DALLAS – Acts of sportsmanship in competition, on campus and within the community earned
Anthony Browning of Hardin-Simmons and
Bridgette Fly of McMurry recognition as the 2023-24 American Southwest Conference Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Athletes of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.
The ASC Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award honors each year a male and female student-athlete who best display attributes of sportsmanship, leadership, citizenship and academic integrity in his or her athletic, academic and life pursuits. The conference Directors of Athletics present the annual awards.
Browning, a senior men’s golfer from Abilene, Texas, was voted 2024 ASC Men’s Golf Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year by the league’s golfers after being a selected finalist by the coaches. Browning in 17 rounds had a scoring average of 75.5 and had a 10th place finish at the Abilene Intercollegiate. He was named All-ASC Honorable Mention.
HSU Head Golf Coach Bart Craig stated, “While Anthony Browning has played for four years at Hardin-Simmons, he will be the first member of his family to graduate with a college degree while playing golf, being an instrumental part of his family's business and a father to a baby girl. Just before the conference tournament last year, his dad suffered a stroke which forced Anthony into much more of a leadership role in taking care of his family and the family business. He maintained his grades, played golf and shouldered much of the load while his dad recovered. In twelve years as a college coach, he has been the humblest leader I ever had the good fortune to coach. He leads his life by example, not just on the golf course but in everything he does. He is an encouragement to anyone he plays with and a joy to be around both on and off the golf course. My players will be better people going forward because they were able to "do life" with Anthony Browning. That is why I nominate Anthony Browning for Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year.”
Fly, a senior women’s tennis player from Watauga, Texas, was tabbed 2024 ASC Women’s Tennis West Division Co-Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. She went 6-10 on the season in flight one singles and was 7-9 in flight one doubles with teammate Jenna Vincent.
McMurry Head Coach Chris Breaux praised Fly, “
Fly is an exceptional individual whose dedication to the sport is paralleled by her academic achievements and her exemplary character. Fly has consistently demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship throughout her tennis career. She treats her opponents, officials, and the rules of the game with the utmost respect. Her ability to maintain composure under pressure, celebrate victories with humility, and accept defeats with grace sets her apart as a true role model. Her behavior both on and off the court epitomizes the principles of fair play, integrity, and respect, making her an ideal candidate for this award. In addition to her athletic prowess, Fly has excelled academically, majoring in both Computer Science and Criminology. Balancing the rigorous demands of these two challenging fields with her commitment to tennis is a testament to her exceptional discipline, time management, and perseverance. Moreover, Fly has worked in the school library throughout her academic career, further demonstrating her strong work ethic and dedication to her community. Fly’s dual focus on Computer Science and Criminology showcases her diverse interests and intellectual curiosity. She applies the analytical skills from her studies to her strategic approach to tennis, illustrating how academic and athletic pursuits can complement and enhance each other. Her work in the school library further underscores her commitment to supporting her academic community and fostering a love of learning among her peers. Fly’s unwavering commitment to sportsmanship, coupled with her academic excellence and community involvement, makes her an outstanding candidate for the Sportsmanship Award. Her actions reflect the highest standards of character and integrity, serving as an inspiration to all. I wholeheartedly endorse Fly for this award and believe that recognizing her contributions will not only honor her achievements but also highlight the critical importance of sportsmanship in tennis.”
