Angelo State University

The Angelo State University Handball Club brought home three national titles and a host of other medals from the recent 71st U.S. Handball Association (USHA) National Collegiate Championships at the University of Minnesota. The ASU women's team took first place in the Women's A Division with 2,060 points to win the national championship ahead of runner-up Utah State University (1,392 points). The ASU men's team took fourth place in the Men's A Division - and their combined total of 3,816 points propelled the ASU Handball Club to the overall A Division national championship. In individual competition, ASU's doubles team of Israel Lopez Jr. and Austin Colwell, both of San Angelo, won the national title in the Men's B Doubles Division. Colwell also won the Silver Medal in the Men's B Singles Division, and his teammate, Cade Whitley of Tioga, won the Silver Medal in the Men's C4 Singles Division. For the ASU women's team, Taigan Rivers of San Angelo won the Silver Medal in the Women's B Singles Division, and Kinzi Jo Leon of San Angelo won the Silver Medal in the Women's C Singles Division. Twin sisters Kelly and Kimberly Salisbury of San Angelo won the Silver Medal in the Women's C Doubles Division. See more details and a complete list of team members at angelo.edu/news.

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 3 of the season ending Feb. 18. As the Belles went 2-0 for the week with a home win over Central Oklahoma and a road win over Harding, Corsini went 2-0 in both No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles. Her 3-set victory clinched the win over UCO after she and her doubles partner, Ayda Guler, had won the doubles point. Against Harding, Corsini posted a straight-set victory in singles and again combined with Guler to clinch the doubles point. She is now 5-0 in both singles and doubles this season. Corsini and the Belles head to Arkansas this weekend for matches against Henderson State, Arkansas Tech and Ouachita Baptist. 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 3 of the season ending Feb. 18. As the Belles swept their three-game home series against Midwestern State, Floyd went 2-0 in the circle, picking up wins in the first and third games. In Game 1, she pitched six shutout innings with six strikeouts while allowing just six hits and one walk in a 3-0 victory. In Game 3, she allowed just three hits in four shutout innings as the Belles won 10-0. She combined with junior Matie Wolkow for both shutouts. Floyd currently leads the NCAA Division II in wins (8), is fifth in strikeouts (46) and holds a stellar 1.21 ERA. She has already matched her wins total from all of last season. The Belles host UT Permian Basin for a 3-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday before heading out for a road series at UT Tyler this weekend. 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 been named the Lone Star Conference Men's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week for Week 16 of the season ending on Feb. 18. A graduate student in criminal justice, Embery-Simpson helped lead the Rams to a 2-0 record for the week with victories over Cameron and Midwestern State by topping the scoring chart in both games. He averaged 26 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists and two steals while hitting nine total 3-pointers over the two games. Currently, Embery-Simpson leads the Rams and is fourth in the LSC in scoring (19.7 ppg) and he leads the LSC in 3-point shooting percentage (42.8%). This is his second LSC Player of the Week award this season. The Rams play on the road this week with games at Dallas Baptist on Thursday and at UT Tyler on Saturday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Tripp Clark of Waco, a senior accounting major on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the South Central Region Hitter of Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) for the week ending Feb. 11. The Rams' starting catcher, Clark helped lead them to a four-game home sweep over Cameron University by going 8-for-13 at the plate with four home runs, a triple, 13 RBI and seven runs scored. He had an extra-base hit and drove in at least two runs in each game, and in the series finale, he hit two home runs and tallied six RBI. He was also named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week. Clark and the Rams continue LSC play this weekend on the road at UT Permian Basin. See more details at angelosports.com.

