UMHB, HSU Selected to Win ASC Football Divisions

2020-21 ASC Football Schedule

RICHARDSON, Texas – After a vote of the league’s head coaches and directors of sports information, the ASC office announced that they had picked Mary Hardin-Baylor on Friday (February 5) to win the 2020-21 American Southwest Conference Football East and West Divisions, respectively. 

Voted as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year was HSU junior wide receiver, Kevi Evans. The Preseason Defensive Player of the Year UMHB senior defensive back was Jefferson Fritz, and Cru junior kicker/punter Anthony Avila earned Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year honors. 

Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-1 / 9-0 ASC) received 99 points in the preseason poll and recorded 19 out of a possible 20 first-place votes. The Cru is the defending ASC champions, reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championship in 2019. 

Hardin-Simmons (8-2 / 7-2 ASC) received 93 points, including 17 first-place votes, to come in HSU has finished no lower than fourth in the league standings in each of the last 24 seasons and were third in the league in 2019. 

East Texas Baptist was picked second in the East Division with 79 points and one first-place vote. Southwestern (53), Belhaven (36), and Louisiana College (32) followed them. 

Texas Lutheran was picked second in the West with 80 points and three first-place votes after being the ASC’s runner-up in 2019. Rounding out the West were Howard Payne (52), Sul Ross State (40), and McMurry (31). 

Evans (Mount Vernon, Texas) was second in the conference last season with 889 yards and ten receiving touchdowns. He averaged 21.7 yards per catch and was a First Team All-ASC selection. 

Fritz (Kaufman, Texas) held the ASC record for career interceptions and was the 2018 Defensive Player of the Year. In 2019, Fritz was an All-Conference First Team pick at both defensive back and punter. He recorded 44 tackles, three for a loss, and had three interceptions for 52 yards and a touchdown last season.  

Avila (Troy, Texas) was the 2019 ASC Special Teams Player of the Year, an AP All-America First Team, and D3football.com All-America Third Team selection. He broke the ASC single-season record with 23 field goals and was 64-of-69 on extra points for 133 total points. 

Due to the shortened spring season, the ASC will divide football divisions for the first time in league history. Teams will play a four-game divisional schedule, followed by a championship day of the first-place teams playing each other, the second-place teams, third, fourth, and fifths. 

The 2020-21 season gets underway Saturday, February 6. The ASC Football Championship Series will be played on Saturday, March 13. 

Wilson is the official football of the American Southwest Conference.

 

Tigers, Cru Tabbed to Top Softball Divisions

RICHARDSON, Texas – After a vote of the league’s head coaches and directors of sports information, announced by the conference office Thursday (February 4), they picked East Texas Baptist and Mary Hardin-Baylor to win the 2021 American Southwest Conference East and West Divisions, respectively. 

The Tigers made their eighth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championship after 39-6 in 2019 and 26-1 in conference play in 2019. They were 15-0 overall, 6-0 in the conference, and ranked first in the nation when the season ended in 2020. ETBU received 139 points and 22 out of 24 first-place votes.

The Cru received 132 points and 14 first-place votes after going 28-16 overall and 21-6 in league play in 2019. They were 12-3 overall, 5-1 in ASC, and ranked No. 10 in 2020. UMHB was the runner-up to the ASC Championship in 2019.

LeTourneau was picked second in the East Division with 102 points and a first-place vote. Belhaven (101/1), UT Dallas (74), Louisiana College (64), and Ozarks (26) followed them.

In the West, McMurry was selected second with 109 points and eight first-place votes. Hardin-Simmons (88/1), Sul Ross State (82/1), Concordia Texas (47), and Howard Payne (46) followed them. 

The preseason poll named to the head coaches’ ASC Softball Preseason Watch List 36 players. Among the players on the list are 15 all-conference selections from 2019.

The 2021 softball season is the 23rd for ASC softball. The action begins on Saturday, February 6. 

The 2021 ASC Softball Championship Tournament is currently scheduled for May 6-8 and is subject to change.

Rawlings is the American Southwest Conference’s official softball and is used by the league’s 12 members and during the ASC Championship Tournament.