Angelo State University

Angelo State University Rambelles softball standouts Laylonna Applin of Stamford and Cheyenne Floyd of Liberty Hill have both been named NCAA Division II All-Americans by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA). Applin, a sophomore health science professions major, became the Belles' everyday shortstop this season and was named to the NFCA All-America first team and the D2CCA All-America third team. She led the team in hits (77), doubles (18), triples (7), home runs (14), RBI (66) and slugging percentage (.807), and she posted a 21 multi-hit games and a 22-game hitting steak during the season. She is only the second ASU shortstop to earn All-America accolades. Floyd, a senior in coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration, was again the ace of the Belles' pitching staff. She went 27-7 in the circle with a 1.71 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 184.2 innings, while holding opposing hitters to a conference-best .177 batting average. She also threw two no-hitters. She ends her ASU career with a 55-26 record, 1.96 ERA and 480 strikeouts, which ranks second in team history. Applin and Floyd helped lead the Belles to a 47-14 record as they advanced to the South Central Regional final in their best season since 2018. See more details at angelosports.com here and here.

Jacob Guerrero of Colleyville, the left fielder for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named to the 2025 NCAA Division II All-America second team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). A graduate accounting student, Guerrero returns to the national spotlight after being named an All-American in 2023 by all three awarding associations - NCBWA, ABCA and D2CCA. So far this season, Guerrero is batting .407 with a team-high 87 hits, 19 doubles, four triples, seven home runs, 50 RBI, 20 stolen bases and a team-high 74 runs scored. He has also drawn 42 walks and commited only three errors in 82 chances. Guerrero has helped lead the Rams to Lone Star Conference regular-season, LSC Tournament and South Central Regional titles on their way to hosting the South Central Super Regional this weekend against UT Tyler. See more details at angelosports.com.

Five players on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team have been named to the NCAA Division II All-South Central Region teams by the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) for their performances during the 2025 season. Starting pitcher Dax Dathe of Round Rock, left fielder Jacob Guerrero of Colleyville and designated hitter Chase Pendley of Prosper were named to the all-region first team, while second baseman Austin Beck of Allen and right fielder Ethan Flodstrom of Port Angeles, Wash., were named to the all-region second team. Dathe, a graduate student in coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration, earns his second all-region first-team accolade of the postseason. He is currently 9-1 with a 2.82 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 67 innings with two complete-game shutouts. He leads the Lone Star Conference fewest hits allowed (44) and opponent batting average (.188) and is second in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Guerrero, a graduate student in accounting, also collects his second all-region first-team honor. He leads the Rams with a .407 batting average, 87 hits, four triples, 74 runs scored and a .631 slugging percentage, and he is second with 20 stolen bases. In the LSC, he is seventh in batting average, second in triples, third in runs scored, fourth in hits and doubles, and sixth in stolen bases. Pendley, a junior interdisciplinary studies major, also makes his second all-region first team of the year. He is batting .398 with a .469 on-base percentage and a .526 slugging percentage, totaling 78 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, 60 runs scored and 47 RBI. Beck, a senior exercise science major, earns his second all-region accolade. He is batting .377 with 10 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 48 RBI, with a team-high 37 stolen bases. Earlier this season, he broke the team record for career stolen bases and the team and LSC records for career runs scored. Flodstrom, a senior management major, also earns his second all-region honor. He ranks among the national leaders in on-base percentage (.567) and walks (55) while batting .393 with 66 hits, 18 doubles, seven home runs, 67 runs scored and 49 RBI. The Rams have won the LSC regular-season, LSC Tournament and South Central Regional titles, and they will host the South Central Super Regional this weekend against UT Tyler. See more details at angelosports.com.

