Since 2000, MSU has partnered with Auto-Owners Insurance and together they awarded numerous student-athletes the Auto-Owners Champions in the Classroom award.
The two recipients for this year were junior setter Rachel Minarick of the MSU volleyball team and senior forward Joe Cox of the MSU hockey team. Both athletes are captains of their respective teams.
Cox and Minarick received their awards during a break in Wednesday night's MSU men's basketball game against No. 24 Minnesota.
Congrats to our @AutoOwnersIns Champions in the Classroom, Rachel Minarick and Joe Cox!! pic.twitter.com/x0jZycY7LA
— S-A Support Services (@MSU_SASS) January 12, 2017
According to a university release, the award is aimed at recognizing the importance of reading and academic achievement among student-athletes and the community youth.
Thus far this season, Cox has registered three goals, six assists and nine points. Among current players on the roster, the Chelsea, Mich. native is first in goals with 25, assists with 39, points with 64 and tied with senior forward Thomas Ebbing in games played with 126.
Minarick, on the other hand, is the seventh setter in school history to surpass 3,000 career assists. Her current total is 3,323 assists, which ranks sixth all-time for the MSU volleyball program. The junior also has a 3.95 cumulative grade-point average as a kinesiology major as a Spartan. At the annual volleyball banquet, Minarick was named the Kirby Scholar-Athlete Award.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
