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ASC Announces Spring Distinguished Scholar-Athletes
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RICHARDSON, Texas –– McMurry University baseball player Brent Voorhees, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor golfer Ryan Eastman, Texas Lutheran University golfer Carly Hansen and tennis player Alanna Gangemi, University of Texas at Dallas softball player Amber Griffin, Mississippi College tennis player Chas Dunn and track and field participant Rachel Hardin, and University of Texas at Tyler track and field participant R.J. Cowan have all earned the title of Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in their respective American Southwest Conference spring sport, the ASC office announced on Tuesday (May 27).
 
Overall, 68 student-athletes from ASC baseball, golf, softball, tennis and track and field teams were named to the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team.
 
The honor, in its first academic year, recognizes student-athletes that achieve a higher 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 conference’s 15 member institutions vote on a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete from each sport.
 
Voorhees (Abilene, Texas), a senior mathematics major with a 3.91 GPA, was three-time academic all-conference selection and was an ESPN The Magazine academic all-district pick this season. Voorhees was a 2007 D3Baseball.com all-American and broke ASC career records for home runs (45) and RBI (196). He helped McMurry to ASC title and NCAA regional appearance by hitting .349 with 52 RBIs and10 homers.
 
Eastman (San Angelo, Texas), a senior Christian ministry major with a 3.43 GPA, was a First Team ASC All-Conference selection after leading the UMHB men to the conference title this spring. He tied for second place at the ASC Tournament and helped lead the Cru to its first NCAA Division III National Championships appearance. Ryan was the only ASC men’s golfer voted to the Cleveland/GCAA All-American Scholar-Athlete Team. He is a three-time ASC All-Conference selection and a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference pick.
 
Hansen (Colerain, Minn.), a sophomore physics major with a 3.45 GPA, was a Second Team ASC All-Conference pick after 10th-place finish at the conference championships this season. She won the 2008 TLU Concan Invitational and was named ASC Women's Golfer of the Week with rounds of 85 and 79. She sas earned All-ASC honors in her first two collegiate seasons. She led TLU to first-ever ASC conference championship and first-ever NCAA DIII Championships appearance, both in 2007.
 
Griffin (Richmond, Texas), a senior business administration major with a 3.81 GPA, finished a four-year UTD career by setting 18 school single-season and career offensive records, including a .474 single-season batting average in her final season. She was a career .421 hitter, hitting over .400 three of four years. Griffin was a First-Team selection to the 2008 District 6 Academic team. She was recently elected First Team All-ASC East Division and was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-West Region team.
 
Dunn (Brandon, Miss.), a junior business administration major with a 3.60 GPA, earned the title of ASC East Player of the Year in 2008 after finishing the season with a 15-3 singles record at the #1 position and a 15-2 doubles record with partner, Patrick Stanton. Dunn was also named to the All-ASC Team and the All-ASC East Division First Team. Dunn has compiled a 3.6 GPA in his three years at MC.
 
Gangemi (San Antonio, Texas), a senior psychology major with a 3.97 GPA, went 4-1 in ASC play at the No. 1 singles spot. She was a 2008 ASC West 2nd Team selection and is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference selection. Gangemi is also a four-year letter winner. She was the 2007-08 TLU Top Female Scholar-Athlete Award winner and was the 2007-08 TLU Female Sportsmanship Award Winner. Gangemi’s service clubs and fraternity memberships include: Psi Chi, Psychology Club, Alpha Mu Gamma, TLU Peer Mentors, Alpha Chi and Delta Epsilon Iota.
 
Cowan (Whitehouse, Texas), a junior health and kinesiology major with a 3.79 GPA, was a 2008 Academic All-Conference and All-Conference selection. He finished second in 5K and 10K at ASC Championships. Cowan was the 2008 UT Tyler Scholar-Athlete and Male Athlete of the Year. He was a member of the 2007 USTFCCCA DIII All-Academic Team and the 2007 USTFCCCA S/SE Male Athlete of the Year.
 
Hardin (Germantown, Tenn.), a senior elementary education major with a 3.97 GPA, finished her illustrious four-year career at Mississippi College with decorations in cross country and track. This season alone, Hardin finished the year with the top time in the 3000m (11:30.70) and the 5000m (20:14.80). Hardin also finished her collegiate career with a 3.97 GPA in four years at MC.
 
All honorees were named to the Spring 2008 ASC Academic All-Conference Team.
 
ASC SPRING 2008 DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM

(+Sport’s Distinguished Scholar-Athlete)
 
BASEBALL
Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ Brent Voorhees McMurry Sr. Mathematics Abilene, Texas
Nick Cmerek Concordia Texas Jr. Business Administration Austin, Texas
Mark Cox Texas-Dallas Gr. MBA Coldspring, Texas
Robby Finnell Ozarks Sr. Political Science Tulsa, Okla.
Adam Froeschl Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Political Science Buda, Texas
Bryan George Louisiana College Sr. Biology Bossier City, La.
Brett Holland Texas-Tyler Jr. Health & Kinesiology Lindale, Texas
Ray Martinez Schreiner Jr. Biochemistry Boerne, Texas
Ryan Nokelby Texas Lutheran So. Pre-Engineering Santa Fe, Texas
Monte Piper Sul Ross State So. History Houston, Texas
Kyle Pope East Texas Baptist So. Accounting Longview, Texas
Blake Shaffer Howard Payne Jr. Exercise & Sport Science Brownwood, Texas
Eric Wait LeTourneau So. Biology White Oak, Texas
R.C. Waters Hardin-Simmons Sr. Art Mesquite, Texas
Tyler Williams  Mississippi College Sr. Marketing Ridgeland, Miss.
 
