ELMHURST, Ill. - Mikaela Eppard, a junior forward on the women's basketball team, has been selected as Elmhurst's Female Athlete of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2016-17 season. 

The Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete for their athletic accomplishments over the course of the year. The Scholar-Athlete award is presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete who excel in competition and in the classroom.

Eppard is the first Bluejay to win both awards since Alyssa Poremba shared in both the Athlete of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards in 2014. 

Eppard enjoyed one of the most dominating performances in Elmhurst women's basketball history. She became just the third Elmhurst women's basketball player to earn All-America accolades from D3hoops.com, joining Lyndsie Long (2010) and Fiona McMahon (2015). She is the first Elmhurst player to earn All-America honors before her senior year and was one of just 25 student-athletes honored as All-Americans by D3hoops.com. 

The awards have streamed in all season long, capped by the All-America honor. Eppard was named to D3hoops.com's first-team all-region squad and the CCIW's first-team all-conference squad while also being named one of 10 finalists for the Josten's Trophy, given to the most outstanding student-athlete in NCAA Division III basketball.

Eppard turned in one of the most dominant single-seasons in Elmhurst history. She finished the season as Elmhurst's leader in scoring (21.0 per game) and rebounding (11.0 per game). Her .612 field goal percentage for the season established a new single-season Elmhurst record, becoming the first Bluejay in history to shoot over 60 percent for the season. Her 545 points and 219 field goals both rank fifth in school history while her 287 rebounds is the fourth-highest single season total.

She tied an Elmhurst single-game record for field goals made, hitting 16 in the Bluejays' win over Millikin in February. Her 39 points scored against North Central and Millikin established a new career high while ranking fourth in Elmhurst history. She collected 20 rebounds in a game on two occasions this season, matching the sixth-highest single-game total in Elmhurst history. She also became the first player in Elmhurst history to scored 30 or more points and collect 20 or more rebounds in the same game.
 
Eppard eclipsed the 1,000-point mark earlier in the year and currently stands at 1,362 career points and 754 career rebounds. She ranks sixth all-time at Elmhurst in scoring and is ranked fifth in career rebounds. 

Eppard was also honored as a CoSIDA first-team Academic All-American, becoming the first Elmhurst women's basketball player in school history to take home the honor. A communications sciences and disorders major, Eppard maintains a 3.94 grade-point average while also serving as the Vice President of the Elmhurst Best Buddies chapter. She also volunteers her time helping students affected by autism.