Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Doug Elgin has named 10 student-athletes State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award recipients for the 2017-18 winter season. Valparaiso University women’s basketball senior Dani Franklin was among those honored as the conference announced the winners this week.

Franklin was a champion in competition, classroom and community during her four-year career as a Valpo standout. She owns a 3.57 grade point average in education and served as a student teacher in a local second-grade classroom while competing in Division I basketball this semester. Franklin is a three-time recipient of Valparaiso’s Presidential Academic Honor Award.  

Franklin and her Valpo teammates were active in the community throughout the year, volunteering at numerous events including Popcorn Fest. The Valpo women’s basketball players are pen pals with Franklin’s elementary school students.

On the court, Franklin enjoyed one of the most prosperous careers in Crusader history, finishing in the Top 10 in 13 statistical categories. She ranks second in program history in career points with 1,721 and fifth in rebounds with 713.

Fittingly, Franklin finished out her career by collecting three league honors that together exemplify her well-roundedness. She was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete first team and the All-Missouri Valley Conference first team in addition to the Good Neighbor Award.