KANSAS CITY, MO. – Fort Hays State’s Maddie Holub has been named one of three women finalists for the 2013 Ken B. Jones Award, a yearly award given to one male and one female in the MIAA for their athletic, academic, and service accomplishments for the current school year and the body of work throughout their collegiate career. Joining Holub as women’s finalists are Kacie Edwards (softball) of Central Oklahoma and Kayla Shain (soccer) of Central Missouri. The winner of the award will be announced at the annual MIAA Awards Ceremony, set for June 6 at the Kansas City Public Library-Plaza Branch.

Holub is the first-ever women’s finalist from Fort Hays State for this honor since FHSU joined the MIAA in 2006-07. Alex Whitehill was a men’s finalist for the honor in 2012.

The award, now in its 20th year, is named in honor of the man who served as the MIAA’s first full-time commissioner for 16 years. Jones retired in 1997 and passed away in May 2004. He was inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame in the inaugural Class of 2010.

A 16-member panel of athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives and sports information directors – including a representative from each member institution – select the finalists.

Each nominee was judged in four areas: 2012-13 athletic accomplishments; 2012-13 academic accomplishments; 2012-13 campus/community service; and career athletic, academic and service achievements.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average as of April 1, and must have completed at least their junior season of eligibility in the 2012-13 academic year.

Below is information on each of the women’s finalists…

Maddie Holub
Fort Hays State
Softball
5-7, Sr., Hays, Kan.
Major: Health and Human Performance
GPA: 3.68

2012-13 Athletic Accomplishments (45%):
-Daktronics Central Region Pitcher of the Year
-Daktronics All-Central Region First Team Pitcher
-NFCA All-Central Region First Team Pitcher
-MIAA Pitcher and Player of the Year
-Unanimous All-MIAA First Team selection at pitcher and also received a second-team nod as a utility.
-Currently on the Daktronics and NFCA All-American ballots, along with the Daktronics National Pitcher of the Year ballot.
-As a first team all-region selection for Daktronics and NFCA, she will be on the All-American ballot for both.
-At the completion of the regular season, Holub led the MIAA in 14 categories (8 pitching, 6 offensive). Led pitching in ERA, lowest opponent batting average, strikeouts, strikeouts looking, fewest hits allowed, fewest runs allowed, fewest earned runs allowed, and fewest home runs allowed. As a hitter, she led in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits, home runs and total bases.
-Nationally, as of May 5, Holub ranked second in ERA, wins, hits allowed per 7 innings (2.71), shutouts, total strikeouts, and sixth in strikeouts per 7 innings (11.0) as a pitcher. She ranked seventh in total home runs, 17th in home runs per game, 12th in slugging percentage, and 28th in on-base percentage.
-Threw 6 no-hitters in 2013, including 2 perfect games. She became the first player in NCAA Division II history to throw perfect games in back-to-back starts (April 6 vs. NWMSU and April 12 vs. MSSU). Two of the no-hitters were in the MIAA Tournament against PSU and UCO, helping the Tigers to their first MIAA Tournament Championship in Softball.
– Set a new single-game FHSU record for strikeouts in 2013, reaching 17 twice. Those occurred in back-to-back starts with 17 in a 12-inning win over Missouri Western, then 17 in her perfect game against Northwest Missouri State. That broke her old mark of 16 that she reached four times.
-For the season, as a pitcher she finished with a 29-4 record (had only 1 loss in the regular season), 1.03 ERA, 26 complete games, 13 shutouts, three saves, and 345 strikeouts in 224 innings pitched with a .129 opponent batting average. As a hitter, she finished with a .426 batting average, 19 home runs, 10 doubles, 3 triples, 56 RBI, 62 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, an .841 slugging percentage, and a .516 on-base percentage.
-Holub set 12 single-season records at FHSU in 2013, which included runs scored, home runs, RBI, total bases, slugging percentage, walks, appearances as a pitcher, wins, winning percentage, fewest hits allowed per innings pitched, strikeouts, and lowest ERA.
-MIAA Pitcher of the Week seven times and Hitter of the Week once.

2012-13 Academic Accomplishments (25%):
-CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 First Team Selection, now placed on the Academic All-American ballot for softball.
-Dean’s Honor Roll
-Hays City Silver Academic Scholarship
-FHSU Student-Athlete Academic Excellence Award
-Will earn MIAA Academic Honor Roll and MIAA Scholar Athlete Award for 2013.
-2013 FHSU Torch Award Nominee for outstanding student academics and leadership.

