Underwood, Johnson Lead Men’s Basketball Honors

RICHARDSON, Texas – UT Dallas senior guard Dimitrius Underwood and Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore guard Josiah Johnson were named the East and West Division Players of the Year, respectively, announced by the league office in conjunction with the release of the 2021 American Southwest Conference Men’s Basketball All-Conference teams on Wednesday, following a vote of the league’s head coaches. 

Underwood, who also won the award in 2019, averaged 19.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game to go with 33 steals while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 79.6 percent free-throw line. He was also the East Division Defensive Player of the Year. 

Johnson broke the ASC single-season scoring average at 29.3 points per game to go with 7.9 rebounds, 59 assists, and 54 steals. He also shot 51 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from outside, and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line. 

Underwood and Johnson were both selected to the prestigious five-player ASC All-Conference Team. Ozark’s senior guard Bryson Johnson, Sul Ross State senior guard Tristen Licon and Louisiana College senior guard Kae’ron Baker join them.

LeTourneau guard Deonte Jackson and UTD forward Kameron Pruitt was the Year’s Co-Freshmen in the East Division. Zach Byrd from Ozarks and Galen Smith, Jr. of Louisiana College was the Co-Newcomers of the Year, and East Texas Baptist’s Landin Brown was the Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. Travis Carruthers was the Coach of the Year after leading Ozarks to a 10-3 record, East Division regular-season title, and the ASC Championship. 

In the West, McMurry forward Michael Imariagbe and SRSU guard Carson Perkins were the Co-Freshmen of the Year, while UMHB forward Ty Prince was the Newcomer of the Year. Licon was the Defensive Player of the Year, and teammate Jezreel Griffin was the Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. Clif Carroll was the Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career, after leading the Cru to a 16-4 record and 13-0 mark in league play in his first year at the helm. 

Licon was the only four-time All-Division selection in 2021.

Sammons, Vilven Named Golfers of the Week

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE GOLFERS OF THE WEEK

Competitions: March 19-23, 2021

MEN’S GOLFER OF THE WEEK: William Sammons, Fr., Mary Hardin-Baylor

Mary Hardin-Baylor freshman William Sammons (Spring, Texas) finished -1 par with a 70-73=143 to win his second individual championship of the season at The Texas Cup. His play also helped the Cru to a second-place finish, earning his third Golfer of the Week of the season.

WOMEN’S GOLFER OF THE WEEK: Maddy Vilven, Fr., UT Dallas

UT Dallas freshman Maddy Vilven (Magnolia, Texas) claimed medalist honors at the 2021 Texas Cup, hosted by the Comets at The Courses at Watters Creek over the weekend. Vilven carded the two lowest rounds of the tournament as she posted a two-day total of 149 to spark the Comets’ B team to a third-place finish. Vilven carded a three-over 75 on Saturday in the opening round and posted the tournament’s low round (74) in Sunday’s final round.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES

MEN

McMurry senior Brendon Lowrance (Mansfield, Texas) tied for fourth with a -4 (71-69-72=212) at the Battle at Primm in Nipton, Calif. The War Hawks finished ninth as a team with a +14.

Belhaven senior Payton Tuttle (Richland, Miss.) was the runner-up at The Texas Cup with an even-par 72-72=144. 

WOMEN

Mary Hardin-Baylor freshman Sydney McConnell (Tyler, Texas) finished in a tie for fourth place after shooting a 74-77-80=231 (+15) at the prestigious Jekyll Island Invitational. Her play helped the Cru to a fifth-place team finish.

Concordia Texas senior Madyson Milliron (Houston, Texas) tied for third at The Texas Cup with a +19 78-85-163.

UC Santa Cruz freshman Mikaela Paracuelles (Folsom, Calif.) tied for third with a +19 81-82=163 at The Texas Cup, helping the Banana Slugs to a second-place finish in their first competition of the season. 

East Texas Baptist sophomore Makenzie Pinkston (Mesquite, Texas) and junior Emily Watson (Canton, Texas) tied for third at the Hal Sutton Invitational with a +17 161. 

 

Broussard, Kemp, Rogers, Brown, Farmer Take Track & Field Honors

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Competitions: March 18-20, 2021

CO-MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Mack Broussard, Sr., East Texas Baptist

East Texas Baptist senior Mack Broussard (Hankamer, Texas) placed second in the 10,000-meter run at the Rhodes Invitational in 31:59.84. His time ranks second in the nation. It is Broussard’s third Athlete of the Week award.

CO-MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Kelton Kemp, Sr., Belhaven

Belhaven senior Kelton Kemp (Hazelhurst, Miss.) came in first place in the 400-meter hurdles at the Carey Outdoor Challenge with a time of 56.30 seconds. He was also third in the 110 hurdles in 14.95 and part of the 4×100 relay team that recorded 43.22 seconds. Kemp ranks first in the country in the 110 hurdles and second in 400 hurdles. It is his second Athlete of the Week of the season.

MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Rylan Rogers, Fr., McMurry

McMurry freshman Rylan Rogers (Baird, Texas) placed second in the decathlon at the Wes Kittley Invitational, recording 5,135 points. He had the top pole vault (4.15 meters) and was second in the discus (30.64 meters) in the field. Rogers’ decathlon mark is second in the nation.

WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Kynnedi Brown, Fr., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons freshman Kynnedi Brown (Garland, Texas) placed fifth at the Wes Kittley Invitational in the 400-meter hurdles. Her time is the best in NCAA Division III. It is Brown’s second Athlete of the Week of the season.

WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Lynda Farmer, So., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons sophomore Lynda Farmer (Lorena, Texas) placed third in the heptathlon with 2,829 points at the Wes Kittley Invitational. Her point total ranks third in the nation. Lynda had a top shot put, among the field, clearing 10.30 meters (33 ft.-9.5 in.) and was first with an 800-meter time of 2:29.95.

OTHER TOP MEN’S PERFORMANCES

UT Dallas freshman Graeme Maclean (Fairview, Texas) continued to shine for the Comets on the track this spring, placing third in both the 800 and 1,500 meter runs at the ACU Wes Kittley Invitational. Maclean bested his school record with a time of 4:03.04 in the 1,500. He ran a 1:58.09 in the 800. Both marks rank in the top 20 in Division III.

McMurry sophomore Jayden Sloan (Abilene, Texas) had a 400 meter hurdle time of 57.85 seconds at the Wes Kittley Invitational. He was also part of the 4×100 relay team with a time of 42.1 seconds, which ranks second in Division III. Sloan also is part of the 4×400 relay squad that leads the nation at 3:16.72.

OTHER TOP WOMEN’S PERFORMANCES

Belhaven sophomore Maurissa Windford (Hattiesburg, Miss.) finished sixth in the 400-meter dash in 1:01.40 at the Carey Outdoor Challenge. She was also a part of the 4×100 relay team in 51.66 and the 4×400 relay in 4:22.10.

McMurry freshman Janeth Chacon (El Paso, Texas) broke the school record in 19:03.14 in the 5,000 meters at the Wes Kittley Invitational. 

Lyon, Julmiste, Wills, Flores Named Men’s Soccer Players of the Week

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Games: March 18-20, 2021

EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Daniel Lyon, F, Fr., Ozarks

Ozarks freshman forward Daniel Lyon (Rockwall, Texas) scored two goals and recorded an assist to lead the Eagles to a 2-0-0 conference record over the weekend. Lyon scored in the second half against LeTourneau and then added a goal and assist against Louisiana College, both of which were 2-0 wins.

EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jonathan Julmiste, D, Jr., Ozarks

Ozark’s junior defender Jonathan Julmiste (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) led the Eagles to a pair of 2-0 shutouts in conference play over the weekend. Julmiste’s play in the back has given the defense four straight shutouts. The 6-foot-4 junior helped the Eagles limit LeTourneau to just one shot on goal. His defensive effort against Louisiana College limited the Wildcats to no shots on goal.

WEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Austin Wills, M, Jr., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons junior midfielder Austin Wills (Flower Mound, Texas) scored both goals in the Cowboys’ 2-1 win over Sul Ross State. He netted the tying goal in the 53rd minute, then scored the game-winner in the 62nd. It is Wills’ second Player of the Week of the season.

WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Eduardo Flores, GK, Jr., Howard Payne

Howard Payne junior goalkeeper Eduardo Flores (Houston, Texas) played 90 minutes and recorded five saves in the 1-0 victory over McMurry.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES

Offensive

Mary Hardin-Baylor senior forward Seth Neveloff (Wylie, Texas) played a full 90 minutes, scoring a goal on two shots in the Cru’s 3-1 win over Concordia Texas.

UT Dallas freshman forward Nahome Abraham (Garland, Texas) came off the bench for the game-winner in the Comets’ 1-0 road win over East Texas Baptist Saturday night. Abraham scored his second goal of the season in the 49th minute as he sparked the Comets to their fourth consecutive victory to open the spring.

LeTourneau junior midfielder Santi De La Torre (San Antonio, Texas) had a career-high four points in a 4-1 win over Belhaven, scoring a goal with two assists. The YellowJackets went 1-1 on the week.

Howard Payne freshman forward Noah Platzer (San Antonio, Texas) led the Yellow Jackets to a 1-0 victory over McMurry, scoring one goal on four shots.

Defensive

Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore defender Harper Roland (Rockwall, Texas) played 90 minutes as a member of the Cru’s back in a 3-1 win over Concordia Texas. UMHB allowed just three shots, and Roland also recorded two shots and scored the game-winner for UMHB.

UT Dallas junior goalkeeper Trey Nickel (Katy, Texas) recorded his first career shutout in his second career start in the Comets’ 1-0 victory at East Texas Baptist. He made two saves as his defense limited the host Tigers to just three shots in the contest.

LeTourneau sophomore keeper CJ Leyva (Fontana, Calif.) recorded 63 scoreless minutes, making two saves, before coming out of the game in a 4-1 win over Belhaven.

Hardin-Simmons junior defender J.J. Sissen (Fort Worth, Texas) assisted both goals in the Cowboys’ 2-1 win over Sul Ross State.

Sweitzer, Wong, Anderson, O’Shea, Salinas Garner Tennis Honors

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Matches: March 17-21, 2021 

WEST DIVISION WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Rachel Sweitzer, So., Concordia Texas

Concordia Texas sophomore Rachel Sweitzer (Rowlett, Texas) recorded a straight-set, 6-1, 6-1 win over Schreiner at No. 6 and posted an 8-2 win at No. 3 doubles with teammate Emily Hines.

CO-WEST DIVISION MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Dakota Anderson, Fr., Howard Payne

Howard Payne freshman Dakota Anderson (Crawford, Texas) went 1-1 at No. 6 singles and No. 2 doubles, earning both Yellow Jackets against East Texas Baptist. He won 6-2, 4-6, 10-2 against the Tigers and lost 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) to LeTourneau. Anderson teamed with Dominic DeNardo for an 8-2 win over ETBU and suffered an 8-7 (7-0) loss to the YellowJackets.

CO-WEST DIVISION MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Desmond O’Shea, So., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons sophomore Desmond O’Shea (College Station, Texas) picked up the only point for the Cowboys against St. Mary’s (Texas) with a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 2 singles. He lost at No. 1 doubles in an 8-8 (6-0) tiebreaker against the Rattlers. It is O’Shea’s second career Player of the Week award.

EAST DIVISION WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Samantha Wong, Jr., UT Dallas

UT Dallas junior Samantha Wong (Grapevine, Texas) earned wins at both singles and doubles Sunday afternoon as the Comets dropped a nail-biter to Trinity at home, 5-4. Wong claimed a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 2 singles against the Tigers’ Megan Flores, after teaming up with partner Kathy Joseph for an 8-4 success at No. 1 doubles. On Friday, Wong had a battle with NCAA D-I Missouri State’s Mary Houston at No. 2 singles, eventually falling 7-6 (5), 7-5. It is Wong’s second career Player of the Week award.

EAST DIVISION MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Joseph Salinas, Sr., East Texas Baptist

East Texas Baptist senior Joseph Salinas (Deer Park, Texas) went 2-0 at No. 1 singles and 2-0 at No. 1 doubles as the Tigers picked up a pair of wins. He won in three sets, 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 against Austin, and had a 6-2, 6-2 win over Howard Payne. Salinas teamed with John Herr for an 8-6 victory over the Roos and an 8-3 win against the Yellow Jackets. It is Salinas’ third career Player of the Week. 

OTHER TOP MEN’S PERFORMANCES

LeTourneau sophomore Julian Lee (Albuquerque, N.M.) earned his sixth straight No. 1 doubles win with Patrick Baney, defeating Austin’s top team 8-3. He also made a 7-5, 6-1 victory over the Roos at No. 1 singles. 

Granada, Stromberg, Greenly, Holland Named Women’s Soccer Players of the Week

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Games: March 18-20, 2021

EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Bella Granada, F, Fr., UT Dallas

UT-Dallas freshman forward Bella Granada (Cedar Park, Texas) scored twice, including the game-winner, in the Comets’ 3-2 road win at East Texas Baptist Saturday. Granada opened the scoring in the 12th minute and then had the game-winner in the 77th minute breaking a 2-2 tie. She currently leads the Comets with three goals scored through four games this season.

EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Morgan Stromberg, D, So., UT Dallas

UT-Dallas sophomore defender Morgan Stromberg (Carlsbad, Calif.) sparked the Comets to a 3-2 road win over East Texas Baptist Saturday night, keeping UTD unbeaten in the spring.

WEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Grace Greenly, F, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor

Mary Hardin-Baylor junior forward Grace Greenly (Round Rock, Texas) had a hat trick in the Cru’s 5-0 win over Concordia Texas on Friday. She opened the second half with three goals in six minutes to give UMHB a 3-0 lead.

WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kate Holland, D, Jr., McMurry

McMurry junior defender Kate Holland (Mansfield, Texas) contributed to a 3-0 shutout of Howard Payne, limiting the Lady Jackets to two shots and non on goal. Holland also scored the game-winner in the 12th minute.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES

Offensive

Belhaven freshman forward Kyla Shaw (Hoover, Ala.) broke the scoreless tie in the second half with her fourth goal of the season in the 80th minute of a 1-0 win against LeTourneau.

Ozark’s sophomore midfielder Jessica Alvarado (Springdale, Ark.) scored the equalizer in a 1-1 tie against LeTourneau, netting the goal in the 77th minute.

East Texas Baptist sophomore midfielder Olivia Gallegos (Mesquite, Texas) had a goal and assisted in a 3-2 loss to UT-Dallas. She tied the game at 2-2 in the 58th minute.

Hardin-Simmons sophomore forward Alexis Sciano (Prosper, Texas) scored the game-winning goal in the 74th minute in a 1-0 win against Sul Ross State.

McMurry sophomore forward Kara Moore (Azle, Texas) posted two assists in the War Hawks’ 3-0 win against Howard Payne. She also took four shots.

Defensive

Mary Hardin-Baylor senior defender Saige Serigny (Cedar Park, Texas) played 81 minutes against the Concordia Texas on Friday and led a UMHB defense that allowed just four total shots one shot on goal in a 5-0 shutout. The Cru let four first-half shots but completely shut down the Tornados’ second-half offense. Serigny also recorded an assist in the match. 

