Angelo State University

Sydney Thornton of Prosper, a middle blocker on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Week for Week 8 of the LSC season ending Oct. 27. A freshman business major, Thornton helped the Belles extend their winning streak to seven matches with a four-set road win over UT Permian Basin and a home sweep of Lubbock Christian. She posted nine kills and five blocks against UTPB, and then followed that up with six kills and a season-high seven blocks against LCU. For the week, she averaged three points per set, hit .481 and collected 12 blocks. Thornton also earned Freshman of the Week honors for Week 2 of the LSC season in mid-September. The Belles currently sit at 19-2 overall and in second place in the LSC at 9-1. They will play two road matches this weekend at St. Edward's on Friday and at St. Mary's on Saturday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Katelin Heise of Lubbock, captain of the Angelo State University Rambelles soccer team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week for Week 7 of the season ending Oct. 20. A graduate student midfielder/defender, Heise led the Belles defense that posted two shutouts in victories over St. Mary's, 2-0, and Eastern New Mexico, 3-0. She also notched a goal and an assist against Eastern New Mexico. The Belles have now recorded clean sheets in nine of their last 10 matches and sit in first place in the LSC. Heise, an exercise science major, is also tied for the team lead in points with six - two goals and two assists. The Belles are back in action tonight with a road match at UT Permian Basin, and will then face their biggest test of the season against No. 9 Dallas Baptist at home on Saturday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Sterling Gaston-Chapman of Wichita, Kansas, a transfer-senior guard on the Angelo State University Rams basketball team, has been named to the Lone Star Conference Players to Watch List heading into the 2024-25 season. An interdisciplinary studies major, Gaston-Chapman came to the Rams from Division I University of Texas at Arlington after previously playing two seasons at the University of Tulsa. A defensive specialist in his previous stops, he will be counted on to continue that role for the Rams while also chipping in on the offensive end. Entering their third season under head coach Vinay Patel, the Rams have been picked to finish fourth in the 2024-25 LSC Preseason Poll after posting a 19-11 record last season and qualifying for the NCAA D-II South Central Regional. They will open the season Nov. 8-9 at the Conference Crossover in Durango, Colo. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Madeline Stephens of Lubbock, a senior forward on the Angelo State University Rambelles basketball team, has been named to the Lone Star Conference Players to Watch List heading into the 2024-25 season. A health science professions major, Stephens averaged 13.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game last season on her way to being named to the All-LSC second team for the second straight year. She is the leading scorer of the Belles' returning players for this season. The Belles have been picked to finish sixth in the 2024-25 LSC Preseason Poll out of 16 LSC teams. Their season tips off Nov. 8 on the road at MSU Denver. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University Rams football players Andrew Pitts of McKinney and Cade Fuller of Floresville have both been named to the Midseason All-Texas Non-FBS Team by Dave Campbell's Texas Football (DCTF). Pitts, a senior cornerback, leads the Lone Star Conference in interceptions (5) and passes defended. Here's what DCTF had to say about him: "Death, taxes and Andrew Pitts intercepting a pass. Pitts has 20 tackles, one tackle for-loss, four pass breakups, and has recorded an interception in every game this season (5) while setting the Rams program record for most career interceptions (19)." Fuller, a senior punter, leads the LSC in punting average (46.2 yards per punt) and was named the LSC Special Teams Player of the Week after the Rams' most recent win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. Here's what DCTF had to say about him: "One of the top punters at any level, Fuller has placed 13 of 42 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, averaging 46.2 yards per attempt with 14 punts traveling 50 yards or longer." Pitts and Fuller will lead the Rams back into action on Saturday at Midwestern State. See the full story on the DCTF website.

