A school-record 59 Lions earn D2ADA Academic Achievement Award.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – A total of 59 student-athletes representing Texas A&M University-Commerce has been awarded the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association’s Academic Achievement Award for their efforts 2019-20 academic year.

A&M-Commerce’s 59 honorees are the most for the Lions since the award was created in 2008, beating the previous school record of 58 set in 2018-19. Lion scholar-athletes have increased their record total in each of the last five academic years.

“This high level of academic achievement during an unprecedented time is remarkable,” A&M-Commerce Director of Athletics Tim McMurray said. “During the final half of the spring semester, our student-athletes had to be innovative in completing their studies, managing their time, and being patient with their circumstances. To add this to our record-spring achievement is certainly reason to celebrate.”

In total, there were 15,214 student-athletes from 200 institutions recognized for the 2019-20 Academic Achievement Awards. These numbers shattered the records for the highest number of participating institutions and the largest number of student-athletes nominated since the award program’s inception. 

“In a year when we can use all of the good news, the D2 ADA Officers and Board of Directors are proud to recognize the highest number of student-athletes with the Academic Achievement Award than ever before,” said D2 ADA President JR Smith, director of athletics at Chadron State College. “The nominations also came from a record number of institutions, showcasing the passion and dedication of our Association and Division II as a whole.”

For a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the Division II institution’s athletics director must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA. 

Also, the student-athlete must:

• have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college-level work
• have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year

Texas A&M University-Commerce student-athletes who earned the award are:

Ryan Amador	Men’s Track and Field	So.
Brandon Bascue	Men’s Football	Sr.
Devin Beamon	Men’s Football	So.
Neema Behbahani	Men’s Football	Sr.
Lauren Bentley	Women’s Golf	Sr.
Kara Blasingame	Women’s Soccer	Jr.
Avery Boley	Women’s Softball	Jr.
Evelyn Brown	Women’s Track and Field/XC	So.
Lexi Bubenchik	Women’s Golf	Jr.
Leslie Campuzano	Women’s Soccer	Jr.
Caleb Cantu	Men’s Track and Field	Jr.
Taryn Cast	Women’s Volleyball	So.
Shelley Chapron	Women’s Volleyball	Sr.
Chelsea Cheek	Women’s Track and Field	Grad
Jessika Coronado	Women’s Soccer	Sr.
Shelbi Court	Women’s Softball	Sr.
Riley Davidson	Women’s Volleyball	Sr.
Maiya Dickie	Women’s Volleyball	So.
Paige-Lee Garris	Women’s Golf	Jr.
Abigail Gatlin	Women’s Softball	Jr.
Katie Givens	Women’s Soccer	Jr.
Nicki Gonelli	Women’s Volleyball	Jr.
Noah Harris	Men’s Football	Jr.
Kinsie Hebler	Women’s Softball	Sr.
Sophie-Charlott Hempel	Women’s Golf	Jr.
Dylan Henderson	Men’s Track and Field	Sr.
Bryson Jenkins	Men’s Football	So.
Alexus Jones	Women’s Basketball	Sr.
Andre Karasch	Men’s Track and Field	Grad
Yenifer Martinez	Women’s Track and Field/XC	So.
Cooper Miller	Men’s Track and Field/XC	So.
Dallas Millin	Men’s Golf	Jr.
Ta’Lyn Moody	Women’s Softball	Sr.
Kimber Neal	Women’s Softball	Jr.
Karlee Nichols	Women’s Golf	So.
Keekee Nowlin	Women’s Basketball	Jr.
Emily Otto	Women’s Softball	Jr.
Cally Pausewang	Women’s Softball	Grad
Alex Peavy	Men’s Basketball	Jr.
Nick Petitti	Men’s Football	Sr.
Mason Ray	Men’s Football	Sr.
Rylie Robertson	Women’s Soccer	Jr.
Mason Russ	Men’s Track and Field	Jr.
Steven Sanchez	Men’s Track and Field	Sr.
Madison Schaefer	Women’s Softball	So.
Cassidy Seaney	Women’s Track and Field/XC	Jr.
Julia Seigerroth	Women’s Track and Field	Sr.
Alex Shillow	Men’s Football	Grad
Chealsea Slider	Women’s Softball	Sr.
Brandi Stalder	Women’s Track and Field	Grad
Agang Tac	Women’s Basketball	Jr.
Imani Taylor	Women’s Track and Field	So.
Allie Thompson	Women’s Softball	Sr.
Carson Tuttle	Men’s Basketball	So.
Celeste Vela	Women’s Volleyball	So.
Cora Welch	Women’s Soccer	Jr.
Shelby White	Women’s Track and Field/XC	Sr.
Madison Zick	Women’s Soccer	Jr.

