Angelo State University

Angelo State University honored its 2026 Outstanding Graduate Students, as well as the recipients of three superlative awards, during the recent Graduate Research Symposium and Awards Ceremony in the Houston Harte University Center. The honorees were nominated by faculty in their respective academic departments, and each received a certificate of recognition. The complete list of honorees, listed by their hometowns and fields of study, is available at angelo.edu/news.

Angelo State University's chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) national honor society recently inducted its spring 2026 class of 30 new student members during a special initiation ceremony in the Houston Harte University Center. PKP is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for students in all academic disciplines. Invitations to join PKP are extended to juniors in the top 7.5% of their class, and to seniors and graduate students in the top 10% of their class. PKP is considered one of the nation's most prestigious academic honorary societies, along with Phi Beta Kappa, which recognizes majors in the arts and sciences, and Sigma Xi, which honors majors in the sciences. See the entire list of ASU inductees at angelo.edu/news.

Eight players on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team brought home a total of 11 Lone Star Conference postseason honors for their performances during the 2026 regular season. Highlighting the ASU awards is redshirt-senior second baseman Austin Beck of Allen being named the LSC Academic Player of the Year, as well as to the All-LSC first team and LSC All-Academic Team. He is batting .370 with a team-high 20 doubles, 7 home runs and 45 stolen bases, which also leads the LSC. Earlier this season, he became the first player in NCAA Division II history to post 300 career runs scored. Redshirt-senior first baseman Chase Pendley of Prosper also reaped multiple awards as he was named to the All-LSC first team and the LSC All-Defensive Team. In his first season at first base, he posted a .998 fielding percentage while also batting .361, leading the LSC with 73 hits and ranking third in the LSC with 59 RBI. Three Rams were named to the All-LSC second team - senior pitcher Garrett Baumann of Poth (9-5, 4.04 ERA), junior shortstop Payton Bush of Amarillo (.358 avg., 51 RBI) and junior DH Brett Smajstrla of Pearland (.371 avg., 7 HRs, 50 RBI). The Rams also placed three players on the All-LSC third team - junior pitcher Nick Gray of Forney (6-1, 3.68 ERA), freshman third baseman Tate Greene of Allen (.330 avg., 58 RBI) and senior catcher Blake Wilhoite of Midlothian (.348 avg., .544 OBP). The No. 12 Rams finished the regular season at 36-14 and open bracket play at the LSC Tournament in Tyler today against St. Mary's University. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Six players on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team brought home a total of 12 Lone Star Conference postseason awards for their performances during the 2026 regular season. The ASU accolades are highlighted by freshman third baseman Zoey Sifuentes of Lamesa being named LSC Freshman of the Year and also being selected to the All-LSC first team and LSC All-Freshman Team. She leads the Belles with a .412 batting average, 21 doubles and 71 RBI - and is second on the team with 13 home runs. Junior infielder Kylie Forney of Andover, Kansas, also won a superlative award as she was named the LSC Newcomer of the Year, as well as to the All-LSC first team. In her first season at ASU, she is batting .358 and leads the LSC with 47 walks and 33 stolen bases. Joining Sifuentes and Forney on the All-LSC first team are junior pitcher Addy Ewing of Owasso, Okla., and senior outfielder Tatiana Trotter of Lubbock, who was also named to the LSC All-Academic Team and won the LSC Golden Glove in center field. The Belles also had two players named to the All-LSC second team - junior pitcher Ashleigh Dendas of Sacramento, Calif., and freshman pitcher Maddison Ruiz of Belton. Ruiz was also named to the LSC All-Freshman Team. The No. 18 Belles finished the regular season 43-12 overall and 32-8 in the LSC. They begin play in the LSC Tournament today in Canyon. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University has announced the winners of the Presidential Award and Distinguished Student Awards for the undergraduate Class of 2026. Isabel Gilbert, a biology major from Montana City, Mont., has been selected to receive ASU's 2026 Presidential Award as the top graduate in her class, while five other ASU graduating seniors have been selected for 2026 Distinguished Student Awards from their respective academic colleges. The Distinguished Student Award recipients are: Ashton Murry of San Angelo - Archer College of Health and Human Services Nicora Coleman of Burleson - College of Arts and Humanities Kianna Ortiz of Amarillo - College of Education Elizabeth "Lizzie" Scales of Kerrville - College of Science and Engineering Kimberly Tatiana Alvarez of San Angelo - Norris-Vincent College of Business. All the honorees will be recognized at ASU's May 15-16 commencement ceremonies. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Tatiana Trotter of Lubbock, the centerfielder for the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week for NCAA Division II by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) for the week ending May 3. As the No. 13 Belles completed road double-headers at No. 6 West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico, Trotter batted .600 over the four games with five home runs and nine RBI. The senior intelligence and analysis major also posted a .692 on-base percentage and 2.200 slugging percentage as she reached base nine times in 13 plate appearances and totaled six extra-base hits. Trotter's final home run of the weekend was the 40th of her ASU career, which ranks her fifth in team history. This marks her first NFCA national weekly honor, and she was also named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week. Trotter and her Rambelles teammates open postseason play at the Lone Star Conference Tournament in Canyon this Thursday through Saturday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Six Angelo State University Rambelles tennis players have earned 10 All-Lone Star Conference honors for their performances during the 2026 season that included a 19-match winning streak and a runner-up finish in the LSC standings. The ASU accolades are highlighted by sophomore Margaux Rene of Soisy-Sur-Siene, France, being named to the LSC All-Academic Team, the All-LSC second team for singles, and the All-LSC second team for doubles with her partner, sophomore Benedetta Raggiotti of Perugia, Italy. Raggiotti also earned All-LSC honorable mention for singles, and Rene also made the LSC Sportsmanship Team. Also for the Belles, sophomore Vasilissa Kupriianova of Ryazan, Russia, was named to the All-LSC second team for singles - and three ASU freshmen joined Raggiotti in earning All-LSC honorable mention for singles: Danaiya Amangazhiyeva of Almaty, Kazakhstan; Sasa Felixova of Sala, Slovakia; and Anna Wache of Paris, France. The No. 29 Belles are ranked fourth in latest NCAA Division II Regional Rankings and are the No. 4 seed in the LSC Tournament, which begins today in Arlington. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University's chapter of the Alpha Chi national collegiate honor society recently inducted 20 new members for the spring 2026 semester during a ceremony in the Houston Harte University Center. Alpha Chi is one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies that is open to undergraduate students majoring in all academic disciplines. To be eligible, students must rank in the top 10% of seniors at their college or university, or in the top 7.5% of juniors. See the complete list of inductees, listed by hometown and major, at angelo.edu/news.

