Three Mizzou Student-Athletes Selected to Mizzou '39
3/1/2016 2:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Gymnastics, Soccer
Lindsey Cunningham, Blair Elmore and Candace Johnson selected to Mizzou ’39 for their academic achievement, leadership and service to Mizzou and the community
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Three Mizzou Athletics student-athletes were named to the 2016 Mizzou '39 class on Monday (Feb. 29) in a ceremony on Francis Quadrangle. Lindsey Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) from women's basketball, Blair Elmore (Houston, Texas) from gymnastics and Candace Johnson (Dallas, Texas) from soccer were among the 39 selected for their academic achievement, leadership and service to Mizzou and the community.
Mizzou '39, sponsored by the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board, embodies the spirit of service modeled by the founding families that made the 1839 founding of the University possible. The honorees represent a variety of majors, activities and organizations from across campus. Each winner also chooses a faculty or staff member to recognize as their advisor throughout their college career. Cunningham selected Head Women's Basketball Coach Robin Pingeton as her mentor, while Elmore chose Athletic Trainer Camille Bordelon and Johnson elected Executive Staff Assistant C.J. Tatum.
Cunningham, a redshirt junior on the basketball court, is on schedule to graduate in May with a Health Sciences major and a minor in Business. She has started all but one game at guard this season and leads the Tigers with 97 assists while shooting a Mizzou single-season record 47.9 percent from the 3-point arc and 80.0 percent from the foul line. Twice this season Cunningham dropped a career-best 16 points and also dished out 14 assists against Texas State, one shy of the program record. In her career, Cunningham has played in all 93 games, with 59 starts over the past two seasons. Additionally, her career 3-pointing shooting percentage of 40.7 ranks second all-time in Tiger history.
Elmore, who is double-majoring in Biology and Psychology, is a four-year member of the gymnastics program. She competed in all 12 meets as a sophomore in 2014 and led the Tigers with 12 career-highs on the season, including bests on all four events and in the all-around. She was forced to sit out the 2015 campaign due to injury and has steadily worked throughout the 2016 season to bolster the Tigers' depth. Outside the gym, Elmore helps coordinate the program's community service events and is a two-time SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll selection.
A Health Sciences major, Johnson claimed National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region second team and All-SEC first team honors in 2015. As a senior, she played every minute and anchored a Tiger defense that set a program record for fewest goals allowed in a season (17) and ranked second all-time in Tiger history in goals against average (0.84), both of which led the Southeastern Conference. On the offensive end, Johnson tallied two goals and two assists for a career high six points. In her four-year career, Johnson started 79 of the 80 games she played at center back, while playing every minute of 74 of those matches. She compiled six goals and two assists for 14 points.