Sul Ross State sophomore goalkeeper Alitzel Ybarra (Juarez, Mexico) made six saves, tying her season-high, in a 1-0 loss to Hardin-Simmons.

Hardin-Simmons senior keeper Kayla Gable (Mesquite, Texas) played the second half, picking up two saves in the Cowgirls’ 1-0 win over Sul Ross State.

Croft, Sommerfield, Block, Leal Earn Volleyball Honors

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Matches: March 16-20, 2021

 

EAST DIVISION OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Catherine Croft, OH, So., UT Dallas

UT-Dallas sophomore outside hitter Catherine Croft (Buda, Texas) averaged 3.00 kills per set while hitting at a .250 clip in the No. 6 Comets’ perfect 4-0 win last week in ASC East play. Croft reached double-digit kills and digs in three of four matches last week, including 12 kills and 12 digs Friday in a 3-1 win at LeTourneau. She also contributed 3.08 digs and 0.54 blocks per set last week. It is Croft’s second Player of the Week award of the season and third of her career.

EAST DIVISION DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Gabi Sommerfield, MB, Jr., UT Dallas

UT-Dallas junior middle blocker Gabi Sommerfield (Liberty Hill, Texas) averaged an impressive 1.31 blocks per set while hitting .493 for the No. 6-ranked Comets as they earned four wins over ASC East foes last week. In Friday’s 3-1 road win over LeTourneau, Sommerfield finished with 15 kills and a .538 attack percentage while collecting five blocks.

WEST DIVISION OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ky’Lexus Block, OH, So., Concordia Texas

Concordia Texas sophomore outside hitter Ky’Lexus Block (San Antonio, Texas) hit .407 with 4.83 kills and 3.33 digs per set as the Tornados took two matches from Sul Ross State. In match one, Block tallied 20 kills and hit .515 to go with 11 digs. In the nightcap, Block recorded nine kills and nine digs.

WEST DIVISION DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Adile Leal, L, So., McMurry

McMurry sophomore libero Adile Leal (Clute, Texas) came up with 5.76 digs per set as the War Hawks went 3-1 on the week. She had a career-high 26 digs against No. 4 Mary Hardin-Baylor and 17 in a three-set win against the Cru. It is Leal’s third Player of the Week award of the year. 

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES

Offensive

Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore setter Alli Pierce (Abilene, Texas) anchored the No. 4 Cru’s offense last week, averaging 6.92 assists per set as they went 3-1. She totaled 90 assists on the week and accumulated 10 points herself with two kills, seven aces, and two block assists. She also averaged 3.8 digs per set.

East Texas Baptist junior fight side Allie Fennell (Gilmer, Texas) hit .286 with 2.00 kills per set as the Tigers defeated Louisiana College twice. She posted 11 kills and hit .333 in a four-set win over the Wildcats.

LeTourneau junior outside hitter Kianna Crow (Spring, Texas) 2.85 kills and 4.14 digs per set as the YellowJackets lost a pair of matches to No. 6 UT Dallas.

Sul Ross State junior middle blocker Annika Canaba (Alpine, Texas) averaged 2.83 kills and 2.83 assists per set as the Lobos dropped two matches to Concordia Texas. In the opening match, she had seven kills, nine assists, and seven digs, followed by ten kills, eight assists, and eight digs in match two.

McMurry freshman outside hitter Kaylie Vasil (Midlothian, Texas) averaged 2.92 kills, and 4.23 digs per set as the War Hawks went 3-1 on the week. She had a season-high 17 kills and 15 digs against No. 4 Mary Hardin-Baylor. She also recorded seven aces and four blocks.

Defensive

Concordia Texas sophomore libero Laina DeLeon (Johnson City, Texas) came up with 4.50 digs per set in a pair of three-set sweeps over Sul Ross State. In the first match, she recorded ten digs, followed by 17 digs without an error on the finale’s receptions.

Mary Hardin-Baylor freshman libero Maddie Gillispie (Austin, Texas) led the No. 4 Cru with 60 digs (4.62) as they went 3-1 on the week. She also added 16 assists and a pair of aces.

East Texas Baptist junior middle blocker Annie Harris (McKinney, Texas) averaged 2.78 digs and 1.00 blocks per set in nine sets as the Tigers topped Louisiana College twice. She posted 15 digs and six blocks in a five-set victory in the opener and followed ten digs and three blocks in the nightcap.

LeTourneau junior outside hitter Kylie Cobb (Spring, Texas) recorded a career-high 23 digs in a four-set loss to No. 6 UT Dallas.

Sul Ross State freshman outside hitter Mia Bella Ruiz (El Paso, Texas) averaged 4.00 digs per set, including 15 in digs in match two against Concordia Texas.

 

Hughes, Hampton Highlight Women’s Basketball Awards

RICHARDSON, Texas – UT Dallas senior guard Raenett Hughes and Sul Ross State sophomore forward  Vania Hampton were named the East and West Division Players of the Year, respectively, by the American Southwest Conference to highlight the 2021 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Teams on Tuesday, following a vote of the league’s head coaches. 

Hughes repeated as the East Player of the Year, and they named him to the All-East Division Defensive Team. She averaged 15.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game to go with 42 assists and 43 steals in 17 games. Hughes also shot 42.5 percent from the field.

