ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Three members of the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team have been named to the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference men's soccer scholar-athlete teams, announced by the league office on Wednesday (Nov. 15). Dylan Banker (McHenry, Ill./McHenry West) and Parker Jeppson (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest) were named to the first team while Jakub Rojek (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) earned second team recognition. 

Banker, who was one of just three players to start all 17 games for NIU in 2023, has a 3.80 grade point average, majoring in kinesiology. He played a team-high 1,502 minutes this season and scored his first career goal, a game winner, in the season opener against Western Illinois (Aug. 24). Banker was a 2022 Academic All-District honoree and is a two-time Academic All-MAC selection (2021, '22). 

Jeppson, a sport management major with a 3.956 grade point average, appeared in 14 matches in 2023, making three starts. Jeppson scored a goal and had a pair of assists, playing primarily as an outside back, making him NIU's leading scorer among defenders. The Lincoln, Neb., native was a 2022 Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC selection. 

Rojek has a 3.769 grade point average majoring in entrepreneurship & social responsibility. The Chicago native started 14 matches in goal for the Huskies and averaged 6.0 saves per contest, which currently ranks as the third-most in the country. Rojek also recorded a 1.69 goals against average, a .778 save percentage and posted three shutouts. 

The criteria for the All-MVC honor parallels the CSC (College Sports Communicators) standards for Academic All-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale). Also, students must have participated in at least 75 percent of the season matches. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution.