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Becker, Maguire earn All-MVC honors

Southern Illinois redshirt sophomore Hannah Becker and junior Rachel Maguire were both selected to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Conference Second Team, the league announced Thursday.

The All-MVC recognition was the first for both Becker and Maguire, who were focal points in SIU's resurgence. Southern went 14-18 and 6-12 in MVC play, a year after it won just five matches, of which just one came during conference play. Both Becker and Maguire also earned MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team honors earlier this week.

Becker had her best season as a Saluki thus far, as she played nearly every front row position for the Salukis at one time or another. The Polk City, Iowa native put down double-digit kills in 13 matches, which included a career-high 20 kills in SIU's win over Illinois State on Oct. 25. In doing so, she was named the MVC's Player of the Week and became the first Saluki since 2015 to earn the honor. The criminology and criminal justice major hit over .300 in seven matches, which included a career-high .462 in the win over the Redbirds.

Maguire had one of the best all-around seasons in program history to earn her first career All-MVC honor. The junior setter/hitter did a little bit of everything to help the Salukis and became the first player in program history to record 300 kills/500 assists/300 digs in the same season. She also etched her name in SIU's record book, as she broke the school's season and career records for triple-doubles. The Bloomington, Ill. native finished the season with a NCAA-leading 13 triple-doubles, which were the most in a single-season in both the MVC and NCAA in at least the last five seasons. The biological sciences major put down double-digit kills in 18 matches, which included a career-high 18 against Valparaiso on Nov. 8.

Hannah Becker
Rachel Maguire