March 7, 2006

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University sophomore guards Erin Pauk and Jayme Sweere were among 18 student-athletes named to the 2006 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Women's Basketball Team.

Pauk, also a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine academic all-district V honoree, joined Indiana State's Melanie Boeglin and Kristen Weddle, Missouri State's Sarah Klaassen and Drake's Lindsay Whorton on the first-team this season.

Pauk boasts a 4.00 GPA in Psychology and is SIU's first, first-team MVC Scholar-Athlete since Melaniece Bardley accomplished the feat in 1999-00.

"Erin handles her academics the same way she does her athletics," said Saluki head coach Dana Eikenberg. "She has a strong work ethic and a desire to be the best."

Sweere, who carries a 3.80 GPA as a Radio/Television major, earned honorable mention honors.