TAMUC – Sports

 

SOFTBALL

Mariah Jameyson among top-10 finalists for NFCA National Player of the Year.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.– Texas A&M University-Commerce catcher Mariah Jameyson has been named one of 10 finalists for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Player of the Year. The NFCA on Tuesday revealed the finalists.

Jameyson– a senior from Seattle, Wash.– was named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year as well as a First Team All-LSC selection after a stellar season. She has been named First Team All-Region by both the NFCA and the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA), as well as the D2CCA South Central Region Player of the Year. During the regular season, Jameyson was a top-5 statistical leader in numerous categories and received national recognition several times during the season. In addition to being a top-10 finalist, she was a two-time NFCA National Player of the Week and a one-time Fastpitch News National Player of the Week.

Jameyson finished the regular season as the nation’s leader in on-base percentage. She was second in the nation in batting average, slugging percentage and RBIs, third in total bases, fourth in walks and fifth in home runs. Jameyson’s .542 batting average was nearly .100 points better than any other player in the LSC and broke the single-season conference record set in 1997. Jameyson also had an on-base percentage more than .100 points higher than any other LSC player. She was also the only hitter in the LSC to finish the season with a slugging percentage over 1.000. Jameyson led the LSC in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs, hits, and walks. She has had the game-winning RBI in 14 different games this season.

Jameyson has helped lead the Lions to their most successful season in program history. The team won the South Central Region I Championship and is now slated to face No. 6 Angelo State in the Super Regional Championship series. The first game of the best-of-three series will be at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Game two of the series will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday with game three (if necessary) to begin at 4:30 p.m. All games will be at Mayer Field in San Angelo.

NFCA TOP-10 FINALISTS FOR NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Alphabetical Order)
Brooke Goad, R-Sr., OF, Southern Arkansas
Brooke Hodgson, Sr., OF, Colorado Mesa
Mariah Jameyson, Sr., C, Texas A&M-Commerce
Amber Johns, So., P, North Georgia
Allison Lipovsky, Jr., P, Grand Valley State
Jessica Mohl, Sr., SS, Valdosta State
Callie Nunes, Fr., P, Concordia Irvine
Samantha Reilly, Jr., C, Georgian Court
Kylee Smith, So., P, North Georgia
Victoria Taylor, So., P, Southern Arkansas

 

TRACK AND FIELD

Lions to take 25 entries to NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Texas A&M University-Commerce track and field programs will send 14 men’s entries and 11 women’s entries to the 2018 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as announced by the NCAA on Tuesday.

The championships will be held May 24-26 in Charlotte, N.C., at the Irwin Belk Complex. Johnson C. Smith University will serve as the host of the championships. Heat and flight information will be available on Monday, May 21.

The Lion men are ranked fourth nationally entering the national meet, while the Lion women are ranked 17th in the country.

On the men’s side, the Lion entries are loaded up in the sprints, with three entries in the 400-meter dash and two apiece in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Three previous national champions will travel to Charlotte for the men in DeVontae Steele in the triple jump (2016 indoor, 2018 indoor), Florian Obst in the decathlon (2017 outdoor), and the 4×400 meter relay (2018 indoor).

Rashard Clark entered in three events – the 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, and 4×400-meter relay. Malcolm Woods is slated to compete in three – the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and 4×100-meter relay.

On the women’s side, a record group will attend for the Lions. Both Kamryn McKee (400-meter dash, 4×100-meter relay, 4×400-meter relay) and Minna Svaerd (400-meter hurdles, 4×400 meter relay, pole vault) will enter into three events.

MEN’S 100 METER DASH
Malcolm Woods
Lamontris Johnson-Jessie

MEN’S 200 METER DASH
Rashard Clark
Malcolm Woods

MEN’S 400 METER DASH
Rashard Clark
D’Lance Sharp
Dedrian Windham

MEN’S 4×100 METER RELAY
Brice Ashburn, Malcolm Woods, Stadrian Taylor, Josiah Dennis

MEN’S 4×400 METER RELAY
Dedrian Windham, Gabriel Peterson, D’Lance Sharp, Rashard Clark

MEN’S POLE VAULT
Hudson Hall

MEN’S LONG JUMP
Sir Morgan Loudd
DeVontae Steele

MEN’S TRIPLE JUMP
DeVontae Steele

MEN’S DECATHLON
Florian Obst

WOMEN’S 100 METER DASH
Mackenzie Clark

WOMEN’S 400 METER DASH
Kamryn McKee

WOMEN’S 400 METER HURDLES
Minna Svaerd

WOMEN’S 4×100 METER RELAY
Mackenzie Clark, Courtlyn Gant, Kamryn McKee, Joy Spann

WOMEN’S 4×400 METER RELAY
Minna Svaerd, Ro’Nisha Simpson, Joy Spann, Kamryn McKee

WOMEN’S HIGH JUMP
Markie Abbott
Chelsea Cheek

WOMEN’S POLE VAULT
Minna Svaerd

WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP
Jasmine Roberts

WOMEN’S DISCUS THROW
Anitial’a Robins

WOMEN’S HAMMER THROW
Hailey Wanoreck

 

FOOTBALL

Luis Perez signs as an undrafted free agent with Los Angeles Rams.

LOS ANGELES – Texas A&M University-Commerce All-American quarterback Luis Perez has signed with the Los Angeles Rams, as announced by the Rams late Monday. Perez had tried out with the Rams late last week before signing on.

Perez was the winner of the 2017 Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded the top Division II college football player in the nation. He completed 421-of-596 passes for 5,001 yards, 46 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The 5,001 yards are the fourth-most by a quarterback in a single Division II season. He also set Division II Championship records for pass completions (144), pass attempts (211) and passing yards (1,570). He became the first quarterback to pass for over 300 yards in the National Championship game since 2005 and tied a Lone Star Conference record for the most 200-yard passing games in a season with 14. He became the first Harlon Hill Trophy winner to also win a Division II National Championship since 2002 and only the sixth overall in the 32-year history of Division II’s premier football award.

