Vela earns the LSC Setter of the Week award.
RICHARDSON – After a record-setting weekend against elite competition, Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball’s Celeste Vela is named Lone Star Conference Setter of the Week on Tuesday afternoon.
A native of Guadalajara, Mexico, Vela totaled 154 assists this past weekend, facing four of the top teams in the country at the Colorado Premier.
She set her career-high in assists twice on Saturday, recording 43 against Cal State San Bernardino. She had 54 assists in A&M-Commerce’s 3-1 victory over Lynn. The junior setter is 11th in the LSC with 154 assists. That is despite playing the fewest sets of any players above her on the leaderboard.
It is the fifth career weekly honor for Vela and first for the Lions this season. In addition, Sydney Andersen and Riley Davidson were named LSC players of the week for the last week of the spring season.
UP NEXT
A&M-Commerce hosts its first two home matches this weekend, taking on Eastern New Mexico on Friday at 6:00 pm and West Texas A&M on Saturday at 1:00 pm.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
S-7 Christina Escamilla, UT Tyler
S-14 Kailyn Gilbreath, Angelo State
Defensive
S-7 Savannah Guzman, UT Tyler
S-14 Baleigh Allen, Angelo State
Setter
S-7 Kailyn Gilbreath, Angelo State
S-14 Celeste Vela, Texas A&M-Commerce
Lion Football returns home to face No. 1 West Florida.
COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team plays its first game at Memorial Stadium in 679 days when it takes on No. 1 and defending NCAA Division II champion, West Florida, in a rematch of the 2017 National Championship game.
WHO: West Florida at Texas A&M-Commerce
WHERE: Commerce | Memorial Stadium
WHEN: Saturday, September 18 at 6 p.m.
RECORDS: The Argonauts are 2-0 thus far this season, including a win over Division I opponent McNeese State. The Lions are 1-1, and 0-1 in Lone Star Conference play.
RANKINGS: West Florida is the consensus No. 1 team in Division II. A&M-Commerce is ranked No. 13 in the D2Football.Com poll and No. 21 in the AFCA poll.
LIVE AUDIO: Lion Sports Network — KETR 88.9 FM, Commerce (http://www.ketr.org)
LIVE VIDEO: https://lonestarconferencenetwork.com/tamuc/
LIVE STATS: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=353488
TICKETS: https://lionathletics.com/tickets
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE ARGONAUTS
• A&M-Commerce and West Florida met only once before Saturday, and it was for all the marbles.
• The Lions beat the Argonauts in Kansas City, Kan. On December 16, 2017, by 37-27 for the NCAA Division II National Championship.
• Saturday’s matchup is the first of a home-and-home series between two of the last three Division II champs. The Lions are in Pensacola, Florida, on September 17.
FEELS LIKE 2017
• The two teams are meeting for the first time since the 2017 National Championship game. In recent memory, regular-season rematches have been a rarity.
National Championship Rematches since 2010 during the regular season
NCAA Division | National Champion | Runner-Up | National Championship Year and Result | Rematch Date and Result |
II | A&M-Commerce | West Florida | 2017, A&M-Commerce won 37-27 | 09/18/21 |
I FCS | North Dakota State | Towson | 2013, North Dakota State won 35-7 | 09/18/21 |
I FBS | Ohio State | Oregon | 2014, Ohio State won 42-20 | 09/11/21, Oregon won 35-28 |
I FBS | Auburn | Oregon | 2010, Auburn won 22-19 | 08/31/19, Auburn won 27-21 |
II FCS | North Dakota State | Illinois State | 2014, NDSU won 29-27 | 10/01/16, NDSU won 20-7 |
II | Valdosta State | Winston-Salem State | 2012, Valdosta State won 35-7 | 09/13/14, Valdosta State won 22-17 |
I FBS | Alabama | LSU | 2011, Alabama won 21-0 | 11/03/12, Alabama won 21-17 |
A&M-COMMERCE AND MIDWESTERN STATE BEGAN TWO-YEAR SERIES AT CHOCTAW STADIUM
• The Lions and the Mustangs played at Choctaw Stadium this past Saturday, with MSU winning 31-30.
• This was the Lions’ first regular season neutral site game since the Lone Star Conference Football Festival in 2014. In addition, they played Division II’s first game at Choctaw Stadium, which is in its second fall season as a football facility.