Chasity Benson of Roby, a freshman on the Angelo State University Rambelles cross country team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Freshman Runner of the Week for Week 6 of the season ending Oct. 13. Competing at Our Lady of the Lake University's West Side Classic in Windcrest, Benson turned in a career-best 6K time of 23:08.1. That was good enough for 22nd place out of 79 runners and helped the Rambelles clinch third place overall - just six seconds out of first. A biology pre-med major, Benson is the first ASU cross country runner to earn a LSC weekly award this season. The ASU teams will take this weekend off as they prepare for the LSC Championships on Oct. 26 in Kingsville. More details are available at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Braeden Fuller and Cade Fuller of Floresville, both players on the Angelo State University Rams football team, have earned Lone Star Conference Player of the Week honors for Week 6 of the season ending Oct. 13. Braeden Fuller, the Rams' junior quarterback, won his third LSC Offensive Player of the Week honor this season after leading the Rams to a 38-0 home win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. The kinesiology major threw for career highs in yards (332) and touchdowns (4) and also added a rushing touchdown. He has now accounted for 12 touchdowns in his last three starts. Cade Fuller, the Rams' senior punter, was named LSC Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 49.9 yards per punt on eight attempts against the Javelinas. That included five punts over 50 yards, with a long of 71 yards. The sociology major leads the LSC with an average of 46.2 yards per punt, and he ranks seventh on the NCAA Division II active list with a career average of 41.5 ypp. The Rams have now won four straight games and remain undefeated in LSC play. They are back in action on Saturday, Oct. 19, as they travel to take on Midwestern State. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University Rambelles tennis players Avery Durham and Eva Schwartz finished as runners-up in the Women's Open Doubles competition at the annual Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Cup held Oct. 10-13 in Rome, Georgia. After receiving an at-large bid, the Belles doubles team proceeded to beat teams from Washburn University, Wayne State University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania to advance to the final, where they fell in three sets to the team from West Alabama University. Durham, a senior mass media major from Madison, Wisc., and Schwartz, a graduate student in international business from L'Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, France, were both named ITA All-Americans following the 2023-24 season. They were also named to the All-Lone Star Conference first team. The ITA Cup wrapped up the fall segment of the Belles' 2024-25 season, which will start up again in January. See more details at angelosports.com.

Adeline Ortman of Rhome and Evelyn Torres of Fort Worth, gradute students on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, have both earned Lone Star Conference Player of the Week honors for week 6 of the season ending Oct. 13. Ortman was named LSC Setter of the Week for the second time this season after posting 85 total assists in home victories over Texas A&M International and Texas A&M-Kingsville. The MBA student had 54 assists, seven digs and three kills in the four-set win over the Dustdevils. She then recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 31 assists and 13 digs against the Javelinas. She leads the LSC averaging 11.66 assists per set. Torres, an outside hitter, was named LSC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season as she averaged 5.5 kills per set and posted her 1,000th career kill. She had 14 kills and 12 digs against A&M International and followed that up with 22 kills against A&M-Kingsville. Her 22 kills agains the Javelinas are the most in a three-set match in the LSC this season. She sits third in the LSC in points per set (4.23) and fourth in kills per set (3.82). The Belles are now 15-2 overall and 5-1 in LSC play. They have a road match at Western New Mexico this week, followed by a home match against Sul Ross State on Friday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University student Aramide Oladiran, a biology major from Midland, recently spent a month in Brazil as part of a 14-person research team, seeking out rare and new mammal species in remote sites along he Purus River in the Amazon Forest (Amazonia). He was accompanied by Dr. Edson Abreu of the ASU biology faculty. The group was led by Dr. Alexandre Percequillo, a professor at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, as part of his larger effort to survey previously unexplored areas in Brazilian Amazonia. The research team documented and collected specimens of mammals (mainly rodents, marsupials and bats) in four different locations along the Purus River, amassing over 300 specimens representing about 65 different species. The intensive field effort, using different kinds of mammal traps and diurnal and nocturnal hunting, allowed the collection of rare species and likely new species to science. See more details and photos at angelo.edu/news.