For his career, Perez completed 665-of-985 passes for 8,327 yards, 78 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He was the starting quarterback for 28 games, leading the Lions to a 25-3 record, two NCAA Division II playoff appearances, and a Lone Star Conference championship. He completed his collegiate career leading the Lions on a 10-game winning streak, which is the longest active winning streak in Division II.

He was named a First Team All-American by D2Football.com, the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, the Associated Press, and Don Hansen’s Football Gazette, and a Second Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. He was also named the Ron Lenz Offensive Player of the Year by the D2CCA, D2Football.com Offensive Player of the Year, and Don Hansen’s Football Gazette Offensive Player of the Year. He won the J.W. Rollins Award as the Lone Star Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and is a two-time First Team All-Lone Star Conference selection at quarterback.

Perez is the second Lion from the 2017 National Championship team to sign with an NFL team. All-American tackle Jared Machorro signed with the Indianapolis Colts on Monday morning.

 

COLTS SIGN MACHORRO

Jared Machorro signs as an undrafted free agent with Indianapolis Colts.

INDIANAPOLIS – Texas A&M University-Commerce All-American tackle Jared Machorro has signed with the Indianapolis Colts, as announced by the Colts on Monday morning.

They signed Machorro as an undrafted free agent after participating in the Colts’ rookie mini-camp in Indianapolis.

Machorro was named to nine All-American teams at A&M-Commerce, including First Team All-American honors in the 2017 National Championship season from the American Football Coaches’ Association, Division II Conference Commissioners Association, D2Football.com, and Don Hansen’s Football Gazette, and Second Team All-American honors from the Associated Press.

The Lone Star Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year paved the way for the nation’s No. 2 passing offense on the road to the National Championship. The outstanding blocker was one of the nation’s top blockers, as the Lions allowed fewer than two sacks per game, while the offense dropped back to pass more than 45 times per game.

 

ALL-REGION HONORS

Lion Track & Field receives 33 USTFCCCA All-Region honors.

NEW ORLEANS– The Texas A&M University-Commerce track and field programs had 23 student-athletes named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region teams for the 2018 NCAA Division II outdoor track & field season, as announced by the USTFCCCA on Monday.

The Lions earned 33 total all-region honors. The top-five individuals in each event from each region made All-Region distinction, in addition to each of the members of the regions’ top-three relay teams. The areas used for this award – Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West – match those used during the indoor track & field season.

Eight Lions– six men and two women– earned multiple all-region honors. On the men’s side, Rashard Clark took home three all-region awards. Florian Obst, D’lance Sharp, DeVontae Steele, Stadrian Taylor and Malcolm Woods each took home a pair of all-region honors. On the women’s side, Minna Svaerd was awarded three honors while Kamryn McKee took home two honors.

The 2018 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships will take place on March 24-26 in Charlotte, N.C. Qualifiers will be announced later this week.

2018 USTFCCCA NCAA DIVISION II ALL-REGION HONOREES

Athlete	Event
Brice Ashburn	4x100m Relay
Rashard Clark	200 Meters
Rashard Clark	400 Meters
Rashard Clark	4x400m Relay
Josiah Dennis	4x100m Relay
Hudson Hall	Pole Vault
Lamontris Johnson-Jessie	100 Meters
Sir Morgan Loudd	Long Jump
Florian Obst	110m Hurdles
Florian Obst	Decathlon
Gabriel Peterson	4x400m Relay
D’lance Sharp	400 Meters
D’lance Sharp	4x400m Relay
Armani Smith	Hammer Throw
DeVontae Steele	Long Jump
DeVontae Steele	Triple Jump
Stadrian Taylor	100 Meters
Stadrian Taylor	4x100m Relay
Dedrian Windham	4x400m Relay
Malcolm Woods	100 Meters
Malcolm Woods	4x100m Relay
Markie Abbott	High Jump
Chelsea Cheek	High Jump
Kamryn McKee	400 Meters
Kamryn McKee	4x400m Relay
Jasmine Roberts	Triple Jump
Anitial’a Robins	Discus
Ro’nisha Simpson	4x400m Relay
Joy Spann	4x400m Relay
Minna Svaerd	400m Hurdles
Minna Svaerd	4x400m Relay
Minna Svaerd	Pole Vault
Hailey Wanoreck	Hammer Throw

 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jameyson named D2CCA South Central Region Player of the Year, four Lions named to D2CCA All-Region teams.

CANYON– Texas A&M University-Commerce softball player Mariah Jameyson has been named the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association South Central Region Player of the Year. Also, Jameyson and Kinsie Hebler made First Team All-Region while outfielders Baylea Higgs and Ciera Nunez have been named Second Team All-Region. They released the All-Region teams Monday.

Jameyson– a senior from Seattle, Wash.– was named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year as well as a First Team All-LSC selection after a stellar season. During the regular season, Jameyson was a top-5 statistical leader in numerous categories and received national recognition several times during the season. She is currently a Top-25 finalist for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Player of the Year and was a two-time NFCA National Player of the Week and a one-time Fastpitch News National Player of the Week.

Jameyson finished the regular season as the nation’s leader in on-base percentage (.644). She was second in the country in batting average (.542), slugging percentage (1.137) and RBIs (80), third in total bases (149), fourth in walks (39) and fifth in home runs (22). Jameyson’s .542 batting average was nearly .100 points better than any other player in the LSC and broke the single-season conference record set in 1997. Jameyson also had an on-base percentage more than .100 points higher than any other LSC player. She was also the only hitter in the LSC to finish the season with a slugging percentage over 1.000. Jameyson led the LSC in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs, hits (71) and walks (39). She had the game-winning RBI in 13 different games this season. NFCA also named Jameyson the First Team All-Region, and it is her second consecutive season as a D2CCA First Team All-Region selection.

