Angelo State University

Fourteen Angelo State University student-athletes received Holland's Awards for their athletic and academic performances during the 2023-24 season at ASU's annual Holland's Sports Banquet on April 30. Holland's Awards are given to one student-athlete in each sport as voted on by their teammates. The winners exemplify what it means to be an ASU student-athlete in competition, in the classroom and in the community. Additionally, 118 ASU student-athletes were recognized for being named to the 2024 ASU Athletic Academic Honor Roll, and Rance Rosas of San Angelo (baseball) and Laura Klimova of Prague, Czech Republic (golf) earned Athletic Academic Excellence Awards. The Rambelles softball team earned the Golden Horn Award for outstanding work in the community, as well as athletic success. More details and a list of all the Holland's Awards recipients are available at angelosports.com.

Fatoumata Kabo of Carpenedolo, Italy, a sprinter on the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Week for Week 7 of the outdoor season. Competing at the Texas Tech Corky/Crofoot Shootout, Kabo won gold in three events, including the 400-meter hurdles with the top time in NCAA Division II this season at 58.59. She was also part of the 4x100-meter relay team that took gold and set a new ASU record at 45.20 - and the first-place 4x400-meter relay team (3:39.73). A sophomore studio art major, Kabo and her teammates will be back in action starting May 9 as Angelo State hosts the Lone Star Conference Outdoor Championships. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State has announced the recipients of the Presidential Award and Distinguished Student Awards for the Class of 2024 that will graduate during spring commencement ceremonies May 10-11. Christian Bell, a biology major from Midland, has been selected to receive the 2024 Presidential Award as the top graduate in his class, while five other ASU graduating seniors have been selected for 2024 Distinguished Student Awards from their respective academic colleges. The Distinguished Student Award recipients are: Damian Macias of Vancourt - Archer College of Health and Human Services Katherine Spitzer of El Paso - College of Arts and Humanities Delaney Grimes of San Angelo - College of Education Tressa Reading of Uvalde - College of Science and Engineering Clayton Edmiston of Christoval - Norris-Vincent College of Business. ASU's Academic Excellence Committee hosted an awards ceremony April 29 in the Houston Harte University Center to honor all the award recipients and nominees. Each was presented a recognition plaque by ASU President Ronnie Hawkins Jr. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Trey Hughes of Christoval, a team roper on the Angelo State University Rodeo Team, has qualified to compete in the 2024 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) June 9-15 in Casper, Wyoming, after posting a strong finish to the ASU team's inaugural season on the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) circuit. In team roping, only the top three "header" ropers and "heeler" ropers from each NIRA region qualify for the CNFR. Hughes, an interdisciplinary studies major, finished third overall in the Team Roping Header standings for the NIRA Southwest Region to book his spot in the finals. For the first half of the season, Hughes' top finish was ninth at the Sul Ross State University rodeo event in September 2023. But he flourished during the final three rodeo events in April, taking first place at the Howard County Junior College event and finishing second at the Western Texas College and Tarleton State University events. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Six student-athetes on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team have earned All-Lone Star Conference honors for their performances during the 2024 regular season. Highlighting the Belles' awards is sophomore Letizia Corsini of Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy, being named the LSC Women's Tennis Player of the Year. She posted a 19-0 record for singles and went 18-2 in doubles with her partner, senior Ada Guler of Sydney, Australia. Corsini was also named to the All-LSC first team, and she and Guler earned All-LSC honorable mention for doubles. ASU's top doubles pairing, junior Avery Durham of Madison, Wisc., and senior Eva Schwartz of L'isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, France, were named to the All-LSC first team for doubles. Schwartz was also named to the All-LSC second team for singles. Belles freshman Jessica Li of Auckland, New Zealand, was named to the All-LSC second team for singles and was also named to the LSC All-Sportsmanship Team. Sophomore Christine Jevicky of Littleton, Colo., earned All-LSC honorable mention for singles. The Belles finished 18-2 overall and 9-1 in LSC play, claiming the No. 2 seed for the LSC Tournament April 25-27 in Arlington. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

