The Valpo soccer team had three players earn accolades from the Missouri Valley Conference as the conference announced its Scholar-Athlete teams Wednesday afternoon. Junior Nicole Norfolk (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) and sophomore Nikki Coryell (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) were named to the Scholar-Athlete First Team, while sophomore Kelsie James (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) earned a spot on the Honorable Mention Team.

Norfolk repeats as a Scholar-Athlete First Team member after another stellar season in the back. A Second Team All-MVC honoree, Norfolk has started all 50 matches at center back since stepping on campus and broke the Valpo record for consecutive minutes played by a field player early this season. She anchored a defensive unit which posted eight clean sheets in 2021, five of which came in MVC play. A biochemistry major, Norfolk boasts a 3.945 cumulative GPA.

Coryell joins Norfolk on the Scholar-Athlete First Team after being named the MVC Goalkeeper of the Year this fall for a second straight season. Coryell tied for the MVC lead with five clean sheets in conference play and led the conference with an .865 save percentage in MVC-only action. She surrendered just two goals over Valpo’s first seven conference matches in helping the Beacons to their best finish since joining the MVC. A sports management major, Coryell carries a 3.93 cumulative GPA.

James earned a spot on the Honorable Mention Scholar-Athlete Team as she had one of the top offensive seasons of any MVC player. A First Team All-MVC honoree, James leads the conference with nine goals and 22 points — marks which rank seventh and sixth, respectively, in a single season in program history. She scored match-winners in MVC action versus Missouri State, Drake and Evansville, making her the only MVC player with three game-winning goals in conference play. A business management major, James currently holds a 3.434 cumulative GPA.