Hebler– a sophomore from Cypress– improved her batting average (.414), home runs (15) and RBIs (56) from her freshman season and has received national recognition for her play. Hebler is a current Top-25 Finalist for the NFCA National Player of the Year award and was named Fastpitch News National Player of the Week. She finished the regular season in the top 20 in the nation in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage (.814) and total bases (118). Hebler finished fifth in the LSC in RBIs, home runs, walks and on-base percentage and sixth in batting average. She had the game-winning RBI in 12 different games this season. The NFCA also named her to the First Team All-Region.

Higgs– a senior from Arlington– was a First Team All-LSC selection, winning the third All-LSC award of her career to go alongside her second Gold Glove selection. During the regular season, she set career bests in batting average (.411), runs scored (50), hits (62), RBI (34) and doubles. Higgs led the LSC in triples with five and was third in the conference with 26 stolen bases. She finished third amongst outfielders in both runs scored and batting average and was second in hits. As a defender, Higgs led the LSC with a perfect fielding percentage. She also robbed two home runs during the year and made numerous diving catches. Higgs was also a Second-Team All-Region selection by the NFCA.

Nunez– a junior from Amarillo– set career highs in batting average (.375), runs scored (55), walks (36) and steals (44, during her junior year. She was named First Team All-LSC as well as a Gold Glove recipient. Nunez led the LSC in stolen bases and finished the regular season ranked fifth in the nation. She was also in the top 10 in walks and the top 20 in the country in runs scored. Nunez was second in the LSC in walks, third in runs scored and fourth in on-base percentage (.506). On defense, Nunez finished the season with a .986 fielding percentage with 65 putouts. She robbed one home run and made numerous diving catches throughout the year. It is the first All-Region selection of her career.

Jameyson, Hebler, Higgs, Nunez and the No. 13 Lions won the South Central Region 1 Championship and advance to the Super Regional Tournament for the first time in program history. They will face No. 6 Angelo State in a best-of-3 series beginning Thursday at 7:00 p.m. All games will be at Mayer Field in San Angelo.

 

SOFTBALL

No. 13 Lions win South Central Region 1 Championship after 14-2 win over No. 17 Tarleton State.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.– The No. 13 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team defeated No. 17 Tarleton State University 14-2 in the deciding game of the South Central Region 1 Championship game. TSU defeated A&M-Commerce 10-9 in the first game of the day to force a final game.

The Lions improve to 42-10, and they advance to the South Central Super Regional Championship series. The TexAnns drop to 50-11 and their season is over.

The Lions will face No. 6 Angelo State in the Super Regional Championship series. The first game of the series will be Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The second game of the series will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. with the possibility of a deciding game three to follow on Friday.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 1)
– Mariah Jameyson hit a two-run homer in the third inning. She also walked in two runs.
– Kinsie Hebler had a two-RBI single and also walked in a runner.
– Chealsea Slider went 3-of-4, knocking in two runs.
– Ciera Nunez, Baylea Higgs, and Monica Cherry scored two runs apiece. Kayla Kilcrease and Jodie Hill also scored runs.
– Emily Otto, Katie Dean, Lacie Bullard and Hebler all saw action in the circle.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
TSU scored three runs in the first inning. After two walks started the action, a home run put three runs on the board. The Lions went three-up and three-down in the bottom of the first. TSU led 3-0 after one.

The Lion defense kept TSU off the board in the bottom of the inning before the Lions had a two-out rally. After two walks of their own, Slider came up to bat and hit a double to right center, scoring both base runners. The Lions trailed 3-2 after two complete.

TSU had a solo homer in the top of the third to bring their lead back up to two runs. The Lions responded right back. After Higgs drew a walk, she scored on a home run from Jameyson that cleared the fence by several feet. The score tied at four after three innings.

TSU hit another solo homer in the fourth inning to again take the lead. The Lions responded by taking their first lead of the game. Slider hit a single. A pitch hit Cherry and Higgs drew a walk to load the bases. Jameyson also drew a walk to tie the game. Hebler then came to the plate and smoked a pitch to second. The baseman made a diving stop, but Jameyson hustled to second and beat the throw. Nunez and Higgs both scored on the single, and the Lions led 7-5 after four innings.

The TexAnns retook the lead in the top of the fifth. Three singles brought in the first run. Two more singles and a walk brought in three more runs, bringing the TSU lead to 9-7. The Lions had two base runners in the bottom of the inning but could not get them around. TSU led 9-7 after five innings.

Hebler did quick work of the TexAnns in the top of the sixth inning, not giving up a hit. The Lions then came up and filled the bases with no outs. However, they turned a quick line drive for a double play, and the Lions could not bring in a run. TSU led 9-7 headed into the seventh.

TSU added another run in the seventh inning to bring their lead to three runs. The Lions came up looking to even up the game or walk off and got off to a good start. Hill and Cherry both drew walks and Slider had a single to load the bases with no outs. The next two batters grounded out, with the throw going home both times. Jameyson and Hebler both came up next but were walked to bring in two runs. The Lions had one final chance with the bases loaded to bring in the winning run, but a fly out ended the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 2)
– Baylea Higgs went 3-of-3 with four RBIs while scoring two runs.
– Kinsie Hebler hit a three-run home run in the first inning.
– Bri Sims had two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the fifth inning.
– Ciera Nunez and Mariah Jameyson also had RBIs.
– Nunez stole her 46th base of the season, tying a single-season program record.
– Allie Thompson, Kimber Neal, Jodie Hill and Monica Cherry all scored runs.
– Emily Otto pitched a complete game, striking out three in five innings against three hits. She earned her 19th win of the season.
– The Lions advance to the Super Regional Tournament for the first time in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
The Lions scored four runs in the first to lead off the game. Nunez singled and stole second. She scored on the double from Higgs. After a Jameyson walk, Hebler came to the plate and crushed a pitch off of the scoreboard in center, bringing in three runs. The Lion defense also started well, holding TSU without a hit. The Lions led 4-0 after one complete.