The Angelo State University Handball Club won the inaugural Doug Randolph Cup at the recent Spring 2024 Aggieland Classic at Texas A&M University in College Station. The Doug Randolph Cup competition featured a round-robin format with the ASU team facing off in head-to-head matchups against teams from the University of Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri State University. In its three matches, the ASU Handball Club outscored UT, 150-43, outscored Texas A&M, 111-97, and outscored MSU, 139-78, for a total of 400 points to finish at the top of the standings. Individually for ASU: Aoife Holden went 3-0 in women's singles (90 points) Taigan Rivers & Kinzi Jo Leon went 2-1 in women's doubles (83 points) Austin Colwell & Israel Lopez Jr. went 2-1 in men's doubles (76 points) Jonathan White & Dylan Whitley went 1-2 in men's doubles (62 points) Diarmuid Mulkerrins went 3-0 in men's singles (89 points) The new tournament is named in honor Doug Randolph, an avid handball player and founder of the Lubbock-based Randolph Foundation for Higher Education Inc. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Tiamara Hill-Johnson of Duncanville, a throws athlete on the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Female Field Athlete of the Week for Week 5 of the outdoor season ending April 14. Competing at the War Hawk Classic in Abilene, Texas, Hill-Johnson was the highest collegiate finisher in the discus with a throw of 16'-4 (49.47 meters). The third-longest throw in NCAA Division II this season, it also earned a D-II provisional mark. Hill-Johnson also finished third in the hammer throw with a mark of 145-11 (44.47 meters). A sophomore interdisciplinary studies major, Hill-Johnson also leads the LSC in the discus this season. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Daysha Johnson of San Angelo, a graduate student in Angelo State University's Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, has been named the 2024 South Central Province Collegian of the Year by the Delta Sigma Pi (DSP) national professional business fraternity. The Collegian of the Year Award for each of the five DSP provinces is one of the highest honors for its collegiate members. Johnson was recognized for exemplifying the spirit and leadership of DSP through her time in ASU's Eta Theta chapter. She was selected for the award over nominees representing the 34 other collegiate chapters in the South Central Province, which includes chapters at institutions in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma. Additionally, Johnson was named the 2024 DSP Southwestern Region Collegian of the Year. The Southwestern Region includes student chapters at ASU, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, University of North Texas, University of Texas-Arlington and University of Texas-Dallas, as well as several alumni chapters. Already an ASU alumna after earning her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2022, Johnson served as president of ASU's Eta Theta chapter from 2021-23. She has also served as chancellor, vice president of operations and webmaster/historian, as well as on committees dedicated to fundraising, community service, pledge education, ritual, Homecoming and merchandising. She is scheduled to graduate with her MBA degree in May. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Selah Rose Kjar of San Angelo, a senior music major at Angelo State University, has earned a 2023-24 Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award from the Presser Foundation in Philadelphia that includes a $3,000 scholarship and the title of Presser Scholar. The Presser Undergraduate Scholar 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." It is the most prestigious undergraduate honor in music at Angelo State. Kjar will graduate from ASU in May with her Bachelor of Music degree with all-level teacher certification. Her primary instrument is clarinet, and she has performed as a member of the ASU Ram Band, ASU Wind Ensemble, ASU Symphony Orchestra, ASU Symphonic Band and ASU Woodwind Ensembles. She has also performed on her secondary instruments, trombone and tuba, with the ASU Symphonic Band. Upon graduating from ASU, Kjar will take up the post of head band director for the Eden Consolidated Independent School District. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Richard "Tripp" Clark of Waco, a catcher 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 April 14. It is his second LSC Hitter of the Week honor this season. As the Rams swept a 4-game home series over Texas A&M-Kingsville, Clark went 8-for-14 at the plate with three home runs, two doubles, nine RBI and six runs scored. He also posted a 1.357 slugging percentage and .611 on-base percentage. He is the first player to win two LSC Hitter of the Week honors this season. A senior accounting major, Clark leads the LSC in batting average (.459) and RBI (66), is second in OPS (1.284) and steals (20), is third in hits (68), and is fourth in slugging (.764), on-base percentage (.520) and triples (4). His 66 RBI also leads all of NCAA Division II. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Amelia Hatthorn of Danbury, a pitcher on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for Week 11 of the season ending April 14. As the Belles posted series wins over Texas A&M-International and Lubbock Christian, Hatthorn played a key role in both series. Against the Dustdevils, she threw three shutout innings across two appearances, combining with Cheyenne Floyd for a shutout in the 8-0 series finale victory. Against the Lady Chaps, Hatthorn picked up a save in the series-opening 9-7 win, and then threw six innings while allowing only two runs in the series finale as the Belles won, 7-4. It's the Belles' first series win over LCU since the Lady Chaps joined the conference in 2019. A junior health science professions major, Hatthorn is now 4-0 with a 2.93 ERA this season. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University has released the results of the Student Government Association (SGA) election, with 14 students selected by the student body to serve as SGA officers for the 2024-25 academic year. The new officers include 12 undergraduate students and two graduate students. History major Kameron Wiese of Cranfills Gap has been elected president, and business major Christopher "Clay" Loper of Temple has been elected vice president. The other 12 electees will serve as senators. More details on the SGA are available at angelo.edu/sga.

