McLean County Times

Illinois State University's Ryan Gudaitis and Tommy Rittenhouse have been recognized for their academic achievements by being named to the 2024 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Scholar-Athlete Team. The announcement was made on Wednesday by the league office, highlighting both athletes as Second Team selections based on votes from the league's sports information directors.

Ryan Gudaitis, who hails from Arlington Heights, Illinois, is a standout player for the Redbirds. In addition to his academic accolades, he was also named to the 2024 All-MVFC Honorable Mention Team. Gudaitis has maintained a 3.70 GPA in accountancy at Illinois State while starting all 14 games for the team, primarily at center. His efforts contributed significantly to the team's offensive performance, which included rushing an average of 164 yards per game and scoring 26.6 points per game.

Tommy Rittenhouse also earned recognition as a member of the 2024 All-MVFC Honorable Mention Team. As quarterback and team captain, Rittenhouse started all 14 games this season. The Geneva, Illinois native completed over two-thirds of his passes for a total of 2,840 yards and threw 17 touchdown passes. He ranked third in completions and passing yards within the conference during regular season play.

To qualify for the All-MVFC Scholar-Athlete Team, nominees must be starters or key reserves with participation in at least half of their team's games and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50. They must also have reached sophomore standing both athletically and academically at their institution.

Graduate students are eligible if they meet similar criteria regarding GPA both as undergraduates and graduates.

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