The Lions were unable to add to their lead in the second inning. TSU then came up, and the leadoff hitter hit a home run over the center field fence. The third batter of the inning also hit a solo homer, and the Lions led 4-2 after two innings.

The Lions were again held scoreless in the third inning. The Lion defense stepped up in the bottom of the third. Hill made a diving stop and flipped the ball to Chealsea Slider on second. She fired it over to Sims on first for the double play and the Lion defense held TSU scoreless.

The Lions added to their lead in the fourth inning with a two-out rally. Nunez drew a walk and Higgs singled. Jameyson then singled to score Nunez. The wind played a part in the next play as Hebler hit a fly to the right, but a muffed catch allowed two runs to score. Hebler scored on a single from Sims, and the Lions held an 8-2 lead. The TexAnns loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but the Lion defense held them without a run. A&M-Commerce led 8-2 after four.

The Lions again threatened in the fifth inning. Slider singled to lead off and was pinch run for by Neal. A pitch hit Hill, and Cherry reached base on a bunt hit. Nunez singled to center to score Neal. Higgs then cleared the bags on the double to center, scoring all three runners. Higgs scored on a two-run homer by Sims. The Lions led 14-2.

The Lions finished TSU off in the fifth inning. Otto forced two groundouts, and the final out was made on a fly out.

 

SOFTBALL

No. 13 Lions advance to Regional Final after 14-7 win over No. 3 Colorado Mesa.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.– The No. 13 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team defeated No. 3 Colorado Mesa 14-7 on Friday. The Lions built a big lead early and traded blows with CMU through the rest of the game to get the win.

With the win, the Lions improve to 41-9 on the year and advance to the Regional Championship game for the first time in program history. CMU falls 48-4 on the year.

The Lions advance to the Regional Final and await their opponent. Game six of the tournament will be at Noon MDT (1:00 p.m. CDT). If necessary, a seventh and final game is 2:30 p.m. MDT (3:30 p.m.). The games will be at CMU Softball Field in Grand Junction, Colo.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Kinsie Hebler hit two homers, including a grand slam for five RBIs. She scored three times.
– Baylea Higgs went 2-of-3, including a three-run triple. She also scored once.
– Kayla Kilcrease, Mariah Jameyson, and Monica Cherry also drove in runs.
– Ciera Nunez scored twice. Precious Thompson, Allie Thompson, Bri Sims and Vanessa Avina also scored runs.
– Emily Otto started the game and earned her 18th win of the season. Lacie Bullard finished the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions came up to bat first and went three-up and three-down. The Mavericks then came up and had two leadoff singles. A double brought in both runs and CMU led 2-0 after one complete.

The Lions answered back. Hebler came up and smashed a pitch over the left field fence to get the Lions on the board. The Lion defense also made some plays in the bottom of the inning, holding CMU without a run. A&M-Commerce trailed 2-1 after two.

The Lions went to work in the third inning. Nunez and Higgs, both hit singles, and Jameyson drew a walk to load the bases. Hebler then smoked a pitch again, this time over the right-center fence for the third grand slam of her career. The Lions led 5-2 going into the bottom of the inning. The defense again made some great plays, retiring the Mavericks in order. The Lions led 5-2 after three complete.

The Lions broke the game open in the fourth, scoring seven runs. Cherry had an RBI single. Higgs then came up to the plate and hit a triple to clear the bases and bring in three more runs. Jameyson and Kilcrease also had RBI singles, and Hebler scored on a wild pitch from third. The Lions held a 12-2 lead. CMU hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. The Lions led 12-3 after four.

After the Lions went scoreless in the fifth, the Mavericks put up three runs in the bottom of the inning, cutting the Lion lead to 12-6. The Lions answered back with two runs in the top of the sixth. With two runners on, the Mavericks’ fielding error followed by a throwing error, and both runners came across. The Lions led 14-6.

CMU scored one run in the bottom of the sixth to force a seventh inning.

 

TRACK AND FIELD

25 Lions named to All-LSC Outdoor Track and Field teams.

RICHARDSON – A total of 25 Texas A&M University-Commerce track and field student-athletes earned All-Lone Star Conference honors for outdoor track and field, as announced by the LSC office.

The Lions had 14 men and 11 women earn All-LSC accolades. Six men and five women were first-team honorees. The list of all-conference performers includes the first team, which consists of event winners, all members of the winning relay teams, and athletes scoring 14 or more points at the LSC Championships. The second team includes athletes scoring 8-13.9 points, and the third team those scoring 6-7.9 points. Overall, 58 men and 57 women were recognized.

Men’s first team honorees include Rashard Clark (gold medalist in the 400-meter dash and 4×400 meter relay), Florian Obst, DeVontae Steele (gold medalist in the triple jump), and the trio of Dedrian Windham, Gabriel Peterson, and Josiah Dennis (gold medalists in the 4×400 meter relay).

Women’s first team honorees are Minna Svaerd (gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles and 4×400 meter relay), Laura Alicke (gold medalist in the 10,000-meter run). Also, Kamryn McKee (gold medalist in the 400-meter dash and 4×400 meter relay), and Joy Spann and Ro’Nisha Simpson (gold medalists in the 4×400 meter relay).