Eva Schwartz of L'isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, France, a senior on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week for Week 10 of the season ending April 7. In ASU's home match against St. Mary's on April 6, Schwartz posted a three-set victory over the No. 10 singles player in the nation. She then teamed with her doubles partner, Avery Durham, to take down the No. 13 doubles team in the nation and help the Belles secure a 4-3 match win. Schwartz is ranked No. 59 in singles and No. 19 in doubles with Durham in NCAA Division II. This is the first LSC Player of the Week honor of her career. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Maricia Spence of Christiana, Jamaica, a multi-event athlete on the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team, has been named the National Female Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the week ending April 7. Competing at home at the ASU David Noble Relays, Spence won the heptathlon with 5,791 points, which ranks first in all of NCAA Division II this season. She was also on ASU's 4x100-meter relay team that took first place and set a new team record with a time of 45.37. It's the fourth-fastest time in NCAA D-II this season. A senior economics major, Spence played a major role in the No. 7 Rambelles winning their home meet. She is just the third ASU athlete to be named the National Female Athlete of the Week. See more details at angelosports.com.

Alezeah Gutierrez of El Paso, a lefty pitcher on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for Week 10 of the season ending April 7. On the road at Texas A&M International, Gutierrez tossed a two-hit shutout to lead the Rams to a 5-0 victory in Game 3 of the four-game series. He also recorded three strikeouts and only two walks as he did not allow Dustdevils runner past first base and notched his second shutout of the season. A junior criminal justice major, Gutierrez is now 6-3 this season with a 4.41 ERA. He is tied for seventh in the LSC in innings pitched (49), tied for second in wins, second in opposing batting average (.224), third in strikeouts (54) and fifth in fewest runs allowed (25). This marks his second LSC Pitcher of the Week honor this season. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Torrey Hogan of Lubbock, a senior pitcher on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for Week 10 of the season ending April 7. Starting for the Belles against Cameron University on Senior Day, Hogan tossed a 5-hit shutout for the 1-0 victory that clinched a sweep of the 3-game series over the Aggies. She also recorded four strikeouts to just one walk and held the Aggies' hitters to a .200 batting average, notching her fourth career shutout. A health science professions major, Hogan is now 4-4 this season with a 2.29 ERA and two saves. She ranks fifth in the LSC in fewest earned runs allowed and seventh in walks allowed. This is the first LSC weekly award of her collegiate career. 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 40 new members for the spring 2024 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. The complete list of inductees, listed by hometowns, is available at angelo.edu/news.

Twelve Angelo State University art students have earned scholarships and/or prizes for their various artworks submitted for the annual Art Student Scholarship Exhibit and Competition. Forty ASU studio art majors entered the competition, submitting works in ceramics, digital media, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and mixed media. It was juried by Shaydee Watson, a professional artist and ASU alumna, and entries were judged on creativity, originality and technical competency. The exhibit of all the submitted works will remain on public display in ASU's Gallery 193 through April 2.

