All-Time ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor Recipients
 
DALLAS – Twenty graduating student-athletes from 10 American Southwest Conference member institutions were honored with the 2023-24 ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor.
 
The Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor is the highest honor one can achieve as an American Southwest Conference student-athlete. Presented by the Faculty Athletics Representatives, the Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor is awarded to one male and one female member of each member institution's graduating class who has compiled the most outstanding record in academics, athletics, and leadership over their collegiate career.
 
 
ASC 2023-24 Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor Award Recipients

Member	Scholar-Athlete	Major(s)	Sport(s)	Hometown
Concordia Texas	Christian Barillas	Business Administration	Soccer	Klein, Texas
	Maialen Erana	Psychology	Golf	Mission, Texas
East Texas Baptist	Ryan Elzy	Finance/Accounting	Basketball	Hammond, La.
	Avery Reid	Nursing	Volleyball	Fulshear, Texas
Hardin-Simmons	Austin Brewer	Math	Basketball	Stamford, Texas
	Mercy Mummert	Biology	Soccer	Albuquerque, N.M.
Howard Payne	Tanner Benson	Business Administration	Baseball	Frisco, Texas
	Alexandria Barnett	Math/Honors Academy	Soccer	Bellville, Texas
LeTourneau	Dane Jones	Business Management	Baseball	Keller, Texas
	Allison Smith	Nursing	Volleyball	San Antonio, Texas
Mary Hardin-Baylor	Andrew Acierni	Physical Therapy	Baseball	Waco, Texas
	Kelsey White	Pre-Dental	Soccer	Keller, Texas
McMurry	Elias Garcia	Multimedia and Graphic Design	Basketball	Houston, Texas
	Angelica Abila	Health Science	Softball	Lubbock, Texas
Ozarks	Nicholas Bennett	Accounting	Baseball	Little Elm, Texas
	Amanda Turpin	Heath Science	Basketball	Cypress, Texas
Sul Ross State	Dawson Beard	Communication	Baseball	Las Vegas, Nev.
	Marley Rokas	Political Science	Basketball and Tennis	Universal City, Texas
UT Dallas	Graeme Maclean	Computer Science	Cross Country/Track & Field	Fairview, Texas
	Rebecca Jackson	Neuroscience	Tennis	Austin, Texas

 
Biographical information provided by each student-athletes' Faculty Athletic Representative and Sports Information Director.
 
CONCORDIA TEXAS
 
Christian Barillas | Business Administration | Men’s Soccer | Klein, Texas
Christian Barillas was a key reserve for the Tornados in the 2023 campaign. The senior out of Klein, Texas appeared in 10 matches and made three starts for Concordia. In 382 minutes of action, the attacking midfielder tallied one goal and one assist for a total of three points. He also helped patrol a stingy defense where CTX only allowed a league-best 15 goals (.882 goals per game). Barillas graduated this spring as Cum Laude with a 3.56 GPA, served in the leadership team for the Men's Soccer Program and Head Athletic Mentor for the program when they collaborated with Team Impact to mentor a child with an illness/disability. Axcel, Barillas' mentee, was an 11-year-old boy from El Salvador who was suffering from Leukemia who recently died last summer due to the advancement of this illness. Barillas reflected on his time with the program, "We as a team ending up lost two teammates, Axcel and Melvin (Molina) which was quite detrimental to us."

Barillas was a nominee for Tornado of the Year this year and was an intern this spring with Sales & Business Development position at BluChip, which is a startup company that connects Student Athletes with employers across the nation to find potential internships or job opportunities after graduation. 
 
Maialen Erana | Psychology Major (Art and Interpersonal Communication double minor) | Women’s Golf | Mission, Texas
Maialen Erana maintained a 3.86 GPA and competed in all six athletic events for the women's golf team. She volunteered for Schoenstatt Movement of Austin Teen Girls group (life group leader for them all 4 years of undergrad) and volunteered at the Perwinkle Foundation specifically Camp YOLO in fall 2023 for different families. She was a Life Group leader for her church group, and she helped during the summers back home in kids summer camps.
 