• “I think it will be an exciting opportunity for the young men on this football team to play at Choctaw Stadium,” A&M-Commerce head football coach David Bailiff said. “I went to several of the XFL games there last year, and it’s a beautiful venue with incredible amenities. I’m excited about this team and this university to show what we have there.”
• This Saturday’s game was the first of a two-game series between A&M-Commerce and Midwestern State at Choctaw Stadium.
• The 2022 game between the Lions and Mustangs will be played at Choctaw Stadium on October 8, with Midwestern State as the home team.
MORRIS AND VIQUEZ EARN LSC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK AWARDS
• Linebacker Xavier Morris was named Defensive Player of the Week, and kicker Jake Viquez was named Special Teams Player of the Week on September 6 after the 12-6 win over CSU-Pueblo.
• Morris (Converse – Judson)- Part of the defensive unit allowed just six points and 219 total yards from scrimmage. The senior linebacker had nine total tackles to lead the Lions and caught an interception in the fourth quarter.
• Viquez (Rockwall) – Responsible for all 12 points in the win over the Thunderwolves, he went 4-for-5 in his field goal attempts with makes of 30, 29, 40, and 52 yards. His 52-yarder tied for the second-longest field goal made in program history. He also had three punts.
LONE STAR CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Date | Offense | Defense | Special Teams |
Sept. 6 | CJ Odom, Angelo State | Xavier Morris, A&M-Commerce | Jake Viquez, A&M-Commerce |
Sept. 13 | Clayton Roberts, UT Permian Basin | Dylon Davis, Midwestern State | Ritse Vaes, Midwestern State |
SUCCESS AT ALL MULTIPLE LEVELS
• Based on our research, coach David Bailiff is the fourth-ever coach to qualify for the Division II playoffs, Division I-AA, or FCS playoffs and win a Division I-A or FBS bowl game.
Coach | D2 | FCS | FBS Bowl Wins |
David Bailiff | 2019 A&M-Commerce |
2005 Texas St. |
2008 Texas 2012 Armed Forces 2014 Hawai’i Rice |
Terry Bowden | 2009-11 North Alabama |
1991-92 Samford |
1996 Independence^ 1997 Peach^ 2015 Idaho Potato* *- Akron ^- Auburn |
Willie Fritz | 2002 Central Missouri |
2011-13 Sam Houston State |
2018 Cure Tulane |
Joe Glenn | 1990-91, 95-99 Northern Colorado |
2000-02 Montana |
2004 Las Vegas Wyoming |
LONG TIME COMING
• The Lions played their first game in 636 days against the CSU-Pueblo ThunderWolves on September 2. It was the longest drought in program history since World War II.
Seasons Missed | Days Between Games |
1943-45 (World War II) | 1,409 |
1918 (World War I) | 688 |
2020 (COVID-19 Pandemic) | 636 |
A&M-COMMERCE PICKED TO WIN THE LSC
•The Lions are voted the top team in the preseason poll conducted by the Lone Star Conference.
•A&M-Commerce collected 15 of the 23 first-place votes for 175 points in the preseason poll, 23 points ahead of Angelo State. The Lion’s last appearance at the top of the preseason poll was in 2018, and the Lions’ last LSC title came in 2016. A&M-Commerce is 41-5 in the LSC in the previous six seasons and has not lost more than one conference game in a season since 2013.
LONG LIST OF STUDENT-ATHLETES FINDING SECOND HOMES
• There are 31 transfers on the rosters who will make their Lion debut this season. The transfers came to Commerce from all over the country and hail from all levels of college football.
