26 ‘Jackets earn GNAC FAR Scholar Athlete award

PORTLAND, Ore. – A total of 26 student-athletes from Montana State University Billings were recognized as Faculty Athletic Representative Scholar Athletes presented by Barnes and Noble College for the 2019-20 academic year, announced by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference on Monday.

Recognizing the highest level of academic achievement in the conference, FAR Scholar Athletes are those who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.80 or higher while competing for an athletic team.

Amanda Hemmen of the women’s soccer team, Jeanann Lemelin of the women’s basketball team, and Sam Muskat of the baseball team led the way for the Yellowjackets, each being selected as a FAR Scholar Athlete for the fourth time in their collegiate careers. Of the record 322 total athletes in the conference to receive the honor, Hemmen, Lemelin, and Muskat were among 30 to earn FAR Scholar Athlete status in each year of their collegiate eligibility.

Kalin Sandow and Courteney Shovlin of the women’s soccer team each received the honor for the third time in their careers, and MSUB had seven more repeat selections to the list. Sam Elliott of the men’s basketball team and Tevin Hall of the baseball team each earned the honor for the second straight season, as did Emily Gaines and Abby Hamilton of the women’s soccer team, Brenna Beckett of the women’s track and field team, and Shannon Reny of the women’s basketball team.

Overall the women’s soccer team had nine selections, baseball had four, women’s basketball had three, track and field, volleyball, and softball each had two, and men’s basketball, men’s soccer, and women’s golf had one each. MSUB’s women’s soccer team had the fourth-most selections from a single team of any team in the conference, trailing only Central Washington women’s track (12 selections), Northwest Nazarene women’s track (11 selections), and Concordia women’s track (10 selections).