Six players on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team have been named to the 2025 NCAA Division II All-South Central Region teams by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). The No. 1 Rams lead the region with four players earning first-team honors, including second baseman Austin Beck, starting pitcher Dax Dathe, left fielder Jacob Guerrero and designated hitter Chase Pendley. Beck, an exercise science major from Allen, is batting .385 with 48 RBI, 63 runs scored and 35 stolen bases. He set a new Lone Star Conference record for career runs scored this season, as well as a new team record for career stolen bases. Dathe, a coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration student from Round Rock, earns his second straight first-team all-region nod. He is currently 8-1 with a 3.15 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched. Opponents are only batting .195 against him this season. Guerrero, an accounting major from Colleyville, makes the all-region first team for the third straight season. He is batting .406 and leads the team in hits (84), doubles (19), total bases (129) and runs scored (72), and he is second in stolen bases (20). Pendley, an interdisciplinary studies major from Prosper, marked his debut season with the Rams by batting .410 with 77 hits, 13 doubles, 3 triples and 47 RBI. He also added 13 stolen bases, and he was the MVP of the Lone Star Conference Tournament. Rams third baseman Lane Hutchinson, a management major from Slaughter, La., was named to the all-region second team in his first season at ASU. He is batting .383 with 12 doubles, 5 home runs and a team-high 75 RBI, which is second in the conference. First baseman Ethan Flodstrom, a management major from Port Angeles, Wash., earned all-region honorable mention in his debut season for the Rams. He is batting .398 with 18 doubles, 7 home runs, 49 RBI and a team-high 53 walks. He also leads the LSC with a .571 on-base percentage. Rams head coach Kevin Brooks was also named the NCBWA South Central Region Coach of the Year as the Rams won the LSC regular-season and LSC Tournament titles. They currently sit at 46-8 as they host a South Central Regional this weekend. See more details at angelosports.com.

Twenty student-athletes on the Angelo State University Rams and Rambelles track and field teams have earned 25 NCAA Division II All-South Central Region honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for their performances during the 2025 outdoor season. The No. 7 Rams and No. 17 Rambelles each had 10 student-athletes earn all-region honors, which go to the top five individuals in each event and the members of the top three teams in each relay event. The ASU accolades are highlighted by Rami Balti of Tunisua and Solomon Odonkor of Accra, Ghana, each earning two all-region honors for the Rams - and by Maricia Spence of Manchester, Jamaica, collecting three all-region honors and Kylie Frush of Glen Rose earning two all-region honors for the Rambelles. A total of 18 Rams and Rambelles have qualified for the NCAA D-II National Outdoor Championships May 22-24 in Pueblo, Colo. See more details at angelosports.com.

Twenty-four student-athletes on the Angelo State University Rams and Rambelles track and field teams have been named to the 2025 All-Lone Star Conference teams for their performances during the LSC Outdoor Championships. The No. 7 Rams have 10 All-LSC honorees while the No. 17 Rambelles have 14 selectees after both teams finished in second place at the conference meet. Highlighting the ASU awards are senior Maricia Spence of Manchester, Jamaica, winning the West Kittley Award as the Outstanding Female Track Athlete - and junior Kylie Frush of Glen Rose winning the David Noble Award as the Outstanding Female Field Athlete. Spence and sophomore Tristan Guerrero of Coahoma were also named to the LSC Outdoor Track and Field All-Academic Team. Next up for the Rams and Rambelles is the NCAA Divsion II Outdoor National Championships May 22-24 in Pueblo, Colo. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Norris-Vincent College of Business have announced the winners of the 2025 BizPitch student entrepreneurship competition following the recent live finals event in the LeGrand Alumni and Visitors Center. 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. More details are available at angelo.edu/news.

Eva Schwartz, a graduate student on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named to the 2025 Academic All-District Team by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) organization. The Academic All-District Team recognizes student-athletes for their combined performance on the court and in the classroom. To be nominated, a student-athlete must play in over 70% of their team's matches and have a 3.50 or higher GPA. A native of L'isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France, Schwartz has already earned her ASU bachelor's degree in international business and is pursuing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. She was also named the Lone Star Conference Academic Player of the Year. On the court, Schwartz was named to the All-LSC first team for doubles, along with her partner, Avery Durham. The pair went 14-4 and ended the season ranked No. 13 in NCAA Division II. Schwartz also posted a 12-9 record in singles to close out her ASU career. See more details at angelosports.com.

Angelo State University Rambelles basketball player Landry Morrow and Rams football player Xavier Walton have been named to the Lone Star Conference's 2024-25 Athletic Performance All-Conference Team. The Athletic Performance All-Conference Team recognizes student-athletes who excel in work ethic, dedication to process, attendance, communication, leadership and growth. The teams are voted on by the LSC's athletic performance staff. Morrow, a junior guard from Ackerly, played 30 games this year with 12 starts for the Rambelles. The health science professions major averaged 4.6 points and 2.2 assists per game, helping the Belles post an 18-12 record and advance to the LSC Tournament semifinals. Walton, a junior defensive back from San Antonio, played in 11 games as the Rams went 9-3, finishing undefeated in LSC play and winning the LSC Championship. The kinesiology major racked up 45 tackles, two interceptions, three pass breakups, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and one blocked kick for the Rams defense that ranked sixth in NCAA Division II in points allowed, only conceding 13.1 points per game. See more details at angelosports.com.

