KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Washburn's Jessica Mainz was named as a finalist for the second straight season for the Ken B. Jones Award as MIAA Student-Athletes of the Year.

This marks the 16th year for the award. It is named in honor of the man who served as the MIAA's first full-time commissioner for 16 years. Jones retired in 1997, and passed away in May 2004. One male and one female are selected for the honors, with the finalists invited to the MIAA Awards Banquet, set for June 11 in Kansas City, Kan., at the Hilton Garden Inn.

There are two finalists from previous ballots in the running for this year's award on the women's side -- Pittsburg State cross country/track & field student-athlete Venessa Lee and Washburn soccer/basketball student-athlete Jessica Mainz.

Mainz was a finalist for the 2007-08 award. Lee was in the top three as a junior in 2006-07 before taking a redshirt season the following year.  Joining them in this year's top three is Central Missouri track & field student-athlete Brittanie Roldan. All three finalists are seniors.

Pittsburg State's Caleb Farabi is a finalist for the second time in as many years, and he is joined by fellow senior football student-athletes Joel Osborn of Northwest Missouri State and Dustin Strickler of Missouri Western.

A 12-member panel of athletics directors, sports information directors, senior woman administrators, and faculty athletics representatives -- including a representative from each school -- selects the winners.

Judging is done in four areas for each nominee, 2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments, 2008-09 Academics Accomplishments, 2008-09 Campus/Community Service and Career Athletics, Academics and Service Achievements.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must have a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average as of April 1, and complete at least their junior season of eligibility in the 2008-09 academic year.