New Braunfels, Texas – Mary Hardin-Baylor’s wide receiver BJ Stewart was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while Hardin-Simmons linebacker Kaiden Roden and East Texas Baptist defensive linemen Dominick Williams were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year, to headline the 2025 American Southwest Conference football awards. The ASC office announced the team Thursday after a vote of the league's head coaches.
Stewart, who was also named First Team All-Conference as a wide receiver and return specialist, led the conference in receptions with 62, reception yards with 776, and reception touchdowns with 11. He also led the way in kick return yards with 552, punt return yards with 200, and return touchdowns with two. Stewart’s play helped lead the Cru to a share of the 2025 ASC Conference Championship.
Roden, who was also named First Team All-Conference as a linebacker, led the league in tackles with 73. He averaged an astounding 8.1 tackles per game for the Cowboys. Roden had 10 tackles for a loss, one interception for a touchdown, and one fumble recovery.
Williams, who was also named First Team All-Conference and the conferences Defensive Lineman of the Year was second in the league in tackles with 72, first in the league in sacks with 10.5, and first in the league for tackles for a loss with 16.5. Williams also led the league in force fumbles with three.
Hardin-Simmons center Hayden Philpot was named the conference Offensive Lineman of the Year. His play on the line helped anchor an offensive that led the conference in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Hardin-Simmons offense led the league in scoring by scoring 45.2 points per game.
BJ Stewart from Mary Hardin-Baylor, Pedro Altamirano from Hardin-Simmons, and Elijah Cobos from Howard Payne all share the honor of being named Special Teams Player of the Year for the ASC. Stewart led the league in kick return and punt return yards, while also scoring two touch downs from the returner’s positions. Altamirano led the league in field goals by making nine field goals with his long being 47 yards. Cobos punted 15 balls inside the 20-yard line and had seven punts of 50 plus yards to help the Jackets special teams.
Howard Payne’s Bryce Still was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year for his play at the quarterback position. For the year, he completed 64% of his passes, throwing seven touchdowns, to only four interceptions.
Coby Gipson from Howard Payne was named the ASC Coach of the Year. In his first year as the Jackets Head Coach, Gipson led HPU to a 4-6 overall record and 2-4 conference record.
Each ASC team is represented on the Outstanding Sportsmanship Team of the Year, with a head coach nominating a student-athlete from his team that embodied that characteristic on the field.
2025 All-ASC Football Teams and Awards
Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: BJ Stewart, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Kaiden Roden, Hardin-Simmons
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Dominick Williams, East Texas Baptist
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Hayden Philpot, Hardin-Simmons
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Dominick Williams, East Texas Baptist
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year: Pedro Altamirano, Hardin-Simmons
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year: Elijah Cobos, Howard Payne
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year: BJ Stewart, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Freshman of the Year: Bryce Still, Howard Payne
Coach of the Year: Coby Gipson, Howard Payne
Outstanding Sportsman Team of the Year
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| DL |
Elijah Sims |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Houston, Texas |
| QB |
Jack Helsley 2 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Keller, Texas |
| WR |
Noah Gasque |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Pasadena, Texas |
| LB |
Jesus Mendoza |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Corsicana, Texas |
2 Two-time Sportsman Team of the Year
First Team Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| WR |
BJ Stewart |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Shreveport, Louis. |
| WR |
Wes Douglas |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Plano, Texas |
| SB |
Chance Hehman |
So. |
Howard Payne |
Pleasanton, Texas |
| TE |
Will McClintock 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Riesel, Texas |
| OG |
Bode Walters 2 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Marion, Texas |
| OG |
Joseph Montez 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
San Antonio, Texas |
| OT |
Nathan Morris 3 |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Sugar Land, Texas |
| OT |
Behn Marin |
Gr. |
Howard Payne |
Houston, Texas |
| OT |
DJ Greer |
Fr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| OT |
Jaxon Lunsford |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Abilene, Texas |
| OT |
Carson Gaido 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Georgetown, Texas |
| C |
Hayden Philpot 3 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Decatur, Texas |
| C |
Dominik Reed 2 |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Argyle, Texas |
| C |
Brock Johnson |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Henderson, Texas |
| QB |
Kyle Brown 2 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Cedar Park, Texas |
| RB |
Noah Garcia 3 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Abilene, Texas |
| RB |
Blessing Ngene |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Katy, Texas |
| RB |
Asa Osbourn 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Denison, Texas |
| RS |
BJ Stewart |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Shreveport, Louis |
| K |
Pedro Altamirano |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Abilene, Texas |
First Team Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| DL |
Dominick Williams 3 |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
Te’Ron Brown 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Orange, Texas |
| DL |
Caden Sampson-Stuckey |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
| DL |
Brandon McGruder |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Little Elm, Texas |
| LB |
Kaiden Roden 2 |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Quinlan, Texas |
| LB |
Kade Slink |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Houston, Texas |
| LB |
Izeal Jones |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Houston, Texas |
| LB |
Kyle Zalick 2 |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| DB |
Harrison Foster 2 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Sweetwater, Texas |
| DB |
Micah Henderson |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Waco, Texas |
| DB |
KD Bookman 2 |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Point Blank, Texas |
| DB |
JJ Davis |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Houston, Texas |
| DB |
Da’Marion Morris 2 |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Orange, Texas |
| P |
Kaden Turner |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
San Antonio, Texas |
Second Team Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| WR |
Jamel Toney-Black |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
Dallas, Texas |
| WR |
Bryson Ortega-Duplechain |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Victoria, Texas |
| SB |
Cullen Crain |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Tomball, Texas |
| TE |
Christian Marshall |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Wimberley, Texas |
| OG |
Devon Jolly 2 |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
| OG |
Javier Mendez |
So. |
Howard Payne |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
| OT |
Mike McAfee |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Hallettsville, Texas |
| OT |
Destin Smith 2 |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Patterson, Louis. |
| QB |
Kirkland Michaux |
Gr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Austin, Texas |
| QB |
Bryce Still |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
Overton, Texas |
| RB |
Paul Woodard |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Freeport, Texas |
| RB |
Braylon Henry 2 |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Lorena, Texas |
| RB |
Kamerin Ferguson 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Decatur, Texas |
| RB |
Jordan Woodard |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Brazoria, Texas |
| RS |
Noah Garcia 3 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Abilene, Texas |
| K |
Jack Hight |
Fr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
San Antonio, Texas |
| K |
Mitchell White |
Fr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Corinth, Texas |
Second Team Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| DL |
Cameron Hall |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
The Woodlands, Texas |
| DL |
Gaige Sanders |
So. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Magnolia, Texas |
| DL |
Hayden Hayes 2 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Royse City, Texas |
| DL |
Colton Wilson |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Ennis, Texas |
| LB |
Cade Rochinski |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Montgomery, Texas |
| LB |
Derrick Lewis |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
San Antonio, Texas |
| LB |
Gavin Brzezinski 2 |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Cedar Park, Texas |
| LB |
Michael Brown |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Baton Rouge, Louis. |
| LB |
Matt Pascuzzi |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| DB |
Justin Kay |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
La Porte, Texas |
| DB |
Kadarius Carr 3 |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Louisville, Miss. |
| DB |
Mike Akinbisola 2 |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Houston, Texas |
| DB |
Samuel Steffe 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Aledo, Texas |
| P |
Elijah Cobos |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
Big Spring, Texas |
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4 Four-time All-Conference
3 Three-time All-Conference
2 Two-time All-Conference