Angelo State University's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Norris-Vincent College of Business (NVCOB) have announced the winners of the 2026 BizPitch student entrepreneurship competition. The BizPitch competition began in January when individual ASU students or teams of up to four students were invited to submit video pitches of their ideas for new business startups. A panel of ASU business faculty and SBDC specialists selected five finalists to make live pitch presentations to a panel of judges made up of local business professionals. The live finals event was held in the Houston Harte University Center. See the full winners list at angelo.edu/news.

Addy Ewing of Owasso, Okla., a junior pitcher on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for Week 13 of the season ending April 26. As the Belles swept weekend home series against Lubbock Christian and Midwestern State, Ewing pitched in three of the four games, picking up her third save and her 15th win of the season. Against Lubbock Christian on April 24, Ewing earned the save in Game 1, surrenduring just one run in 2.2 innings. She returned in Game 2 to pitch 1.2 scoreless innings in middle relief. The exercise science major then tossed her first complete-game shutout of the season on April 26, allowing only three hits in Game 2 against Midwestern State as the Belles won, 4-0. Ewing is now 15-0 with three saves and a 1.99 ERA in her team-high 31 appearances this season. She leads the LSC in ERA and is fourth in wins and saves. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Maria Schuler of Langenfeld, Germany, a thrower on the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Field Athlete of the Week for Week 6 of the outdoor season. Competing at her home complex in the ASU Invite, Schuler broke her own LSC record in the hammer throw with a heave of 201-7 (61.44 meters). She had previously set the record at the 2025 LSC Championships. The senior business major's throw also ranks fourth in NCAA Division II this season. Schuler and her ASU teammates will compete at the 2026 LSC Championships May 7-9 in Canyon. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Five Angelo State University economics majors were selected to present their undergraduate research projects at the recent 50th annual meeting of the Association of Private Enterprise Education (APEE) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Only 42 undergraduate students nationwide were chosen through a competitive application process to make research presentations in the APEE conference's Undergraduate Research Competition. The ASU students who presented their research were: Samuel Helm of San Angelo - "When Property Rights Fail: The Rise of Religious Hostility" Kaleb Morkovsky of El Paso - "Does Ideological Homogeneity Influence Economic Outcomes?" Caden Olliges of McKinney - "Innovation Shocks and Public Debt: The Fiscal Potential of AI" Isaac Ortegon of Eden - "Does Childhood Welfare Exposure Shape Family Structure?" Matthew Zwicke of San Angelo - "Rent Control under Immigration Pressure: Evidence from California" All five ASU students were also awarded grants from the Texas Tech University Free Market Institute to cover their airfare and lodging for the APEE conference. See the full story on the ASU website.

