The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced Friday that senior Isaiah Esker from men's basketball and senior Brooke Biffar from women's soccer have been selected as the UIS recipients of the GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Individual Award for the 2024-25 season.

Each GLVC member institution selects one male and one female student-athlete from a pool of individual sport honorees to receive the season-ending sportsmanship recognition. The honorees are chosen based on their character, integrity, and conduct both on and off the field of play. Nominations are submitted by head coaches at the conclusion of each sport's conference season.

Esker, a five-year member of the Prairie Stars men's basketball program, appeared in 115 career games, including 28 in his final season. The St. Louis, Mo. native totaled 519 points, 298 rebounds, and 204 field goals made with a .527 career field-goal percentage.

Biffar, a senior defender from Hecker, Ill., played nearly 4,000 minutes across 67 career matches. A Third Team All-GLVC selection in her final season, she contributed nine career assists—including seven during the 2024 campaign—as a key member of the Prairie Stars' squad. 

Throughout the year, the GLVC recognized each sport's nominees following their respective GLVC championships. The following UIS student-athletes were honored in their respective sports:

Baseball: Mark Kattula
Men's Basketball: Isaiah Esker
Men's Cross Country: Aidan Donohue
Men's Golf: Daniel Edwards
Men's Soccer: Anton Aduwa-Emovon
Men's Tennis: Pablo Herrera
Men's Indoor Track & Field: Joey Karlesky
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Joey Karlesky

Women's Basketball: Niyah Udoiwod
Women's Cross Country: Marissa Roggensack
Women's Golf: Sara Prieto
Women's Soccer: Brooke Biffar
Softball: Malia Bender
Women's Tennis: Carmen Llopis Fabra
Women's Indoor Track & Field: Camille Terre
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Marissa Roggensack
Volleyball: Kendall Johnson

Southwest Baptist University was named the recipient of the 2024-25 GLVC James R. Spalding Overall Sportsmanship Award, and 25 team sportsmanship awards—one per sport, plus one tie—were announced earlier this year as part of the league's All-Conference selection process.