The Missouri Valley Conference postseason accolades continued to roll in for Valparaiso University men’s basketball sophomore Ben Krikke (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada / Jasper Place) on Thursday.

After receiving a Third Team All-MVC nod on Tuesday and Most-Improved Team recognition on Wednesday, Krikke completed the hat trick as he was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team for his academic and athletic success.

Krikke, who owns a 3.76 grade point average in business, was recognized in the MVC Scholar-Athlete Spotlight on Dec. 16. A member of Valpo’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Krikke has volunteered his time at Valpo’s Special Needs Basketball Camp and Valpo Basketball’s Annual Community Christmas Party as well as at the Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Indiana.

Krikke leads the team in scoring both overall (12.3 ppg) and in conference-only action (13.1 ppg). The lone Valpo player to start all 27 regular-season games, Krikke has made significant strides in 2020-21, boosting his scoring average by 5.6 points per game from last season. The sophomore is on pace to become a 1,000-point scorer as he enters this week’s MVC Tournament with 551 career points.

Krikke, who ranks 14th in the MVC in scoring and ninth in blocked shots, has scored in double figures 20 times this season. His top statistical output of the year came on Jan. 24 at Illinois State, when he became just the third Valpo player in the last quarter century to record a 25-point, 15-rebound performance. The 25&15 game helped the sophomore forward garner MVC Player of the Week honors on Jan. 26.

Krikke becomes the first Valpo player to earn MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team honors since the program joined The Valley. John Kiser received MVC Scholar-Athlete Second Team last season, while Derrik Smits did so in 2018-19. Krikke was the only player in The Valley to earn a place on one of the all-conference teams, the scholar-athlete team and the most-improved team this season.

2021 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE FIRST TEAM

Student-Athlete, School Yr. GPA Major Hometown (Last School)

Trent Brown, Southern Illinois So. 4.00 Management Scottsdale (Ariz.) Pinnacle

Tate Hall, Loyola Sr. 3.83 Business Admin. (Master’s) Greenfield (Ind.) Greenfield-Central/Indianapolis

Ben Krikke, Valparaiso So. 3.76 Business Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) Jasper Place

Cameron Krutwig, Loyola Sr. 3.44 Entrepreneurship Algonquin (Ill.) Jacobs

Austin Phyfe, UNI Jr. 3.63 Elementary/Middle Level Educ. Waverly (Iowa) Waverly-Shell Rock

Garrett Sturtz, Drake Jr. 3.52 Marketing Newton (Iowa) High

2021 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE SECOND TEAM

Student-Athlete, School Yr. GPA Major Hometown (Last School)

Keith Clemons, Loyola Sr. 3.52 Advertising & Public Relations Norcross (Ga.) Wesley Christian/Vincennes

Lance Jones, Southern Illinois So. 3.34 Undeclared Evanston (Ill.) Evanston Township

Jake LaRavia, Indiana State So. 3.30 Sport Management Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence Central High

Tre Williams, Indiana State So. 3.79 Business Reynoldsburg (Ohio) Woodstock Academy

Joseph Yesufu, Drake So. 3.56 Finance Bolingbrook (Ill.) High

2021 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORABLE MENTIONS

Student-Athlete, School Yr. GPA Major Hometown (Last School)

Elijah Childs, Bradley Sr. 3.31 Sports Communication Kansas City (Mo.) Lee’s Summit High

DJ Horne, Illinois State So. 3.24 Business Administration Raleigh (N.C.) Trinity Christian

Ja’Shon Henry, Bradley Jr. 3.35 FCS Retail Merchandising Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) Athol Murray College

of Notre Dame

Terry Nolan Jr., Bradley Jr. 3.46 Advertising & Public Relations Baltimore (Md.) George Washington