ST. LOUIS – The Drake University women's soccer team had four student-athletes earn Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete awards, the league office announced on Tuesday afternoon. Seniors Haley Morris (Clive Iowa) and Ali Smith (Lenexa, Kan.) were named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team while juniors Alyssa Brand (Skokie, Ill.) and Linda Fiorito (Overland Park, Kan.) garnered scholar-athlete honorable mention honors. Fiorito, Morris and Smith all have perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point averages.
 
Morris, the 2017 MVC Goalkeeper of the Year and an All-MVC First Team selection, started 18-of-19 matches, recorded six shutouts and tallied 92 saves. Morris' 12 wins this year tied for the single season program-high for a goalkeeper. This is the first MVC scholar-athlete award for the advertising and marketing double-major.
 
Smith, who is a double major in international business and finance, started all 19 matches at the defender position. She was named the 2017 MVC Defensive Player of the Year, to the All-MVC First Team and last week to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VI First Team. Smith scored two goals, handed out a team-high four assists and helped the defense record seven shutouts. She netted a golden goal to beat Illinois State, which clinched the MVC regular season title for the Bulldogs. Smith was picked to the 2016 MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team.
 
Brand, a midfielder, earned All-MVC honors for the third time in her career after she was named to the 2017 All-MVC Second Team. She played in 18 matches, scored two goals and handed out a team-high four assists. This is the first MVC scholar-athlete award for the finance and marketing double major who holds a 3.69 GPA.
 
Fiorito started all 19 matches at the defender position, where she helped the defense record seven shutouts. She handed out two assists and played 1,631 minutes. This is the second MVC scholar-athlete honor for the marketing major.