Hampton was also the West Division Newcomer of the Year, averaging 13.3 points and 9.4 rebounds to go with 27 assists, 11 blocks, and 32 steals while shooting 41.7 percent from the field, 39.2 percent from three-point range, and 74.4 percent from the line. 

Hughes and Hampton were both selected to the prestigious five-player ASC All-Conference Team. East Texas Baptist senior guard Mallory Stephens, LeTourneau senior guard Keauna Whitfield, and Hardin-Simmons senior center Kaitlyn Ellis joined them. 

In the East Division, UTD center McKenzie Howard was selected as the Freshman of the Year while LeTourneau’s Ajanae Thomas and ETBU’s Bridget Upton were the Co-Newcomers of the Year. ETBU junior guard Taylor Singleton was the Defensive Player of the Year, and Ozarks’ Kamryn McKinney earned Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year honors. First Year head coach Blake Arbogast was the ‘Coach of the Year’ after guiding the Tigers to a 25-1 record and a runner-up finish for the ASC Championship. 

In the West Division, Howard Payne’s guard Amanda Turpin was the Freshman of the Year, and HSU junior forward Keilee Burke earned the Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time in her career. McMurry’s Trinity Meador was the Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. Sul Ross State’s Katie Novak was the Coach of the Year after guiding the Lobos to an 8-5 record conference trip to the ASC Championship Semifinals. 

Hughes, Whitfield, and UTD senior guard Kelley Skinner earned All-Division selections for the fourth year.

All-Conference Team

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Mallory Stephens	Sr.	G	East Texas Baptist	Keene, Texas
Raenett Hughes 3	Sr.	G	UT Dallas	College Station, Texas
Keauna Whitfield 2	Jr.	G	LeTourneau	Rosebud, Texas
Vania Hampton	So.	F	Sul Ross State	Austin, Texas
Kaitlyn Ellis	Sr.	C	Hardin-Simmons	Breckenridge, Texas

² Two-Time All-Conference
³ Three-Time All-Conference

All-Division Teams
East Division
Player of the Year – Raenett Hughes, UT Dallas ²
Freshman of the Year – McKenzie Howard, UT Dallas
Co-Newcomer of the Year – Ajanae Thomas, LeTourneau
Co-Newcomer of the Year – Bridget Upton, East Texas Baptist
Defensive Player of the Year – Taylor Singleton, East Texas Baptist
Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year – Kamryn McKinney, Ozarks
Coach of the Year – Blake Arbogast, East Texas Baptist
² Two-Time East Division Player of the Year

First Team

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Raenett Hughes 4	Sr.	G	UT Dallas	College Station, Texas
Keauna Whitfield 4	Sr.	G	LeTourneau	Rosebud, Texas
Ajanae Thomas	Jr.	F	LeTourneau	Detroit, Mich.
Taylor Singleton 2	Jr.	G	East Texas Baptist	Friendswood, Texas
Mallory Stephens 2	Sr.	G	East Texas Baptist	Keene, Texas

⁴ Four-Time East All-Division / ² Two-Time East All-Division

Second Team

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Kelley Skinner 4	Sr.	G	UT Dallas	Katy, Texas
Mariah Collins 2	Sr.	G	Belhaven	Chicago, Ill.
Bridget Upton	Jr.	G	East Texas Baptist	George West, Texas
Hanna Hudson	Jr.	G/F	East Texas Baptist	Grandview, Texas
Alex Harrison	So.	F	Louisiana College	Oakdale, La.

⁴ Four-Time East All-Division / ² Two-Time East All-Division

All-Freshman Team

Name	Pos.	School	Hometown
McKenzie Howard	C	UT Dallas	Fort Worth, Texas
Mollie Dittmar	C	East Texas Baptist	Buffalo, Texas
Mia Rudin	F/C	UT Dallas	Commerce, Texas
Kourtne Lee	G	Belhaven	Raceland, La.
Emma Stelzer	F	East Texas Baptist	Rockwall, Texas
Olivia Scott	G	Louisiana College	Lafayette, La.

All-Defensive Team

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Taylor Singleton 2	Jr.	G	East Texas Baptist	Friendswood, Texas
Raenett Hughes 4	Sr.	G	UT Dallas	College Station, Texas
Keauna Whitfield 2	Sr.	G	LeTourneau	Rosebud, Texas
Mariah Collins 2	Sr.	G	Belhaven	Chicago, Ill.
Flora Akingbade	Sr.	C	LeTourneau	Grand Prairie, Texas
Jordan Maxwell	So.	G	UT Dallas	El Paso, Texas

⁴ Four-Time East All-Defensive Team / ²Two-Time East All-Defensive Team

Honorable Mention

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Kerigan Bradshaw 2	Jr.	G	Ozarks	Harrison, Ark.
Malacia Guy	So.	G	LeTourneau	Itasca, Texas
Kenidi White	Jr.	G	East Texas Baptist	Little River-Academy, Texas
Flora Akingbade 2	Sr.	C	LeTourneau	Grand Prairie, Texas
Paris Brinkley	So.	G	UT Dallas	Burnet, Texas

