Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor Recipients

5/30/2017 12:30:58 PM

All-Time Recipients

RICHARDSON, Texas –– The American Southwest Conference and its member institutions announced today the 26 members of the graduating class of 2017 selected as recipients of the ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor.

The ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor is presented annually by the Faculty Athletics Representatives to one male and one female member of the graduating class at each member institution who has compiled the most outstanding record in academics, athletics and leadership over their collegiate career. The Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor is the highest honor presented to a student-athlete by the American Southwest Conference.

Recipients of the ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor in the Class of 2017 represent 12 conference sports and include individuals who graduated with academic honors, hold admission to graduate programs, are members of academic honor societies and campus organization leaders. The honorees competed in conference, regional and national tournaments, earned athletic and academic conference and national awards, and served as volunteers, tutors and mentors within their campus and local community.

ASC Class of 2017 Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor Recipients

Belhaven	Daniel Ammarati	Sports Admin., Business	Baseball	New York, N.Y.
	Candler Gregory	Chemistry	Basketball	Hampton, Ga.
Concordia Texas	Colton Poindexter	Business Administration	Baseball	Humble, Texas
	Shelby Allen	Communications	Golf	Houston, Texas
East Texas Baptist	Cody Blankenship	Business Admin., Finance	Track and Field	Hallsville, Texas
	Katherine Bramlett	Wellness Mgmt., Psychology	Tennis	Granbury, Texas
Hardin-Simmons	Conlan Aguirre	Mathematics Education	Football	Abilene, Texas
	Shayne Cook	Ex Science, Pre-Phys.Therapy	Tennis	Abilene, Texas
Howard Payne	J Bailey	Social Science	Basketball	Gunter, Texas
	Callie Molloy	Kinesiology	Volleyball, Tennis	Memphis, Texas
LeTourneau	Taber Miyauchi	Mechanical Engineering	Cross Country	Grand Lake, Colo.
	Lizzy Duffy	Child Development	Cross Country	Fountain Valley, Calif.
Louisiana College	Kiefer Moore	Health, Physical Education	Baseball	Shreveport, La.
	Jordan Mason	Health, Physical Education	Softball	Vivian, La.
Mary Hardin-Baylor	Jarrod Brown	Engineering Science	Golf	Groves, Texas
	Charis Brantley	Exercise Science	Soccer	College Station, Texas
McMurry	Thierry Tchenko	Political Science, Business	Basketball, Tennis	Houston, Texas
	Shantel Thomas	Chemistry	Track and Field	Highlands, Texas
Univ. of the Ozarks	Dillon Gash	Mathematics	Basketball	Ekins, Ark.
	Bryanna Moltz	Health Science	Basketball	Sheridan, Ark.
Sul Ross State	Xavier Webb	History	Basketball	Riverton, Wyo.
	Jessica Lubbers	Biology	Cross Country, Track	El Paso, Texas
UT Dallas	Sam Konstanty	Biomedical Engineering	Soccer	Missouri City, Texas
	Michelle Toro	Mechanical Engineering	Volleyball	Flower Mound, Texas
UT Tyler	Gerardo Viera	Finance, Mathematics	Cross Country, Track	Rockwall, Texas
	Kierin Stevens	Mathematics	Softball	Plano, Texas

Biographical information provided by each student-athletes' Faculty Athletic Representative and Sports Information Director.

BELHAVEN UNIVERSITY

Daniel Ammarati | Sports Administration, Business | Baseball | New York, N.Y.
Daniel Ammarati, a Belhaven University graduate with a degree in sports administration with a business minor, is a two-time baseball ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and All-Academic award recipient who also earned 2017 National Christian College Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete accolades. Ammarati was a member of the 2015 Southern States Athletic Conference All-Academic Team. On the field, Ammarati is a four-year BU letterwinner with 140 career games. He compiled 105 hits – 25 for extra-bases – with 45 RBI, 55 runs and a .316 batting average while helping the Blazers to a 121-77 record during his career.

Candler Gregory | Chemistry | Basketball | Hampton, Ga.
Candler Gregory, a Belhaven University graduate with a degree in chemistry, is an ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Conference women's basketball award recipient who also earned scholar-athlete citations from the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association and National Christian College Athletic Association. President of the BU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Gregory held leadership roles at First Baptist church and led bible studies at Jackson Academy (Miss.) in addition to tutoring chemistry while completing studies. A four-year starter and two-time captain of the Blazers' women's basketball team, Gregory earned NCCAA all-region honors and finished her career with 986 points.

