ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Second-year freshman Ryan Cermak was named Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year to highlight the group of eight Redbirds that earned All-MVC honors from the conference, the MVC revealed Tuesday.
The eight All-MVC players are the most for Illinois State since 2013 (nine).
As voted by the league's eight head coaches, Cermak was also named to the All-Defensive Team and First Team All-MVC. Cermak joins shortstop Brett Kay (2013) as Redbirds to win MVC DPOY. Joining Cermak on First Team All-MVC was fourth-year sophomore Jake McCaw.