LeTourneau University

 

 

The LeTourneau University volleyball team recently wrapped up the spring portion of its training for the 2016 season. As part of NCAA Division III rules, the YellowJackets are limited in its time that they have for team workouts to go along with self-directed individual workouts as well as strength and conditioning sessions. The YellowJackets return 12 players from a team in 2015 that just missed out on a spot in the American Southwest Conference Tournament.

To wrap up the spring, the YellowJackets hosted Jarvis Christian, Centenary and East Texas Baptist University for the spring tournament. LeTourneau defeated Jarvis Christian, 25-21, 25-19 and 5-3 and Centenary, 25-15, 25-23 and 8-11. East Texas Baptist defeated the Yellow Jackets, 25-13, 25-16 and 17-14.

LeTourneau University head coach Scott Peluso, who returns for his sixth season as the YellowJackets head coach was pleased with the spring season. “The team came in with a determination to get better and that was very evident from the very first practice. The energy and effort in the gym were fantastic. We identified several areas that we wanted to focus on including improving our serve receive, the Hitter/Setter connections and getting better out of system swings. I felt like we were getting these things accomplished in practice, but you never really know until you face outside competition, and that’s why the spring tournament that we hosted was so valuable to our continued growth. It gave us the opportunity to play multiple lineups and get a good feel for where we are. The team embraced the areas of focus, and those came out during the tournament. Not only did we see growth in the areas of focus we were able to see what areas we still need to work. Overall, it was a great spring season and with our returners and the addition of a solid recruiting class, everyone is excited about the fall.”

The announcement of the 2016 schedule and additions to the recruiting class will be coming, later this spring.

The LeTourneau University softball team was well represented with six selections on the all-American Southwest Conference Team that were announced by conference officials on Monday.

LeTourneau sophomore second baseman Ashlin Roach (Hughes Springs, Texas) and senior pitcher Kayla Cosby (Lindale, Texas) were named second-team all-ASC. Roach, who played and started 41 games, was the co-leader in doubles (12), third in batting average (.330), on-base percentage (.375) and total bases (54), fourth in slugging percentage (.495) and hits (36), tied for fourth in home runs (2) and fifth in RBI (17), runs scored (16).

Cosby emerged as the top pitcher in the rotation in her senior season for the YellowJackets. She posted a 10-10 mark with a 2.45 ERA with 68 strikeouts to lead LeTourneau. She made 25 appearances including 18 starts in 117 innings of work. It is the first post-season honor for Roach and Cosby.

Senior outfielder Brianna Williams (Detroit, Texas) was named to the Second Team At-Large. Williams was the team leader in slugging percentage (.684), runs scored (29), home runs (5), total bases (65), tied for the team lead in walks (10), second in batting average (.400), RBIs (22), third in hits (38) and tied for third in doubles (10). Plus, Williams was also named to the ASC All-Tournament Team on Sunday.

Senior third baseman Megan Hill (San Antonio, Texas) picked up her third all-ASC honor with being named third team all-ASC. Hill was the team leader in batting average (.402), hits (49), RBIs (26), tied for first in doubles (12), second in on-base percentage (.460), total bases (61), third in slugging percentage (.500) and runs scored (21).

Freshman shortstop Kennedi Dillow (Pasadena, Texas) and junior outfielder Courtney Matulis (Pittsburg, Texas) were named honorable mention. Dillow played and started all 42 games with a .302 batting average. She was second in runs scored (23), hits (39), fourth in on-base percentage (.366). Matulis played in 37 games, hitting at a .308 clip for the YellowJackets. She led the team in stolen bases (11), fourth in runs scored (18). fifth in on-base percentage (.345) and hits (33)
In addition, LETU senior Rachel Gauspohl (Cedar Park, Texas) along with Sul Ross State junior infielder Isaura Rodriguez were named Co-Sportsmanship Athletes of the Year.