MEN’S GOLF

Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ Ryan Eastman Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Christian Ministry San Angelo, Texas
Brandon Ellis Texas-Tyler So. Applied Arts & Sciences Village Mills, Texas
Garret Greene Louisiana College Jr. Management / Marketing Dry Creek, La.
Ben Luckert LeTourneau Jr. Accounting Chandler, Texas
Brent Stanford Schreiner So. Accounting / Info. Systems Whitewright, Texas
Brian Vaughn Texas-Dallas So. Finance / Bus. Admin. Plano, Texas
Michael Weehunt Hardin-Simmons Sr. Business Brownwood, Texas
 
WOMEN’S GOLF

Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ Carly Hansen Texas Lutheran So. Physics Colerain, Minn.
Amber Grounds Texas-Tyler So. Psychology Whitesboro, Texas
Abigail Hews LeTourneau Jr. Elementary Education Clive, Iowa
Christi Williams Mary Hardin-Baylor So. Sport Management Snyder, Texas
Alicia Yoder Texas-Dallas Jr. Psychology Longview, Texas
 
SOFTBALL

Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ Amber Griffin Texas-Dallas Sr. Business Administration Richmond, Texas
Kristen Akin-Henton Texas-Tyler Sr. Studio Art Longview, Texas
Michelle Cochran Mississippi College Sr. Math Education Chatawa, Miss.
Cricket Criner Hardin-Simmons Jr. Nursing Midland, Texas
Brandi Harris East Texas Baptist Jr. Nursing Van, Texas
Erica Harwell Louisiana College Sr. Health & Physical Education Houma, La.
Christina Jacobsen Texas Lutheran Sr. Computer Science / Physics Marion, Texas
Chelsea Joslin Ozarks Sr. Physical Education Claremore, Okla.
Daphne Kahlig Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Mathematics Lott, Texas
Jacque Middlebrooks LeTourneau So. History / Secondary Ed. Alvin, Texas
Jenna Middleton Howard Payne Jr. Political Science Katy, Texas
Patsy Toman Schreiner Jr. Exercise Science Hockley, Texas
 
MEN’S TENNIS

Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ Chas Dunn Mississippi College Jr. Business Administration Brandon, Miss.
Nate Alger Howard Payne Jr. Finance West Bridgewater, Mass.
Keith Edwards Ozarks Jr. Accounting Grapevine, Texas
Paul Haney LeTourneau Jr. Sports Management Corpus Christi, Texas
Donald Kasitinon Texas-Dallas Jr. Electrical Engineering Lewisville, Texas
Nick Kreines Texas-Tyler So. Business Houston, Texas
Chad Mann Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Exercise & Sport Science Roswell, N.M.
Daniel Moore Hardin-Simmons So. Undeclared Magnolia, Texas
 
WOMEN’S TENNIS

Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ Alanna Gangemi Texas Lutheran Sr. Psychology San Antonio, Texas
Kristen Bray McMurry Jr. Marketing Lubbock, Texas
Sylvia Brownfield Texas-Dallas Sr. Business Administration Tomball, Texas
Bria Camarillo Hardin-Simmons Jr. Spanish Abilene, Texas
Kelly Denton Louisiana College Sr. Marketing / Management Baton Rouge, La.
Christy Gallardo Sul Ross State So. Kinesiology El Paso, Texas
Brittany Hein Ozarks Jr. Political Science Grand Prairie, Texas
Beth Launius Texas-Tyler Jr. Mechanical Engineering La Grange, Texas
Susanna Maxvill Howard Payne Sr. Psychology Richardson, Texas
Tina Philippi Schreiner Sr. Exercise Science Pearland, Texas
Sarah Spraberry Mississippi College Sr. Biology Southaven, Miss.
Jessica Tindall LeTourneau Jr. Sport & Rec. Management Van, Texas
 
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ R.J. Cowan Texas-Tyler Jr. Health & Kinesiology Whitehouse, Texas
Bert Green McMurry Sr. Philosophy Mansfield, Texas
Cruz Tovar Sul Ross State Jr. Psychology Canutillo, Texas
Lane Wakefield Howard Payne So. Business Waco, Texas
 
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Name School Cl. Major Hometown
+ Rachel Hardin Mississippi College Sr. Elementary Education Germantown, Tenn.
Molly Fuston McMurry So. Biology Childress, Texas
Christy Gallardo Sul Ross State So. Kinesiology El Paso, Texas
Susanna Maxvill Howard Payne Sr. Psychology Richardson, Texas
Jessica Raglon Texas Lutheran Sr. Pre-Medicine Humble, Texas
Ashton Wells Texas-Tyler So. Biology & Anthropology Quitman, Texas