Angelo State University Rams track and field student-athletes have swept the Lone Star Conference Men's Athletes of the Week honors for Week 5 of the outdoor season ending April 19. Competing at the Greyhound Open in Portales, N.M., sophomore Jonathan Wright of Coahoma won the pole vault with a vault of 16-11 (5.16 meters) on his way to being named LSC Men's Field Athlete of the Week. That mark is the second-highest in the LSC this season and ranks 12th in NCAA Division II. The Rams 4x100-meter relay team also placed first with a time of 39.75 to cumulatively claim LSC Men's Track Athlete of the Week honors. Team members are junior Bautista Diamante of San Angelo, sophomore Taylor Briggs of McKinney, freshman Francis Patanpatan of Hawley, and freshman William Opare of Accra, Ghana. Their time is third-best in NCAA D-II this season and broke the school record in the event that had stood since 1981. The Rams and Rambelles are hosting the ASU Invite April 22-23 before heading to the LSC Outdoor Championships in Canyon on May 7-9. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Austin Beck of Allen, the second baseman for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the NCAA Division II South Central Region Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) for Week 12 of the season ending April 19. A redshirt senior, Beck helped power the Rams' offense in a four-game road sweep over Eastern New Mexico by pounding 12 total hits, including five doubles and a triple, and driving in eight runs. He also added three walks, four stolen bases and 11 runs scored - the most runs scored by a LSC player in a single series this season. Along the way, the MBA student also set new ASU team records for career hits (311) and career RBI (214). This marks his third NCBWA Regional Hitter of the Week honor this season. Earlier this week, Beck was also named ASU's 2026 Phil George Male Athlete of the Year and received the Male Academic Excellence Award at the annual Holland's Sports Banquet. Beck and the Rams will play their final regular-season series this weekend when they host Cameron University for a four-game set Friday throught Sunday. See more details at angelosports.com.

Austin Beck of Allen, the second baseman for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for Week 12 of the season ending April 19. It's his third LSC weekly award this season. As the Rams swept a 4-game road series at Eastern New Mexico, Beck totaled 12 hits, eight RBI and 11 runs scored. His hits included five doubles and a triple, and he added three walks and four stolen bases. His 11 runs were the most scored by an LSC player in a single series this season. Along the way, the redshirt-senior MBA student also set new ASU career records for hits (311) and RBI (214). He will enter this weekend's final regular-season series leading the LSC in runs scored (56) and stolen bases (39). Beck and the Rams will host Cameron University to wrap up the regular season this weekend. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Thirteen Angelo State University Rams and Rambelles student-athletes received 2026 Holland's Awards that honor individuals for the best performances both in the classroom and on the field or court over the past academic year. As voted on by their teammates in their respective sports, Holland's Award winners exemplify what it means to be an ASU student-athlete in competition, in the classroom and in the community. The awards were handed out during the ASU Athletic Department's annual Holland's Sports Banquet on April 20. See more details at angelosports.com.

Angelo State University Rodeo Team members Caleb Lake and Samuel "Sam" Lewis have qualified to compete at the 2026 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) to be held June 14-20 in Casper, Wyoming. Only the top three individuals in the final standings of each event in each of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's 12 regions qualify for the CNFR. Lake, an animal science major from Bayfield, Colorado, qualified for the CNFR by finishing third in the steer wrestling standings at the end of the 2025-26 season in the NIRA Lone Star Region. Lewis, a border and homeland security major from Amarillo, qualified by finishing as the Reserve Champion in the tie-down roping standings in the Lone Star Region. Both Lake and Lewis wrapped up their 2025-26 NIRA regular seasons in style, with Lake as the Grand Champion of steer wrestling at the Tarleton Stampede Rodeo, and Lewis as both Grand Champion of tie-down roping at the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo and Reserve Champion at the Tarleton Stampede. The ASU Rodeo Team was just formed in 2023, and Lake and Lewis are the second and third members of the team to qualify for the CNFR. See more details on the ASU Rodeo Team's Facebook page.

Austin Beck of Allen, the second baseman for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, broke the program records for career hits and career RBI in the Rams' 9-4 victory of Eastern New Mexico University on April 19. As the Rams clinched a road series sweep over the Roadrunners, Beck went 4-for-4 with three RBI to pace the offense. His record-breaking hit came in the second inning, when he tripled down the right-field line to drive in the first run of the game. With the hit and RBI, he set new school records for both hits (311) and RBI (214). A redshirt-senior studying for his MBA, Beck already held numerous program records, including career runs scored, stolen bases, total bases and triples. He was also part of the Rams' 2023 national championship team, and his ASU career is liberally sprinkled with All-Lone Star Conference, All-South Central Region and All-America honors. See more details at angelosports.com.

