Football
Brandon Bunger, Men's Soccer
Aubrie Caldwell, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Mark Cavanaugh, Men's Swimming
Santiago Cervantes, Men's Soccer
Julien Denis, Men's Soccer
Kyle Fowler, Baseball
Zach Glaess, Football
Brady Harrison, Men's Soccer
Kassandra Hayes, Women's Track & Field
Andrew Heider, Men's Soccer
Andy Huffman, Men's Swimming
Micah Johnson, Men's Basketball
Paige Lambright, Women's Track & Field
Mia Magby, Women's Track & Field
Payton McAlister, Football
Martin Melinder, Men's Swimming
Damita Mendoza, Women's Soccer
Marissa Menendez, Women's Soccer
Dylan Mollett, Baseball
Joseph Nickell, Men's Track & Field
Emma Puetz, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Anna Reisinger, Women's Golf
Wulfe Retzlaff, Football
Kaitlyn Schwandtner, Women's Soccer
Annika Strohm, Women's Soccer
Elizabeth Stump, Women's Soccer
Nathan Swadley, Men's Track & Field
Sami Swinfard, Women's Golf
Ryan Truvillion, Football
Kyle Urich, Football
Ellie Viox, Softball
Maya Washington, Women's Track & Field
Sam Weber, Men's Swimming
Brady Wildschuetz, Baseball
Fatt Hoe Yong, Men's Golf