College Football Division | Number of Transfers |
Division I FBS | 11 (Five from Power-Five) |
Division I FCS | 5 |
Division II | 1 |
NAIA | 1 |
NJCAA | 9 |
CCCAA | 4 |
A&M-COMMERCE TRANSFERS
College Football Division | Pos. | Previous School |
King Ambers | DB | New Mexico Military Institute |
Rehoboth Chibesa | OL | Cisco College |
Chris Dascher | TE | Florida Tech |
Brendan Easley | WR | Morgan State |
D’Angelo Ellis | DB | Rice |
Dominion Ezinwa | DL | UNLV |
Jalen Graves | DL | UNLV |
Celestin Haba | DL | Scottsdale Community College |
Anthony Hayes | DL | Southwest Mississippi Community College |
Darvis Holmes | DL | Fullerton College |
Ben Hutch | DL | Southeast Missouri State |
Jo-Bentley Keilani | OL | Mt. SAC College |
Riley Langton | WR | Northern Arizona |
Kevin Ledee | WR | Tulane |
Jaiave Magalei | QB | Louisiana |
Tyler Malin | LB | Kentucky |
Dontay Mayfield | WR | Duquesne |
Cameron Nellor | WR | Trinity Valley CC |
Michael Noble | LB | Fullerton College |
Jrake Polk | DB | Navarro College |
Cameron Proctor | DL | Fullerton College |
Austin Smith | LB | Tennessee |
Jaelin Smith | DL | Friends (Kan.) |
Kenedy Snell | WR | TCU |
Anthonie Thomas | OL | Kilgore College |
Dante Vandenberg | TE | Northern Iowa |
Brenden Young | DB | Arkansas |
Dee Walker | LB | Arkansas |
Cedrick Wilcox III | LB | Jacksonville |
Justice Williams | DL | Independence Community College |
Stephan Zabie | OL | Trinity Valley Community College |
READY FOR LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL
• Twenty-nine student-athletes have already received their degrees going into the 2021-22 academic year.
• A&M-Commerce and Illinois are tied for most student-athletes with degrees across all levels of college football, according to the National Football Foundation.
Emmanuel Adabgdon | James Bell | Alex Carswell |
Matthew Childers | Chance Cooper | Travis Dafft |
Elijah Earls | D’Angelo Ellis | Dominion Ezinwa |
Shane Gosson | Carandal Hale | Noah Harris |
Christian Hernandez | Jaylon Hodge | Peter Kazibwe |
Kader Kohou | Antonio Leali’ie’e | Wyatt Leath |
Darius Leonard-Williams | Xavier Morris | Solomon Nduwke |
Dominique Ramsey | Alex Shillow | Amon Simon |
Austin Smith | Jontavis Smith | Jake Viquez |
Richard West | Jemal Williams |
NCAA DIVISION II SCHOOLS WITH 10 OR MORE GRADUATES
School | Numbers of Degrees |
Texas A&M-Commerce | 29 |
New Haven (Conn.) | 28 |
West Alabama | 19 |
Shepherd (W.Va.) | 16 |
Wingate (N.C.) | 15 |
Henderson State (Ark.) | 14 |
North Greenville (S.C.) | 14 |
Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 13 |
Concordia St. Paul (Minn.) | 12 |
Colorado School of Mines | 11 |
Fort Hays (Kan.) | 11 |
Harding (Ark.) | 11 |
West Florida | 11 |
Ashland (Ohio) | 10 |
Ferris State (Mich.) | 10 |
TOP-FIVE SCHOOLS AMONG ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
School | Numbers of Degrees | Division |
Texas A&M-Commerce | 29 | NCAA Division II |
Illinois | 29 | NCAA Division I FBS |
Baylor (Texas) | 28 | NCAA Division I FBS |
New Haven (Conn.) | 28 | NCAA Division II |
Western Kentucky | 27 | NCAA Division I FBS |
LIONS CONTINUE RANKINGS RUN
• The Lions were ranked No. 11 nationally in the final 2019 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches Poll.
• A&M-Commerce is ranked No. 13 in the D2Football.Com poll and No. 21 in the AFCA poll this week.
• The Lions have been ranked in 68 consecutive AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll.
• The Lions have had 74 all-time appearances in the AFCA poll since its inception in 2000.
• In the polls recognized by Division II as the top rating system, the Lions have been recognized as a nationally ranked team 123 times since joining Division II in 1981.
WE’RE STILL GOING STREAKING!
• By qualifying for their fifth straight NCAA Division II Playoff berth in 2019, the Lions have the third-longest active playoff streak in the nation.
• Only Northwest Missouri State (16 straight) and Ferris State (six straight) have longer active playoff streaks than A&M-Commerce.
• In Lone Star Conference history, only A&M-Kingsville (1992-98, 7 straight) has a streak of more than four appearances. They vacated the Javelinas’ 1996-98 appearances in the action of the NCAA Committee on Infractions.
• The Lions have also advanced to the regional semifinal round for four consecutive seasons. 2018 national runner-up Ferris State has reached the regional semifinal five times in a row.
SENIORS SUCCEED OVER CAREER SPAN
• The 2019 senior class claimed sole possession of the school record for wins in four years with 46. Their .845 winning percentage was second-best in school history.
