McLean County Times

Ava Watson and Jade Rehberger have been recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) as part of the Scholar-Athlete teams, marking their first appearance on these lists. The league office announced on Thursday that Watson secured a Second Team position, while Rehberger was named to the Third Team.

Rehberger has been a consistent presence for Illinois State, starting all but one game and playing every minute in those starts. She achieved a career-high with three assists this season, her first collegiate assists. Her efforts contributed to Illinois State achieving five shutouts in a single season, the most since 2019, and their first postseason shutout since 2018. Academically, Rehberger maintains a 3.9 GPA while studying biological sciences.

Watson also played an integral role for Illinois State's defense, starting all 20 matches and leading the team with 1,774 minutes on the field. She recorded two assists during her sophomore year and was pivotal in securing five shutouts for the team this season. Watson earned MVC Defensive Player of the Week honors on August 20 at the start of the 2024 season. She holds a perfect 4.0 GPA as she pursues her undergraduate degree in biological sciences.

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