² Two-Time East All-Division

West Division
Player of the Year – Vania Hampton, Sul Ross State
Freshman of the Year – Amanda Turpin, Howard Payne
Newcomer of the Year – Vania Hampton, Sul Ross State
Defensive Player of the Year – Keilee Burke, Hardin-Simmons ²
Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year – Trinity Meador, McMurry
Coach of the Year – Katie Novak, Sul Ross State
² Two-Time West Division Defensive Player of the Year

First Team

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Vania Hampton	So.	F	Sul Ross State	Austin, Texas
Kaitlyn Ellis 2	Sr.	C	Hardin-Simmons	Breckenridge, Texas
Hannah Eggleston	So.	F	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Magnolia, Texas
Destiny Mathews 2	So.	F	McMurry	Palestine, Texas
Chelsey Harris 3	Sr.	G	Howard Payne	Waco, Texas
Madi Maxwell	So.	G	Concordia Texas	Godley, Texas

³ Three-Time West All-Division Team /  ² Two-Time West All-Division Team

Second Team

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Parris Parmer 2	So.	F	Hardin-Simmons	San Angelo, Texas
Brittany Schnabel	So.	G	Hardin-Simmons	Millsap, Texas
Taylor Kollmorgen	Gr.	C	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Houston, Texas
Amanda Turpin	Fr.	G	Howard Payne	Cypress, Texas
Hallie Edmondson	So.	G	Hardin-Simmons	Roby, Texas
Bria Neal 2	So.	G	Howard Payne	LaPlace, Texas

² Two-Time West All-Division Team  

All-Freshman Team

Name	Pos.	School	Hometown
Amanda Turpin	G	Howard Payne	Cypress, Texas
Kayla Brigance	F	Howard Payne	Cypress, Texas
Ashley Faux	F	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Frisco, Texas
Kaitlyn Kollmorgen	C	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Houston, Texas
Cheyanne Bonilla	G	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Horizon City, Texas

All-Defensive Team

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Keilee Burke 3	Jr.	F	Hardin-Simmons	Belton, Texas
Bethany McLeod	Jr.	G	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Liberty Hill, Texas
Salina Ali	Jr.	G	Howard Payne	San Antonio, Texas
Parris Parmer	So.	F	Hardin-Simmons	San Angelo, Texas
Taylor Kollmorgen	Gr.	C	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Houston, Texas
Samantha Tatum	So.	G	Hardin-Simmons	Grapevine, Texas
Keona Loftis	So.	G	Sul Ross State	Amarillo, Texas

³ Three-Time West All-Defensive Team

Honorable Mention

Name	Cl.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Alexis Carmosino	Jr.	G/F	Sul Ross State	Phoenix, Ariz.
Teresa Quintana	So.	G	Sul Ross State	El Paso, Texas
Bethany McLeod	Jr.	G	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Liberty Hill, Texas
Samantha Tatum	So.	G	Hardin-Simmons	Grapevine, Texas
Salina Ali	Jr.	G	Howard Payne	San Antonio, Texas
Aubrey Guerra	Jr.	G	McMurry	Pleasanton, Texas

ASC Releases Football Weekly Awards

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Games: March 20, 2021

 

EAST DIVISION OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kyle King, QB, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor

Mary Hardin-Baylor junior quarterback Kyle King (Milano, Texas) accounted for six total touchdowns as the Cru won the ASC East Division title with a 65-20 win over Louisiana College. He threw for 259 yards and four touchdowns and added 50 rushing yards and two more scores. King earned his second Player of the Week award of the season in his first collegiate start at quarterback.

EAST DIVISION DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – TJ Hersey, DB, So., Belhaven

Belhaven sophomore defensive back TJ Hersey (Meridian, Miss.) blocked a field goal and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to put the Blazers up by three scores in a 21-7 win over Southwestern. He also tallied three tackles and a pass breakup.

EAST DIVISION SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – K.J. Miller, PR, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor

Mary Hardin-Baylor junior punt returner K.J. Miller (Orange, Texas) had a 52-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave the Cru its first lead in the game in a 65-20 win over Louisiana College. He returned three punts for 81 yards, caught three balls for 25 yards, and rushed two times for eight yards. It is Miller’s second Player of the Week of the season and fourth of his career.

WEST DIVISION OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Justin Castereno, LT, So.; Boomer Warren, LG, Jr.; Elias Berkel, C, Jr.; Hunter Moore, RG, Jr.; Carson Ikels, RT, Sr.; Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons starting offensive line of Justin Castereno (Sweetwater, Texas), Boomer Warren (Haslet, Texas), Elias Berkel (Houston, Texas), Hunter Moore (Wimberley, Texas), and Carson Ikels (Dripping Springs, Texas) led the way for the Cowboys. They rushed for 292 yards and threw for another 283, allowing just one sack, in a 58-6 win at Sul Ross State. HSU averaged 6.1 yards per play on 94 snaps. 

WEST DIVISION DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kyle Bell, S, Jr., Howard Payne

Howard Payne junior safety Kyle Bell (Cypress, Texas) led the Yellow Jacket defense that held McMurry to 124 yards rushing in a 24-3 victory. Bell finished with 12 tackles, eight solos, one for a loss, an interception, and a pass breakup.