2023-24 Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award Nominees
| Men |
|
|
|
| Baseball |
Efren Sanchez, Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Sr. |
| Basketball |
Jaden Connor |
East Texas Baptist |
Sr. |
| Cross Country |
Ethan Turner |
McMurry |
Sr. |
| Golf |
Anthony Browning |
Hardin-Simmons |
Sr. |
| Soccer |
Josh Redding |
Concordia Texas |
Sr. |
| Tennis / East Division |
Landon Ferree |
Howard Payne |
Sr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Esteban Arredondo |
Concordia Texas |
Gr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Jordan Oberbillig |
Hardin-Simmons |
Jr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Santiago Marin |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Sr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Khoen Gregory |
McMurry |
Fr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Jackson Taylor |
Sul Ross State |
Sr. |
| Track & Field |
Jacob White |
LeTourneau |
Sr. |
| Women |
|
|
|
| Basketball |
Blythe Williams |
East Texas Baptist |
Sr. |
| Cross Country |
Alayna Galloway |
LeTourneau |
So. |
| Golf |
Avery Hill |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Jr. |
| Soccer |
Alyssa Stanley |
Hardin-Simmons |
Sr. |
| Soccer |
Claudia Garcia |
Ozarks |
Sr. |
| Softball |
Lindsey Polleschultz |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Jr. |
| Tennis / East Division |
Clara Brisman |
LeTourneau |
Sr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Kayla Pena |
Concordia Texas |
Jr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Jonnah Smith |
Hardin-Simmons |
Sr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Lori Bryan |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
So. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Bridgette Fly |
McMurry |
Sr. |
| Tennis / West Division |
Reagan Ramsey |
Sul Ross State |
Sr. |
| Track & Field |
Haily Bass |
LeTourneau |
Fr. |
| Volleyball |
Lillie Hill |
East Texas Baptist |
Sr. |
Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Athletes of the Year
| Year |
Men |
Women |
| 1999-00 |
Joe Fox, Austin |
Courtney Shires, Mississippi College |
| 2000-01 |
Michael Kawazoe, Austin |
Sarah Birge, Austin |
| 2001-02 |
Phil Kaiser, Ozarks |
Lindsey Brotherton, Schreiner |
| 2002-03 |
Preston Meyer, Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Julie Richardson, Ozarks |
| 2003-04 |
Cody Brotherton, McMurry |
Lyndsay Llewellyn, McMurry |
| 2004-05 |
Drew McMaster, Howard Payne |
Katie DeDeaux, Mississippi College |
| 2005-06 |
Kyle Shipp, Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Bethany Harris, Mississippi College |
| 2006-07 |
Ryan Potter, LeTourneau |
Michelle Heckmann, Concordia Texas |
| 2007-08 |
Tyler Winford, Mississippi College |
Lindsey Peters, UT Tyler |
| 2008-09 |
Ty Palmer, Texas Lutheran |
Krissy Seaman, UT Dallas |
| 2009-10 |
David Ashlock, UT Tyler (co) |
Kristen Chapman, LeTourneau |
|
Sam Walker, Hardin-Simmons (co) |
|
| 2010-11 |
Ryan Yezak, East Texas Baptist |
Whitney Wyly, UT Tyler |
| 2011-12 |
Collin Janssen, Concordia Texas |
Hannah Langley, Mississippi College |
| 2012-13 |
Marcus Bobb, Ozarks |
Jennifer Cooper, Mississippi College |
| 2013-14 |
Zakk Revelle, Sul Ross State |
Samantha Guerrero, Howard Payne |
| 2014-15 |
Andrew Cummings, Ozarks (tri) |
Jordana Andrews, Ozarks |
|
Matt Weaver, Ozarks (tri) |
|
|
Isaiah Minick, Mary Hardin-Baylor (tri) |
|
| 2015-16 |
Xavier Scarlett, LeTourneau (co) |
Cheyenne Dowdey, Mary Hardin-Baylor |
|
Seth Walters, LeTourneau (co) |
|
| 2016-17 |
Conner Combs, East Texas Baptist |
Alisa Wilson, LeTourneau |
| 2017-18 |
Caleb Thomasson, Sul Ross State |
Abby Weaver, East Texas Baptist |
| 2018-19 |
Beau Billings, East Texas Baptist |
Marlee Blackwell, Belhaven (co) |
|
|
Mullika Seekhieo, East Texas Baptist (co) |
| 2020-21 |
Kaden Treybig, Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Rachel Kahler, UT Dallas |
| 2021-22 |
Justin Moore, LeTourneau |
Suzuka Nishino, UT Dallas |
| 2022-23 |
Justin Ardis, UT Dallas |
Aubrianna Salazar, Hardin-Simmons |