KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eric Crawford was named a finalist for the 2015-16 Ken B. Jones Award, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced Friday morning.
 
The award, which is in its 23rd year, is named in honor of the man who served as the MIAA's first full-time commissioner. Jones held the role for 16 years before retiring in 1997 and passing away in May 2004. He was inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame in the inaugural Class of 2010.

The 22 nominees were dwindled down to three male and three female finalists, all who will be invited to Kansas City for the annual MIAA Awards Ceremony June 1 at the Kansas City Public Library-Plaza Branch. At the event, one male and one female will be announced as the winners of the Ken B. Jones Award.

A 15-member panel of athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives and sports information directors – including a representative from each member institution – select the finalists.

Each nominee is judged in four areas: 2015-16 athletic accomplishments; career academic accomplishments; 2015-16 campus/community service; and career athletic and service achievements.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average as of February 1 and must have completed at least their junior season of eligibility in the 2015-16 academic year.
 
Crawford joins Fort Hays State's Jon Inman and Emporia State's Brent Wilson as the three male finalists. The former defender for the Northeastern State men's soccer team is the first Ken. B Jones finalist for NSU since the RiverHawks joined the MIAA in 2012-13.
 
He is the most decorated student-athlete in school history. Overall, he is a two-time NSCAA All-American, a seven-time All-Region First Team performer and a three-time All-MIAA First Team honoree. He played at NSU in 2011 when the school was an independent and therefore was unable to be named All-MIAA all four years. He also sat out the 2014 season due to a medical redshirt.
 
He played in 70 career matches and made 68 starts for NSU. He also captained a back line unit that recorded the three best defensive seasons in school history. He helped lead the RiverHawks to two appearances in the NCAA Championship, including one trip to the quarterfinals, and he also led the team to two MIAA Championships and three runner-up finishes during his career.
 
His career academic accomplishments included being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 First Team in both 2013 and 2015, and he was also selected to the 2015 NSCAA Men's Division I and Division II Scholar All-America Second Team. He was a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a two-time MIAA Scholar-Athlete. He was named to NSU's Dean's List 10 times and was once selected to the President's Honor Roll.
 
He graduated this past May with a degree in biology, and he carried a 3.42 cumulative GPA throughout his prestigious career.
 
His campus and community involvement included numerous events with Tahlequah Public Schools and an array of other events throughout the city. He helped with the local youth soccer programs, the Red Fern Festival, the Big Event, the Big Jims Biker Rally, and the MLK Day of Service.
 
2015-16 KEN B. JONES AWARD FINALISTS
Men
Eric Crawford, Northeastern State
Jon Inman, Fort Hays State
Brent Wilson, Emporia State
 
Women
Yanique Ellington, Lincoln
Natalie O'Keefe, Southwest Baptist
Heavin Warner, Central Missouri
 
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