SIUE’s Cori Harris is one of six individuals selected to receive The Ohio Valley Conference’s prestigious Scholar-Athlete Award. The award is based on academic and athletic criteria/accomplishments achieved during the 2013-14 school year.
The award is the highest individual honor that can be earned by OVC student-athletes. It is given annually to three men and three women student-athletes for their accomplishments in both the classroom and athletic arena, and for their leadership qualities.
The six winners were selected from a group of 22 finalists by a vote of OVC Faculty Athletics Representatives. Honorees must have performed athletically with distinction, earned at least a 3.25 grade point average and conducted themselves in a manner which has brought credit to the student-athlete, his or her institution, intercollegiate athletics and the OVC.
A Champaign native, Harris completed her final volleyball campaign during fall 2013 as a right side hitter at SIUE. As a junior, she led the Cougars to a second-place finish in the team’s first appearance at the OVC Championship. During that season she led the team in kills, service aces and points in becoming the first individual in school history to earn All-OVC honors. A team captain, she was also awarded the SIUE Volleyball Cougar Pride Award.
In the classroom, Harris has a 3.949 grade point average in chemistry/medical science with a minor in Spanish. During 2013, she was awarded the OVC Medal of Honor for having the highest grade point average in her sport.
Harris has also been a multiple-year selection to the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, earned the SIUE Student-Athlete Academic Cougar Excellence award, the SIUE Outstanding Chemistry Assignment Award and the Ollie Mae Williams Merit Award.
The other 2014-15 Ohio Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete winners are: Alison Alcott of Belmont (soccer), Jason Blum of Southeast Missouri State (baseball), Ann Eason of Eastern Kentucky (cross country/track and field), J.J. Mann of Belmont (basketball) and Aleksas Tverijonas of Austin Peay (tennis).