 

2016 All-ASC Softball Teams

Individual Awards

Player of the Year – Raven Rodriguez, UT Tyler

Pitcher of the Year – Kelsie Batten, UT Tyler

Freshman of the Year – Melissa Livermore, UT Dallas

Newcomer of the Year – Kaylee Prather, UT Tyler

Co-Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year – Rachel Gauspohl, LeTourneau / Isaura Rodriguez, Sul Ross State

Coaching Staff of the Year – UT Tyler

(Head Coach Mike Reed, Assistant Coaches Whitney Wyly, Cody Gipson, Christa Hartnett, Sarah Gipson, Anthony Springer)

 

  First Team

Pos.	Name	Cl.	School	Hometown / HS
1B	Lacey Lindsey3	Jr.	East Texas Baptist	Leander, Texas / Leander
2B	Linzie Lewis	Fr.	East Texas Baptist	Maypearl, Texas / Maypearl
SS	Raven Rodriguez4	Sr.	UT Tyler	Houston, Texas / Waltrip
3B	Leah Brown3	Jr.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Waco, Texas / Crawford
C	KK Stevens3	Jr.	UT-Tyler	Plano, Texas / Plano East
OF	Melissa Livermore	Fr.	UT Dallas	Frisco, Texas / Wakeland
OF	Kaylee Prather	Jr.	UT Tyler	Elysian Fields, Texas / Elysian Fields
OF	Lindsey Vasquez	Jr.	East Texas Baptist	Hallsville, Texas / Hallsville
UT	M.J. Ledkins	Jr.	Hardin-Simmons	Mineola, Texas / Mineola
DP	Jayme Perez3	Jr.	East Texas Baptist	Austin, Texas / James Bowie
P	Kelsie Batten4	Sr.	UT Tyler	Huntington, Texas / Huntington
P	Raquel Tello	So.	East Texas Baptist	Katy, Texas / St. Pius X
P	Lauren McLeod	Jr.	UT Dallas	Manchaca, Texas / Austin Westlake

 

  First Team At-large

P	Alaina Kissinger3	Jr.	UT Tyler	Telephone, Texas / Sam Rayburn
P	Savannah Settle2	So.	Louisiana College	Natchitoches, La. / Natchitoches
OF	Haleigh Moore	So.	Univ. of Ozarks	Van, Texas / Van

 

  Second Team

Pos.	Name	Cl.	School	Hometown / HS
1B	Karley Free2	So.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Henderson, Texas / Henderson
2B	Ashlin Roach	So.	LeTourneau	Hughes Springs, Texas / Hughes Springs
SS	Kaitlyn Hollingshead3	Jr.	East Texas Baptist	New Braunfels, Texas / Canyon
3B	Vanessa Carrizales3	Sr.	UT Tyler	Austin, Texas / St. Michaels
C	Cori Drake	Jr.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	North Zulch, Texas / North Zulch
OF	Kourtney Cummings	Fr.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Grandview, Texas / Grandview
OF	Sydnie Darden2	Sr.	Hardin-Simmons	Brownwood, Texas / Brownwood
OF	Alexis Padilla	Sr.	East Texas Baptist	Houston, Texas / North Shore
UT	Angelica Arroyo	Fr.	Concordia Texas	Buda, Texas / Hays
DP	Sara Navarro	Sr.	UT-Dallas	San Antonio, Texas / Warren HS
P	Darian Thacker	So.	Louisiana College	Jena, La. / Jena
P	Celese Tirres	Sr.	Howard Payne	Grand Prairie, Texas / Grand Prairie
P	Kayla Cosby	Sr.	LeTourneau	Lindale, Texas / Lindale

 

  Second Team At-large

OF	Brianna Williams	Sr.	LeTourneau	Detroit, Texas / Detroit
OF	Kristin Lopez	Sr.	UT Tyler	Houston, Texas / Aldine
P	Karen Tennis	So.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	League City, Texas / Bay Area Christian

 

