Athletes of the Month
At the beginning of each month, members of the University of Indianapolis athletics staff meet and vote on student-athletes who they think have stood out and have had outstanding performances in their respective sports.
At the beginning of November, the staff voted football’s senior wide receiver Ryan Forney and volleyball’s freshman setter Meghan Binkerd as October’s “Student-Athletes of the Month.”
“We have a monthly coaches meeting, and at that meeting, the coaches nominate their most outstanding student-athlete from the previous month,” said Director of Athletics Sue Willey.
Forney has spent the last four years adding onto his yardage records. He entered the 2011 season as a senior and the UIndy all-time leader in career kick return yardage with just under 1,200. He also ranked seventh in career punt return yards with 405 and ranked 10th in career receptions.
“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. It’s an honor just to represent football as a whole,” Forney said.
Forney amassed 11 touchdowns for the 2011 season and 1,713 all-purpose yards. In the game against Northern Michigan University, Forney set a new career high in yardage, with 241.
“Forney has had just an outstanding year,” Willey said. “He’s been an outstanding student-athlete, leader and the kind of student-athlete we want leading our programs. He’s definitely one senior that will be missed.”
Binkerd, a four-year high school varsity starter from Wabash, Ind., compiled 2,544 career assists, 624 kills, 912 digs, 265 aces and 229 blocks. She also was a four-time First Team All-Wabash County honoree, and a three-time First Team All-Three Rivers Conference nominee.
As a junior and senior, Binkerd was named MVP and helped her team win sectionals all four years of high school.
Since joining the Greyhounds’ squad, she has amassed 1,151 assists and 255 digs.
“Meghan is to volleyball what Chris Mills is [to the football team],” Willey said. “She’s the quarterback of the volleyball team. For a freshman to do what she’s done is really outstanding.”
According to Willey, choosing one athlete over others can be difficult, and it comes down to the last vote.
In recognition of the athletes, Willey said that President Beverley Pitts hosts a celebration at her house for them.
“What we do is not only recognize the student-athletes of the month but also any of our teams that go into post-season play,” Willey said. “I really appreciate the fact that President Pitts is willing to recognize our outstanding student-athletes.”
Student-athletes also are recognized with team awards for reaching new milestones in their careers.
“It’s a relatively easy process,” Willey said. “We could probably recognize outstanding athletes every week, but we just couldn’t vote on it every week.”