EAST TEXAS BAPTIST
 
Ryan Elzy | Finance/Accounting | Men’s Basketball | Hammond, La.
Ryan Elzy is a three-time American Southwest Conference All-Academic team member that has made the President’s List four times. In 2022, he was a member of the NABC All-District Academic Team and is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor’s Society and a Chi Alpha Sigma inductee. His grade point average has been the highest on the men’s basketball team for three straight years while being a starter the past two seasons. Outside of athletics, service has been a big part of his life. A resident assistant spending numerous hours with the students, he has done numerous community service projects. One of the service projects he has helped with has been volunteering at the George Washington Carver Community Center. The past three seasons, ETBU has won 53 games and captured the 2023 American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament. In the 2023 NCAA Division III National Tournament, ETBU upset #15 St. Thomas to advance to the round of 32. His three-year career brought him 663 points, 136 assists, 135 steals, while playing in 82 games and starting 57. Elzy is a true servant leader on his team, ETBU’s campus, and in the Marshall, Texas, community.
 
Avery Reid | Nursing | Volleyball | Flushear, Texas
Avery Reid is what being an ETBU student-athlete is all about. A dedicated nursing major, she is a three-time American Southwest Conference All-Academic team member, a College Sports Communicator All-District award winner, and earned ETBU’s All-Academic team award for volleyball. Making the President’s List three times, she is a two-time member of Chi Alpha Sigma and a part of Alpha Lambda Delta and Sigma Theta Tau. Finding time outside of academics, she has volunteered at Mission Marshall, helped with the trash clean up on ETBU’s campus, participated in Marshall’s Night to Shine, and been on a Mission Trip to Chile with the ETBU Volleyball Team. The three-time All-ASC first team selection was the program’s 17th player to earn three or more All-ASC awards and seventh outside hitter to do so. She is currently ninth all-time in kills (953) and service aces (93) at ETBU. The 2021 ASC Volleyball Freshman of the Year is a two-time ASC Player of the Week and made the 2023 ASC All-Tournament team. This past season ETBU won the ASC Tournament Championship for the first time in 20 years and defeated
#13 North Park in the first-round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament. ETBU posted a program best 13-match win streak recording the second most wins in program history with 26.
 
HARDIN-SIMMONS
 
Austin Brewer | Math | Men’s Basketball | Stamford, Texas
Austin Brewer finished with a 4.0 GPA and was a math major. He earned Academic All-ASC three times and was named All-ASC Forward two times. Brewer earned 2023-24 CSC Academic All-District. Brewer helped the 2023-24 Men’s Basketball Team win a share of the ASC Men’s Basketball Regular Season Championship.
 
Mercy Mummert | Biology | Women’s Soccer | Albuquerque, New Mexico
Mercy Mummert holds a career 4.0 GPA and is a biology major. She has been named Academic All-ASC four times, first team all-ASC defender four times, CoSIDA academic all-district three times, and was CSC Academic All-American in 2024. This past season she won United Soccer Coaches All-Region and United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American. Mummert was part of a Hardin-Simmons women’s soccer team that captured the ASC Championship and trip to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship.
 
HOWARD PAYNE
 
Tanner Benson | Business Administration | Baseball | Frisco, Texas
A two-time Academic All-Conference selection and 2023 Academic All-District honoree, Tanner was recognized as a 3rd Team All-Conference selection in 2023. In 2024, he is hitting a team-best .417 at the plate. Tanner has been involved in volunteer work at the Corinne T. Smith Animal Center and at First Baptist Church in Brownwood, Texas. His academics resulted in a 3.76 GPA.
 
Alexandria Barnett | Math/Honors Academy | Soccer | Bellville, Texas
Alexandria, a 4.00 GPA student is a 3-time Academic All-Conference selection. She has played in 42 games for the Lady Jacket soccer team scoring one goal with one assist. A prestigious Sumners Scholar at HPU, Alexandria has been involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Gamma Beta Phi, and works as a tutor in the Center for Student Success. She was named the HPU lower-level Math Student her freshman year and Outstanding Math Student her sophomore year and was named to the Who's Who Among American College Students twice.
 