MEN’S ALL-CONFERENCE PERFORMERS
SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding Male Track Athlete (Cap Shelton Award): Marcus Parker, Eastern New Mexico
Outstanding Male Field Athlete (Oscar Strahan Award): Richard Cervantes, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Men’s Track and Field Coach of the Year: Tom Dibbern, Angelo State

First Team
Athlete	School	Year	Points	Event winner
Richard Cervantes	Texas A&M-Kingsville	JR	26	Shot Put, Discus
Marcus Parker	Eastern New Mexico	SO	21.25	100 meters, 200 meters
Rashard Clark	A&M-Commerce	JR	20.5	400 meters, 4×400 Relay
Harry Maslen	Angelo State	SO	19.5	Decathlon
Charles Greaves	Texas A&M-Kingsville	JR	18.5	4×100 meter relay
Florian Obst	A&M-Commerce	SO	18
Geoffrey Kipchumba	West Texas A&M	SR	18	3,000-steeplechase
Abraham Seaneke	West Texas A&M	JR	17	Long Jump
Dalton Stidham	Tarleton State	JR	16.75
Owen Hind	West Texas A&M	SR	16	10,000 meters
Dragan Pesic	Angelo State	SR	14.5
DeVontae Steele	A&M-Commerce	SR	14	Triple Jump
Mason Myrick	Angelo State	SR	14
Briggs Wittlake	West Texas A&M	FR	14	5,000 meters
Javier Lopez	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SR	13.75	110 hurdles, 4×100 meter relay
Ben Thiel	Angelo State	SR	13	400 hurdles
Ayman Zahafi	Texas A&M-Kingsville	FR	11.25	800 meters
Kenny Zamorano	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SR	10	Hammer Throw
Tyler Russell	Angelo State	FR	10	High Jump
Johen Deleon	Tarleton State	SO	10	1,500 meters
Nils Fischer	Angelo State	SO	10	Javelin
Trivett Jones	Angelo State	SO	10	Pole Vault
Todd Nicholas	Texas A&M-Kingsville	JR	9.5	4×100 meter relay
Jonathan Harper	Texas A&M-Kingsville	FR	8.5	4×100 meter relay
Dedrian Windham	A&M-Commerce	SR	6.5	4×400 Relay
Gabriel Peterson	A&M-Commerce	FR	4.5	4×400 Relay
Josiah Dennis	A&M-Commerce	SR	4.5	4×400 Relay
Second Team
Stadrian Taylor	A&M-Commerce	SO	13
Malcolm Woods	A&M-Commerce	JR	13
Kylon Drones	West Texas A&M	SR	12
Ayodeji Adedokyn	Angelo State	JR	11
Laban Kandie	Angelo State	SO	10
Ryan Thomson	West Texas A&M	SR	10
Sir Morgan Loudd	A&M-Commerce	FR	10
Jorge Rios	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SO	10
Michael Simcho	Tarleton State	SO	10
Armani Smith	A&M-Commerce	SR	10
Robert Downs	Texas A&M-Kingsville	JR	9.25
Quinton Sansing	West Texas A&M	FR	9
Tobia Lahbi	West Texas A&M	JR	9
D’Lance Sharp	A&M-Commerce	SR	9
Austin Yaeger	A&M-Commerce	SR	9
Hudson Hall	A&M-Commerce	SO	8
AJ Perez	Texas A&M-Kingsville	FR	8
Kenneth Lloyd	Eastern New Mexico	SR	8
Peyton Heinig	Tarleton State	SR	8
Reese Montgomery	Angelo State	JR	8
Vitaly Zhgun	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SO	8
Third Team
Tyler Welch	Angelo State	FR	7
Cade Halliburton	West Texas A&M	SO	7
Antonio Barrancos	West Texas A&M	SR	7
Jordan Wilson	A&M-Commerce	FR	7
Gabe Galvan	Angelo State	FR	7
Paolo Lazaric	West Texas A&M	JR	7
Ivar Moinat	Eastern New Mexico	SO	6
Zach Holmes	Angelo State	SO	6
Justin Botello	Tarleton State	FR	6
Derek Wieck	West Texas A&M	JR	6

 

WOMEN’S ALL-CONFERENCE PERFORMERS
SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding Female Track Athlete (Wes Kittley Award): Kelsey Warren, Angelo State
Outstanding Female Field Athlete (David Noble Award): Kami Norton, Angelo State
Women’s Track and Field Coach of the Year: Tom Dibbern, Angelo State