• The 2021 senior class is already on pace to challenge those records with 35 wins and a .833 winning percentage.
Years | Record | Pct |
2016-19 | 46-9 | 83.9 |
2015-18 | 43-10 | 81.1 |
2014-17 | 42-10 | 80.8 |
1951-54 | 36-5-2 | 86.0 |
2017-21* | 36-8 | 81.8 |
2013-16 | 35-14 | 71.4 |
1957-60 | 34-7 | 82.9 |
1972-75 | 32-13-1 | 76.0 |
1936-39 | 31-8 | 79.5 |
1990-93 | 31-16-1 | 65.6 |
RAMSEY, SIMON, KOHOU NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
• Dominique Ramsey and Amon Simon are named Preseason All-Americans by Lindy’s magazine this summer. Ramsey, Simon, and Kader Kohou are named Preseason All-Americans by D2Football.com
• Ramsey earned All-American honors as an all-purpose player, while Simon is honored as an offensive lineman.
• Ramsey and Simon were honored as First Team Preseason All-Americans in Lindy’s Sports before the anticipated 2020 season as well before that season was ultimately canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Kohou earned the first-team all-Lone Star Conference in 2019.
• Ramsey – a redshirt senior from Converse (Judson) – earned three All-American honors in 2019 and has four postseason All-American awards in his career.
• He was named First Team All-American as an all-purpose player by the Associated Press and Second Team All-American as a return specialist and safety by the Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association (D2CCA).
• The Cliff Harris Award nominee was also named to the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football All-Texas, small college team, and earned First Team All-Super Region Four honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association as both a safety and return specialist.
• He earned Lone Star Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice in 2019, ranking second in the nation in kickoff return average at 37.5 yards per return, second in the LSC, and ninth in the country in punt return average at 14.7 yards per return. His return prowess has seen teams kick away from him, insomuch as he did not return a kickoff in the last three games of the regular season. He also had 39 tackles, three interceptions, two pass breakups, and two tackles for loss on defense.
• He is also named the Lone Star
• Simon – a redshirt senior from Humble (Atascocita) – earned Second Team All-American honors from the Associated Press and D2CCA in 2019. In addition, he was on Dave Campbell’s Texas Football All-Texas small college team and earned First Team All-Super Region Four honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. In 2019, Simon earned Lone Star Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year and First Team All-LSC honors at offensive tackle. He blocked for an offense that averaged 407.9 yards and 36.1 points per game during the regular season.
• Kohou- a redshirt senior from Euless (Trinity) – earned first-team all-LSC in 2019, second-team in 2018. In 2019, he recorded 27 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and had three interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and five pass breakups.
• For his career, Kohou has played in 33 games with 87 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, five interceptions, and 31 passes defended. He’s forced four fumbles and recovered three while returning an interception for a touchdown in each of the last two seasons.
KOHOU NAMED TO THE PRESEASON STARTING LINEUP
• Kader Kohou – received the College Football America Yearbook’s Preseason Starting Lineup. – a redshirt senior from Euless (Trinity) – earned first-team all-LSC in 2019, second-team in 2018. In 2019, he recorded 27 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and had three interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and five pass breakups.
• For his career, Kohou has played in 33 games with 87 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, five interceptions, and 31 passes defended. He’s forced four fumbles and recovered three while returning an interception for a touchdown in each of the last two seasons.
SMALLS, RAMSEY NAMED ON HARLON HILL TROPHY WATCHLIST
• Miklo Smalls and Dominique Ramsey of the Texas A&M University-Commerce football team are preseason contenders for the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy by Turner Sports’ Wayne Cavadi on NCAA.com.
• The two current Lions look to join former star Luis Perez, who hoisted the trophy in 2017 on the way to leading A&M-Commerce to the 2017 National Championship.
LIONS SWEEP LSC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
• Defensive back Dominique Ramsey is named the preseason Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year, while quarterback Miklo Smalls is named the preseason LSC Offensive Player of the Year.
•Ramsey- a redshirt senior from Converse (Judson) is selected as the conference’s preseason defensive player of the year, adding to a lengthy tally of honors in his career.
• The redshirt senior earned three All-American honors in 2019 and has four postseason All-American awards in his career. In addition, he received the First Team All-American as an all-purpose player by the Associated Press and Second Team All-American as both a return specialist and safety by the Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association (D2CCA).