2012-13 Campus/Community Service (15%):
-Member of the Fort Hays State Student Athletic Advisory Committee
-Bell Ringer for the Salvation Army
-Donated time for food collections in partnership with OPTIONS of Hays
-Worked as an umpire for children’s softball games and a referee for volleyball and basketball games
-Volunteer at Neuromuscular Wellness Center

Career Athletic, Academic and Service Accomplishments (15%):
Athletic
-Three-time All-Region selection, including Daktronics and NFCA All-Central Region First Team selection this year at pitcher.
-2013 Daktronics Central Region Pitcher of the Year.
-Currently on the NFCA and Daktronics All-American ballots to be voted on soon.
-Four-time All-MIAA selection, including first team honors at pitcher the last two years. She was a second-team selection at utility as a freshman and honorable mention selection at utility as a sophomore.
-MIAA Pitcher and Player of the Year in 2013, the first to ever earn both honors for the MIAA in the same season.
-Seven career complete game no-hitters (6 as a senior and 1 as a junior) and had a combined no-hitter with a teammate in 2010 as a freshman.
-Two perfect games (both in 2013 as a senior)
-First player ever in NCAA Division II history to throw perfect games in back-to-back starts
-Holds 13 career records at FHSU, which includes runs scored (183), hits (255), home runs (46), RBI (160), total bases (449), slugging percentage (.655), walks (73), sacrifice flies (6), wins (77), saves (7), winning percentage (77-31, .712), strikeouts (974), strikeouts per innings pitched (1.34). Together with single season records, she owns 25 total records at FHSU.
-Nine-time MIAA Pitcher of the Week (7 this year) and Two-time MIAA Hitter of the Week.

Academic
-Two-time CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District Selection (could be selected as Academic All-American this year)
-FHSU Dean’s Honor Roll Six Times
-Four-time recipient of the Hays City Silver Academic Scholarship
-Four-time recipient of the FHSU Student-Athlete Academic Excellence Award
-Four-time member of MIAA Academic Honor Roll and two-time recipient of MIAA Scholar Athlete Award.
-Three-time recipient of NFCA Scholar Athlete Award
-2013 FHSU Torch Award Nominee for outstanding student academics and leadership.

Campus/Community Service
-Member of the Fort Hays State Student Athletic Advisory Committee
-Bell Ringer for the Salvation Army for four academic years (2009-13)
-Donated time for food collections in partnership with OPTIONS of Hays for two years
-Volunteered in the Hays Paint-A-Thon in 2011.
-Volunteered for the Thin Mint Sprint in conjunction with the Girl Scouts of America in 2011.
-Volunteered for Kansas Kids’ Fitness Day in 2011.
-Served as an umpire for children’s softball games and referee for youth volleyball and basketball.
-Volunteer for youth softball camps at Fort Hays State.
-Volunteer at Neuromuscular Wellness Center for four years.

Kacie Edwards
Central Oklahoma
Softball
5-7, Sr., Yukon, Okla.
Major: Biology
GPA: 3.62

2012-13 Athletic Accomplishments (45%):
Despite having off-season knee surgery to repair a torn ACL, Kacie has enjoyed an outstanding season in 2013.  She’s currently hitting .411 with 18 home runs, 13 doubles, 57 RBI and a .778 slugging percentage in having led UCO to a 45-11 record, the regular season MIAA championship and a berth in the Central Regional Finals May 17-18.  Edwards was a first-team All-MIAA selection at designated player as well as earning first-team All-Central Region honors from the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) and Daktronics.  She ranks among the NCAA Division II leaders in homers, RBI and slugging percentage.

2012-13 Academic Accomplishments (25%):
Kacie earned membership to the Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society this year and recently was named to the Capital One Academic All-District VII softball team, which makes her eligible for Academic All-America honors.  She was also named the UCO Female Student-Athlete of the Year during the school’s annual academic awards banquet in April.

2012-13 Campus/Community Service (15%):
A regular blood donor, Kacie also worked on a couple of projects in her hometown of Yukon, OK for the Yukon Public Schools Community Service and the Yukon Parks Department-Spooksville Event.  She also helped with the UCO female student-athlete alumni banquet in the fall of 2012.

Career Athletic, Academic and Service Accomplishments (15%):
Athletic – Edwards is the most decorated softball player in school history and owns nine school records, including career marks for at bats, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and average.  She ranks among the all-time NCAA Division II leaders in homers (52) and RBI (212).  Kacie was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference North Division selection in 2010 and ’11, earning Freshman of the Year honors in 2010.  As a junior in 2012, she was named the Daktronics Division II Player of the Year and a first-team All-American after hitting .453 with 19 home runs and a Division II-leading 79 RBI in leading the Bronchos to a 46-9 record and third-place national finish.