LETOURNEAU
 
Dane Jones | Business Management | Baseball | Keller, Texas
Jones broke the program's single-season record for home runs with 20 on the year and currently leads Division III. In a game against Hardin-Simmons on April 19, Jones set a program record with three home runs. He also became the program's all-time leader in career home runs with 41. Majoring in business management, Jones has a 3.41 GPA and is a leader on and off the field for the YellowJackets through his superb work ethic, love for his teammates, and joy for others. He is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference honoree. Jones is a three-time All-ASC honoree and a two-time All-Region selection. He was named the LeTourneau Male Athlete of the Year in 2023-24.
 
Allison Smith | Nursing | Volleyball | San Antonio, Texas
Majoring in nursing, Smith holds a 3.85 GPA and is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference honoree. She also collected her second career College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honor this season. She was named the LeTourneau Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2023-24. Smith earned first team All-ASC honors this season, becoming a three-time All-Conference selection. She averaged a career-high 0.94 blocks per set, which ranked fourth in the ASC, and totaled 1.56 kills per set with a team-best hitting percentage of .268. During the year, Smith became the program's career leader in total blocks and finished the year with 343 over her four years. She had 14 matches with four or more blocks, including eight vs. East Texas Baptist (Oct. 17). Smith also currently holds the top spot in the program's career hitting percentage at .280.
 
MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR
 
Andrew Acierni | Physical Therapy | Baseball | Waco, Texas
Andrew is a four-year member of the UMHB baseball team. He is a two- time First Team All-ASC selection, three-time academic all-ASC selection and also earned a pair of regional awards. He has a 3.962 grade-point average as a physical therapy student and plans to continue his education in UMHB's Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Andrew has earned 12 wins on the mound for the Cru in more than 99 innings pitched. He has struck out 85 batters in his career with just 14 total walks. Andrew has also shown exemplary sportsmanship and leadership as during his recovery from injury and been the ultimate teammate during those times.
 
Kelsey White | Pre-Dental | Women’s Soccer | Keller, Texas
Kelsey was a four-year member of the women's soccer team and graduated in December with a pre-dental degree. She earned both USC DIII All-America and CSC Academic All-America honors in 2023. Kelsey is also a two-time USC All-Region selection, three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and three-time academic All-ASC honoree. She graduated with a perfect 4.0 and is currently enrolled as a graduate student at UMHB. Kelsey is a two-time First Team All-ASC selection and earned Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
 
MCMURRY     
 
Elias Garcia | Multimedia and Graphic Design | Men’s Basketball | Houston, Texas
Elias Garcia finished with a 4.0 GPA and is a multimedia and graphic design major. A four-year student at McMurry and men’s basketball team captain. Garcia was a two-time All-ASC recipient, which included All-ASC Third Team this season. Garcia is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference selection. Garcia was on the 2023-24 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Men’s Basketball Team.
 
Angelica Abila | Human Health Science (Psychology Minor) | Softball | Lubbock, Texas
Angelica Abila posted a 3.97 GPA and is a four-year student that is a Human Health Science major and psychology minor. Abila is a leader on the softball team. She has three ASC All-Conference honors, which includes All-ASC Second Team as an outfielder. Led the team in runs scored this season with 37, tied the team-lead with triples (2), and was second in hits (43), and tied for second doubles (5). She is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference selection. Abila was on the 2023-24 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Softball Team.
 
OZARKS
 
Nicholas Bennett | Accounting | Baseball | Little Elm, Texas
Nicholas Bennett will graduate in three years with a degree in accounting. In the classroom, he has made the Dean's List or President's List (4.0) every semester at Ozarks. Additionally, he will finish his career as a three-time member of the ASC Academic All-Conference Team. He will be a nominee for the 2024 College Sports Communicators All-District Team. This season Bennett ranked among the ASC’s top-5 in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. He finished the season leading the team in every major offensive statistical category, including owning a .411 batting average. He posted 22 multiple-hit games this season while hitting safely in 28 games. He is a career .345 hitter and owns a career .525 slugging percentage.
 