• The Cliff Harris Award nominee was also named to the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football All-Texas, small college team, and earned First Team All-Super Region Four honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association as both a safety and return specialist.
• Smalls- A senior from Plano (Plano-East) named as the league’s preseason offensive player of the year after a phenomenal 2019 season at the quarterback position.
• He was named second-team all-Lone Star Conference and won LSC Offensive Player of the Week honors four times in 2019. Smalls completed 244-of-376 passes for 3,010 yards with 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions while also carrying the ball 124 times for 488 yards and three touchdowns.
• He had six games with multiple touchdowns passes, including five against Midwestern State. In the playoff wins over Tarleton and Colorado School of Mines, he had over 100 yards rushing and 150 yards passing in each contest.
RIEBOCK NAMED TO DAVE CAMPBELL’S “40 UNDER 40”
• Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Billy Riebock received the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 40 Under 40 list in the annual publication.
• Riebock is entering his second competitive season and the third year as the Lions’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, helping lead A&M-Commerce to the third round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, the Super Region Four finals, and an 11-3 overall record in 2019.
• In the first season with Riebock as coordinator, the Lions ranked first in the Lone Star Conference, eighth nationally in completion percentage, and third in the LSC in total offense. Offensive lineman Amon Simon received two All-American teams, two All-Region teams, and the LSC’s Offensive Lineman of the Year. Guard Deion Malone also earned All-Region and First Team All-LSC honors. Eight offensive players earned All-LSC recognition, representing every position group on the offense.
ADIBI ELECTED TO VIRGINIA TECH HALL OF GAME
•Defensive coordinator and linebacker coach Xavier Adibi is part of the 2021 class into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.
•Adibi is one of many in a long line of great Virginia Tech defensive backs, earning All-America honors and All-ACC recognition during an illustrious career from 2003-07. He became just the second linebacker in program history to earn All-America honors when he accomplished the feat as a senior following the 2007 season.
•Adibi led the Hokies that fall with 115 tackles, including a team-best 12 for a loss. He also added three sacks and two interceptions on his way to earning first-team All-ACC recognition. Behind him, Tech finished near the top of the ACC in virtually every defensive category that season, highlighted by a 30-16 win over No. 12 Boston College in the 2007 ACC championship game.
•A two-time All-ACC pick, Adibi earned second-team distinction in 2006 after finishing second on the team with 82 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss, three sacks, and three interceptions. The Hampton, Va., product started the final 40 games of his career, and he finished his career with 291 tackles, including 30 for a loss and 11 sacks.
•Adibi was a fourth-round draft pick (118th overall) by the Houston Texans in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played five seasons in the NFL – Houston (2008-10), Minnesota (2011), and Tennessee (2012). He graduated from Virginia Tech in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in apparel, housing, and resource management.
•Adibi enters his third year and second entire playing season as the Lions’ defensive coordinator in 2021. Adibi’s defensive unit was one of the best in the Lone Star Conference in 2019, leading the league in sacks per game and finishing in the top two in total defense, passing yards allowed, rushing defense, red zone defense, defensive touchdowns, and tackles for loss. In addition, safety Dominique Ramsey received a first-team All-American, and the defense earned four all-region and seven all-LSC honors.
SHILLOW NOMINATED FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY
• Alex Shillow is A&M-Commerce’s nominee for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy®. He was a semifinalist for the award in 2020.
• Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility., They need a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The NFF Awards Committee selects the class each year, comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers, and athletics administrators.
• Shillow – a redshirt senior from Pflugerville – becomes the third Lion student-athlete to win multiple CoSIDA Academic All-America awards and the first Lion football player to do so. Andrew Davis (men’s basketball) was a third-team honoree in 2012 and a first-team honoree in 2013, and Jaslyn Wacker (volleyball) was a second-team selection in both 2017 and 2018.
• Shillow has distinguished himself on the field, in the classroom, and the community during his career at A&M-Commerce. In January 2020, They elected him to his second term as the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He served as the A&M-Commerce SAAC, won the last three LSC SAAC Cups, and they selected him to reveal multiple Make-A-Wish recipients.
• He was a 2019 and 2020 nominee for the American Football Coaches Association’s Good Works Team and recipient of the NACDA John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship. In 2020, he was a national semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy. He will likely be eligible for these awards again in the 2021 season due to the pandemic.