  Third Team

Pos.	Name	Cl.	School	Hometown / HS
1B	Jackie Mendez3	Sr.	UT Tyler	San Antonio, Texas / Wagner
2B	Ravin Wilson	Fr.	UT Dallas	Dayton, Texas / Dayton
SS	Myranda Hinojosa2	Jr.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Edinburg, Texas / Edinburg
3B	Megan Hill3	Sr.	LeTourneau	San Antonio, Texas / Smithson Valley
C	Lauren Williams	Jr.	Hardin-Simmons	Abilene, Texas / Abilene
OF	Gaby Muniz	Sr.	Howard Payne	Midland, Texas / Midland
OF	Stefanie Polderman	So.	UT Dallas	Vancouver, B.C., Can. / Rockridge Secondary
OF	Devon Walter	So.	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Southlake, Texas / Carroll
UT	Not awarded
DP	Hannah Oler2	So.	Univ. of Ozarks	Needville, Texas / Needville
P	Sydney Coffey	Sr.	Concordia Texas	Houston, Texas / Spring Wood
P	Shelby Burrus	Jr.	Concordia Texas	Eastland, Texas / Eastland
P	Jackie Gonzalez	So.	Sul Ross State	El Paso, Texas / Montwood

 

  Third Team At-large

C	Kourtney Herrera	Jr.	Louisiana College	Marrero, La. / John Ehret
1B	Mattie Stine	So.	Louisiana College	Hackberry, La. / Hackberry
3B	Jessica Bowden	Sr.	East Texas Baptist	Pearland, Texas / Pearland

 

  Honorable Mention

Pos.	Name	Cl.	School	Hometown / HS
1B	Kara LeLeux	Sr.	Hardin-Simmons	Cypress, Texas / Cypress Ranch
1B	Brooke Jones	Sr.	Concordia Texas	Rowlett, Texas / Sasche
1B	Brittany Perkins	Jr.	UT Dallas	Grapevine, Texas / Grapevine
2B	Katelyn Joyner	Jr.	Hardin-Simmons	Mt. Pleasant, Texas / Mt. Pleasant
2B	Jessica Johnson	Sr.	Louisiana College	Deville, La. / Buckeye
2B	Morgan Loredo	So.	Concordia Texas	Leander, Texas / Vista Ridge
SS	Braleigh Middleton	Jr.	Hardin-Simmons	Abilene, Texas / Wylie
SS	Ellen Bairnsfather	Sr.	Louisiana College	Monterey, La. / Monterey
SS	Haley Dennett	Fr.	Concordia Texas	Edinburg, Texas / Edinburg
SS	Kennedi Dillow	Fr.	LeTourneau	Pasadena, Texas / Deer Park
3B	Zuriah Leyva	Fr.	Sul Ross State	Carlsbad, N.M. / Carlsbad
3B	Regan LeJeune	So.	Louisiana College	Grand Lake, La. / Grand Lake
OF	Courtney Matulis	Jr.	LeTourneau	Pittsburgh, Texas / Harmony
OF	Jordan Mason	Jr.	Louisiana College	Vivian, La. / North Caddo
OF	Sarah Truelove	Sr.	Hardin-Simmons	Temple, Texas / Temple
OF	Taylor Ervin	Sr.	UT Dallas	Oak Ridge, Texas / Oak Ridge
OF	Darrian Doederlein	So.	Sul Ross State	Lamesa, Texas / Lamesa
OF	Emma Martino	Fr.	Concordia Texas	Austin, Texas / Westlake
DP	Alexis Vines	So.	Hardin-Simmons	Lubbock, Texas / Monterey
DP	Shelby Doederlein	Sr.	Sul Ross State	Lamesa, Texas / Lamesa
DP	Jade Green	Fr.	UT Tyler	Mineola, Texas / Mineola
P	Dominique Lopez	So.	Sul Ross State	El Paso, Texas / Riverside

Two-Time All-Conference Selection²

Three-Time All-Conference Selection³

Four-Time All-Conference Selection⁴

 
Danny Kambel
LeTourneau University
Sports Information Director
www.letuathletics.com