Three players on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team have earned 2025 All-South Central Region recognition from the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA). Coming off the team's best season since 2018, this is the second round of all-region honors for all three players. Senior pitcher Cheyenne Floyd of Liberty Hill and sophomore shortstop Laylonna Applin of Stamford were named to the all-region first team, while junior outfielder Tatiana Trotter of Lubbock was named to the all-region second team. Floyd, a coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration student, posted a 27-7 record in her final season at ASU with a 1.71 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 184.2 innings. She also held opposing hitters to a conference-best .177 batting average. She was also named to the All-Lone Star Conference first team and was an All-South Central Region first-team selection by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). Applin, a health science professions major, posted one of the best offensive seasons in team history. She batted .412 with a team-high .807 slugging percentage and .486 on-base percentage while leading the team in hits (77), doubles (18), triples (7), home runs (14-tie) and RBI (66). She was also an All-LSC and NFCA all-region first-team selection. Trotter, an intelligence and analysis major, hit .380 with 10 doubles, 14 home runs and 47 RBI while posting a .648 slugging percentage and .449 on-base percentage. She also posted a .979 fielding percentage, committing only two errors in 97 chances. She was also an All-LSC and NFCA all-region first-team selection and earned an LSC Golden Glove award. The Belles finished their season in the final of the South Central Regional after posting a 47-14 overall record. Floyd and Applin will now advance to the D2CCA All-America ballot, with the honorees to be announced next week. See more details at angelosports.com.

Angelo State University honored its 2025 Outstanding Graduate Students, as well as the recipients of four 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.

Three players on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team have been named to the 2025 All-South Central Region first team by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). Sophomore shortstop Laylonna Applin of Stamford earns her first NFCA all-region honor. The health science professions major is batting .436 with an .866 slugging percentage and a .510 on-base percentage, and she leads the team in hits (75), doubles (18), triples (7), home runs (14) and RBI (65). She was also named first-team All-Lone Star Conference. Senior pitcher Cheyenne Floyd of Liberty Hill earns her second NFCA all-region accolade. She has been dominant in the circle this season, posting a 25-6 record with a 1.69 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 161.2 innings. She has also held opposing batters to a conference-best .178 batting average. The coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration student was also named to the All-LSC first team. Junior center fielder Tatiana Trotter of Lubbock earns her second NFCA all-region honor. The intelligence and analysis major is hitting .325 with a .650 slugging percentage and a .445 on-base percentage. She has hit 13 home runs and driven in 45 runs, and she ranks second on the team in walks, slugging percentage and home runs. She was also named to the All-LSC first team and the LSC Golden Glove Team. The Rambelles are 44-12 this season and are the third seed in the South Central Regional. The Rambelles open the NCAA D-II Tournament this evening against Colorado Mesa in Canyon. See more details at angelosports.com.

Fourteen players on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team have earned Lone Star Conference postseason awards heading into the championship round of the LSC Tournament on the ASU campus. Twelve Rams were named to the All-LSC teams. Pitcher Dax Dathe of Round Rock, second baseman Austin Beck of Allen, left fielder Jacob Guerrero of Colleyville and DH Chase Pendley of Prosper made the All-LSC first team. Guerrero was also named to the LSC All-Academic Team. Named to the All-LSC second team were pitcher Alizaeh Gutierrez of El Paso, third baseman Lane Hutchinson of Slaughter, La., right fielder Ethan Flodstrom of Port Angeles, Wash., and center fielder Weston Valasek of Katy. Flodstrom was also named to the LSC All-Academic Team, and Valasek was also named to the LSC All-Defensive Team. Making the All-LSC third team were pitchers Nick Wilson of Carrollton, Ryan Free of Frisco and Luke Olson of Granville, Ill., along with shortstop Justin Harris of The Woodlands. Wilson was also named to the LSC All-Academic Team. Additional Rams named to the LSC All-Defensive Team were catcher Blake Wilhoite of Midlothian and first baseman Tayten Tredaway of Newark. The Rams clinched the LSC regular-season title to earn a first-round bye in the LSC Tournament. They are hosting the championship round May 8-10 on the ASU campus. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website here, here and here.

