MOUNT VERNON – For the third time in four years, a Cornell men's basketball player has been honored with the Midwest Conference Elite 20 Award.
 
Junior guard Austin Kelly was presented the award for academic excellence prior to Friday's second semifinal game at the MWC Tournament in Jacksonville, Ill.
 
The MWC Elite 20 Award recognizes the student-athlete with the highest grade point average among participants in their sport's culminating championship or tournament event. Kelly earned the distinction for the 2022-23 men's basketball season.
 
Kelly carries a 3.98 cumulative grade point average. He is a finance major.
 
Kelly is a third-year member of Cornell's basketball program. He garnered Academic All-MWC honors in 2021-22.
 
Cornell has now landed 10 MWC Elite 20 Award recipients since its inception in 2015-16. Kelly's former basketball teammate, Marcus Quirk, won the accolade in 2022 and 2020.