WEST DIVISION SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jamie Pogue, K, Sr., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons senior kicker Jamie Paogue (Abilene, Texas) was 8-for-8 on extra-point attempts in the Cowboys’ 58-6 win at Sul Ross State. He moved into the HSU’s career top 10 with 201 points.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES

Offensive

Howard Payne sophomore wide receiver Hunter Cheek (Cypress, Texas) had five catches for 99 yards and a touchdown in the Yellow Jackets’ 24-3 victory over McMurry.

Louisiana College junior running back Devin Briscoe (Cecilia, La.) kept the Wildcats close in the first half. He had 33 rushes for 202 yards and two touchdowns for a 6.1 yards per carrying average in a loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Belhaven senior quarterback Mayowa Asagunla (Jackson, Miss.) led the Blazers to a 21-7 win over Southwestern by going 11-for-12 through the air with 146 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 12 times for 30 yards.

Defensive

Mary Hardin-Baylor senior linebacker Jacob Mueller (Fort Worth, Texas) gave the Cru the lead and the momentum with an eight-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 65-20 win over Louisiana College. He also added ten total tackles, a fumble recovery, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.

McMurry senior linebacker Josh Smith (Bossier City, La.) had a season-high 13 tackles with 1.5 for a loss in the War Hawks’ loss at Howard Payne. He moved into seventh on McMurry’s career tackles list with 289.

Special Teams

Howard Payne freshman punter Jackson Coulson (Georgetown, Texas) had four punts for 165 yards, a 41.2 average, including a long of 51 yards in the Yellow Jacket’s 24-3 win over McMurry.

McQuary, Pedersen, Parker, Sharpe Earn Baseball Honors

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Games: March 16-20, 2021

CO-HITTER OF THE WEEK – Hunter McQuary, C/DH, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor 

Mary Hardin-Baylor junior catcher/designated hitter Hunter McQuary (Magnolia, Texas) batted .714 (10-for-14) in Schreiner’s four-game sweep. He drove in four runs and scored five more. McQuary had three multiple-hit games over four seven-inning contests. He was also 2-2 in stolen base attempts and slugged .857.

CO-HITTER OF THE WEEK – Dane Pedersen, 1B, Sr., Louisiana College 

Louisiana College senior first baseman Dane Pedersen (Slidell, La.) crushed the ball in the Wildcats’ three-game sweep at Sul Ross State. He hit .571 (8-for-14) with two doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI, and five runs.

CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Blaine Parker, RHP, Jr., East Texas Baptist

East Texas Baptist junior righty Blaine Parker (Longview, Texas) struck out 14 batters over seven innings in the Tigers’ 15-4 series-opening win at Hardin-Simmons. He allowed one earned run with no walks and seven hits.

CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kolbey Sharpe, RHP, Sr., LeTourneau

LeTourneau senior right-hander Kolbey Sharpe (Carthage, Texas) threw a complete game, striking out two while allowing just an unearned run, two hits, and two walks in a 5-1 win over McMurry.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE

UT Dallas sophomore third baseman Zac Vorst (Katy, Texas) hit a triple and a home run Tuesday in the Comets’ 7-6, 10-inning home loss to McMurry. Vorst was 2-for-5 from the plate with two RBI in the home defeat.

Sul Ross State freshman first baseman Carsen Thor (Tomball, Texas) hit .417 (5-for-12) with a double, two homers, seven RBI, and three runs scored in a three-game series against Louisiana College. He started his week 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored in game one and was 2-for-4 with a homer, double, and three RBI in the finale.

LeTourneau senior first baseman Weston McKinley (Lufkin, Texas) was 5-for-11 (.455) with five RBI, a double, triple, home run, three runs scored, and two steals as the YellowJackets took two-of-three from McMurry.

Belhaven freshman designated hitter Kyle McLaughlin (Covington, La.) hit .500 (4-for-8) with a pair of RBI, four runs scored, and two walks as the Blazers took two-of-three from Howard Payne.

East Texas Baptist junior shortstop Jake Miller (North Richland Hills, Texas) hit .545 (6-for-11) with a 1.091 slugging percentage and seven RBI as the Tigers swept Hardin-Simmons on the road. He blasted two home runs and five RBI, going 3-of-4 in a 15-4 win. In Game 2, a 22-2 victory, Miller was 3-for-3 with RBI and two runs scored.

McMurry senior second baseman Javier Rosa (Justin, Texas) hit his first career home run against LeTourneau. He hit .417 (5-for-12) in the series with two RBI and two runs scored. 

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES ON THE MOUND

Mary Hardin-Baylor freshman right-hander Andrew Acierni (Waco, Texas) scattered four hits and did not allow an earned run in a 16-2 win over Schreiner. He struck out three and did not walk a batter over five innings.

Louisiana College junior righty Brooks Southall (Baton Rouge, La.) scattered nine hits, allowing three earned runs with seven strikeouts and no walks in an 11-4 victory at Sul Ross State.

Belhaven sophomore right-hander Brett Sanchez (Slidell, La.) three all 11 innings of a 5-4 win over Howard Payne, allowing three earned runs, one walk, and ten hits while fanning nine. It was his sixth straight win to open the season and third complete game. 

