McLean County Times

Abby Hall, Jade Rehberger, Madi Valenti, and Watson have been named to the 2024 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Teams. The announcement was made by the CSC office on Tuesday. This accolade honors student-athletes for their combined achievements in sports and academics.

Hall participated in all 20 games for Illinois State, starting in 10 during her first season as a Redbird. She scored her first career goal against Indiana State on October 13 and ended the season with four points. Hall contributed to Illinois State achieving its highest number of shutouts since 2019 and its first postseason shutout since 2018. She maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.86 while pursuing a degree in computer science.

Rehberger started all but one game for Illinois State, playing full matches each time she started. She recorded three assists, marking her first collegiate assists. Rehberger also played a role in helping Illinois State achieve significant defensive milestones similar to Hall's contributions. Her cumulative GPA stands at 3.9 as she studies biological sciences.

Valenti started in 18 matches and appeared in 19 overall as a goalkeeper for Illinois State. She achieved the most shutouts by a Redbird since 2019 and secured the program's first postseason shutout since 2018. As a redshirt freshman, Valenti made 80 saves with a .714 save percentage and maintains a perfect GPA of 4.0 while studying risk management and insurance.

Watson played every minute of all 20 matches on the back line for Illinois State, aiding the team in reaching notable defensive records alongside her teammates. She contributed two assists during her sophomore year and led the team with over 1,774 minutes played. Watson earned MVC Defensive Player of the Week on August 20 at the start of the season and holds a perfect GPA of 4.0 while pursuing biological sciences.

For more information about Illinois State athletics, visit GoRedbirds.com or download the Illinois State Redbirds App.