All-Time Distinguished Scholar-Athletes of the Year

RICHARDSON, Texas – Eleven student-athletes from six different member universities headline the 2018 American Southwest Conference Winter-Spring Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Teams, the league office announced on Friday.
 
The Distinguished Scholar-Athlete recipients include Alex Bishop of UT Tyler in baseball, Caleb Thomasson of Sul Ross State in men’s basketball, Kendall Rollins from Mary Hardin-Baylor in women’s basketball, Levi Pettit from UTD in men’s golf, Hailey Hollas of UTD and Olivia Robinson of UMHB in women’s golf, Stefanie Polderman of UT Dallas in softball, Ryan Morton from UTD in men’s tennis, Kathy Joseph from UTD in women’s tennis, Raul Villalpando from Concordia Texas in men’s track & field and Hannah Smith of Ozarks in women’s track & field.
 
UT Tyler senior Alex Bishop helped lead the Patriots to a national championship and finished his career as the program’s all-time RBI leader and with 22 home runs. Bishop hit a home run in the NCAA Championship final game, a homer that hit the pole to give the Patriots a lead that they would surrender. It was the 199th hit of his career. In the classroom, Bishop had a 3.94 GPA while majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
 
The ASC West Division Player of the Year and NABC First Team All-American, Caleb Thomasson was also named an ASC First Team All-Conference selection and was also listed to the All-Defensive Team. He averaged 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds this season and ranked second in the program in scoring with 1,424 career points (17.5 ppg) and second in rebounds at 675 (8.3 rpg.). Thomasson was also the 2017-18 ASC Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. He majored in Interdisciplinary Studies with a 3.52 GPA.
 
Kendall Rollins was an All-Region selection and ASC West Division Player of the Year this season. She was First Team All-Conference and First Team All-West Division after leading the UMHB women to a West Division championship, the ASC Championship finals and a school NCAA Division III era record for wins in a season. Rollins averaged 15.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game this season was an ASC Academic All-Conference honoree. Rollins posted a 3.69 GPA in Management.
 
Levi Pettit played in seven tournaments for the Comets as a senior with a team-best scoring average of 76.41 through 17 rounds. He placed fourth at the 2018 ASC Championships with a 54-hole total of 218, earning All-Tournament honors. Pettit had career-low round of 70 in the third round of ASC Championships. He was a three-time Academic All-ASC selection for the Comets with a 3.83 GPA in Finance/Economics.
 
Hailey Hollas played in eight tournaments for the Comets as a senior with a scoring average of 84.20 in 15 rounds. She tied for 24th at the 2018 ASC Championships with a 36-hole total of 176. Hollas was named ASC Sportsmanship Golfer of the Year for 2018. A four-year letter-winner, she left the program with the career-record for rounds played (57) and scoring average (84.98). She was a three-time Academic All-ASC honoree during her career as well as a three-time WGCA All-American Scholar with a 3.95 GPA in Marketing.
 
Olivia Robinson was an ASC All-Conference selection this season and played for UMHB’s conference championship and NCAA Tournament qualifying team. She posted a stroke average of 81.31 despite having to return from major knee surgery over the Christmas break. Robinson was a WGCA All-American Scholar-Athlete and ASC Academic All-Conference selection. She was First Team ASC All-Conference as a freshman after tying for fourth place at the conference tournament. Robinson compiled a 3.79 GPA in Mass Communication.
 
Stefanie Polderman earns the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season. She was named first team All-ASC for the second year in a row, while hitting .360 for the Comets during her senior campaign with two doubles and a home run. Polderman ranked second on the team and third in the ASC with 32 stolen bases and finished the spring with 32 runs scored and 22 RBI. A three-time Academic All-ASC selection for the Comets, she was also a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection and three-time Academic All-District honoree with a 3.91 GPA in Biochemistry.
 
Ryan Morton earned All-ASC and first team All-ASC West honors after helping the Comets to a third-straight perfect run in the West Division. He earned all-conference accolades at singles flight No. 6 for UTD, recording an 8-3 record this spring, including a perfect 6-0 mark in divisional play. Morton also posted a 6-2 combined record in double action, going 4-0 in ASC West, all at No. 3. He shared the ASC Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year Award. Morton majored in Mechanical Engineering with a 3.96 GPA.
 