Softball Players of the Week Announced by ASC

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Games: March 16-20, 2021

EAST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Tauryn Cummings, DP, Fr., East Texas Baptist

East Texas Baptist freshman designated player Tauryn Cummings (Houston, Texas) hit .692 (9-of-13) with two home runs, eight RBI, and two runs scored as the No. 1 Tigers went 4-1 on the week. She also slugged 1.154 on the week, picking up three RBI in a 12-2 win over Southwestern (Texas).

EAST DIVISION PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kennedy Carruth, RHP, So., Belhaven

Belhaven sophomore right-handed hurler Kennedy Carruth (St. Francisville, La.) picked up two more wins, defeating Howard Payne 2-1 twice, with 19 strikeouts and only three walks and six hits over 14 innings. She struck out 13 in the series opener. Carruth also hit .444 (4-for-9) with three doubles, a home run, four RBI, and a run scored at the plate to earn her fourth Player of the Week honors of the season.

CO-WEST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Elissa Elliott, 2B, Fr., Mary Hardin-Baylor

Mary Hardin-Baylor freshman second baseman Elissa Elliott (Emory, Texas) helped the Cru’s explosive offense at Ozarks, slamming seven hits in 12 at-bats (.583). Elliott recorded eight RBI over three games with eight runs scored. She had one double and two home runs with a slugging percentage of 1.167. Elliott also recorded one walk and did not strike out. She helped the Cru outscore the Eagles 37-6 over the weekend, earning her second career Player of the Week award.

CO-WEST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Ashley Hallmark, CF, Sr., Concordia Texas

Concordia Texas senior center fielder Ashley Hallmark (Burnet, Texas) hit .625 (5-for-8) with a double, home run, eight RBI, three runs scored, and three stolen bases Tornados swept UT-Dallas. In Game 1, she blasted a game-tying three-run homer in a 6-5 win. She also became Concordia’s career stolen base leader over the weekend. It is Hallmark’s second career Player of the Week award.

WEST DIVISION PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kinleigh Stotts, LHP, So., McMurry

McMurry sophomore left-hander Kinleigh Stotts (Covington, Texas) went 2-0 with a 0.58 ERA and nine in three appearances and 12.1 innings. She earned the win in a 3-2, 11-inning victory against Schreiner, striking out five and allowing just an unearned run in five frames of relief. Stotts added another win in relief in an 8-4 victory at LeTourneau, striking out three and allowing a hit and a walk over 3.1 scoreless innings.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE

UT Dallas freshman right fielder Ashley Ambrosy (Haslet, Texas) went 4-for-10 from the plate in the Comets’ three-game home series with Concordia Texas over the weekend. Collecting at least one hit each of the contests with the Tornados, Ambrosy has extended her hitting streak to 14 straight games to open the season and 16 consecutive contests dating back to last spring.

Sul Ross State junior centerfielder Camryn Hardin (Alpine, Texas) hit .583 (7-for-12) with a double, three RBIN, two runs, and a steal in the Lobos’ three-game series at Louisiana College. She was 2-for-2 with a run scored in a 3-2 loss in the opener. She finished the weekend going 3-for-5 with two RBI and a double.

Louisiana College senior infielder Samantha Cetta (Tickfaw, La.) hit .545 (6-for-11) with a double, RBI, and a run scored as the Wildcats went 3-1 on the week.

LeTourneau junior left fielder Emilee Anderson (La Porte, Texas) hit safely in each game of a three-game series against McMurry, going 6-for-10 with a pair of RBI and three runs scored.

Ozark’s senior third baseman Riki Haase (Argyle, Texas), went 6-for-11 (.545) with a double, triple, two RBI, and a stolen base over four games for the Eagles.

McMurry junior pitcher/first baseman Camille Scott (Abilene, Texas) hit .600 (6-for-10), recording six straight hits, including two doubles as the War Hawks went 4-1 for the week.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES IN THE CIRCLE

Sul Ross State freshman righty Marley Moralez (Andrews, Texas) made two relief appearances and earned a win in the Lobos’ three-game series at Louisiana College. She threw two shutout innings of two-hit, two strikeout ball in the Lobos 7-5 win to earn her first career victory. Moralez threw two more shutout frames with a strikeout in the finale.

Louisiana College sophomore right-hander Bailey McMillan (Stonewall, La.) picked up a win and a save in three relief appearances for the Wildcats. In eight innings, she allowed three runs with one strikeout.

LeTourneau sophomore righty Jade Merrell (McKinney, Texas) picked up his first career win in a three-game series at McMurry. She made three appearances, with one start, for a 1.91 ERA, eight hits, two walks, and four strikeouts over 7.1 innings.

Concordia Texas sophomore left-hander Bailey Tisdale (Santa Fe, Texas) went 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA, eight strikeouts, four walks, and 11 hits allowed over 12 frames as the Tornadoes swept UT Dallas.

East Texas Baptist junior right-hander Presyle Cox (Rusk, Texas) went 2-0 with nine strikeouts in three appearances for the No. 1 Tigers. She earned a shutout 12-0 win against Hardin-Simmons, striking out three. Cox also recorded five strikeouts in a 12-2 victory against Southwestern (Texas).