Shadae Findley of Manchester, Jamaica, a member of the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Week for Week 2 of the outdoor season. At the Texas Tech Masked Rider Open in Lubbock, Findley took first place in the 400 meters with a time of 53.86. It is the fastest time in all of NCAA Division II this season. She also posted a time of 24.58 in the 200 meters, which ranks sixth in the LSC. A senior management major, Findley and her teammates will compete at the Texas Relays this week beginning on Thursday, March 28. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Trey Farrer of St. George, Utah, a graduate student forward on the Angelo State University Rams basketball team, has been named to the 2023-24 Academic All-District Team by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) organization. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore (academically and athletically) and have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA. They must also have competed in 90% of the team's games for the season or started in 66% percent of the team's total games. Farrer is set to graduate in May with his Master of Science degree in business data science and analytics. On the court, he averaged 11.3 points per game on 58% shooting and led the Rams with 6.1 rebounds per game. He notched three double-doubles during the season and earned All-Lone Star Conference honorable mention. See more details at angelosports.com.

Letizia Corsini of Porto Sant'Elpidio, Italy, a sophomore on the Angelo State University Rambelles tennis team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week for Week 8 of the season, March 20-26. As the No. 19 Rambelles went 2-0 for the week with home wins over No. 30 Cameron and Arkansas-Fort Smith, Corsini went 2-0 in both doubles and singles. Against Cameron, she won 6-4, 7-6 to clinch the 4-3 match victory. She was then dominant against UAFS, winning 6-1, 6-0 to help lead the Belles to the 7-0 sweep. She also paired with teammate Ayda Guler for both doubles wins. The Belles have now won 11 straight matches, and Corsini is 12-0 in singles and 13-0 in doubles this season. She is also ranked No. 14 in singles for all of NCAA Division II. This is her second LSC Player of the Week honor this season. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Tatiana Trotter of Lubbock, the right fielder for the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for Week 8 of the season ending March 24. As the Belles swept a 3-game home series over Western New Mexico, Trotter went 5-for-8 at the plate over the three games for a .625 batting average with two triples, a home run, five runs scored and three RBI. She has started all 37 games for the Belles this season and leads the team in batting average (.379), triples (8), runs scored (28), RBI (32) and stolen bases (12). A sophomore intelligence and analysis major, Trotter's eight triples sets a new ASU single-season record and leads all of NCAA Division II. This is her second LSC Hitter of the Week award this season. Trotter and the Belles will hit the road later this week for a 3-game series at St. Edward's in Austin. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Keyshawn Embery-Simpson of Midwest City, Okla., a guard on the Angelo State University Rams basketball team, has earned all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for his performance during the 2023-24 season. A graduate criminal justice student, Embery-Simpson was named to the NABC All-South Central District second team. It is the first all-district honor of his career, and he was previously named the Lone Star Conference Newcomer of the Year and to the All-LSC first team. In his first season at ASU, Embery-Simpson led the Rams in scoring and was fourth in the LSC at 18.7 points per game. He also ranked second in the LSC in 3-point shooting percentage (.420) and 3-pointers per game (3.1). He helped lead the Rams to a 19-11 record and their third straight trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. See more details at angelosports.com.

Jacob Guerrero of Colleyville, the left fielder 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 7 of the season ending March 17. As the Rams won three of four games on the road at St. Mary's in San Antonio last week, Guerrero spearheaded the offense by going 10-for-14 at the plate with two home runs, 11 RBI and seven runs scored. He also added a double and four walks, was hit by a pitch twice and stole two bases. A junior accounting major, Guerrero is the fourth Ram to earn an NCBWA regional athlete of the week honor this season. He currently leads the Lone Star Conference in on-base percentage (.550) and OPS (1.293) and is second in batting average (.436). Guerrero and the No. 11 Rams are back in action this weekend with a 4-game home series against Lubbock Christian. See more details at angelosports.com.

