PEORIA, Ill. ? For the second consecutive year, the Bradley women's golf team had a trio of players receive Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete honors announced by the league office Friday. Junior Bari Erais (Lethbridge, Alberta/Lethbridge Collegiate Institute) was a repeat first-team scholar-athlete selection, while seniors Whitney Cox (Edmonton, Alberta/Harry Ainlay) and Rikki Sobel (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) both earned honorable mention Valley scholar-athlete recognition.

Bradley has had at least one player earn first-team MVC scholar-athlete honors in 11 consecutive years, which ranks as the longest active streak among Valley members. Missouri State owns the second longest active streak of first-team scholar-athletes, having had a first-team selection each of the last six years.

During the 11-year run, Bradley student-athletes have garnered a total of 19 first-team scholar-athlete awards, five better than Southern Illinois' 14 first-team scholar-athlete picks during that same time. In fact, the Braves boast a total of 17 first-team scholar-athletes since the start of the 1999-2000 season, which is seven more than any other MVC member over that span. Bradley is second all-time in MVC women's golf scholar-athlete selections (20), behind Southern Illinois' Valley record 24 and the Braves have six more Valley scholar-athlete picks than any other league member.

Erais is the seventh two-time first-team MVC scholar-athlete in school history and joins former Bradley standouts Kelly Dillon and Meaghan LeBlanc as the only players to also earn first-team All-Valley honors three times during their time on The Hilltop. Erais earned first-team All-MVC honors for the third straight year after ranking third in the Valley with a team-best 77.2 stroke average. She led the team with 24 rounds in the 70's during the 2007-08 season and finished in the top 10 in five of 11 tournaments.

A three-time MVC Golfer of the Week selection this year, Erais was named Bradley's scholar-athlete of the week twice and holds the Bradley career record for top 10 finishes. An accounting major, she posted a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the Fall semester and owns a 3.84 cumulative grade point average.

Cox earned honorable mention MVC scholar-athlete recognition for the second consecutive year. She took home All-Missouri Valley Conference honors this spring after tying for third at the MVC Championship in Omaha, Neb., and ranked second on the team with a career-best 78.9 stroke average which ranks as the ninth-best season average in program history. She was also second on the squad with 21 rounds in the 70's and is one of just three players in school history with 20 or more rounds in the 70's in a season.

One of four players in school history with over 100 career rounds played, Cox is 10th in school history with an 80.7 career stroke average and is fourth all-time with 44 career rounds in the 70's. An accounting major, she owns a 3.54 cumulative grade point average.

A two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference performer (2005-06 & 2006-07), Sobel was also an honorable mention MVC scholar-athlete after earning first-team scholar-athlete honors last year. She ranked third on the team with a 79.5 stroke average and shot 18 rounds in the 70's. Sobel was 19th in the MVC in stroke average and was named the MVC Golfer of the Week after tying for second place at the Baja Invitational.

A business management and administration major with a 3.58 cumulative grade point average, she holds the Bradley career record for rounds played (106) and ranks fourth all-time with a 79.7 career stroke average. Sobel is third in school history with 56 career rounds in the 70's.

The criteria for the MVC scholar-athlete team parallel the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) standards for academic ESPN the Magazine All-America voting. Nominees must have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale) and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institutions.