DES MOINES, Iowa – Steven Jordan has joined elite company as the Missouri Valley Conference men's track and field Elite 18 Award winner.

The Elite 18 Award Program was first established by the Missouri Valley Conference in the fall of 2010 to honor excellence and achievement in academics and athletics. The honor is given to the highest achieving student-athlete when combining athletic finish at the MVC Championship and cumulative grade-point average.

“This is an exceptional recognition for Steven,” Drake track and field head coach Natasha Kaiser-Brown said. “I am happy that his commitment to his training and late nights of studying are being showcased in this way.”

Jordan was fourth in the 200 meters at the MVC Championships and ran the third leg in the 4x400-meter relay team that won the championship in a time of 3:10.47,

The sophomore from McFarland, Wis., holds a 4.0 in his pharmacy studies through four semesters at Drake.

“It is sometimes difficult to prioritize when working so hard in both aspects, but I do my best to make lists and stay on top of everything I participate in,” Jordan said. “One tip I learned from the athletic department's new Bulldog Way lectures was to plan ahead but keep academics and athletics separate to allow me to give my best effort while in the classroom and at practice.”

He attributes the uniqueness of the Drake experience to his success.

“Drake is a remarkable place to be a student-athlete,” Jordan added. “Being a small school, it provides the many close-knit opportunities necessary to succeed as a scholar. However, because the Missouri Valley Conference is a Division I conference, the athletics are very competitive.”

His athletic success this season has been all the more remarkable as he continues his transition from distance events to the sprints.

“I have worked very hard this year to become more of a sprinter,” Jordan said. “My teammates as well as coaches have been very helpful to me during this ongoing transition.”