(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., May 16)- McKendree University student-athletes finished in a tie for fourth place during the 2013-14 school year in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Challenge. The results were announced on Friday by the GLVC office.

The Bearcats tallied 256 points to tie with Rockhurst University for fourth place. University of Indianapolis took home the trophy with 510 points, while Bellarmine University was runner-up with 363 points. Drury University came in third place with 320 points, while Missouri S&T rounded out the top five with 251 points. Points are accumulated throughout the academic year based on a scoring model in which points are awarded in each area of the six attributes of NCAA Division II: service, learning, passion, sportsmanship, balance, and resourcefulness.

"This says a lot about our student-athletes," said Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance and SAAC Advisor Angela Red. "We're in our first full season as NCAA Division II members and it's nice to see that we've really embraced what it means to be a well-rounded Division II student-athlete."

In order to be eligible for the GLVC SAAC Challenge Trophy, schools must participate in a community engagement or service project, raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and nominate another league member team for the annual GLVC SAAC Sportsmanship Awards throughout the season.  In addition, points are also awarded to schools based on how many Academic All-Conference representatives and GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honorees they had in the previous academic season. 

To this date, GLVC SAAC has raised a combined $17,733.59, nearly $12,000 more than last year.  In April, nine league members actively raised a combined a season-high $5,045.96 for Make-a-Wish.  Furthermore, the Conference office's new campaign called "Washington for Wishes," which encourages every GLVC student-athlete to donate $1 to Make-a-Wish, has already generated $1,343 this year.

2013-14 GLVC SAAC CHALLENGE TROPHY STANDINGS

1.	Indianapolis	510
2.	Bellarmine	363
3.	Drury	320
4.	McKendree	256
	Rockhurst	256
6.	Missouri S&T	251
7.	Lewis	218
8.	Maryville	213
9.	Truman State	202
10.	Quincy	188
11.	Saint Joseph's	186
12.	Missouri-St. Louis	185
13.	Illinois Springfield	177
14.	UW-Parkside	163
15.	William Jewell	154
16.	Southern Indiana	121