Angelo State University Rams football players Braeden Fuller of Floresville and Kenton Allen of Riverside, Calif., have been named the Lone Star Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 5 of the season ending Oct. 6. A junior quarterback, Fuller rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another to lead the Rams to a 36-7 road win over the defending LSC champs, UT Permian Basin. He posted 146 yards on 15 carries, including an 86-yard touchdown run, and also threw for 122 yards without an interception. The kinesiology major earns his second LSC Offensive Player of the Week honor this season. Allen, a senior linebacker, earned LSC Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting a game-high 12 tackles against the Falcons and returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown to kick off ASU's scoring in the first quarter. The computer science major also led the Rams defense that allowed just 277 yards of total offense. The Rams are now 3-2 overall and 3-0 in LSC play. They are back in action this Saturday at home against Texas A&M-Kingsville for ASU Family Weekend. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Christina Clark of Trophy Club, a defender on the Angelo State University Rambelles soccer team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week for Week 4 of the season ending Sept. 29. As the Rambelles won their only game of the week, 2-0, over Texas Woman's University, Clark not only led the defense to keep a clean sheet, she also scored both goals to clinch the victory. Her close-range goal in the 15th minute was the first goal scored at the newly-renovated ASU LeGrand Soccer Complex. A sophomore management information systems major, Clark now co-leads the Belles with two goals and has led the defense to five shutouts in the team's six games so far this season. Clark and the Belles are back in action this week with games against St. Edward's at home and Midwestern State on the road. More details are available at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Evelyn Torres of Fort Worth, an outside hitter on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 4 of the season ending Sept. 29. As the No. 14 Rambelles opened LSC play by winning both matches of the week, Torres averaged 5.75 points per set and hit .357 in road victories over Midwestern State and Texas Woman's University. In the sweep of Midwestern State, she notched 17 kills, and then followed that up with 25 kills and 24 digs against TWU as the Belles came back from two sets down to claim the win, 3-2. A graduate criminal justice student, Torres ranks fourth in the LSC in points per set (4/12) and fifth in both kills per set (3.65) and total kills (168) through 13 matches. She and the Belles go back out on the road this week for matches at West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Amber Lockwood of San Antonio, goalkeeper for the Angelo State University Rambelles soccer team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Goalkeeper of the Week for Week 3 of the 2024 season ending on Sept. 22. As the Rambelles played their first two home matches of the season against MSU Denver and Regis University, Lockwood posted two shutouts as both games ended 0-0. She recorded six saves against MSU Denver and then backstopped the stalwart ASU defense with a single save against Regis. A senior commercial aviation major, Lockwood leads the LSC with four shutouts over five matches. Lockwood and the Belles have just one match on the schedule for this week, Saturday at home against Texas Woman's University. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Madi Parrish of Saginaw, an outside hitter on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, has been named the NCAA Division II National Player of the Week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for Week 3 of the season ending Sept. 22. Parrish earned the award for her all-around performances as the No. 21 Rambelles posted wins over No. 20 Dallas Baptist and No. 3 West Texas A&M at the Lone Star Conference Challenge in Dallas. In the 3-1 win over DBU, she notched 14 kills and 12 digs. Then, in the 3-1 win over WTAM, she recorded a career-high 23 kills, along with three blocks, three digs and a service ace. A sophomore business major, Parrish's efforts helped the Belles move up seven places in the AVCA Division II Top 25 to No. 14 this week. She is just the third ASU player to earn AVCA National Player of the Week honors, and the first since 2021. Parrish and the Belles open conference play this week with road matches at Midwestern State and Texas Woman's University. See more details at angelosports.com and on the AVCA website.

Braeden Fuller of Floresville, the starting quarterback for the Angelo State University Rams football team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 3 of the 2024 season. In the Rams' 21-0 road win over Western New Mexico on Sept. 21, Fuller accounted for all three ASU touchdowns. He passed for 222 yards and two touchdowns, completing 23 of 38 attempts with no interceptions. He was also the Rams' leading rusher with 81 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. A junior kinesiology major, Fuller has led the Rams to two straight wins, and ASU is now the only LSC school at 2-0 in conference play. He also has not thrown an interception yet this season. The Rams have a bye week this week and will be back in action on Oct. 5 at UT Permian Basin. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Joe Chaney of Daphne, Ala., a senior political science major at Angelo State University, has been selected for the ASU Department of Political Science and Philosophy's 2024 Government and Public Service Internship Program in Washington, D.C. Chaney will spend this fall semester working as an intern for U.S. Congressman August Pfluger, who represents the 11th District of Texas that includes San Angelo. During his internship, Chaney will live at the Texas Tech House with other interns from Texas Tech University and will receive an $8,000 stipend to help defray the costs of living in Washington, D.C. He will also earn six ASU credit hours in political science. A former foster care youth, Chaney is a member of ASU's Fostering Ram Success program. He previously completed a successful internship in the San Angelo City Attorney's Office, and he is also active in the Political Science Association and Kappa Sigma fraternity. A regular on the ASU Dean's List, he is scheduled to graduate in December with his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in political science with minors in English and history. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Eighty-four Angelo State University student-athletes have received 2023-24 Academic Achievement Awards from the Division II Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA). To be recognized, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5, have completed at least two years of college work, and have a member of an intercollegiate team during the last academic year. See more details at angelosports.com.