Kathy Joseph was tabbed the ASC West Most Valuable Player after leading the Comets to their first division title since moving to the West Division. She was named All-ASC and first team All-ASC West in both singles and doubles as a sophomore. Joseph posted a 15-1 record in singles action this spring, going 6-0 in ASC West play, primarily at No. 2 singles. She added a 13-2 mark in doubles play, also going 6-0 against division squads, at No. 1. Joseph was a four-time ASC West Player of the Week during the season. She posted a 3.89 GPA in Mechanical Engineering.
 
Raul Villalpando became the first Tornado in program history to win an individual running event title at the ASC Championships after winning the 110 meter hurdles with a new school record time of 15.05. For his individual title run, Villalpando earned All-Conference honors for the second consecutive year. He had previously broken the school record in the 110 meter hurdles at the Texas Relays earlier this season. For the year, Villalpando has the best time on the team in the 110 hurdles, 400 meter hurdles and the 400 meter dash. He also had a 3.67 GPA in Marketing.
 
Hannah Smith posted a dominating performance at the 2018 American Southwest Conference Championships by winning three individual titles, including the 3,000 meter steeplechase (12:18.58), 5,000 meters (18:47.55) and 1,500 meters (5:06.76). Her time in the 5,000 set a new conference championship record. For her performance, she was named the 2018 ASC Female Track Athlete of the Year. Additionally, Smith was named All-Conference and ASC Female Track Athlete of the Week during the 2018 spring season. A two-time member of the Academic All-Conference team, she has been a member of the President’s List (4.0) or Dean’s List (3.5) every semester. She also helped the team to a Team USTFCCCA Academic Award in 2016 and 2017. She owns a combined eight indoor and outdoor track records at Ozarks. Also a standout cross country runner, Smith earned All-Conference Second Team in that sport. Smith had a 3.84 GPA in Accounting.

Overall, 103 student-athletes were named to the American Southwest Conference 2018 Winter-Spring Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Teams.
 
The Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Teams recognizes student-athletes who achieve a high level of academic achievement (a 3.20 grade-point average or better) while competing as a starter or important reserve on their team. From that list – limited to one nominee per school in each ASC championship sport – the sports information directors from the 13 ASC member institutions and one affiliate member select a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in each sport.
 
ASC 2018 Winter-Spring Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Teams
+ Designates the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in each sport
 
Baseball

Alex Bishop +	UT Tyler	Sr.	Mechanical Engineering	Calgary, Alberta
Chris Baker	McMurry	Sr.	History	San Angelo, Texas
Dakota Ebarb	Ozarks	Jr.	Business Administration/Psychology	Lavon, Texas
Casey Frazier	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Sr.	Sport Management	Salado, Texas
Hunter Garrison	Hardin-Simmons	So.	Business Management	Keller, Texas
Cliff Lunceford	Howard Payne	Jr.	Accounting	Fort Worth, Texas
Michael Munden	Sul Ross State	Jr.	Business Administration	El Paso, Texas
Andrew Robinson	Louisiana College	Jr.	Accounting	Shreveport, La.
Connor Scruggs	UT Dallas	Sr.	Interdisciplinary Studies	Garland, Texas
Gonzalo Sosa	LeTourneau	Sr.	Business Management	Houston, Texas
Dylan Sumpter	East Texas Baptist	Jr.	Business Administration	Tyler, Texas
Justin Traxler	Concordia Texas	Sr.	Kinesiology: Pre-Physical Therapy	Austin, Texas
Tyler Wolfe	Belhaven	Sr.	Sports Administration	Houston, Texas