Amanda Turpin | Health Science | Basketball | Cypress, Texas
Amanda Turpin was again among the most versatile players in the ASC ranking among the top-20 in nearly every major statistical category. She hit a three-pointer in 18 games and reached double figures in scoring 13 times during the season. Turpin was a driving force in one of the program’s biggest wins ever as the Eagles took a conference tournament victory against UT Dallas. She is a two-time All-Conference performer and also earned ASC Player of the Week during her career at Ozarks. She is a two-time member of the ASC Academic All-Conference Team and earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators Women's Basketball Academic All-District Team. She was named to the Dean's List multiple semesters while at Ozarks. She finishes her collegiate career with 1,015 points, 339 rebounds and 134 assists.
 
SUL ROSS STATE
 
Dawson Beard | Communications | Baseball | Las Vegas, Nev.
Two-time SRSU Distinguished Scholar Athlete (2023, 2024) 2023 ASC Academic All-Conference 2024 Outstanding Communication Student Award Recipient. The voice of the Lobos, Beard is the public address announcer at all football, basketball, volleyball and soccer events. Beard also serves as the desk chief for the Skyline, which is Sul Ross State's weekly student-run paper. Transferring to SRSU from North Central Texas College, Beard started in 11 games in 2023 as he struck out 31 batters in 44.2 innings pitched. So far this season in 2024, Beard has made eight starts and thrown 32 innings with 27 strikeouts.
 
Marley Rokas | Political Science | Basketball and Tennis | Universal City, Texas
Three-time SRSU Distinguished Scholar Athlete. 2022 Jim D. Case Outstanding Political Science Student of the Year. 2021-22 ASC All-Freshman team. 2022-23 ASC First-team All-Conference 2023 Jim D. Case Outstanding Political Science Student of the Year. 2023 ASC Academic All-Conference. 2023 ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete. 2023-24 ASC First-team All-Conference 2023-24 SRSU Woman of the Year. 2024 Jim D. Case Outstanding Political Science Student of the Year. 2024 SRSU Honors Program recipient. Three-time ASC Player of the Week in basketball Rokas is also a member of the women's tennis team. Actively involved in the community as she met with local women in government to present her policy brief on women's representation in government. Volunteered within the SRSU athletics department as game day help staff managing the concession stand and spotting stats for volleyball and soccer. Became the eighth Lobo women's basketball player to join the 1,000-point club by scoring 1,027 points in three years. During the 2023-24 season, Rokas was the fourth-best scorer in the ASC, scoring 431 total points. She led the ASC in free throw percentage (86%) while ranking second in made free throws (130). Rokas is the 10th best rebounder in program history with 466 career boards.
 
UT DALLAS
 
Graeme Maclean | Computer Science | Cross Country/Track & Field | Fairview, Texas
Maclean earned three All-ASC First Team for Track and Field in 2021, 2023 and 2024. Won the 2021 and 2024 ASC Championship in the 800 meters. Won the 2021, 2023 and 2024 ASC Championship in 1,500 meters. 2020-21 ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team Cross Country and 2022-23 Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Men’s Cross Country winner. 2022 ASC Championship Medalist. In 2020-21, 2022 and 2023, was All-ASC First Team. Won 2020-21 ASC Freshman of the Year. Maclean also was 2022-23 CSC Academic All-District, 2020-21 and 2022-23 Academic All-ASC and 2022-23 Chi Alpha Sigma Inductee.
 
Rebecca Jackson | Neuroscience | Tennis | Austin, Texas
Jackson won 2023 ASC East Most Valuable Player and is a three-time All-ASC East First Team. She was selected 2024 All-ASC East Second Team. Jackson was named to 2022-23 CSC Academic All-District, 2022-23 ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Women’s Tennis winner. Jackson was selected 2021 ASC Tournament MVP and on the 2022 and 2023 ASC All-Tournament Teams. Jackson earned ASC East Player of the Week on 3/9/21, 4/5/22, 4/12/22 and 3/7/23. She is a three-time Academic All-ASC selection from 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 seasons. Jackson was a 2022-23 Chi Alpha Sigma Inductee.