The members of the Angelo State University Rambelles 4x400-meter relay team have been named the Lone Star Conference Women's Track Athletes of the Week for Week 6 of the indoor season following their record-setting performance this past weekend. At the Jarvis Scott Open in Lubbock, the Belles relay team - Shadae Findley, Fatoumata Kabo, Zykia McDaniel and Jacent Nyamahunge - won the 4x400-meter relay and set a new NCAA Division II record with a time of 3:36.14. They also beat out Division I schools on their way to the all-time mark. The ASU track and field teams are off this weekend as they prepare for the LSC Indoor Championships Feb. 23-24 in Norman, Okla. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Tripp Clark of Waco, the catcher for the Angelo State University Rams baseball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for Week 2 of the 2024 season ending on Feb. 11. As the Rams swept a four-game home series against Cameron University, Clark went 8-for-13 with four home runs, a triple, 13 RBI, seven runs scored and one stolen base. In the series finale on Sunday, he went 3-for-4 with two home runs, six RBI and three runs scored. A senior accounting major, Clark had at least one extra-base hit and drove in at least two runs in each of the four games as the Rams outscored the Aggies by a total of 54-7. The Rams will be back in action this weekend as they hit the road for a four-game series at UT Permian Basin in Odessa. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Jacent Nyamahunge of Hoima, Uganda, 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 5 of the indoor season ending Feb. 4. A graduate student in the coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration program, Nyamahunge posted two NCAA Division II provisional marks at the University of New Mexico Collegiate Classic. In the 200 meters, her provisional-mark time of 24.11 seconds is the fastest in the LSC this season and ranks sixth in the nation. She also set a provisional mark of 7.43 seconds in the 60 meters. Nyamahunge will be back in action this weekend as the ASU track and field teams compete at the Texas Tech Open starting on Friday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Twelve members of the Angelo State University Rams Clay Target Team brought home a host of individual and team medals from the recent ACUI/SCTP Lower Midwest Super Shoot competition at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio. In the Ladies Division, ASU's Kennison Thomason, a junior from Flower Mound, won the Gold Medal in Sporting Clays and took second in Doubles Skeet, finishing third in the High Over All standings. In the Men's Division, ASU's Samuel Davis, a freshman from Corpus Christi, won the Gold Medal in American Skeet. In the team competition, contingents of Rams Clay Target Team shooters placed in the top three in five of the six contests to finish fourth in the Team High Over All standings. ASU's top placings included runner-up finishes in Sporting Clays and Doubles Trap, and third-place finishes in Doubles Skeet, American Skeet and Super Sporting. Sponsored by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) and the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), the competition featured over 200 competitors representing 16 colleges and universities in six states. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Tatiana Trotter of Lubbock, a sophomore outfielder on the Angelo State University Rambelles softball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week for the opening week of the 2024 season. As the Belles went 5-1 at the Division II First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Trotter led the offense by going 10-for-18 at the plate for a .556 batting average, including two doubles and a triple, as well as a sixth-inning, two-run home run that clinched ASU's win over No. 17 Wingate. She also compiled a .944 slugging percentage, .619 on-base percentage and 10 RBI. Trotter and her teammates will play their first home games of the season this weekend as they host the ASU George and Ola McCorkle Challenge tournament with multiple games on Friday and Saturday. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Three student-athletes on the Angelo State University track and field teams have picked up Lone Star Conference Athlete of the Week honors for their performances during Week 4 of the indoor season. Senior multi-event athlete Maricia Spence of Christiana, Jamaica, was named LSC Women's Track Athlete of the Week after posting three NCAA Division II provisional marks at the Pittsburg State Invite in Kansas. She won the long jump, was part of the Rambelles' first-place 4x400-meter relay team that set a meet record (3:34.31), and ran an 8.52" in the 60-meter hurdles, the top time in the LSC this season. Graduate student Abby Zamzow of Bowie was named the LSC Women's Field Athlete of the Week after finishing third in the triple jump and earning a NCAA D-II provisional mark at the Pittsburg State Invite. Her leap of 12.07 meters (39'-7.25") is the top mark in the LSC this season and ranks 11th in NCAA D-II. Senior Rams field athlete Jacobee Jones of Rowlett was named LSC Male Field Athlete of the Week after earning a NCAA D-II provisional mark in the pole vault at the Pittsburg State Invite. His vault of 4.93 meters (16'-2") is the top mark in the LSC this season and ranks 16th in NCAA D-II. The Rams and Rambelles are back in action this weekend at the University of New Mexico Classic. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Nearly 180 Angelo State University student-athletes have been named to the Lone Star Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for their academic performance during the fall 2023 semester. To be eligible, a student-athlete must post a minimum 3.30 grade point average (GPA) for the specified semester and be on a team roster. ASU's 178 honorees are the fifth-most in the LSC for the fall 2023 semester and the university's second-highest total ever. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Four players on the Angelo State University Rams baseball team have been named to the NCAA Division II Preseason All-America teams by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) heading into the 2024 season. Junior outfielder Jacob Guerrero of Colleyville has been named to the Preseason All-America first team. Also the 2024 Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year, he batted .420 last season, including a conference-high 97 hits, with seven home runs, five triples and 25 doubles. He also notched 79 runs scored, 57 RBI and 22 stolen bases. Senior starting pitcher Braxton Pearson of Georgetown and senior catcher Tripp Clark of Waco were named to the Preseason All-America second team. Pearson is also the LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year after posting an 8-2 record with a 2.64 ERA and one save last season. Clark batted .374 last season with a team-high nine home runs and 65 RBI. Junior infielder Austin Beck of Allen earned Preseason All-America honorable mention. He batted .338 last season with 80 runs scored, 50 RBI and a conference-high 41 stolen bases. The Rams open the defense of their 2023 national championship on the road this week with a four-game series at Eastern New Mexico. See more details at angelosports.com.

