Mariah Smith of Belle, Mo., receives Missouri Baptist University's Scholar Athlete Award

ST. LOUIS, MO (10/05/2012)(readMedia)-- The Department of Athletics at Missouri Baptist University has announced that Kyle Ford (men's basketball) and Mariah Smith (cheerleading) will take home the 2011-2012 Scholar Athlete awards.

The MBU Scholar Athlete award honors the top male and female athlete of the previous season who put school first but were able to succeed in both their sport and the classroom.

The student athletes will be honored at MBU's 2012 Hall of Fame Awards Dinner in November.

Mariah Smith, a junior from Belle, Mo, is co-captain of the cheerleading squad and is pursuing a degree in behavioral science.

MBU is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and has received the distinction of being an NAIA Champions of Character institution for the past 10 years. The Spartans compete in the American Midwest Conference.

Missouri Baptist University is a Christ-centered university located in Saint Louis. MBU offers more than 40 undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees in education, business and religion and its new terminal degree, the Doctor of Education. In addition to its 66-acre West St. Louis County campus, MBU offers degree programs at 10 regional learning centers throughout Saint Louis, in Southern Illinois and online. For more information, go to www.mobap.edu or call 1-877-434-1115.