Academic – Kacie has been a multiple member of the UCO Dean’s Honor roll and carries a 3.62 cumulative GPA.  She won a UCO Freshman Achievement Scholarship in 2009 and has earned an Academic Excellence Award from the UCO Athletic Department four straight years.  Edwards was named an NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete in both 2011 and ’12.  She was also a Capital One first-team Academic All-America selection in 2012.

Campus/Community Service – Donates blood every year.  Worked the President’s Christmas Party three years.  Been a part of the Yukon Public Schools Community Service and Yukon Parks Department-Spooksville Event four straight years.

Kayla Shain
Central Missouri
Soccer
5-5, Sr., Olathe, Kan.
Major: Speech Pathology
GPA: 4.0

2012-13 Athletic Accomplishments (45%):
Dr. Peggy Martin Award winner as Central Missouri’s Top Female Senior Student-Athlete…MIAA Player of the Year and First Team All-MIAA selection for MIAA champion Jennies Soccer team…First Team All-Region selection as a midfielder…team captain led Jennies to third straight MIAA regular season championship…UCM went a combined 34-0-2 in MIAA play during her final three seasons…made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the Sweet 16…became UCM’s career leader in games played (83), assists (25) and now ranks 8th all-time at UCM in points (49).

2012-13 Academic Accomplishments (25%):
CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American, just the second Jennie to ever earn first team honors…MIAA Academic Excellence Award winner with a perfect 4.0 GPA…MIAA Scholar-Athlete with at least a 3.5 GPA and All-MIAA honors…MIAA Academic Honor Roll member…Central Missouri Dean’s List and a member of the Honors College at UCM…named outstanding Spanish minor at UCM…named outstanding undergraduate clinician…member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars….Psi Chapter of Lambda Sigma National Honor Society…member of Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society…presented project on Childhood Apraxia of Speech at the poster session of the Missouri Speech-Language Hearing Association Conference…Red & Black Scholarship winner…Hy-Vee Foundation Scholarship winner.

2012-13 Campus/Community Service (15%):
Shain was an Honorary First Grader at Maple Grove Elementary School in Warrensburg where she visited the classroom regularly to read and meet with students…took part in the Polar Bear Plunge at Lake of the Ozarks to raise money for Special Olympics…participated through Psi Chapter of Lambda Sigma in Peanut Butter Jelly Drive to collect peanut butter and jelly to make sandwiches for underprivileged and homeless members of the community…her Psi Chapter of Lambda Sigma also held a Trash Clean Up day to clean up trash around the Warrensburg community and specifically the Lion’s Lake area…participated in Thrive Game Night, a night of games for UCM students with special needs.

Career Athletic, Academic and Service Accomplishments (15%):
2012 MIAA Player of the Year and First Team All-MIAA selection for MIAA champion Jennies Soccer team…First Team All-Region selection as a midfielder in 2012 and a four-time All-MIAA player, including two first-team all-conference honors…a four-time MIAA Academic Excellence Award winner with a 4.0 GPA, four-time MIAA Scholar-Athlete with at least a 3.5 GPA and all-MIAA honors and a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll…a 2012 First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American…two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree… team captain led Jennies to third straight MIAA regular season championship…UCM went a combined 34-0-2 in MIAA play during her final three seasons…made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the Sweet 16…became UCM’s career leader in games played (83), assists (25) and now ranks 8th all-time at UCM in points (49).

Other women’s nominations…
Karley Schmelzer, Emporia State (Softball)
Jenna Creger, Northwest Missouri (Softball)
Emma Shell, Southwest Baptist (Track and Field)
Larissa Richards, Pittsburg State (Track and Field)
Tia Stovall, Washburn (Soccer)
Megan Sharpe, Truman (Volleyball/Basketball)
Natalie Bird, Missouri Western (Golf)

Men’s Nominations…
Ben Carlson, Emporia State (Football) – Finalist
William Shell, Southwest Baptist (Track and Field) – Finalist
Brent Vogel, Central Missouri (Track and Field) – Finalist
Trevor Adams, Northwest Missouri (Football)
Alex Hendee, Fort Hays State (Cross Country/Track and Field)
Bobby Chipman, Washburn (Basketball)
Cory Dauphin, Central Oklahoma (Wrestling)
Alex Bazzell, Lindenwood (Basketball)
Grant Fink, Missouri Western (Baseball)

– FHSU Sports Information –