First Team
Athlete	School	Year	Points	Event winner
Kami Norton	Angelo State	SR	37.25	Heptathlon, 100 hurdles
Kelsey Warren	Angelo State	SR	26	3,000-steeplechase
Fatim Affessi	West Texas A&M	SO	21.5	Long Jump, Triple Jump
Nikolina Hrelec	West Texas A&M	SR	21	800 meters, 1,500 meters
Minna Svaerd	A&M-Commerce	FR	20.5	400 hurdles, 4×400 Relay
Valda Kabia	West Texas A&M	JR	19.5
Keandria Taylor	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SO	18.5	200 meters, 4×100 meter relay
Amira Cunningham	Lubbock Christian	SO	18	5,000 meters
Daisy Osakue	Angelo State	SO	18	Discus
Kennedy Hudson	West Texas A&M	SO	16.5	100 meters
Zada Swoopes	West Texas A&M	FR	16	Shot Put
Laura Alicke	A&M-Commerce	FR	16	10,000 meters
Danee Bustos	Eastern New Mexico	JR	15.5
Jordan Nash	Angelo State	JR	15
Kandace Miles	Eastern New Mexico	SO	14
Madison Thetford	West Texas A&M	SO	14
Trenadey Scott	Angelo State	SO	14
Cheyenne Williams	West Texas A&M	JR	14
Kamryn McKee	A&M-Commerce	SR	13.75	400 meters, 4×400 Relay
Rachael Somoye	Texas A&M-Kingsville	JR	13	Hammer Throw
Taylor Roberson	Texas A&M-Kingsville	FR	10.5	4×100 meter relay
Kaitlin Lumpkins	Angelo State	SR	10	High Jump
Heather Shaffer	Angelo State	JR	10	Pole Vault
Barbara Rivera	Angelo State	JR	10	Javelin
Joy Spann	A&M-Commerce	JR	3.75	4×400 Relay
Deana Richardson	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SO	3.5	4×100 meter relay
Teandria Taylor	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SO	2.5	4×100 meter relay
Ro’Nisha Simpson	A&M-Commerce	FR	2.5	4×400 Relay
Second Team
Anitial’a Robins	A&M-Commerce	SR	13
LaGae Brigance	Texas A&M-Kingsville	JR	12.5
Kaitlyn Matthews	Angelo State	FR	12
Imani Williams	Tarleton State	FR	11
Mackenzie Clark	A&M-Commerce	JR	10.25
Erman Jepleting	West Texas A&M	FR	10
Mallory Shehan	West Texas A&M	FR	10
Ashley Dendy	Angelo State	SR	10
Kara Bickham	Tarleton State	JR	9.75
Nele Heinrich	West Texas A&M	SO	9.5
Irene Almarcha	Texas A&M-Kingsville	SR	9.5
Jessica Clay	A&M-Commerce	SR	9
Hailey Wanoreck

…

 

SOFTBALL

No. 13 Lions defeat No. 17 Tarleton State in 15-8 slugfest.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.– The No. 13 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team defeated No. 17 Tarleton State 15-8 on Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament I. The Lions had offensive explosions in the first and sixth innings to get the win.

The win brings the Lions to 40-9 on the season. It is the first 40-win season in A&M-Commerce softball history. The TexAnns fall to 47-10 on the year.

The Lions move into the winner’s bracket of the tournament and will play at Noon MDT (1 p.m. CDT) Friday against top-seeded Colorado Mesa. The game will be at CMU Softball Field in Grand Junction, Colo.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Mariah Jameyson had two hits, including the game-winning double in the sixth inning to bring in three runs. She also scored twice.
– Ciera Nunez hit a three-run home run in the first inning, her first-career outside the park homer. She drove in three runs and scored three times with a stolen base.
– Bri Sims had two hits and drove in three runs.
– Chealsea Slider had two hits and two RBIs.
– Monica Cherry, Kayla Kilcrease, Kinsie Hebler and Vanessa Muro also all brought in a run.
– Baylea Higgs, Precious Thompson, Chloe Horn and Vanessa Avina all scored runs.
– Emily Otto, Lacie Bullard and Katie Dean all had a strikeout. Dean was credited with the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Things could not have started better for the Lions on both sides of the ball. Otto struck out the first batter she saw and retired the side in order without a hit or a walk. In the bottom of the inning, the Lion offense exploded, scoring eight runs on six hits. Sims and Slider both had two-RBI singles, and Cherry added an RBI double. The inning was finished off with a three-run homer from Nunez. The Lions led 8-0 after one complete.

The TexAnns started to get things going in the second. A leadoff single was followed by a double to put two runners in scoring position. A sacrifice fly brought in a run, and the Lions led 8-1 after two complete.

The TexAnns again got a rally going in the third inning. A single, walk and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out. Two singles brought in runs. A hit-by-pitch brought in another. With two outs, the Lions brought in Bullard, and she fought through the at-bat to get a swinging strike. The Lions led 8-4.

Neither team recorded a hit in the fourth inning as the pitchers were on the mark for both teams. The TexAnns hit a solo homer in the fifth inning to again cut into the Lion lead. The Lions faced extra runners with two outs, but Bullard forced a fly out to center to get the final out. The Lions had a single in the bottom of the inning but could not bring in a run. A&M-Commerce led 8-5 after five complete innings.

TSU tied the game in the sixth inning. Two doubles brought in a run, and a triple brought in two more to bring the game back to even at eight apiece.

The Lions answered back in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out rally. With the bases loaded, Jameyson came to the plate and hit a bases-clearing double to score three runs. Hebler then hit a double to score Jameyson. She scored on an RBI single from Sims. Sims scored on the double from Kilcrease. Kilcrease scored on a single by Muro. The Lions held a 15-8 lead after six innings.

The Lions did quick work of the TexAnns in the seventh inning to seal the win.

 

SOFTBALL

Hebler, Jameyson, and Nunez named Google Cloud/CoSIDA Academic All-District®.

COMMERCE – Texas A&M University-Commerce softball players Kinsie Hebler, Mariah Jameyson, and Ciera Nunez have been named to the 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-District® Softball Team, as announced Thursday.

The 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-District®, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the Google Cloud Academic All-America® ballot, with first- and second-team Academic They announce the All-America® honorees in June.

Hebler – a sophomore from Cypress – earns her first Academic All-District® honor. She has been named to the Dean’s List once, President’s List twice, Best in the Class honor roll twice, Athletic Director’s List once, Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll three times, and was a 2017 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.

The two-time NFCA All-Region selection improved her batting average (.414), home runs (15) and RBIs (56) from her freshman season and has received national recognition for her play. Hebler is a current Top-25 Finalist for the NFCA National Player of the Year award and was named Fastpitch News National Player of the Week. She finished the regular season in the top 20 in the nation in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage (.814) and total bases (118). Hebler finished fifth in the LSC in RBIs, home runs, walks and on-base percentage and sixth in batting average. She had the game-winning RBI in 12 different games this season.

