Angelo State University

Kevin Rudaski of Waldorf, Md., a cadet in Angelo State University's Air Force ROTC Detachment 847, has been awarded a Project Global Officer (Project GO) Scholarship that will fund Russian language studies through Indiana University this summer. Project GO is an initiative of the Defense Language and National Security Education Office that provides scholarships to ROTC students for critical language studies. Rudaski's scholarship will pay for his tuition, fees, books and other expenses to participate in a virtual Russian language and culture program from June 1 to July 30 in Indiana University's Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. See the full story at angelo.edu/news.

Angelo State University's chapter of the Alpha Chi national honor society recently inducted 24 new members for the spring 2021 semester during a virtual ceremony. Alpha Chi is one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies and is open to students majoring in any academic discipline. To be eligible, students must rank in the top 10 percent of seniors at their college or university, or in the top 7.5 percent of juniors. See the complete list of inductees at angelo.edu.

Decio Andrade of Camacha, Portugal, a member of the Angelo State University Rams track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Week for Week No. 2 of the outdoor track and field season. Competing at the Wes Kittley Invitational meet, Andrade hit an automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA Division II Outdoor National meet in the hammer throw. His best throw of the day was 69.11 meters (226'-9"), and he is currently leading the conference and the nation in the hammer throw for Division II. See the story on the LSC website.

Trent Baker of Georgetown, a starting pitcher for 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 (NCBWA) for his performance during the week ending March 21. A junior right-hander, Baker pitched a five-hit shutout against Texas A&M-International to lead the Rams to a series-opening 10-0 victory that set the tone for the Rams' three-game sweep of the Dust Devils. Baker also recorded eight strikeouts in the game and held the Dust Devils to a .172 batting average. He is currently the LSC co-leader in wins (5) and is second in ERA (1.82). Baker was also named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Trent Baker of Georgetown, a starting pitcher for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for his performance during the week ending March 21. A junior right-hander, Baker pitched a five-hit shutout against Texas A&M-International to lead the Rams to a series-opening 10-0 victory that set the tone for the Rams' three-game sweep of the Dust Devils. Baker also recorded eight strikeouts in the game and held the Dust Devils to a .172 batting average. He is currently the LSC co-leader in wins (5) and is second in ERA (1.82). ASU's Josh Elvir of Kemah was also named LSC Hitter of the Week. See more details on the LSC website.

Josh Elvir of Kemah, an All-American outfielder on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for his performances during the week ending March 21. In helping lead the Rams to a three-game sweep of Texas A&M-International, Elvir batted .714 (10-for-14) with eight RBI and eight runs scored. That included going a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate with a grand slam home run in the final game of the series. He currently leads the LSC in batting average (.492), slugging percentage (.885), on-base percentage (.612) and runs scored (33). ASU's Trent Baker of Georgetown was also named LSC Pitcher of the Week. See more details on the LSC website.

Madison Fernandez of San Antonio, an infielder on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for her performances during the week ending March 14. A freshman nursing major, Fernandez helped lead the No. 24 Rambelles to a 3-1 record for the week, including a double-header sweep of Eastern New Mexico and a split with No. 19 West Texas A&M. Overall, the Rambelles' first baseman hit .636 (7-11) for the week with three doubles, three home runs, 12 RBI and six runs scored. See the story at angelosports.com.

Virginie Becht of Vero Beach, Fla., a member of the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named Lone Star Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week for Week 4 of the spring 2021 season. A senior communication major, Becht won both of her singles matches to help lead the Rambelles to team victories over Southwest Baptist University and Southeastern Oklahoma State. She has now won four straight singles matches for the No. 13 Rambelles. More details are available on the LSC website.

For the fourth straight year, the Angelo State University Cheer Team has won national titles at the United Spirit Association USA Collegiate Championships based in Anaheim, Calif. Events were conducted virtually this year with results announced March 22. ASU's 25-member co-ed Cheer Team won two national championships and recorded one national third-place finish in the Collegiate Game Day division, including: First Place - College Band Chant Contest First Place - College Situational Sideline/Crowd Leading Contest Third Place - College Fight Song Contest See the full story, including a list of team members, at angelo.edu.

Daisy Osakue of the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team has been named the National Women's Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for her performances during the week ending March 7. A graduate student from Turin, Italy, Osakue took first place in the discus with a throw of 61.19 meters (200-9) at the Trinity Invitational in San Antonio. She is the NCAA Division II leader in the event by a little over two feet. She also placed third in the hammer throw at the Trinity Invitational. This marks the fourth time in her career that Osakue has been named the USTCCCA National Athlete of the Week. She is a two-time national champion in the discus and also won the event at the 2019 World University Games. See the full story on the USTCCCA website.

