Allison Spence

Classroom

Allison Spence has excelled in the classroom, earning a spot on Illinois State’s AFNI Honor Roll and the MVC Honor Roll in every possible semester. She carries a 3.49 grade-point average in business administration and was recently selected as one of just 12 student-athletes at ISU to be the PNC Student-Athlete Achiever of the Game, which acknowledges ISU athletes who excel both academically and athletically. Spence earned an MVC Scholar-Athlete Team honorable mention nod in 2018 and is on track to graduate in May with a job opportunity already lined up.

Character

Spence has served as a team captain for the Redbirds in both of her last two seasons. She is viewed by her peers as someone they can go to and trust that she will have their backs and be that go-between person between her teammates and the coaching staff. Her leadership ability on the field and in the classroom has helped her grow as a person, as she has been able to lead by example to her younger teammates. She regularly attends meeting with ISU’s head coach and advocates with the staff regarding her team’s wants and needs to be successful. She also is a perfect example of what one wants a student-athlete to be on and off the field and has no problem making decisions that will benefit the team. Spence’s primary focus as a team leader has been to plan team-building activities, which has led to the team’s trust in her as both a friend and a teammate.

Community

In her four seasons as a Redbird, Spence has used her status as a college athlete to help enhance the Bloomington-Normal community. She has participated with organizations on campus that have aided in new student move-in and set up for the athletic department’s annual student-athlete banquet that recognized those who have excelled in the classroom. Outside of ISU, Spence has helped volunteer with a multitude of organizations that work with assisting kids in after-school programs, promoting youth sports, welcoming kids back to school and serving as a pen pal. Globally, Spence has assisted with Operation Christmas Child, which is an organization that fills shoe boxes around the holiday season and sends orphans gifts. She also has painted murals and helped with a softball clinic in Puerto Vallarta.

Competition

Spence will leave ISU as one of the most decorated players to have been a multiple-year starter at first base. She is a two-time All-MVC selection, with a first-team selection in 2017 and a second-team selection in 2018. She also earned a spot on the NFCA All-Mideast Region Third Team in 2017. Spence holds the single-season putout record (527) at ISU and is on track to break the career mark set in 2011-14, after leading the team and MVC in the category the last two seasons. She led the team in batting average in 2018, hitting over .300.