 
Men’s Basketball

Caleb Thomasson +	Sul Ross State	Sr.	Interdisciplinary Studies	Ackerly, Texas
Landin Brown	East Texas Baptist	So.	Kinesiology	Houston, Texas
David Cole	Belhaven	Sr.	Accounting	Brandon, Miss.
Aaron Gettys	McMurry	Sr.	Business Management	New Braunfels, Texas
Reagan Keogh	Texas Dallas	Sr.	Accounting	San Antonio, Texas
Aubrie King	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Sr.	Physical Education	Milano, Texas
Seth Mattson	LeTourneau	Jr.	Pre-Medicine	Kingwood, Texas
Davis Moore	UT Tyler	So.	Psychology	Martin’s Mill, Texas
Jaze Randolph	Howard Payne	Sr.	Accounting	Gustine, Texas
Joshua Samuels	Concordia Texas	Sr.	Business Accounting	Cypress, Texas
Travis Schultz	Louisiana College	Jr.	Health & Physical Education Certification	Reeves, La.
Caleb Spoon	Hardin-Simmons	Sr.	Math Education	Breckenridge, Texas

 
Women’s Basketball

Kendall Rollins +	Mary Hardin-Baylor	So.	Management	Fulshear, Texas
Kaycie Dunkerley	Concordia Texas	So.	Nursing	Azle, Texas
Jada Evans	Howard Payne	Sr.	Accounting	Harker Heights, Texas
Roseanna Ezell	Ozarks	Sr.	Accounting	Quitman, Ark.
Addison Garcia	Hardin-Simmons	Jr.	Spanish and Political Science	The Colony, Texas
Taylor Gass	Sul Ross State	Sr.	Kinesiology & Human Performance	Gail, Texas
Brittney Jones	East Texas Baptist	So.	Nursing	Round Rock, Texas
RyDeja McQuarn	Louisiana College	Jr.	Pre-Occupational Therapy	Alexandria, La.
Samantha Odom	UT Tyler	Jr.	Interdisciplinary Studies	Allen, Texas
Victoria Pena	UT Dallas	So.	Finance/Economics	Helotes, Texas
Susanna Reese	Belhaven	So.	Biology	Brandon, Miss.
Skyler Reyna	McMurry	So.	Psychology	San Antonio, Texas
Alexandria Thorne	LeTourneau	Jr.	Criminal Justice	Flint, Texas

 
Men’s Golf

Levi Pettit +	UT Dallas	Sr.	Finance/Economics	Dallas, Texas
Sam Hill	UT Tyler	Sr.	Finance	Orlando, Fla.
Michael Hunt	McMurry	So.	Accounting	Sweetwater, Texas
Daniel Kay	LeTourneau	Sr.	Business Administration	Mansfield, Texas
Kyle Revis	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Sr.	Finance	Temple, Texas
Reed Shelley	Howard Payne	Jr.	Marketing	Fort Worth, Texas
Luke Smith	Hardin-Simmons	Jr.	Economics	Montgomery, Texas
Logan Young	Concordia Texas	So.	Undecided	Normangee, Texas

 
Women’s Golf

Hailey Hollas +	UT Dallas	Sr.	Marketing	Richmond, Texas
Olivia Robinson +	Mary Hardin-Baylor	So.	Mass Communication	Pasadena, Texas
Kendalyn Ferguson	McMurry	So.	All Level Physical Education	Childress, Texas
Kelsie Guinn	Hardin-Simmons	Sr.	Communication Disorders	Big Spring, Texas
Julia Martin	UC Santa Cruz	Jr.	Chemistry	Cameron Park, Calif.
Holly Mendez	Concordia Texas	Jr.	Nursing	Spring Branch, Texas
Stephanie Tutt	UT Tyler	Sr.	Civil Engineering	McKinney, Texas

 
Softball

Stefanie Polderman +	UT Dallas	Sr.	Biochemistry	West Vancouver, B.C.
Morgan Arst	East Texas Baptist	So.	Business	Marshall, Texas
Kelsi Coleman	LeTourneau	Sr.	EC-6 Education	Mesquite, Texas
Makenzi Dawson	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Jr.	Chemistry	Robinson, Texas
Darrian Doederlein	Sul Ross State	Sr.	Kinesiology & Human Performance	Lamesa, Texas
Meg Garton	Belhaven	Sr.	Education	Overland Park, Kan.
Summer Harper	Concordia Texas	So.	Secondary Education	Cypress, Texas
Cheyanna Miller	Ozarks	Jr.	Health Science/Music	West Plains, Mo.
Whitney Romero	UT Tyler	So.	Chemistry	Lafayette, La.
Genia Salazar	Hardin-Simmons	Sr.	Math	Santa Anna, Texas
Mattie Stine	Louisiana College	Sr.	Social Studies Education	Hackberry, La.
Tonya Thompson	Howard Payne	Jr.	Kinesiology	Cisco, Texas