Jameyson – a senior from Seattle, Wash. – earns her first Academic All-District® honor. She has been named to the Dean’s List once, President’s List twice, Best in Class honor roll twice, Athletic Director’s List once, Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll three times, was named Lone Star Conference All-Academic in 2018 and was a 2017 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.

The two-time NFCA All-Region selection and 2017 All-American was named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year as well as a First Team All-LSC selection after a stellar season. During the regular season, Jameyson was a top-5 statistical leader in several categories and received national recognition several times during the season. She is currently a Top-25 finalist for the NFCA National Player of the Year and was a two-time NFCA National Player of the Week and a one-time Fastpitch News National Player of the Week.

Jameyson finished the regular season as the nation’s leader in on-base percentage (.644). She was second in the country in batting average (.542), slugging percentage (1.137) and RBIs (80), third in total bases (149), fourth in walks (39) and fifth in home runs (22). Jameyson’s .542 batting average was nearly .100 points better than any other player in the LSC and broke the single-season record that they set in 1997. Jameyson also had an on-base percentage more than .100 points higher than any other LSC player. She was also the only hitter in the LSC to finish the season with a slugging percentage over 1.000. Jameyson led the LSC in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs, hits (71) and walks (39). She had the game-winning RBI in 13 different games this season.

Nunez– a junior from Amarillo– earns her first Academic All-District® honor. The two-time Lone Star Conference All-Academic selection has been named to the Dean’s List once, President’s List four times, Best in Class four time, and Athletic Director’s List once. She was previously a D2CCA Academic Achievement Award winner and is a two-time Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.

Nunez set career highs in batting average (.375), runs scored (55), walks (36) and steals (44). Nunez led the LSC in stolen bases and finished fifth in the nation. She was also in the top 10 in walks and the top 20 in the country in runs scored. Nunez was second in the LSC in walks, third in runs scored and fourth in on-base percentage (.506). On defense, Nunez finished the season with a .986 fielding percentage with 65 putouts. She robbed one home run and made numerous diving catches throughout the year. She is a two-time All-Lone Star Conference selection and won the LSC Gold Glove in 2018.

2018 Google Cloud Academic All-District Softball Team
NCAA DIVISION II – DISTRICT 6 (Heartland, Lone Star, Rocky Mountain)
FIRST TEAM

Pos.	Name	School	Yr.	Major
P	Madison Hagood	Oklahoma Christian	Jr.	Mass Communication/ Public Relations-Advertising
P	Kilee Halbert	West Texas A&M	Sr.	Nursing
P	McKenzie Surface	Colorado Mesa	Jr.	Psychology
P	Jordan Withrow	Tarleton State	So.	Kinesiology
C	Mariah Jameyson	A&M-Commerce	Sr.	Kinesiology & Sport Studies
IF	Morgan Dufour	Lubbock Christian	Jr.	Accounting & Finance
IF	Megan Durante	Tarleton State	Sr.	Kinesiology
IF	Clara Larson	Colorado School of Mines	So.	Electrical Engineering
IF	Hazel Puempel	Texas Woman’s	So.	Business Administration
OF	Delaney Hiegert	Newman	Sr.	Communication
OF	Brooke Hodgson	Colorado Mesa	Sr.	Kinesiology / K-12 Education
OF	Ciera Nunez	A&M-Commerce	Jr.	Human Performance
OF	Whitney Weber	Colorado-Colorado Springs	Sr.	Criminal Justice
DP	Kinsie Hebler	A&M-Commerce	So.	Human Performance

 

SOFTBALL

Softball holds at No. 13 in NFCA Poll headed into Regional Tournament.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team is ranked 13th in the latest coaches poll released by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as announced Wednesday. The Lions stayed in the same spot from last week’s ranking. For all 12 weeks, the coaches’ poll has nationally ranked the Lions.

The No. 13 Lions went 1-1 last week, picking up their first-ever LSC Tournament win. The Lions are one of four teams from the LSC in the national rankings. Angelo State is ranked sixth, West Texas A&M is ranked 10th, and Tarleton State is ranked 17th. North Georgia is the top-ranked team.

The Lions are also highly ranked in three other rankings. They are No. 5 in the current rankings done by Hero Sports, which also takes into account strength of schedule, offensive and defensive ranking. The Lions are ranked No. 7 in the Massey Ratings and are No. 7 in the rankings by Fastpitch News.

The No. 13 Lions are currently 39-9. They qualified for the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament for the second time in school history. The Lions are the fourth seed in the region. The Lions will open up their regional action facing Tarleton State on Thursday at 3 p.m. MDT. All games in the double-elimination tournament will be at the CMU Softball Field in Grand Junction, Colo.

2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll – May 9 (Week 12)

Rank	Team	Points	Record	Previous
1	North Georgia (15)	399	56-2	1
2	Chico State (1)	384	50-3	2
3	Colorado Mesa	369	47-3	3
4	North Alabama	348	44-5	4
5	Winona State	331	45-5	5
6	Angelo State	327	47-7	6
7	Palm Beach Atlantic	294	33-6	8
8	Southern Arkansas	280	52-9	7
9	Grand Valley State	266	41-7	9
10	West Texas A&M	244	39-11	10
11	Lenoir-Rhyne	238	42-8	11
12	Concordia Irvine	231	44-12	12
13	A&M-Commerce	191	39-9	13
14	California Baptist	181	33-10	15
15	Augustana	164	39-13	14
16	UAH	156	35-15	17
17	Tarleton State	144	47-9	15
18	Dixie State	130	38-8	19
19	Illinois Springfield	113	36-16	18
20	Georgia College	94	36-14	21
21	UC San Diego	86	35-17	20
22	Embry-Riddle	76	33-13	22
23	West Virginia Wesleyan	47	39-12	23
24	Adelphi	25	30-19-1	25
t-25	Minnesota Duluth	16	40-13	RV
t-25	Saint Leo	16	32-15	RV

 

MEN’S GOLF

Two Lions shoot under par Wednesday as A&M-Commerce finishes 16th at Super Regional.