Decio Andrade of the Angelo State University Rams track and field team has been named National Men's Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTCCCA) for his performance during the week ending March 7. A sophomore from Camacha, Portugal, Andrade launched the hammer 68.51 meters (224-9) on his second attempt of the competition to win the Trinity Invitational in San Antonio. His throw established him as the NCAA Division II leader in the event by more than 38 feet. This marks the second time Andrade has been named the USTCCCA National Athlete of the Week. He was also the 2019 national champion in the hammer throw. See the full story on the USTCCCA website.

Zoey Stormes of Keller, a biology student at Angelo State University, won a top prize for her research presentation at the recent annual meeting of the Texas Society of Mammalogists (TSM). An undergraduate student making her first presentation to a professional organization, Stormes won the Bobby Baker Award for best undergraduate oral presentation in mammalian molecular biology, evolution and systematics. Her research project is titled "Screening of genetic markers to distinguish morphologically-similar species of cottontail rabbit," and her award also includes a $400 honorarium. More details are available at angelo.edu.

Cassidey Hill of Forney, a defender on the Angelo State University Rambelles soccer team, has been named Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week for her performances during Week 2 of the spring soccer season. A sophomore marketing major, Hill played a key role in the Belles holding Lubbock Christian to just one goal over two games as ASU swept the Lady Chaps, 3-1 and 1-0. The Belles are now 3-0 and have only ceded one goal so far this season. More details are available on the LSC website.

Angelo State University volleyball players Lindsey Ledyard of Cedar Park and Chloe Patton of Gillett have earned Lone Star Conference Player of the Week honors for their performances during Week 5 of the spring 2021 season. Ledyard was named LSC Setter of the Week for the second time in three weeks, and Patton was named LSC Defensive Player of the Week. The pair helped lead the ASU Belles to a 5-0 record for the week as they swept matches against Texas A&M-International, Western New Mexico and Midwestern State in the ASU Invitational Tournament and then won back-to-back matches over Lubbock Christian. More details are available on the LSC website.

Two members of the Angelo State University Rams basketball team have earned Lone Star Conference postseason accolades for their performances during the 2020-21 season. Paul Williams, a senior guard from Southaven, Miss., was named to the All-LSC second team. Junior guard Devaughn Thomas of New Orleans, La., earned All-LSC honorable mention. Williams led the Rams in scoring (13.9 points per game), assists (69), steals (19) and free-throw percentage (.878). Thomas led the team in field-goal percentage (.573) and three-point shooting percentage (.351), and he was also second in rebounding (4.6 per game) and third in scoring (9.1 ppg). The pair helped the Rams qualify for the LSC Postseason Tournament for the eighth straight season.

Two members of the Angelo State University Belles basketball team have earned Lone Star Conference postseason awards for their performances during the 2020-21 season. Sawyer Lloyd, a sophomore guard from Wall, was named to the All-LSC second team. Freshman forward Madeline Stephens of Lubbock was named to the LSC All-Freshman Team. Lloyd led the Belles in scoring (14.2 points per game), assists (64), steals (38), three-point shooting percentage (.373) and free-throw percentage (.778). Stephens led the Belles in rebounding (8.9 per game) and field-goal percentage (.440). She was also second in scoring (12.8 ppg) and tied for third in assists (23) and steals (12).

Benjamin Elder of Chico, Calif., a starting pitcher on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for his performance during the week ending Feb. 28. Against St. Mary's University on Feb. 27, the lefty Elder threw his second straight complete-game shutout as the Rams blanked the Rattlers 8-0. He scattered seven hits, four strikeouts and two walks over nine innings and held the high-powered St. Mary's offense to a .218 batting average. Elder has now tossed a school-record 22 straight innings without giving up a run, and he leads the LSC with a 0.40 ERA.

Nearly 250 Angelo State University student-athletes and athletic training students have been named to the ASU Athletic Director's Honor Roll for the fall 2020 semester. To be eligible for the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, a student-athlete or athletic training student must post a 3.0 grade point average for a particular semester, or have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0. See the complete list of fall 2020 honorees at angelosports.com.

The Angelo State University Agriculture Department's student Wool Judging Team took first place and ASU's Joleen Frost of San Angelo won the individual championship at the 2021 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Collegiate Wool Judging Contest on Feb. 26 in San Antonio. ASU sent two four-person teams to the contest to compete against 17 other teams from Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and Tarleton State University. The ASU team made up of Frost, Hannah Berry of Schertz, Rebecca Law of Lockhart and Tally Patton of Silverton scored 2,097 points to take first place. This marks the third straight year and the fourth time in the last five years that an ASU team has won the San Antonio contest. The ASU team made up of Colbin Briley of Odonnell, Mayce Herrington of Colorado City, Jill Murray of Fort Worth and Hannah Vega of Artesia, N.M., finished in sixth place with 2,026 points. More details are available at angelo.edu.

Casey Crawford of Wimberley, a member of the Angelo State University Rambelles soccer team, has been named Lone Star Conference Goaltender of the Week for the opening week of the 2021 season. A freshman kinesiology major, Crawford posted a shutout in her first college game as ASU beat St. Edward's University, 1-0, on Feb. 24 in Austin. She followed that up with another strong performance in the Rambelles' home opener on Feb. 27, giving up just one goal in a 3-1 victory over Lubbock Christian University. More details are available on the LSC website.