Angelo State University has announced the recipients of the 2025 Presidential Award and Distinguished Student Awards for the Class of 2025 that will graduate later this month. Alejandro Rodarte-Martinez, a biology major from San Angelo, has been selected for the 2025 Presidential Award as the top graduate in his class, while five other ASU graduating seniors have been selected for 2025 Distinguished Student Awards from their respective academic colleges. All of the award recipients will be recognized at ASU's May 16-17 commencement ceremonies. The Distinguished Student Award recipients are: Sydney Anderson of Alpine - Archer College of Health and Human Services Isabela Casillas of San Angelo - College of Arts and Humanities Audrey Spearman of Christoval - College of Education Matthew Barton of Leander - College of Science and Engineering Mia Kilman of San Saba - Norris-Vincent College of Business. ASU's Academic Excellence Committee hosted an awards ceremony May 5 in the Houston Harte University Center to honor all the award recipients and nominees. Each was presented a recognition plaque by Dr. Don Topliff, provost and vice president for academic affairs. Additional nominees were William Gunner Brown of Saginaw (accounting), Gavin Cardwell of San Angelo (mechanical engineering), Christina McDowell of San Angelo (chemistry), Patience Price of Novice (psychology) and Avery Schafer of San Antonio (English/Spanish). See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Eleven student-athletes on the Angelo State University track and field teams combined to earn eight titles in individual events at the 2025 Lone Star Conference Outdoor Championships May 1-3 in Portales, N.M. For the ASU Rams, senior Solomon Odonkor of Accra, Ghana, won the 200 meters with a time of 20.79 seconds. Senior Josh Body of Abilene won the triple jump with a leap of 15.54 meters. The 4x400-meter relay team of freshman Taylor Briggs of McKinney, sophomore Tristan Guerrero of Coahoma, senior Antonio Blair of Manchester, Jamaica, and grad student Rami Balti of Tunisia took first place with a time of 3:09.05. For the ASU Rambelles, senior Maricia Spence of Manchester, Jamaica, won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.68 seconds. Sophomore Kylyie Paden of Portales, N.M., won the pole vault with a top height of 3.80 meters. Junior Marie Schuler of Langenfeld, Germany, won the hammer throw with a meet-record heave of 61.32 meters. Freshman Federica Dozio of Beverate, Italy, won the javelin with a throw of 47.01 meters, and junior Kylie Frush of Glen Rose won the heptathlon with 5,063 points. Both the Rams and Rambelles finished second overall in the team standings. They will next compete at West Texas A&M's Last Chance Meet on May 11 in preparation for the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships May 22-24 in Pueblo, Colo. See more details at angelosports.com.

Five players on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team have earned a variety of All-Lone Star Conference accolades for their performances during the 2025 regular season. Shortstop Laylonna Applin of Stamford, pitcher Cheyenne Floyd of Liberty Hill, third baseman Averie Gunther of Wylie, and outfielder Tatiana Trotter of Lubbock were all named to the All-LSC first team, while outfielder Ashton McMillan of San Angelo was named to the All-LSC second team. Applin, a sophomore health science professions major, put together one of the best offensive seasons in team history. She is hitting .446 with a team-high 14 home runs and 64 RBI. Her 148 total bases rank second in NCAA Division II, and ranks in the top five in the LSC in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and stolen bases. Floyd, a senior in the coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration program, makes the All-LSC first team for the second straight season. She is 24-5 in the circle with a 1.59 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 150 innings pitched. She has tossed 11 complete games and two no-hitters, and her .171 opponent batting average ranks first in the LSC. She was also named to the LSC All-Academic Team. Gunther, a senior management major, is hitting .355 and is second on the team with a .486 on-base percentage. On defense, she committed only seven errors in 173 chances and was part of 10 double plays. Against Sul Ross State on April 11, she became the first player in team history to play all nine positions over a doubleheader. She also contributed as a pitcher, posting a 1.40 ERA in five appearances. Trotter, a junior intelligence and analysis major, is hitting .333 and is second on the team in home runs (13), doubles (10), slugging percentage (.673) and walks (30), and is third in RBI (45). She also owns a .977 fielding percentage in center field and was named to the LSC Golden Glove Team. She earns All-LSC first-team honors this year after being named to the second team last season. McMillan a senior health science professions major, is hitting .358 with seven home runs and 46 RBI. She has 10 multi-hit games and enters the postseason having reached base in 16 straight games. She also stole 18 bases on her way to her first All-LSC accolade of her ASU career. The No. 7 Belles were 43-11 as they opened play today as the third seed at the Lone Star Conference Tournament in Canyon. See more details at angelosports.com.