AMARILLO – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s golf team had two players shoot under par and climbed two spots in the team standings to finish in 16th place at the NCAA Division II South Central/West Super Regional on Wednesday.

The Lions completed the tournament with a score of 895 (+43, 311-291-293) and had the fourth-best score in the final round of the tournament.

Blake Hartford was the Lions’ top finisher, thanks to a 2-under par 69 in the final round, His 6-over par 219 for the event tied him for 22nd place. The sophomore had three birdies and only one bogey to close out the tournament.

Garrett Landers also shot a 2-under par 69 Wednesday, finishing in 37th place with a 9-over par 222. The junior eagled the 17th after sticking his approach shot within five feet of the hole. He also had four birdies and four bogeys in his final round.

Lucas McCubbin placed 64th in the tournament at 13-over par 226. He had three birdies on the way to a 6-over par 77 on Wednesday.

Wilfredo Sanchez closed out his collegiate career on his birthday, carding a 7-over par 78 in his final round with two birdies. He placed 83rd at 17-over par 230. Joe Wolcik shot an 84 Wednesday and finished the tournament in 103rd at 240.

It was the Lions’ first NCAA regional appearance as a team since 2009.

Rank	Team	Scores			Total	Par
1.	St. Mary’s	286	285	290	861	+9
2.	California Baptist	292	278	295	865	+13
3.	Holy Names	298	283	288	869	+17
4.	Colorado-Colorado Springs	294	287	290	871	+19
5.	Colorado Christian	291	286	301	878	+26
	Sonoma State	295	286	297	878	+26
7.	Chico State	292	285	302	879	+27
	Oklahoma Christian	290	292	297	879	+27
9.	Colorado School of Mines	298	287	295	880	+28
10.	Midwestern State	302	289	293	884	+32
11.	Arkansas-Fort Smith	297	290	298	885	+33
	Cal State Monterey Bay	296	294	295	885	+33
13.	Dominican (Calif.)	301	295	294	890	+38
14.	Cal State San Marcos	301	288	302	891	+39
	Simon Fraser	299	293	299	891	+39
16.	A&M-Commerce	311	291	293	895	+43
	Dixie State	297	299	299	895	+43
18.	Rogers State	309	285	302	896	+44
19.	Colorado State-Pueblo	314	294	301	909	+57
20.	Western Washington	316	302	301	919	+67

A&M-Commerce	311	291	293	895	+43	t-16th
Blake Hartford	79	71	69	219	+6	t-22nd
Garrett Landers	78	75	69	222	+9	t-37th
Lucas McCubbin	78	71	77	226	+13	t-64th
Wilfredo Sanchez	78	74	78	230	+17	t-83rd
Joe Wolcik	77	79	84	240	+27	t-103rd

 

SOFTBALL

Three Lions named to NFCA All-Region teams.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team had three players named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region Teams. Announced were Mariah Jameyson and Kinsie Hebler to the First Team while Baylea Higgs was named Second Team All-Region. The teams were announced Wednesday by the NFCA.

Jameyson– a senior from Seattle, Wash.– was named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year as well as a First Team All-LSC selection after a stellar season. During the regular season, Jameyson was a top-5 statistical leader in several categories and received national recognition several times during the season. She is currently a Top-25 finalist for the NFCA National Player of the Year and was a two-time NFCA National Player of the Week and a one-time Fastpitch News National Player of the Week.

Jameyson finished the regular season as the nation’s leader in on-base percentage (.644). She was second in the country in batting average (.542), slugging percentage (1.137) and RBIs (80), third in total bases (149), fourth in walks (39) and fifth in home runs (22). Jameyson’s .542 batting average was nearly .100 points better than any other player in the LSC and broke the single-season record that they set in 1997. Jameyson also had an on-base percentage more than .100 points higher than any other LSC player. She was also the only hitter in the LSC to finish the season with a slugging percentage over 1.000. Jameyson led the LSC in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBIs, hits (71) and walks (39). She had the game-winning RBI in 13 different games this season. It is the second NFCA All-Region selection of her career.

Hebler– a sophomore from Cypress– improved her batting average (.414), home runs (15) and RBIs (56) from her freshman season and has received national recognition for her play. Hebler is a current Top-25 Finalist for the NFCA National Player of the Year award and was named Fastpitch News National Player of the Week. She finished the regular season in the top 20 in the nation in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage (.814) and total bases (118). Hebler finished fifth in the LSC in RBIs, home runs, walks and on-base percentage and sixth in batting average. She had the game-winning RBI in 12 different games this season. It is the second NFCA All-Region selection of her career.

Higgs, a senior from Arlington, was a First Team All-LSC selection, winning the third All-LSC award of her career to go alongside her second Gold Glove selection. During the regular season, she set career bests in batting average (.411), runs scored (50), hits (62), RBI (34) and doubles. Higgs led the LSC in triples with five and was third in the conference with 26 stolen bases. She finished third amongst outfielders in both runs scored and batting average and was second in hits. As a defender, Higgs led the LSC with a perfect fielding percentage. She also robbed two home runs during the year and made numerous diving catches. It is the first All-Region selection of her career.

Jameyson, Hebler, Higgs and the No. 13 Lions are the fourth seed in the South Central Regional Tournament. The Lions will open up their regional action facing Tarleton State on Thursday at 3 p.m. MDT. All games in the double-elimination tournament will be at the CMU Softball Field in Grand Junction, Colo.

 

Josh Manck

Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Communications | Texas A&M University-Commerce