Averie Griffith of Portland, Texas, and Solomon Odonkor of Accra, Ghana, members of the Angelo State University track and field teams, have earned Lone Star Conference Athlete of the Week honors for Week 1 of the outdoor season ending on March 17. Griffith, a senior criminal justice major, was named LSC Women's Track Athlete of the Week. Odonkor, a freshman kinesiology major, was named LSC Men's Track Athlete of the Week. At the Wes Kittley Invitational in Abilene, Griffith posted three top-5 finishes, including an NCAA Division II provisional time in the 100-meter hurdles. She finished third in the event and now owns the top time in the LSC and fifth in the nation. She was also part of the 4x400 relay team that won the gold, and she finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles. Odonkor posted two top-5 finishes at the same meet. He finished second in the 200 meters with an NCAA Division II provisional time of 21.03, which ranks fourth in the nation. He also finished fifth in the 100 meters with a time of 10.53, which is the second fastest in the LSC this season. The Rams and Rambelles will be back in action this weekend at the Texas Tech Invite in Lubbock. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Cheyenne Floyd of Liberty Hill, a junior on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for Week 7 of the season ending on March 17. As the Belles went 2-1 against both Texas A&M-Kingsville at home and St. Mary's on the road, Floyd figured prominently in three of the four wins, tossing two complete-game shutouts and picking up a save. Against the Javelinas, Floyd pitched a five-hitter as the Belles won, 2-0, in the series opener. She recorded a save in a 4-3 win over St. Mary's in that series opener, and then came back the next day to throw another five-hit shutout for a 2-0 victory. Over her 16.2 innings of work, she posted a o.84 ERA, and she now sits at 14-4 with a 1.45 ERA for the season. Her 14 wins are also the most in all of NCAA Division II. An interdisciplinary studies major, Floyd is also second in the LSC in strikeouts (99), third in ERA and fifth in opponent batting average (.204). This is her second LSC Pitcher of the Week award this season. Floyd and the Belles are back in action this weekend with a 3-game home series against Western New Mexico. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Jacob Guerrero of Colleyville, the left fielder for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for Week 7 of the season ending on March 17. As the Rams won three of four games on the road at St. Mary's University, Guerrero went 10-for-14 at the plate for a .721 batting average with two home runs, 11 RBI and seven runs scored. He also added a double and four walks, was hit by a pitch twice and stole two bases. A junior accounting major, Guerrero was a first-team All-American last season. He is currently second on the Rams and in the LSC in batting average (.436) and leads the LSC in on-base percentage (.550) and OPS (1.293). He is also second in doubles (13), third in hits (44) and RBI (36), and fifth in stolen bases (13). Guerrero and the Rams are back in action this weekend with a 4-game home series against Lubbock Christian. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Abby Zamzow of Bowie, a multi-event athlete on the Angelo State University Rambelles track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. A graduate student in the coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration program, Zamzow earned All-America status after finishing seventh in the long jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships with a personal-best mark of 6.00 meters (19'-8.25"). She also finished 12th in the heptathlon (3,636 points) to help lead the Belles to an eighth-place team finish. Zamzow was previously named the LSC Indoor Outstanding Female Field Athlete after earning a meet-high 28 points at the LSC Indoor Championships. She won the long jump (5.89m, 19-4.0), took second in the triple jump (12.46m, 40-10.50) and placed third in the pentathlon (3,950). She was also named to the All-LSC first team. The LSC Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year awards were voted on by the conference's head coaches and were announced on March 19. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Alezeah Gutierrez of El Paso, a starting pitcher on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the NCAA Division II South Central Region Pitcher of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) for the week ending March 10. In the Rams' 3-0 victory over Oklahoma Christian on March 9, Gutierrez tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing only one hit and three walks while chalking up 12 strikeouts in seven innings. He is now 4-2 this season with a 3.41 ERA, and he ranks among the leaders in the Lone Star Conference in opposing batting average (1st), wins (2nd), strikeouts (3rd), hits allowed (3rd), runs allowed (5th) and ERA (6th). A junior criminal justice major, Gutierrez was also named the LSC Pitcher of the Week. He and his teammates will be back in action this weekend on the road at St. Mary's in San Antonio. See more details at angelosports.com.

Alezeah Gutierrez of El Paso, a starting pitcher on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week for Week 6 of the season ending March 10. During the Rams' 4-game home sweep over Oklahoma Christian, Gutierrez tossed a complete-game shutout in Game 2 of the series, leading ASU to a 3-0 victory. Over the seven innings, he allowed only one hit and three walks while striking out 12 Eagles batters. He upped his record to 4-2 and lowered his ERA to 3.41. A junior criminal justice major, Gutierrez is now tied for second in the LSC in wins and is first in opposing batting average (.204), third in strikeouts (38 in 31.2 innings) and hits allowed (23), fifth in runs allowed (13) and sixth in ERA. Gutierrez and the Rams 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.