Three members of the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team have earned various All-Lone Star Conference accolades for their performances during the 2024-25 season. Eva Schwartz, a graduate student from L'isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, France, highlights the ASU honors as she was named the LSC Academic Player of the Year. She has already earned her ASU bachelor's degree in international business and is currently pursuing her MBA. Schwartz was also named All-LSC First Team Doubles with her partner, Avery Durham, a senior mass media major from Madison, Wisconsin. The duo went 14-4 and ended the season ranked No. 13 in NCAA Division II. This is the second straight season they were named to the All-LSC first team, and Avery was also named to the LSC Sportsmanship Team. Freshman Margaux Rene of Soisy-Sur-Siene, France, was named the LSC Freshman of the Year and earned All-LSC Honorable Mention in singles. She went 17-5 and ended the season ranked No. 42 in NCAA D-II. More details are available at angelosports.com and on the LSC website here and here.

Angelo State University's chapter of the Alpha Chi national collegiate honor society recently inducted 19 new members for the spring 2025 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. ASU is located in Alpha Chi Region I, and Dr. Karl Havlak, College of Science and Engineering, is the head faculty advisor for the ASU chapter. Dr. Dennis Hall, College of Science and Engineering, is the Region I secretary/treasurer and serves on the Alpha Chi National Council. The complete list of inductees, listed by hometown and major, is available at angelo.edu/news.

Dax Dathe of Round Rock, a starting pitcher on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the South Central Region Pitcher of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for the final week of the regular season ending April 27. In the back half of a crucial road doubleheader against Cameron University, Dathe tossed a complete-game shutout as the Rams beat the Aggies, 2-0. He needed only 58 pitches over seven innings to record the win, allowing only four hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. The win also sealed the Lone Star Conference regular-season title for the Rams. The LSC's only 8-game winner this season, Dathe ranks first in the conference in hits allowed (40) and opponent batting average (.208), third in strikeouts (76) and fourth in ERA (3.50). He was also named the LSC Pitcher of the Week. Dathe and the Rams will be back in action on Thursday, May 8, as they host the Championship Round of the LSC Tournament. See more details at angelosports.com.

YooJin Choi, a senior physics major at Angelo State University, was selected to represent ASU and present her research project at the recent 2025 Texas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol event in Austin. Choi presented her research poster on her project titled "Capturing Cellular Dynamics: A Force Center Model Inspired by the Game of Life," which she completed under the mentorship of Dr. Michael C. Holcomb, assistant professor of physics. A native of Seoul, South Korea, Choi has also received two ASU Faculty Mentored Research Grants for various projects, has worked as a tutor in the Math Lab and served as a physics tutor in ASU's Supplemental Instruction peer-tutoring program. She has also held leadership positions in the Society of Physics Students, Women in Physics and STEM Nexus student organizations, and she has been inducted into the Alpha Chi and Sigma Pi Sigma national honor societies. Additionally, she has been active as a percussionist in the ASU Ram Band, Drumline and Symphonic Band. Choi is scheduled to graduate with her Bachelor of Science degree in May. She has been offered a Distinguished Graduate Student Assistantship at Texas Tech University and will head to Texas Tech this fall to pursue her doctoral degree in physics. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Cheyenne Floyd of Liberty Hill, a senior pitcher on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for the final week of the regular season ending on April 27. As the Belles swept a doubleheader over Midwestern State and split a doubleheader against No. 1 West Texas A&M, Floyd threw 13.1 shutout innings, allowing only seven hits while posting 17 strikeouts. This is her third LSC Pitcher of the Week honor this season. Against Midwestern State, the coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration student tossed 6.1 scoreless innings and allowed only three hits while striking out nine Mustangs. She then pitched a 7-inning shutout of the top team in NCAA Division II to cap her regular season, allowing the Lady Buffs only four hits and posting eight strikeouts. Floyd enters the postseason at 24-5 with a 1.59 ERA, five shutouts, two no-hitters and two saves. She leads the LSC in wins (24) and opposing batting average (.171), is fourth in ERA and strikeouts (170) and sixth in innings pitched (150). The Belles begin play in the Lone Star Conference Tournament as the No. 3 seed on Thursday in Canyon against sixth-seeded Eastern New Mexico. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Dax Dathe of Round Rock, a starting pitcher for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for the final week of the regular season ending on April 27. In a crucial road series against Cameron University, Dathe tossed a complete-game shutout in Game 2 of the opening doubleheader to lead the Rams to a 2-0 victory. He needed just 58 pitches to earn his second shutout of the season, scattering just four hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts. The win clinched the LSC regular-season title for the Rams, and the senior coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration major is the only eight-game winner (8-1) in the conference. Dathe and the Rams have a bye in the first round of the LSC Tournament and will host the Championship Round starting on May 8. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University's chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) national honor society recently inducted its spring 2025 class of 46 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. Dr. Gina Heep, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, is ASU's PKP chapter president. The complete list of inductees, listed by hometown and major, is available at angelo.edu/news.