Linda Abernathy of San Diego, Calif., a senior civil engineering student at Angelo State University, has been awarded this year's $5,000 Molitoris Leadership Scholarship for Undergraduates from the Heart of Texas Chapter of the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS), an international organization dedicated to advancing women in transportation careers. Abernathy will be honored at the WTS Heart of Texas Chapter Gala in April in Austin. Only two undergraduate scholarships are awarded each year by the Heart of Texas Chapter. By winning a chapter scholarship, Abernathy will compete with the other chapter winners for a corresponding WTS Foundation Scholarship that will be awarded at the WTS National Conference in May. More details are available at angelo.edu.

Ena Ovcina of Tidaholm, Sweden, a member of the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named Lone Star Conference Women's Player of the Week for her performances during the week ending Feb. 21. A senior majoring in management, Ovcina went a combined 5-0 in singles and doubles matches, 2-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles, without dropping a single set against opponents from Ouachita Baptist University, Harding University and Southern Arkansas University. Her wins helped lead the No. 13 Rambelles to a 2-1 record for the week. More details are available on the LSC website.

Twenty-one members of the Angelo State University Rams and Rambelles indoor track and field teams have earned All-Lone Star Conference honors for their performances at the 2021 LSC Indoor Track and Field Championships held Feb. 20-21 in Lubbock. The Belles placed second overall while the Rams finished fourth. Four ASU student-athletes also claimed individual conference titles in their respective events. A complete list of ASU's All-LSC honorees is available at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Two members of the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team have earned Academic All-Lone Star Conference honors for the 2021 indoor track and field season. Antonija Radic of Knin, Croatia, and Mia Van Oudsthoorn of Roodskool, Kroonstad, South Africa, were both named to the LSC Women's All-Academic Team. To be eligible for LSC academic honors, student-athletes must carry at least a 3.30 grade point average and have reached sophomore status both athletically and academically. The Academic Athlete of Year award and All-Academic Teams are selected from the list of academically qualified players, with the league's sports information directors voting on the basis of both academic and athletic achievement. More details are available at angelosports.com.

Josh Elvir of Kemah, an All-American outfielder on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named to USA Baseball's 2021 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List. The Golden Spikes Award is presented each year to the top amateur baseball player in the nation who best exhibits exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship. This year's winner will be announced in July. Elvir is on the Preseason Watch List for the second straight year. Through five games this season, he is batting .471 with two doubles, two home runs, four RBIs and eight runs scored. He has also picked up six walks and two stolen bases to help lead the Rams to a 4-1 start. More details are available at angelosports.com and usabaseball.com.

Jenna Calder of Belton, an accounting student at Angelo State University, has been awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Calder is one of only 51 Texas college students awarded a 2020-21 TXCPA Scholarship. To be eligible, students must be accounting majors at a Texas college or university and have the intent of becoming a Texas Certified Public Accountant and entering the accounting profession upon graduation. They must have a high cumulative college GPA and perform well in accounting classes. More details are available here.

Nick Seginowich, a catcher for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for his performance during the week ending Feb. 7. A native of Victoria, British Columbia, Seginowich helped lead the No. 1 ranked Rams to a season-opening series win over No. 10 UT-Tyler on the road. Over the three-game series, Seginowich hit .556 (5 for 9) with two home runs, six RBI, five runs scored, three walks and a stolen base. He was also hit by a pitch twice, upping his on-base percentage to .714. More details are available on the LSC website.

Caylee Gibson of San Angelo, a student at Angelo State University, has been awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA). An integrated professional accountancy major, Gibson is one of just 51 Texas college students awarded a 2020-21 TXCPA Scholarship. To be eligible, students must be accounting majors at a Texas college or university and have the intent of becoming a Texas Certified Public Accountant and entering the accounting profession upon graduation. They must have a high cumulative college GPA and perform well in accounting classes. More details are available here.

Trpimir Siroki, a sophomore on the Angelo State University Rams track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Field Athlete of the Week for the week ending Jan. 31. A native of Zagreb, Croatia, Siroki was the only Division II competitor in the heptathlon at the Texas Tech Invitational meet in Lubbock. Competing against members of the Big 12 Conference, he took second place overall with a score of 5,602 points, a new personal best. His score was also an automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA D-II Indoor National Championships. More details are available at angelo.edu and the LSC website.

Courtney Barnhill, an All-American outfielder for the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year for the upcoming 2021 season. A graduate student from Lubbock, Barnhill helped lead the Belles to a No. 7 national ranking before the 2020 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 25 games, she batted .375 with 27 hits, six home runs, 21 RBI and 20 stolen bases. She also became ASU's all-time leader in home runs (48), and she enters this season ranked in the top five of NCAA Division II active career leaders for runs scored, home runs, walks and total bases. More details are available at angelosports.com and the LSC website.