A&M-Commerce announces plans for competition in 2020-21

COMMERCE – With the 2020-21 academic year underway, Texas A&M University-Commerce has announced the Lions’ plans for intercollegiate athletics competition. The following legislation by the NCAA and the Lone Star Conference, each sport has slightly different methods. The LSC Council of Presidents has agreed to reduce the maximum number of competitions for fall sports to 50 percent of maximum competitions allowed, thereby saving a year of eligibility for student-athletes.  

The announcement comes weeks after the NCAA canceled fall championships, and the LSC Council of Presidents voted to move fall sports championship segments to the spring semester. Cross country will compete for a conference championship this fall, with men’s and women’s golf beginning their non-championship segment this fall and competing for their championship segment next spring.  

STATEMENT FROM UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT DR. MARK RUDIN

“Our campus – and higher education overall – continue to wrap our hands around the scope and impact of COVID-19. I am a major proponent for the focus and protocols we have put into place. I also appreciate the leadership and engagement of our talented coaches and our student-athletes. Safely, we look forward to seeing our Lions begin competitions this fall and carry that momentum to the winter and spring of 2021.”

STATEMENT FROM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS TIM McMURRAY 

“For the past five months, our supreme focus and guiding principles in decision-making have been rooted in student-athlete health and safety, risk mitigation, and hope. We owe tremendous gratitude to our Student-Athlete Success, Sports Medicine, and Sports Performance units who have worked together as a team this summer to ensure upholding those three paradigms.  

“Further, our coaches and student-athletes who have adjusted to our protocols have put us in a position to compete this season. We will attempt to do so within the guidelines established by the CDC, State of Texas, Texas A&M System, and the NCAA. Our student-athletes deserve our highest level of commitment.”  

FOOTBALL

After deliberate and careful review of all options, along with numerous conversations between student-athletes, coaches, and administration, the Lions have opted to play no outside competition in the 2020-21 academic year. Instead, the program will focus on preparing for a 2021 regular season, which features seven home games (2021 Football Schedule) for the first time in school history and an opportunity to provide a full final season of competition for the 2020 senior class. 

In the 2020-21 academic year, Lion football will see a modified format with the non-championship segment in the fall and the championship segment in the spring. The fall semester will consist of practice and strength and conditioning, usually consistent with “spring ball.” The spring semester will consist of the regular fall practice schedule. 

More details on the Lions’ fall and spring practice schedules will be released soon. 

CROSS COUNTRY

Reductions in top contests will see the Lions’ cross country teams run in three regular-season meets, followed by the Lone Star Conference Championships in late October with a date yet announced. 

A&M-Commerce will host the East Texas Shootout on Friday, October 2, at Centennial Park. 

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE

SOCCER

The Lions’ soccer team will flip their regular season layout and participate in the spring championship segment with a seven-match Lone Star Conference competition (to preserve an additional year of eligibility in 2021-22). 

VOLLEYBALL

The Lions’ volleyball team will flip their regular season layout and participate in the spring championship segment. Volleyball will schedule a maximum of 10 dates of competition in the spring (to preserve an additional year of eligibility in 2021-22). 

The release of full schedules for both soccer and volleyball will be the month of September. 

WOMEN’S AND MEN’S GOLF

Women’s and men’s golf typically compete in a non-championship segment in the fall, followed by a championship segment in the spring. Based on NCAA legislation, overall dates of competition in 2020-21 will be fewer. Still, both teams compete in eight regular-season events with three in the fall semester and five in the spring semester. 

Both teams will start with events on Monday, September 21, the first date of competition allowed by recent Lone Star Conference decisions. The Lion women will open at the DBU Classic at Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch in Denton, while the Lion men will play in the LSC/RMAC Shootout in Albuquerque, N.M. 

WOMEN’S GOLF SCHEDULE

MEN’S GOLF SCHEDULE

WOMEN’S AND MEN’S BASKETBALL

The 2020-21 basketball seasons will consist of 22 contests, which will begin in the spring semester. Basketball teams may practice during the fall semester and are awaiting clarity on exempt contests against the outside competition (exhibition games or scrimmages). 

A full schedule will be released later this fall. 

SOFTBALL

Spring sports remain on schedule for the 2020-21 academic year. Softball may participate in a maximum of 44 regular-season games in 2021. 

A full schedule will be released later this fall. 

TRACK & FIELD

Track and field may compete on a maximum of 14 dates in the indoor and outdoor seasons combined. 

Full schedules release at a later date. 

More details on upcoming schedules and coach and student-athlete engagement will be rolling out on LionAthletics.com and our social media channels in the coming days and weeks.