Josh Body of Abilene, a senior on the Angelo State University Rams track and field team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Male Field Athlete of the Week for Week 3 of the indoor season. At the Southern Nazarene University Invitational in Oklahoma on Jan. 20, Body won the triple jump with a leap of 15.13 meters (49'-7.75"). That set a provisional qualifying mark for nationals, leads the LSC in the event by about two feet, and ranks eighth overall in all of NCAA Division II. Body and his teammates will continue the indoor season on Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Pittsburg State Invite in Kansas. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University Rams baseball players Jacob Guerrero and Braxton Pearson have been named the Lone Star Conference Preseason Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, heading into the 2024 season. Guerrero, a junior from Colleyville, earned mutliple All-America accolades last season as the Rams' leftfielder. He led the team with a .420 batting average, led the LSC with 97 hits, and tallied seven home runs, 25 doubles and five triples. He also chipped in 79 runs scored, 57 RBI and 22 stolen bases. Pearson, a senior right-hander from Georgetown, went 8-2 last season with one save, two complete games and a 2.64 ERA. He posted 48 strikeouts in 58 innings while walking only 11 batters, and he held opponents to a .215 batting average. He was named to the All-LSC first team and picked up multiple all-region honors. Both Guerrero and Pearson were instrumental in the Rams winning their first NCAA D-II national championship last season. They will lead the charge this year as the Rams have been picked to win their third straight conference title in the recent LSC Preseason Coaches Poll. Their season starts Feb. 2 on the road at Eastern New Mexico. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Two players on the Angelo State University Rams basketball team have been named to the Bevo Francis Top 100 Watch List by the Small College Basketball organization's National Awards Committee. Rams graduate student guard Keyshawn Embery-Simpson of Midwest City, Okla., and senior guard Kevon Godwin of Blountstown, Fla., will now be considered for the Clarence "Bevo" Francis Award that is presented annually to the player with the finest overall season in the small college basketball divisions (NCAA Division II and Division III, NAIA, USCAA and NCCAA). Only one player wins the award each season. Embery-Simpson leads the Rams and is fifth in the Lone Star Conference in scoring (18.9 ppg) and is second in the LSC in three-point shooting percentage (44.6%) and three-pointers per game (3.5). He has earned one LSC Offensive Player of the Week honor so far this season. Godwin is seventh in the LSC in scoring (17.1 ppg) and fourth in assists per game (4.5). He was named the LSC Preseason Player of the Year and has earned two LSC Player of the Week honors this season, one on offense and one on defense. The Bevo Francis Award Watch List will be reduced to 50 players on Feb. 15 - and then to 25 players on March 15, with the finalists and winners to be announced at a later date. See more details at angelosports.com and on the Small College Basketball website.

Hannah Kinnison of Grover, Colo., a senior outside hitter on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, has earned 2023 Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Communicators (CSC) organization. A food animal science and marketing major, Kinnison is carrying a perfect 4.0 GPA. She was previously named the Lone Star Conference Academic Player of the Year and earned CSC Academic All-District honors. She is the only LSC player to earn CSC Academic All-America honors as she was named to the second team. For her performance on the court this season, Kinnison was named to the All-LSC first team and earned AVCA and D2CCA All-South Central Region honors, as well as AVCA All-America honorable mention. She was the only player to rank in the LSC top 10 in both kills per set (3.74, 2nd) and hitting percentage (.326, 8th) as she helped lead the Rambelles to a 24-8 record and a trip to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional semifinals. See more details at angelosports.com and on the CSC website.