Twelve players for the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team have been named 2023-24 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). To be eligible, student-athletes must earn at least a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) for the academic year. As a team, the Rambelles posted a 3.522 GPA for 2023-24. See more details at angelosports.com.

Eight student-athletes on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team have been named 2024 ITA Scholar-Athletes by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). To be eligible, student-athletes must have at least a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) for the current academic year. Additionally, the Rambelles have been named a 2024 ITA All-Academic Team for maintaining a team GPA of at least 3.2 for the 2023-24 academic year. The Rambelles have been named an ITA All-Academic Team every year since the program began in 2017-18. See more details at angelosports.com and on the ITA website.

Three players on the Angelo State University Rams football team have made the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List heading into the 2024 season. Junior kicker Bradley Larson of Prosper was named to the second-team offense. The management major led the Lone Star Conference in field goal percentage last season (.933) after making 14 of 15 field goal attempts. That also ranked second in all of NCAA Division II and earned Larson All-LSC and all-region honors. Senior defensive back Andrew Pitts of McKinney was named to the second-team defense. The kinesiology major earned All-LSC first-team honors last season after registering 40 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 1.5 sacks. He was also named to the All-LSC first team on offense as a kick returner. Senior offensive lineman Noah Plsek of West was named to the second-team offense. The history major was named the LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year last season and earned all-region honors after anchoring the Rams' offense that ranked third-best in the LSC, averaging 384.4 yards per game. The Rams kick off their 2024 season on Aug. 29 on the road at Fort Hays State in Kansas. See more details at angelosports.com.

David Stich of Boerne, a pitcher on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been selected to play in the 2024 Appalachian League All-Star Game on July 23 in Johnson City, Tenn. The Appalachian League is a summer collegiate league that is part of the Major League Baseball and USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline. It comprises 10 teams in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Stich, a junior exercise science major at ASU, is a relief pitcher for the Tri-State Coal Cats. In 10 appearances this summer, he has posted a 0.93 ERA with four saves, allowing just three hits while striking out 20 in 9.2 innings. He will represent the East Team in the all-star game. During ASU's 2024 season, Stich made 12 appearances out of the bullpen with a 3.38 ERA as he helped lead the Rams to a national runner-up finish at the NCAA Division II College World Series. See more details on the Appalachian League website.

Fourteen student-athletes on the Angelo State University Rams and Rambelles track and field teams have been named to the 2024 NCAA Division II All-Academic list by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). To be eligible, student-athletes must maintain a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average, have completed at least 24 credit hours at ASU, and have achieved a provisional qualifying mark during the indoor or outdoor season. The Rambelles have also been named a 2024 All-Academic Team by USTFCCCA for maintaining at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA for all athletes. It's the fifth straight year the Belles have earned the team award. See more details at angelosports.com.

Angelo State University Rambelles golfers Laura Klimova and Lacey Stevens have earned Academic All-America honors from the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) for the 2023-24 season. To be named a WGCA Academic All-American, student-athletes much have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA), be an amateur and on their team's roster through the end of the season, and have played in at least 50% of their teams competitive rounds. Klimova is a graduate student from Prague, Czechia, studying counseling psychology. She was also named a 2024 Lone Star Conference Scholar-Athlete. Stevens is a junior from Pleasanton, majoring in natural resource management. She also won the 2024 ASU Holland's Award for golf. See more details at angelosports.com.

