ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Senior women's cross country runner Katie Nowak (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake H.S.) has been named one of 10 Missouri Valley Conference State Farm Good Neighbor Award recipients, according to an announcement by the league office Monday.

Nowak has been a key contributor to the success of the Bradley women's cross country team this season. She owns two top-10 finishes, including her first-career meet victory at the Bradley Open Sept. 11. Nowak received MVC Athlete of the Week and State Farm/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors following her performance at the Bradley Open. With Nowak's leadership, the Braves have two first-place team finishes and have been ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Midwest Regional poll for six consecutive weeks.

In an effort to honor model student-athletes, the Missouri Valley Conference has partnered with State Farm Insurance in creating the MVC Good Neighbor Award. In order to be eligible for the award, the student-athlete must be in good academic standing, must demonstrate good citizenship through good sportsmanship and significant community service and must participate in a sport during the season of recognition. The Valley will recognize 10 student-athletes three times annually (fall, winter, spring) for a total of 30 honorees each school year.

Nowak boasts a 3.97 cumulative grade point average in mechanical and bio-medical engineering and has volunteered in a variety of activities, including the Buddy with the Braves Program, Just Read and the Megan Fong Blood & Bone Marrow Drive. She is a three-year member of both the MVC and Bradley Athletic Director's Honor Roll (2006-08) and was an MVC First Team Scholar Athlete in 2007-08.

The Braves will compete at the NCAA Midwest Regional Saturday, Nov. 14 in Springfield, Mo.