• Following the 2019 season, Shillow was honored as a CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-America, the Lone Star Conference’s Fred Jacoby Academic Athlete of the Year, and the Lone Star Conference Academic Player of the Year in football. He graduated summa cum laude with his bachelor’s degree in sports management in August 2019 and his Master’s of Business Administration in December 2020. He currently continues graduate work in preparation for his final season of eligibility.
• On the field, Shillow has been named Second Team All-LSC in 2019 and 2017 with 159 tackles, four interceptions, 17 passes defended, three fumble recoveries, and 5.5 tackles for loss in 36 games over three seasons.
SHILLOW WAS NAMED FIRST TEAM CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA, RAMSEY NAMED TO SECOND TEAM
• Two Lions were named to the 2020-21 Academic All-America® Football Team, as Alex Shillow earned first-team honors and Dominique Ramsey earned second-team honors.
• Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) select the Academic All-America teams. The 2020-21 academic year base these honorees on career accomplishments instead of single-season statistics.
• Shillow earns Academic All-America honors for the second consecutive season after earning second-team honors in the 2019 season. It is the first Academic All-America honor for Ramsey.
• The duos are the 17th and 18th CoSIDA Academic All-Americas in A&M-Commerce history, and the football team now has eight honorees in program history. The Lions have had at least one CoSIDA Academic All-America in the last five years, which marks the longest streak in Lion Athletics history.
• Shillow – a redshirt senior from Pflugerville – becomes the third Lion student-athlete to win multiple CoSIDA Academic All-America awards and the first Lion football player to do so. Andrew Davis (men’s basketball) was a third-team honoree in 2012 and a first-team honoree in 2013, and Jaslyn Wacker (volleyball) was a second-team selection in both 2017 and 2018.
• Shillow has distinguished himself on the field, in the classroom, and the community during his career at A&M-Commerce. In January 2020, they elected him to his second term as the National Chair of the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He also served as the A&M-Commerce SAAC, which has won the last three LSC SAAC Cups and was named to reveal multiple Make-A-Wish recipients.
• He was a 2019 and 2020 nominee for the American Football Coaches Association’s Good Works Team and recipient of the NACDA John McLendon Minority Postgraduate Scholarship. In 2020, he was a national semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy. Because of the pandemic, he will likely be eligible for these awards again in the 2021 season.
• Following the 2019 season, Shillow was honored as a CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-America, the Lone Star Conference’s Fred Jacoby Academic Athlete of the Year, and the Lone Star Conference Academic Player of the Year in football. He graduated summa cum laude with his bachelor’s degree in sports management in August 2019 and his Master’s of Business Administration in December 2020. He currently continues graduate work in preparation for his final season of eligibility.
• On the field, Shillow has been named Second Team All-LSC in 2019 and 2017 with 159 tackles, four interceptions, 17 passes defended, three fumble recoveries, and 5.5 tackles for loss in 36 games over three seasons.
• Ramsey – a redshirt senior from Converse (Judson) – earned three All-American honors in 2019 and has four postseason All-American awards in his career. He was named First Team All-American as an all-purpose player by the Associated Press and Second Team All-American as a return specialist and safety by the Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association (D2CCA). The Cliff Harris Award nominee was also named to the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football All-Texas, small college team, and earned First Team All-Super Region Four honors from the D2CCA as a safety and return specialist.
• He was named the National Football Foundation Gridiron Club of Dallas Scholar-Athlete in 2021, as he graduated with his bachelor of science in industrial engineering in May. In addition, they named him to the President’s List once, the Dean’s List four times, and the LSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll five times. He was also a 2019 Academic All-LSC selection.
LEALI’IE’E AND SIMON WERE NAMED TO DAVE CAMPBELL’S TEXAS FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-TEXAS SMALL COLLEGE TEAM
• The Lions’ Antonio Leali’ie’e and Amon Simon have been named to the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Preseason All-Texas Small College Team in advance of the 2021 season.
• Dave Campbell’s Texas Football considered all four-year institutions in Division I FBS level for this team, which reflects the 2019 season statistics for the Lions. A&M-Commerce went 11-3 and advanced to the Super Regional finals under head coach David Bailiff in their first season.