Angelo State University track and field athletes Kobi Valchar of Schulenburg and Fedra Florentin of Filadelfia, Paraguay, have been named the Lone Star Conference Outdoor Field Athletes of the Week for Week 5 of the outdoor season ending April 20. Valchar, a sophomore commercial aviation major, won the discus at the ASU Invite in San Angelo and was named the LSC Men's Field Athlete of the Week. His throw of 51.81 meters (170-0) earned him another NCAA Division II provisional mark, and he ranks 16th overall in D-II. He was also runner-up in the shot put (15.30 meters) and placed sixth in the hammer throw (46.97 meters). Florentin, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, won the shot put at the ASU Invite and was named the LSC Women's Field Athlete of the Week. Her throw of 14.83 meters (48-8) earned her a NCAA D-II provisional mark and ranks 13th in D-II this season. The ASU Rams and Rambelles will next compete in the Lone Star Conference Outdoor Championships May 1-3 in Portales, N.M. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Representatives of Angelo State University's student-run Ram Media outlets brought home several top awards from the recent Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) Convention in San Marcos. 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. In the Annual Contest against entries from other mid-size, four-year universities, Angelo State's Ram TV took first place in the Video Newscast category. In the Live Contests against students from institutions of all sizes, ASU students on the staff of Ram TV and/or the Ram Page digital newspaper won the following awards: Katie Scholl of Lubbock - 1st Place in Live TV Announcing Millie Switzer of Bentonville, Ariz. - 2nd Place in Live Press Release Writing Anaomy Somoll of Phnom Penh, Cambodia - 3rd Place in Live Print Advertising Scholl and Switzer are mass media majors, and Somoll is a computer science major. Ram Media consists of the Ram TV television station that broadcasts locally on Optimum Cable Channel 6, 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.

Brianna "Bri" Waters of Salado, a utility player on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Week for Week 12 of the softball season. As the Belles swept road doubleheaders against Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico over the weekend, Waters batted .800 with an .857 on-base percentage and 2.000 slugging percentage. After a pinch hitting in Game 2 at ENMU, Waters came off the bench in Game 1 at WNMU to power a three-run home run in the 11-3 win. She started the second game of the WNMU doubleheader, going 3-for-3 with a solo home run, two RBI and a run scored. The exercise science major is hitting .200 for the season with three homers and nine RBI. She has also made 12 appearances as a pitcher and has a 2-0 record with a 2.30 ERA and two saves. Waters and the Belles wrap up their regular season this weekend with home games against Midwestern State and West Texas A&M. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Thirteen Angelo State University student-athletes were selected for the 2025 Holland's Awards at the ASU Athletics Department's annual Holland's Sports Banquet on April 14. Holland's Awards go to one student-athlete in each intercollegiate sport, as voted on by their teammates, who exemplifies what it means to be an ASU student-athlete in competition, in the classroom and in the community. This year's winners are: Baseball - Justin Harris, business major from The Woodlands Men's Basketball - Darion "D.J." Freeman, interdisciplinary studies major from Midwest City, Okla. Women's Basketball - Madeline Stephens, business major from Lubbock Men's Cross Country - Tate Hughes, commercial aviation major from San Angelo Women's Cross Country - Mary Brown, kinesiology major from Georgetown Men's Track & Field - Joshua Body, psychology major from Abilene Women's Track & Field - Maricia Spence, business major from Manchester, Jamaica Football - Brayden Wilcox, natural resource management major from San Angelo Tennis - Eva Schwartz, business major from L'isle Sur la Sorge, France Softball - Erin Plunkett, management major from Humble Golf - Lacey Stevens, agriculture major from Pleasanton Soccer - Katelin Heise, kinesiology major from Lubbock Volleyball - Evelyn Torres, global security studies major from Fort Worth More than 100 ASU student-athletes who were named to the Athletic Academic Honor Roll were also honored at the banquet, as well as several other individual award winners. See more details at angelosports.com.