 
Men’s Tennis

Ryan Morton +	UT Dallas	Sr.	Mechanical Engineering	Odessa, Texas
Micah Austin	Concordia Texas	Sr.	History/Political Science	Bel Air, Md.
Andrew Deutsch	East Texas Baptist	So.	Business Administration	Greenwood, La.
Arthur Fagundes	UT Tyler	Jr.	Civil Engineering	Curitiba, Brazil
Christian Farris	LeTourneau	So.	Biology	El Paso, Texas
Alex Hunt	Hardin-Simmons	Jr.	Social Studies Education	Odessa, Texas
Clayton Pope	McMurry	Sr.	Finance	Abilene, Texas
Andrew Stevenson	Howard Payne	Sr.	Social Studies Composite	Whitehouse, Texas
Owen Taylor	Belhaven	Sr.	Accounting	Fayette, Ala.
Spencer Turner	Ozarks	Sr.	Accounting	Pearcy, Ark.
Cole Weiss	Mary Hardin-Baylor	So.	Marketing	Frisco, Texas

 
Women’s Tennis

Kathy Joseph +	UT Dallas	So.	Mechanical Engineering	Williston, Vt.
Kelsey Doege	Hardin-Simmons	Jr.	Biology	Monahans, Texas
Alexa Gallardo	Sul Ross State	Sr.	Pre-Veterinary Medicine	El Paso, Texas
Karlee Hart	Ozarks	So.	Business Administration/Health Science	Van Buren, Ark.
Shannon Kelly	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Jr.	Elementary Education	Keller, Texas
Elisa Kendall	East Texas Baptist	So.	Athletic Training	Houston, Texas
Erin McCleer	Howard Payne	Jr.	Family Studies	San Angelo, Texas
Symphony Munoz	McMurry	Sr.	Sociology	Monahans, Texas
Alexis Popovich	Concordia Texas	Jr.	Business	Austin, Texas
Savannah Seely	UT Tyler	Jr.	Chemistry	North Richland Hills, Texas

 
Men’s Track and Field

Raul Villalpando +	Concordia Texas	Jr.	Marketing	San Antonio, Texas
Zackary Biles	East Texas Baptist	Jr.	Business Administration	New Caney, Texas
TJ Cleveland	McMurry	Sr.	Exercise Science & Human Performance	Victoria, Texas
Matt Godwin	UT Tyler	Sr.	Biology	Hallsville, Texas
Arvin Hrushka	LeTourneau	Jr.	Scripture & Theology	Kaiserslautern, Germany
Nathan McEndree	Hardin-Simmons	So.	Ministry	Keller, Texas
Chase Morgan	Belhaven	Jr.	Communications-Public Relations	Merritt Island, Fla.
Joseph Parker	Sul Ross State	Jr.	Geology	Burnet, Texas

 
Women’s Track and Field

Hannah Smith +	Ozarks	Jr.	Accounting	Blue Eye, Mo.
Brooklen Butler	East Texas Baptist	So.	Hospitality Management	Chireno, Texas
Bethany Everett	McMurry	Jr.	Biomedical Science	Statford, Texas
MySherie Johnson	Louisiana College	Jr.	Media Production/Journalism	Marksville, La.
Kaylee Prather	UT Tyler	Sr.	Kinesiology	Elysian Fields, Texas
Logan Redding	Hardin-Simmons	So.	Nursing	Winnsboro, Texas
Brooklyn Schumaker	Belhaven	Sr.	Biology	Moscow, Idaho
Alexis Segura	LeTourneau	So.	Kinesiology – Sport Management	Austin, Texas
Emily Villines	Concordia Texas	Jr.	Mathematics	Huntsville, Texas