Mia Clarke of Liverpool, England, a senior on the Angelo State University Rambelles golf team, has earned All-Lone Star Conference honorable mention for her performance during the 2025-26 season. An interdisciplinary studies major, Clarke won the individual title at the season-opening Swan Memorial in Colorado among her three top-10 finishes this year. She finished 10th at the Jack Brown Invitational to kick off the spring schedule in February, and she took fourth place at the Desert Invitational to cap off the regular season last week in Arizona. Clarke has also posted an average score of 76.2 per round, a 1.5-stroke improvement over last season. She is the first ASU golfer to earn All-LSC honors since 2023. Clarke and the Belles are competing at the LSC Golf Championships today through Wednesday in Rockwall. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Jon Dirk Ross of San Angelo, a senior music/voice major at Angelo State University, has earned a 2025-26 Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award from the Presser Foundation in Philadelphia that includes a $3,000 scholarship and the title of Presser Scholar. The award annually celebrates students, selected by their music faculty during their final year of study, "who have achieved a high level of music and academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and contributed to an inclusive community." ASU's music program was invited to join the Presser Foundation scholarship program in 2023, and Ross is the third ASU student to be named a Presser Scholar. It is the most prestigious undergraduate honor in music at Angelo State. Ross will graduate from ASU in May with a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance. He has performed with ASU's University Chorale and Chamber Singers, and he was one of the first students to join the ASU Opera Theater program when it was revived in 2023. He was a winner of the 2025 ASU Concerto and Aria Competition, and he has performed with the San Angelo Symphony and the Permian Basin Opera Company. Following his ASU graduation, Ross plans to pursue a professional opera career, and he has already been offered a Resident Artist position with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Vasilissa Kupriianova of Ryazan, Russia, a sophomore on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Singles Player of the Week for Week 9 of the season ending April 5. With the Belles tied 3-3 on the road at St. Mary's, Kupriianova won her singles match - 6-3, 6-2 - to clinch the match victory. It was the first time for the Belles to win at St. Mary's in team history, and it improved their record this season to 17-0. This marks Kupriianova's second LSC Singles Player of the Week honor this season, and she was also named a LSC Doubles Player of the Week for Week 7, along with her partner, freshman Danaiya Amangazhiyeva. The Belles are back in action this weekend with home matches against Western New Mexico and Sul Ross State. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

William Opare of Accra, Ghana, a freshman on the Angelo State University Rams track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Men's Track Athlete of Week for Week 3 of the outdoor season. Competing at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Opare won the 200-meter invitational, defeating the field that included NCAA Division I and professional athletes. His time of 20.48 seconds is the fastest time in NCAA D-II this season. The marketing major was also part of the Rams' 4x400-meter relay team that claimed the top prize in the event's prelims with a time of 3:06.24. Opare ran his leg in 44.60 to help the team post the fastest time in NCAA D-II this season by nearly two seconds. This is Opare's first LSC Athlete of the Week honor for the outdoor season and his second for 2026. He also holds the fastest time in NCAA D-II for the 400 meters this season. The No. 2 Rams and No. 14 Rambelles will be back in action this weekend at the War Hawk Classic in Abilene. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Representatives of Angelo State University's student-run Ram Media outlets brought home 11 awards after competing in various contests at the recent Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) Convention in Denton. The TIPA journalism/media competition consists of two parts - the Annual Contest that solicits submission of entries previously published or broadcast in the past academic year, and the Live Contests that take place between students attending the convention. Ram Media is a component of the Department of Communication and Mass Media. Outlets include the Ram TV television station, the Ram Page digital newspaper and the Ram Radio internet radio station, as well as Ram TV Sports that broadcasts live ASU intercollegiate sports on the FloSports Network. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Benedetta Raggiotti of Perugia, Italy, a sophomore on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Singles Player of the Week for Week 8 of the season ending March 29. As the Belles claimed home victories over Cameron University and No. 24 Midwestern State, Raggiotti won both of her singles matches in straight sets. She is now 14-0 in singles play this season, including 3-0 in LSC matches, and she is 11-3 in doubles matches with her partner, Margaux Rene. This is the psychology major's first LSC Singles Player of the Week accolade. Earlier this season, she earned LSC Doubles Player of the Week honors along with Rene. Raggiotti and the Belles are back in action this weekend on the road at St. Mary's in San Antonio. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Ashley Allison of San Angelo, a junior natural resource management major in the Angelo State University Honors Program, has been selected to participate in the 2026 Undergraduate Research on Ice Nucleation in Austria program through Virginia Tech University. Only five positions were available for the program that will run May 26 - July 31. Allison and the other student participants will conduct hands-on research in the Alps mountains and other areas in and around Vienna, Austria, while working with graduate students and faculty. They will also take part in cultural activities and training in German, ethics and professionalism. The program is funded by the National Science Foundation. According to the program website, there has been a resurgence in ice nucleation research within the last decade, largely because of the pressing need to understand the impact of aerosols on precipitation and climate. As a participant in the program, Allison will receive a $7,000 stipend and travel funding to Blacksburg, Virginia, and Vienna, Austria, as well as free housing and meals at both locations. See more details at angelo.edu.