Kevon Godwin of Blountstown, Fla., a senior guard on the Angelo State University Rams basketball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 10 of the season ending on Jan. 7. As the No. 11 Rams swept home wins over Western New Mexico and Eastern New Mexico, Godwin averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, including a 20-point, 7-assist performance in the tight 88-85 victory over ENMU. For the season, Godwin is second on the Rams and seventh in the LSC in scoring at 17.2 points per game. He also ranks in the top five in the LSC in three pointers per game and assists per game. He is the first player this season to win both LSC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, has announced the students achieving the Dean's List for the 2023 fall semester. To be eligible for the ASU Dean's List, full-time undergraduate students must maintain a 3.25 or better grade point average on a 4.0 scale. The complete fall 2023 Dean's List is available at angelo.edu/commencement.

Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, conferred 625 undergraduate and graduate degrees on 620 graduates during the 2023 fall commencement exercises on Dec. 16 at the ASU Junell Center/Stephens Arena. A full list of the graduates is available on the ASU website at angelo.edu/commencement.

Four student-athletes on the Angelo State University indoor track and field teams have been named Lone Star Conference Preseason Athletes to Watch in advance of the 2024 season. For the Rams, senior Elvis Kryukov of Limassol, Cyprus, and graduate student David Morgan of Lubbock made the Preseason Athletes to Watch list. Kryukov is the two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion in the decathlon and a 2023 All-American in the indoor heptathlon. Morgan, a sprinter, earned All-LSC recognition during the 2023 outdoor season, as well as regional and national academic awards. For the Rambelles, seniors Maricia Spence and Shadae Findley of Jamaica made the Preseason Athletes to Watch list. Spence is a 2023 All-American in multiple events, including the indoor pentathlon and 4X400 relay. Findley is a 2023 All-American in the 400 meters and 4X400 relay. The Rams and Rambelles begin the indoor season on Jan. 20 at the Southern Nazarene Invite in Norman, Oklahoma. See more details on the LSC website.

Two Angelo State University political science students earned individual awards for their performances at the recent 27th annual Eugene Scassa Mock Organization of American States (ESMOAS) Collegiate Summit of the Americas Conference at Baylor University. ESMOAS is an academic parliamentary debate program that brings together the nation's best and brightest college students to debate the issues facing the nations in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean that are members of the Organization of America States (OAS). Student teams represent delegations from those nations and must prepare, debate and approve resolutions and respond to hypothetical crises regarding the respective foreign policies. Angelo State's team represented Panama during the ESMOAS Summit of the Americas Competition. Hanne Campbell of Boise, Idaho, earned the Recognized Crisis Response Head of State Address Award for leading the ASU team in developing Panama's response to a crisis and navigating the frenetic negotiations with other countries in the span of one hour. Also for ASU, Isabela Casillas of San Angelo earned a Recognized Delegate Award for her committee work in the Secretariat for Integral and Sustainable Development. See more details at angelo.edu/news.

Hannah Kinnison of Sligo, Colo., a senior outside hitter on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, has earned NCAA Division II All-America honorable mention from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for her performance during the 2023 season. Kinnison experienced a breakout season, recording more kills (423) than she had in her previous three seasons combined (304). She was the only player in the Lone Star Conference to rank in the top 10 in both kills per set (3.74, 2nd) and hitting percentage (.326, 8th). She notched double-digit kills in 28 of the Belles' 32 matches. This is also just the latest accolade for Kinnison, who was previously named LSC Academic Player of the Year and to the All-LSC first team. She also picked up All-South Central Region honors from AVCA and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA). See more details at angelosports.com.

Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant of Amarillo, a senior forward on the Angelo State University Rambelles basketball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 5 of the season ending on Dec. 3. With McGhee-Pleasant leading the offense, the Belles swept a pair of road games against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International. Against the Javelinas, she scored a career-high 27 points and added seven rebounds and two assists. Against the Dustdevils, she topped her previous high with 28 points and notched her third double-double of the season by adding 10 rebounds. She also posted three assists, two steals and a block as the Belles improved to 2-0 in LSC play. Through nine games this season, McGhee-Pleasant is second on the Belles and eighth in the LSC in scoring at 15.7 points per game - and she leads the Belles and is sixth in the LSC in rebounds at 8.2 per game. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Two players on the Angelo State University Rams football team have earned 2023 NCAA Divsion II All-South Central Region accolades from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA). Junior offensive tackle Noah Plsek of West was named to the All-South Central Region first team after helping lead the Rams to the third-best offense in the Lone Star Conference. Over their 10 games, the Rams averaged 384.4 yards and 31.4 points. Plsek was previously named the LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year and to the All-LSC first team. Junior kicker Bradley Larson of Prosper was named to the All-South Central Region second team after leading the Rams in scoring (80 points) and leading the LSC with a .933 field goal percentage that was also second in all of NCAA D-II. Overall, he made 14-of-15 field goal attempts and 38-of-39 extra point attempts on his way to also being named to the All-LSC second team. The Rams finished the season at 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the LSC, narrowly missing out on the NCAA D-II Playoffs. See more details at angelosports.com.

