Former Southeast Missouri State University student-athletes Dan Connolly and Emily Greenwald have been selected to receive the Young Merit Alumni Award along with four other alumni on May 17.

These awards are handed out every spring. To be selected, the alumni must be 37 years old or younger and are evaluated on professional growth, service to the university and individual character.

"It's an honor to be selected," Greenwald said. "I think it is good that the university recognizes individuals that are making contributions fairly early in their professional careers. It means a lot to me because I had a really wonderful experience at Southeast. It's good to sort of maintain the connection with the university even after you graduate."

Before entering the NFL and becoming a starter for the New England Patriots, Dan Connolly started at left tackle for the Redhawks in 46 consecutive games.

Connolly was selected to the all-Ohio Valley Conference team four times and played in the Las Vegas All-American Classic, which featured the top 110 seniors in the nation, his senior year.

Connolly became the Patriots starting right guard by rising to the occasion just like the quarterback he protects, Tom Brady, who was a sixth round draft pick. Connolly was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars after going undrafted in 2005.

In 2007, he was released by the Jaguars and signed by his current team as a member of the practice squad.

Connolly was actually waived by the Patriots at one point but got resigned and was promoted to the 53-man roster.

Connolly earned his current starting position on the Patriots offensive line in 2010 by filling in for guards Logan Mankins and Stephen Neal.

Connolly has started 58 regular-season games and even suited up in Super Bowl XLVI and became the first and only Redhawk ever to play in a Super Bowl.

He and the Patriots faced the New York Giants in a rematch of the 2007 Super Bowl, but the Giants prevailed once again by winning 21-17.

"The Young Alumni Merit Award was established by the Southeast Alumni Association, in part to recognize Southeast alumni age 37 and younger who excel in their professions," Jay Wolz, director of alumni relations, said. "When it comes to Dan's profession, which is playing professional football in the National Football League, it's difficult to excel beyond starting in the Super Bowl, which Dan has achieved."

Connolly was also inducted into the Southeast Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame last year.

When Greenwald was asked if receiving the award made her think back about her days as a Redhawk volleyball player, she laughed and continued by saying she had a lot of great memories as a student-athlete.

"I'm very fortunate at the time I was there to learn a lot on the court in addition to the classroom," Greenwald said. "I made friendships that I'm sure will last my lifetime and a lot of great memories of volleyball for sure."

Greenwald was a part of two OVC championship teams in 1999 and 2000 and was also captain of the team her senior year.

She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in sports management and also earned her master's degree in business administration in 2005.

Greenwald is currently the vice president of capital markets and policy analysis at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

"Only a small percentage of student-athletes here or at any university go on to be a professional athlete, and Emily is a great example of a student-athlete who is excelling in a field other than athletics," Wolz said. "As vice president of capital markets and policy analysis at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago, she is currently one of the highest-ranking women in that organization."

This award is not only handed out to student-athletes. Any alumni who meet the criteria can be selected to receive this award.

Four other alumni of Southeast were selected to win this award along with Connolly and Greenwald and they are Robert French, Dr. Matthew McKnight, Dr. Daniel Rottig and Joey Smith.

"It's a great honor because it's not a student-athlete recognition like our Hall of Fame, for example. It is an award that is for all of our students," Mark Alnutt, director of athletics, said. "What they've done after their eligibility is something that has been recognized and they are being honored, so it's a tremendous feeling from athletics to have them represent all that we do here at the university."