Zoey Sifuentes of Lamesa, the third baseman for the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named to the NCAA Division II Player and Pitcher of the Year Watchlist by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). A freshman kinesiology major, Sifuentes is one of only 15 selectees from the South Central Region and 118 nationwide to make the watchlist. A three-time Lone Star Conference Player of the Week honoree this season, she leads all freshmen in NCAA D-II with 15 doubles and 42 RBI. She also leads the Belles in batting average (.438), hits (46), home runs (7) and slugging percentage (.819). The NFCA National Pitcher and Player of the Year honors will be announced on May 27, the day before the beginning of the NCAA D-II National Championships. Sifuentes and the No. 12 Belles are back in action this week against UT Permian Basin. See more details at angelosports.com and on the NFCA website.

Taylor Briggs of McKinney, a sophomore on the Angelo State University Rams track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Men's Track Athlete of the Week for Week 2 of the outdoor season ending March 29. Competing at home in the ASU David Noble Relays, Briggs won gold in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 53.04, which ranks No. 12 in the nation. The finance major was also part of the 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay teams that clocked 39.88 and 3:08.69, respectively. The 4x100 time is third in the nation, and the 4x400 time is second. This is the first LSC weekly award of Briggs' ASU career. He and his teammates will compete at the Texas Relays in Austin this weekend. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University Rambelles tennis players Danaiya Amangazhiyeva and Vasilissa Kupriianova swept the Lone Star Conference Women's Player of the Week honors for Week 7 of the season ending March 22. As the Belles went 3-0 in road matches against Emporia State, Shippensburg and Slippery Rock, Kupriianova went 3-0 in her singles matches without dropping a set. As a result, the sophomore marketing major from Ryazan, Russia, has been named the LSC Women's Singles Player of the Week. Kupriianova also paired with Amangazhiyeva, a freshman kinesiology major from Almaty, Kazakhstan, as a doubles team for the first time - and they also went 3-0 for the week without dropping a set. The pair has been named the LSC Women's Doubles Team of the Week. These are the first LSC weekly honors for both players. They will be back in action this weekend with home matches against Cameron and Midwestern State. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

William Opare of Accra, Ghana, a freshman sprinter on the Angelo State University Rams track and field team, has been named the 2026 NCAA Division II National Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The marketing major was the high-point scorer at the NCAA D-II Indoor Championships with 20.5 points after winning the national title in the 400 meters, placing second in the 200 meters, and anchoring the Rams' title-winning 4x400-meter relay team. He is the first ASU student-athlete to win a USTFCCCA Indoor Athlete of the Year award. On the same day as his national award, Opare was also named the Lone Star Conference Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. He won the 400 meters and 200 meters at the LSC Indoor Championships and was named the Outstanding Men's Track Athlete at the conclusion of the meet. Opare was also previously named the USTFCCCA's NCAA D-II South Central Region Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. See more details at angelosports.com and on the USTFCCCA website.

Angelo State University Rambelles basketball players Majik Esquivel and Taylor Grona have earned NCAA Division II Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators (CSC) for the 2025-26 season. To qualify, student-athletes must have at least a 3.75 cumulative GPA, be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, and have played in 90% or started in at least 66% of their institution's matches. Esquivel, a sophomore commercial aviation major from Lubbock, led the Belles and was second in the Lone Star Conference in scoring at 17.2 points per game. She was also named to the All-LSC first team and the D2CCA All-South Central Region second team. Grona, a sophomore animal science major from Fredericksburg, started all 27 games for the Belles, led the team in assists (73) and steals (50), and finished second in rebounds (137). She also averaged 10.2 points per game. The Belles finished the season 15-12 overall and 13-7 in the LSC, advancing to the LSC Tournament quarterfinals. See more details at angelosports.com.