Angelo State University's chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) national honor society recently inducted its fall 2023 class of 73 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. See the complete list of inductees at angelo.edu/news.

Hannah Kinnison of Sligo, Colo., a senior outside hitter on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, has been named to the 2023 NCAA Division II All-South Central Region Team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) - and to the All-South Central Region second team by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA). Kinnison ranked second in the Lone Star Conference in kills per set (3.82), third in total points (428) and eighth in hitting percentage (.335). She was also named to the All-LSC first team after helping lead the Belles to a 22-6 overall record and third place in the LSC regular-season standings at 12-4. Majoring in food animal science and marketing, Kinnison is also carrying a perfect 4.0 grade point average and was named the LSC Volleyball Academic Player of the Year. Kinnison and her ASU teammates will begin play in the NCAA D-II South Central Regional on Thursday in Canyon, Texas, against Regis University. See more details at angelosports.com

Sawyer Lloyd of Wall, a senior guard on the Angelo State University Rambelles basketball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 4 of the 2023-24 season. As the Belles split their first two home games of the season at the Rambelles Classic tournament, Lloyd scored a total of 37 points on 61.5% shooting from the field. In an 80-61 victory over Missouri Southern, she posted 16 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals. In a tight 63-53 loss to No. 15 Tampa, she registerd a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds while adding six assists, three steals and two blocks. The Belles now sit at 4-3 on the young season and will begin their LSC schedule this week with road games at Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas A&M International. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Seventeen players on the Angelo State University Rams football team have earned a total of 19 All-Lone Star Conference accolades for their performances during the 2023 season. Highlighting the All-LSC first team for the Rams are junior guard Noah Plsek of West, who was also named the LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year, and junior Andrew Pitts of McKinney, who made the first-team offense as a return specialist and the first-team defense at defensive back. Also making the All-LSC first team are junior offensive tackle Connor Fisher of Willis, junior wide receivers Kyle Bradford of Prosper and Zorhan Rideaux of Houston, sophomore all-purpose player Brayden Wilcox of San Angelo, graduate student defensive tackle Layton English of Mount Belvieu, junior defensive end Amieh Williams of Houston, junior linebacker Eric Rascoe of San Antonio, senior safety K'Hari Watson of Keller, and junior punter Cade Fuller of Fountain Valley, Calif. Making the All-LSC second team for the Rams are graduate student quarterback Gerald Gardner of Houston, junior kicker Bradley Larson of Prosper, senior linebacker Joshua Booker-Brown of Houston, grad student cornerback Kason McCullough-Cooper of Dallas, and junior safety Jordan McKinney of Waco. Junior running back Alfred Grear of Del Valle was ASU's sole representative on the LSC All-Academic Team. The Rams went 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the LSC this season, narrowly missing out on the NCAA D-II Playoffs. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.

Hannah Kinnison of Sligo, Colo., a senior outside hitter on the Angelo State University Rambelles volleyball team, has been named the Lone Star Conference Volleyball Academic Player of the Year for the 2023 season. Majoring in food animal science and marketing, Kinnison is carrying a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She previously earned the Division II Athletic Directors Association Achievement Award and the ASU Athletic Academic Excellence Award for 2022-23, and she has twice made the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll. She also heads the 2023 LSC Volleyball All-Academic Team. Kinnison was also named to the All-LSC first team after helping lead the Belles to a 22-6 overall record and third place in the LSC regular-season standings at 12-4. She ranks second in the LSC in kills per set (3.82) and seventh in hitting percentage (.335). The LSC Volleyball All-Academic Team, selected by the conference sports information directors, recognizes individuals for high-level athletic and academic achievements. To be eligible, student-athletes must have played in at least 50% of their team's contests; reached sophomore athletic and academic standing; and have a minimum 3.30 cumulative grade-point average. See more details at angelosports.com and on the LSC website.