Ethan Flodstrom of Port Angeles, Wash., a senior outfielder/DH for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for Week 11 of the season ending on April 13. As the Rams swept a four-game road series against arch-rival West Texas A&M, Flodstrom hit leadoff as the designated hitter. He batted .588 (10-for-17) over the four games with four home runs, three doubles and 10 RBI, along with nine runs scored and three walks. He had at least two hits in each game with two home runs, including a grand slam, in the series-clinching Game 3. It was ASU's first road sweep over WTAM since 2006. In his first season with the Rams, the management major is batting .403 through 42 games with five home runs, 39 RBI and a conference-high .569 on-base percentage. He is also third in the LSC in walks (39) and eighth in OPS (1.182). Flodstrom and the Rams continue their season with a key four-game home series against Eastern New Mexico starting on Thursday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Eighteen Angelo State University students have been elected to represent the ASU student body in the Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2025-26 academic year. Kianna Ortiz of Amarillo has been elected SGA president for 2025-26, and Kaleb Lankford of San Angelo has been elected vice president. The other 16 electees will serve as representatives of the specific academic departments that include their major. Those electees by hometown and department are: Wyatt Popham of Leakey - Agriculture Andrew Cherucheril of Rowlett - Commercial Aviation Bray Bowers of San Angelo - Communication and Mass Media Emerson Carter of Boerne - Teacher Education Calvin Blackert of Abilene - Engineering Justine Koester of Scott AFB, ILL. - English and Modern Languages Priscilla De Los Santos of Eagle Pass - History Phelo Rodgers of Boyd - Kinesiology Hunter Fontenot of Midland - Management and Marketing Arianna Cantu of San Angelo - Management and Marketing Kaitlyn Guevara of Copperas Cove - Political Science and Philosophy David Owl of Houston - Psychology Joshua Partin of San Angelo - Psychology William Pierce of Holland - Security Studies and Criminal Justice Lorenzo Robles of Chilton - Security Studies and Criminal Justice Guenevere Davenport of Saint Hedwig - Visual and Performing Arts The 18 SGA officers were chosen via campus-wide electronic voting and were verified on April 11.

Hailey Lowden of San Angelo, a senior computer science major at Angelo State University, has been selected to participate in the National Security Agency's (NSA) 2025 Future Computing Summer Internship Program at the NSA Laboratory for Physical Sciences in Catonsville, Maryland. The 10-week internship program was established in 2022 with the goal to expose participating students to High Performance Computing (HPC), a field critical to national security, discovery and technological innovation. Lowden is the first ASU student to earn a place in the prestigious program. Under the mentorship of NSA professionals, she will gain valuable hands-on experience and enhance her technical skills while working on a research project aimed at advancing HPC capabilities. As a NSA intern, Lowden will also receive an $850 weekly stipend, as well as funded transportation, lodging and meals. At the conclusion of her internship in August, she will present the results of her research to NSA senior leaders, technical personnel, and research and academic partners. A student worker in ASU's award-winning Regional Security Operations Center, Lowden is also an active member of the Guardians of the Grid cybersecurity student organization and a regular on the ASU Dean's List. She has previously competed in the Hivestorm collegiate cyber defense competition through the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS), and placed in the top 100 in the nation. She was also captain of the ASU team that competed in the CIAS Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. See more details at angelo.edu/news.