• Simon (Humble – Atascocita) had a spectacular 2019 season, earning second-team All-American honors from the Associated Press and D2CCA. The Lone Star Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year was also named first-team all-region by the D2CCA and earned his second consecutive first-team All-Lone Star Conference honor. As a result, Simon has the opportunity to become the first repeat winner of LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year in the non-divisional era since Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Moses Horn did so in 1986 and 1987. A&M-Commerce’s R.J. Brisbon won consecutive awards in 2008 and 2009, but they split the award divisionally from 1997-2010.
• Leali’ie’e (Copperas Cove) was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference pick at running back in 2019, appearing in 10 games with 104 carries for 689 yards and seven touchdowns, for an average of 6.6 yards per carrying and 68.9 yards per game. He had three games with over 100 yards rushing, including 18 carries for 169 yards against Midwestern State in a game where he also had a receiving touchdown. He had 17 carries for 133 yards, two touchdowns against Western New Mexico, and 13 carries for 141 yards, and a touchdown against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
SHILLOW WAS NOMINATED FOR THE 2021 ALLSTATE/AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM
• Shillow (Pflugerville) is one of 42 scholar-athletes from the Combined Divisions (FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA) vying for 11 spots on the Good Works Team. Since its inception in 1992, the award has shone a spotlight on selfless student-athletes. It honors their dedication to volunteerism, community service, and their commitment to enriching the lives of others. While they recognize players for their accomplishments and achievements on game day, these student-athletes have made significant contributions to the greater good of society, inspiring future generations of young athletes and the larger college football community.
• Shillow was also a nominee for this award in 2019. As an active participant in multiple leadership roles for the Lions’ Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Shillow has led community service and fundraising efforts to raise awareness and funds for the Make A Wish Foundation. Shillow’s student-athlete group raised over $15,000 to grant two “Wish Kids” trips to Walt Disney World, as well as a trip to the NBA All-Star Game for the most recent “Wish Kid” at A&M-Commerce. Through fundraising initiatives and coordinated efforts, Shillow has also driven fundraisers and clothing donation collections to provide underprivileged families in the Commerce community with personalized gifts for Christmas.
• Shillow was also a leader of the Make It Important Campaign in the summer of 2020, which involved a video and an action plan to bring awareness to the social injustices going on in the country in response to the George Floyd murder.
• He led in getting his team registered to vote, along with other sports teams in the department, and initiated a conference-wide voter registration challenge. In addition, he sat on the university’s voter coalition committee to help make voter registration and voting more accessible for A&M-Commerce students. Shillow also led a virtual political open forum with two Texas state legislators, Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) and former Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Canton). It was in front of over 300 student-athletes and guests, moderating an insightful conversation and dialogue between Texas legislators and student-athletes. This initiative won 3rd place for the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence this past year.
• Shillow is also a leader and a part of Athletes In Action – a student-athlete faith-based organization.
• Shillow has also served on the NCAA Division II National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee from 2018-21 and was the national chair of the committee from 2019-21. He led the discussion and change around mental health, professional development, name image and likeness, and many student-athlete well-being topics, all while being a student-athlete and involved heavily in the Commerce community.
LION FOOTBALL RANKED NO. 4 IN “TOP 20 PROGRAMS THAT INSPIRE”
• The Lion Football program was ranked No. 4 in College Athletic Advisor’s Top 20 Programs That Inspire.
• The program rankings are open to all four-year, collegiate-level programs outside of NCAA Division I and are based on a subjective assessment of student experience in four areas:
-Holistic development of student-athletes in the institution;
-Academic achievement and support for the academic success of student-athletes;
-Overall college experience for participants within the program;
-Affordability/graduation rates/student satisfaction.
• Although College Athletic Advisor’s list is subjective, the organization believes these rankings “present an informed starting point for a discussion about where student-athletes can excel as ‘triple-threat competitors’ (academics, athletics, and socially) in college and their future lives.”
SMITH EARNS ALL-AMERICAN HONORS IN TRACK
• Jontavis “J.T.” Smith was the Lions’ running back to start the 2019 season but was injured in the Western Oregon game.
• He was prepared to compete in the 2020 season, but the COVID pandemic shut down his chances for that year.
• Smith joined the Lions’ track and field team and claimed three All-American honors and a national championship in the spring of 2021 outdoor season.
•He was the second leg in the Lions’ national championship 4×100 meter relay team that claimed the gold medal with a time of 39.69 seconds.
• Smith finished fifth in the 100-meter dash at 10.42 seconds and 12th in the 200-meter dash at 21.59.