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY TEXAS

Colton Poindexter | Business Administration | Baseball | Humble, Texas
Colton Poindexter, a Concordia University Texas graduate with a degree in business administration, was a 2016 ASC Baseball Distinguished Scholar-Athlete team member and three times earned ASC Academic All-Conference honors. A three-year starter for the Tornados, Poindexter has received multiple ASC accolades in assisting Concordia Texas to the conference tournament every season since he arrived to Concordia and to a runner-up finish at the 2017 NCAA Division III West Regional tournament.

Shelby Allen | Communications | Golf | Houston, Texas
A Concordia University Texas graduate with a degree in communications, Shelby Allen has three times been named to the ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team in women's golf and claimed three Academic All-Conference citations. Allen has rewritten the Tornados' women's golf record books during her collegiate career and holds the 18- and 36-hole scoring records in addition to competing in the most rounds. Allen was a photographer for the Concordia Texas Athletic Department and interned with the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour, one of the prestigious tours for players under the age of 18.

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Cody Blankenship | Business Administration, Economics, Finance | Track and Field | Hallsville, Texas
An East Texas Baptist graduate with a degree in business administration with minors in economics and finance, Cody Blankenship is a two-time member of the ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team in men's track and field who also earned ASC Academic All-Conference awards and earned ETBU President and Deans List citation Dean's lists and President's lists. Blankenship is active in his church and assisted with Disciple Nows. Blankenship is a founding member of the ETBU track and field team, a four-year captain and high jump record holder. He is the first athlete in Tigers history to win three ASC individual championships, taking the high jump title in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Nationally-ranked in Division III high jump three seasons, Blankenship is the first ETBU athlete to earn NCAA Division III Championships qualification in an individual sport (2016).

Katherine Bramlett | Kinesiology Wellness Management, Psychology | Tennis | Granbury, Texas
Katherine Bramlett is an East Texas Baptist University summa cum laude graduate with a degree in wellness management and a minor in psychology. Completing her studies in three years, Bramlett earned ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team citation, two-time ASC Academic All-Conference honors and both CoSIDA Academic All-District First-Team and Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic awards. Bramlett is the most prolific women's tennis player since the ETBU program was reinstituted, holding multiple school records including wins, consecutive wins and combined wins in singles and doubles, and earning regional and national rankings. Twice All-ASC and three times All-East Division, Bramlett was the 2017 East Division Most Valuable Player and Sportsmanship Award recipient, and led ETBU to its first ASC title and qualification to the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship.

HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY

Conlan Aguirre | Mathematics Education | Football | Abilene, Texas
Conlan Aguirre, a Hardin-Simmons University graduate with a degree in mathematics education, was the 2016 ASC Football Distinguished Scholar-Athlete of the Year and CoSIDA Academic All-American. Aguirre was twice named to the conference football Distinguished Scholar-Athlete team and three Academic All-Conference citations. One of the top male student-athletes on the HSU campus, Aguirre was named to the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society and Campbell Trophy semifinalist. A four-year starter for the Cowboys, Aguirre was a first-team all-ASC selection at defensive back and led the Cowboys to berths in the 2015 and 2016 NCAA Division III playoffs.

Shayne Cook | Exercise Science, Pre-Physical Therapy | Tennis | Abilene, Texas
A Hardin-Simmons University graduate with a degree in exercise science and pre-physical therapy, Shayne Cook is a two-time member of the ASC Women's Tennis Distinguished Scholar-Athlete team, a CoSIDA Academic All-District award recipient and an ASC Academic All-Conference honoree. She has been accepted to the HSU physical therapy graduate program. Cook was a three-year standout for the Cowgirl tennis team playing No. 1 singles and doubles where she was regionally ranked in both singles and doubles during her career. Cook helped HSU to West Division titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017, is an all-conference performer and was the ASC West Division Most Valuable Player as a junior.

HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY

J Bailey | Social Science | Basketball | Gunter, Texas
A Howard Payne University Guy D. Newman Honors Academy graduate with a degree in social science, J Bailey is a two-time member of the ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team in men's basketball and a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference award recipient. Bailey was named the ASC West Division Men's Basketball Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year in 2017 in addition to West Division Honorable Mention and All-Defensive Team honors.

Callie Molloy | Kinesiology | Volleyball, Tennis | Memphis, Texas
Callie Molloy, a Howard Payne University graduate with a degree in kinesiology, is an ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team honoree and ASC Academic All-Conference award recipient in both volleyball and tennis. Molloy also served as a personal trainer for the HPU Kinesiology department. An active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Molloy is a two-year letter winner in volleyball and women's tennis. Molloy played an essential role in helping HPU volleyball reach the ASC postseason for the first time since 2000.

LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY

Taber Miyauchi | Mechanical Engineering | Cross Country | Grand Lake, Colo.
Taber Miyauchi is a LeTourneau University summa cum laude graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering who earned CoSIDA Academic All-America and All-District honors. The ASC 2016 Men's Cross Country Distinguished Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Miyauchi was twice named to the conference Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team and a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference recipient. The 2015 LeTourneau Male Athlete of the Year, Miyauchi led LeTourneau to a runner-up finish at the 2015 ASC Cross Country Championships with a career-best third-place All-ASC finish. He competed in four NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional Championships, leading the YellowJackets to a 15th place finish in 2016. Miyauchi was active in campus Bible studies, a volunteer with the Longview Boys & Girls Club, and a supplemental instructor for engineering courses at the University.

Lizzy Duffy | Child Development | Cross Country | Fountain Valley, Calif.
Lizzy Duffy, a LeTourneau University summa cum laude graduate with a degree in child psychology, is a two-time ASC Academic All-Conference honoree. Active in campus organizations, Duffy was a University student ambassador, Bible study leader, assistant with the Chaplain's Office and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative for YellowJacket women's cross country. A two-year cross country letterwinner, Duffy helped LeTourneau to program-best finishes at the 2016 ASC (fourth) and NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional Championships (19th).

LOUISIANA COLLEGE

Kiefer Moore | Health, Physical Education | Baseball | Shreveport, La.
A Louisiana College graduate with a degree in health and physical education, Kiefer Moore is an LC Dean's List scholar and a two-time ASC Academic All-Conference award recipient. Moore has been involved in several cancer awareness and survivor's events, including Cats Crush Cancer and LC baseball fashion show fundraisers. An outfielder and captain with the Wildcats baseball team, Moore is a two-time All-ASC honoree and named to the Blue Bracket All-Tournament team in 2017 after leading LC to its first conference postseason appearance in two seasons.

Jordan Mason | Health, Physical Education | Softball | Vivian, La.
Jordan Mason, a Louisiana College graduate with a degree in health and physical education, is an LC Dean's List scholar and a two-time ASC All-Academic honoree. Mason served as a leader with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a Bible study leader for the Wildcats' softball team, and represented the softball team on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. A four-year letterwinner, Mason was three times named to ASC all-conference honors as an outfielder and played in four conference championship tournaments.

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR

Jarrod Brown | Engineering Science | Golf | Groves, Texas
Jarrod Brown is a University of Mary Hardin-Baylor graduate with a degree in engineering science. He is a two-time Golf Coaches Association of America All-American Scholar-Athlete and three-time member of the ASC Men's Golf Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team and Academic All-Conference list. Brown serves as the men's golf representative to the UMHB Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Named a 2017 GCAA All-American, Brown was two times named to the All-West Region team and All-ASC honors, and was ranked nationally during his UMHB career. Brown played on three ASC championship teams and in three NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships.

Charis Brantley | Exercise Science | Soccer | College Station, Texas
A University of Mary Hardin-Baylor graduate with a degree in exercise science, Charis Brantley is an two-time ASC Women's Soccer Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team member and a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference award recipient. Brantley was named a 2017 UMHB Exercise and Sport Science Department Major of the Year honoree. Brantley is UMHB's first National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-American (2016) after earning All-West Region honors. A member of four ASC tournament qualifying teams, Brantley was three times named ASC All-Conference and an ASC All-Tournament honoree as a senior.

MCMURRY UNIVERSITY

Thierry Tchenko | Political Science, Business | Basketball, Tennis | Houston, Texas
Thierry Tchenko, a McMurry University graduate with a degree in political science with a business minor, is an ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team honoree in basketball and tennis, and listed on the ASC Academic All-Conference lists in basketball and tennis. Tchenko twice garnered National Christian College Athletic Association academic awards. President of the McMurry student government and men's tennis representative to the War Hawks' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Tchenko has been accepted to Georgetown University for graduate studies in political science. Tchenko is a four-year basketball letterwinner who joined the tennis team as a senior and was named the ASC West Division Newcomer of the Year.

Shantel Thomas | Chemistry | Track and Field | Highlands, Texas
A McMurry University graduate with a degree in chemistry, Shantel Thomas is a two-time member of the ASC Women's Track and Field Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team and a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference award recipient. She earned National Christian College Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete and Indoor All-America honors as a senior. Thomas served as president of the McMurry Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. A sprints specialist, Thomas totaled six first-place finishes – four individual, two relay – at the 2017 ASC Women's Track and Field Championships to earn the High Points award and all-conference honors in leading McMurry to the ASC title.

UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS

Dillon Gash | Mathematics | Basketball | Elkins, Ark.
Dillon Gash, a graduate of the University of the Ozarks with a degree in mathematics, is a two-time member of the ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team in men's basketball and a three-time recipient of ASC Academic All-Conference honors. Gash has twice received Honors Court citation from the National Association of Basketball Coaches. H has been involved in a number of community service activities throughout his collegiate career, including the University's youth-focused Field Day. Gash was a four-year letterwinner with the Eagles.

Bryanna Moltz | Health Science | Basketball | Sheridan, Ark.
A University of the Ozarks graduate with a degree in health science, Bryanna Moltz is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference honoree who garnered ASC Women's Basketball Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team recognition as a senior. Moltz earned acceptance to the University of Arkansas graduate program in athletic training and was the University's Female Athlete of the Year in 2014-15. A women's basketball All-ASC and All-East Division award recipient during her career, Moltz totaled 1,173 points, 639 rebounds and 174 blocks as a four-year letterwinner. She finished seventh in league in scoring (15.2) as a senior.

SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY

Xavier Webb | History | Basketball | Riverton, Wyo.
A Sul Ross State University graduate with a degree in history, Xavier Webb received ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team and Academic-All-Conference honors in men's basketball. Webb is a Dean's List scholar at SRSU who has been involved in a variety of community projects mentoring youth in basketball and life decision skills along with assisting in events with the elderly and disabled. A two-year letterwinner with the Lobos, Webb was a member of the 2016 ASC West Division champion team and earned All-West Division honors as a senior.

Jesssia Lubbers | Biology | Cross Country, Track and Field | El Paso, Texas
An honors graduate at Sul Ross State University, Jessica Lubbers is an ASC Academic All-Conference award recipient and SRSU Dean's List honoree that completed her degree in biology in three years. Lubbers was enrolled in the University Honors Program, received Beta Beta Beta honors and was involved with several campus organizations . She competed as a member of the Lobos' cross country and track and field teams. As a freshman, Lubbers was a key scoring runner in helping SRSU to a fifth-place finish at the 2014 ASC Cross Country Championships matching the program's best conference meet showing.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

Sam Konstanty | Biomedical Engineering | Soccer | Missouri City, Texas
Recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, Sam Konstanty graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in biomedical engineering. Twice named the ASC Men's Soccer Distinguished Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Konstanty twice earned CoSIDA Academic All-America and All-District First-Team selection and was a National Soccer Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American honoree. He claimed three ASC Academic All-Conference citations. A four-year men's soccer starter, Konstanty was twice selected ASC Defensive Player of the Year and all-conference after leading the Comets to two ASC championships and NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championships berths.

Michelle Toro | Mechanical Engineering | Volleyball | Flower Mound, Texas
A graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in mechanical engineering, Michelle Toro became the first UTD student-athlete to claim CoSIDA Academic All-America First-Team and American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America First-Team honors in the same season (2016). Toro, recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, was twice selected the ASC Volleyball Distinguished Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned three Academic All-Conference awards. A four-year letter winner, Toro led UTD to consecutive ASC championships and NCAA tournament berths, including a spot in the 2016 Division III regional finals. Toro was named ASC East Division Most Valuable Player as a senior and selected to all-conference and all-division honors in each of her last three seasons.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER

Gerardo Viera | Finance, Mathematics | Cross Country, Track and Field | Rockwall, Texas
A graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler with two degrees -- finance and mathematics, Gerardo Viera is a two-time ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete cross country honoree and earned ASC Academic All-Conference citations in both cross country and track and field. A long distance specialist, Viera competed with the Patriots' cross country and track and field teams, and was part of ASC men's cross country and track and field championship teams and competed in three NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional Cross Country Championships. He was voted ASC Men's Cross Country Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year in 2016.

Kierin Stevens | Mathematics | Softball | Plano, Texas
Kierin "KK" Stevens is a University of Texas at Tyler graduate with a degree in mathematics. A three-time ASC Academic All-Conference award recipient, Stevens is also an all-America, all-region and all-conference honoree on the softball field. A four-year starter for the Patriots, Stevens was cited by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as All-West Region three times and All-America in 2015. She was a four-time All-ASC honoree and the 2015 co-Player of the Year. Stevens helped lead UT Tyler to the 2016 NCAA Division III softball title, made three trips to the national finals and won four regular-season and two ASC softball titles.

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