Angelo State Rambelles golfer Laura Klimova and Rams baseball player Rance Rosas have earned the 2024 Lone Star Conference Scholar-Athlete Awards for ASU. Each academic year, the LSC presents a Scholar-Athlete Award to one male and one female student-athlete who are members of the graduating class at each LSC institution. Recipients are selected by their campus and represent outstanding accomplishments in scholarship, athletics and leadership. Honorees must have participated in their sport for at least two years. Klimova is a graduate student in counseling psychology from Prague, Czechia, and Rosas is a senior health science professions major from San Angelo. Both also earned the 2023-24 ASU Athletic Academic Excellence Awards in April at the annual Holland's Banquet. Klimova led the Belles in scoring twice during the golf season, highlighted by a sixth-place finish at the Top of Texas Invitational. Rosas helped the Rams make back-to-back appearances at the NCAA D-II Baseball National Championship, including the team's first national title in 2023. He also won the 2023 Elite 90 Award, which goes to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each national championship. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

More than 160 Angelo State University Rams and Rambelles student-athletes have been named to the Lone Star Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for their academic performance during the spring 2024 semester. To be eligible, student-athletes must have a minimum 3.30 GPA for the semester and be on an active roster. Participants on all 19 LSC championship sports and five non-conference sports, as well as athletic training and athletics performance student staff, are included among the spring 2024 honorees. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Richard "Tripp" Clark of Waco and Caleb Heuertz of San Angelo, both seniors on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, have been named 2024 NCAA Division II All-Americans by the D2 Baseball organization. An accounting major and the Rams' catcher, Clark led all of NCAA D-II with 92 RBI, which also set a new ASU single-season record. He also ranked third nationally in doubles (25), fifth in hits (98) and 13th in batting average (.428). He picks up his fourth All-America first-team nod, having already been honored by the ABCA, D2CCA and NCBWA. A business administration major and relief pitcher, Heuertz was named to the All-America second team. He went 2-2 with a 2.29 ERA and seven saves in 25 appearances this season, including notching 69 strikeouts and only conceding 13 earned runs in 51 innings pitched. He also pitched 21 innings in the postseason with 26 strikeouts. This is the first All-America honor of his ASU career. Both Clark and Heuertz played key roles in leading the Rams to their fourth straight appearance at the NCAA D-II College World Series, where they finished as national runners up. Clark was also named to the all-tournament team. See more details at angelosports.com.

Three student-athletes on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team have earned All-America honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) for their performances during the 2023-24 season. To be eligible for ITA All-America honors, players must finish the season in the top 20 of the ITA singles rankings and/or in the top 10 of the ITA doubles rankings. Letizia Corsini, a sophomore from Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy, was named an All-American in singles. She went 22-1 for ASU in the No. 1 singles position this season and was a perfect 10-0 in Lone Star Conference play. Also named the LSC Player of the Year, she was ranked third in the final ITA Division II singles rankings, the highest year-end singles ranking in team history. Junior Avery Durham of Madison, Wisconsin, and senior Eva Schwartz of L'isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, France, were also named All-Americans in doubles. Playing No. 1 doubles for ASU, they went 18-5 overall and 7-3 in the LSC. Also named to the All-LSC first team in doubles, the pair was ranked No. 10 in the final ITA Division II rankings. See more details at angelosports.com and on the ITA website.

Letizia Corsini of Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy, a sophomore on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named to the 2024 NCAA Division II Academic All-America second team by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) organization. A mechanical engineering major, Corsini is carrying a 3.60 grade point average (GPA). She was previously named the Lone Star Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Year and to the All-LSC first team for singles. She and her partner, Ayda Guler, also earned All-LSC honorable mention for doubles. Corsini went 19-0 in singles during the regular season and finished 22-1 overall in singles, while she and Guler finished 22-2 in doubles. Corsini is the first Rambelles tennis player to be named an Academic All-American. See more details at angelosports.com and at academicallamerica.com.

Allison Vaughn of Christoval, a multi-event athlete on the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team, has been named th 2024 Lone Star Conference Female Field Athlete of the Year for the outdoor season. A junior nursing major, Vaughn was named a first-team All-American after finishing eighth in the triple jump at the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships with a mark of 2.60 meters (41-1.25). She was also a provisional qualifier in the heptathlon and 400-meter hurdles. At the LSC Outdoor Championships, Vaughn was the Belles' high-point athlete, collecting 21 points by finishing second in the triple jump and third in the heptathlon and 400-meter hurdles. She was also named to the All-LSC first team for the outdoor season. The LSC Athlete of the Year honors were voted on by the conference's head coaches. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.