ASC Announces Fall Distinguished Scholar-Athletes

12/6/2007 2:44:51 PM

RICHARDSON, Texas –– Texas Lutheran University’s Matt Alves and Dana Robbins, LeTourneau University’s Jon Wilcoxson, Hardin-Simmons University’s Laura Newbrough, Concordia University Texas’ Michelle Heckmann and University of Texas at Tyler’s R.J. Cowan have all earned the title of Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in their respective American Southwest Conference fall sport, the ASC office announced on Thursday (Dec. 6).

Overall, 51 student-athletes from ASC men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball were named to the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team.

The honor, in its first year, recognizes student-athletes that achieve a higher level of academic achievement (a 3.20 grade-point average or better) while competing as a starter or important reserve on their team. From that list – limited to one nominee per school in each ASC championship sport – the Sports Information Directors from the conference’s 15 member institutions vote on a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete from each sport.

Alves (Austin, Texas), a football player for TLU, is a senior business administration major carrying a 3.928 GPA. This year, he became the first Bulldog football player to be named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team. A linebacker, Alves was fourth on the team in tackles with 60. He also had 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two recovered fumbles and a blocked kick.

Wilcoxson (Winona Lake, Ind.), a defensive soccer player from LeTourneau, is a junior history/political science major with a 4.0 GPA. He was named First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI this year and scored his first career goal on a penalty kick.

Newbrough (Sacramento, Calif.), a defensive soccer player from ASC champion HSU, is a senior social work major with a 4.0 GPA. She was a CoSIDA Academic All-American selection for the second straight year and was voted ASC CO-Defensive Player of the Year after guiding a unit that allowed just eight goals on the season.

Heckmann (Gatesville, Texas), a senior volleyball player at CTX, is a secondary education major with a 4.0 GPA. Heckmann has claimed Dean’s List honors every semester while at CTX and is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She was named to the All-Conference Team and was the only player this season to be named player of the week for offense and defense.

Cowan (Tyler, Texas), a cross country runner for ASC champion Texas-Tyler, is a junior health and kinesiology major carrying a 4.0 GPA. Cowan won two races this season and finished in the top 35 percent at the NCAA national championship event. He was also named Top Male Athlete in the South/Southeast Region.

Robbins (Seguin, Texas), a cross country runner for TLU, is a junior psychology/kinesiology major with a 4.0 GPA. Robbins was recognized as a campus leader in the 2008 edition of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. She was a top runner for the Lady Bulldogs’ third-place ASC squad.

All six honorees were named to the 2007 ASC Academic All-Conference Team.

FALL 2007 ASC DISTRINGUISHED SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM
(+Sport’s Distinguished Scholar-Athlete)

FOOTBALL

Name	School	Cl.	Major	Hometown
+Matt Alves	Texas Lutheran	Sr.	Business Administration	Austin, Texas
Fernie Acosta	Sul Ross State	Jr.	Kinesiology	El Paso, Texas
Jordan Daniel	Hardin-Simmons	Sr.	Sports Management	Archer City, Texas
James Doherty	Howard Payne	Sr.	Science / Education	Copperas Cove, Texas
Joel Munoz	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Sr.	Cellular Biology	Ferris, Texas
Kyle Pope	East Texas Baptist	So.	Accounting	Longview, Texas
Adam Shaffer	Mississippi College	So.	Chemistry	Brandon, Miss.
Andrew Wallace	McMurry	So.	Undeclared	Midland, Texas
Brian Wallace	Louisiana College	Sr.	History	Port Orange, Fla.

MEN’S SOCCER

Name	School	Cl.	Major	Hometown
Trevor Carville	Louisiana College	Sr.	Athletic Training	Baton Rouge, La.
Ryan Collins	East Texas Baptist	So.	Undeclared	Tyler, Texas
Mihai Cotet	Texas-Dallas	Sr.	Computer Science	Braila, Romania
Mickey Kerr	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Sr.	Accounting	Belton, Texas
Ryan Flanigan	Hardin-Simmons	Sr.	Chemistry	Temple, Texas
Stephen Hudgens	Mississippi College	Sr.	Admin. of Justice	Birmingham, Ala.
Adam McAlpine	Texas-Tyler	Jr.	Marketing	Kingwood, Texas
Brian Sarber	Ozarks	Jr.	Accounting	Allen, Texas
Hugo Uribe	Howard Payne	So.	Criminal Justice	Greenville, Texas
+Jon Wilcoxson	LeTourneau	Jr.	History / Political Sci.	Winona Lake, Ind.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Name	School	Cl.	Major	Hometown
Lindsey Ayers	Texas-Dallas	Sr.	Biology	Farmington, N.M.
Kelly Buchanan	Texas-Tyler	Jr.	Health & Kinesiology	Houston, Texas
Zane Gruznina	East Texas Baptist	So.	Business Admin.	Tails, Latvia
Jessalyn Halsted	Ozarks	Sr.	Biology	Harrison, Ark.
Susanna Maxvill	Howard Payne	Sr.	Psychology	Richardson, Texas
Kristy Morse	Mississippi College	Sr.	Biology	Starkville, Miss.
+Laura Newbrough	Hardin-Simmons	Sr.	Social Work	Sacramento, Calif.
Amanda Norton	LeTourneau	Jr.	Accounting	Longview, Texas
Ashley Smith	Texas Lutheran	Sr.	Accounting / Business	Kerrville, Texas
Shellie Spiers	Louisiana College	Sr.	Athletic Training	Bossier City, La.
Lauren Thorne	Mary Hardin-Baylor	Jr.	Finance	Round Rock, Texas

VOLLEYBALL

Name	School	Cl.	Major	Hometown
Patricia Brown	Howard Payne	Jr.	Mathematics / Education	Tomball, Texas
Lyndi Cypher	Sul Ross State	Sr.	Kinesiology	Monahans, Texas
+Michelle Heckmann	Concordia Texas	Sr.	Secondary Education	Gatesville, Texas
Abigail Hews	LeTourneau	Jr.	Elementary Ed.	Clive, Iowa
Shannon Higgins	McMurry	Jr.	Ex. Sci. / Human Per.	Big Spring, Texas
Brooke McGehee	East Texas Baptist	Jr.	Pre-Med	Savoy, Texas
Kaela Parnell	Hardin-Simmons	So.	Biology	Carrollton, Texas
Megan Purser	Texas Lutheran	Sr.	Psychology	Dickinson, Texas
Lindsey Schofield	Texas-Tyler	Sr.	Health & Kinesiology	Millsap, Texas
Krissie Seaman	Texas-Dallas	Jr.	Mathematics	Mansfield, Texas

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Name	School	Cl.	Major	Hometown
+R.J. Cowan	Texas-Tyler	Jr.	Health & Kinesiology	Tyler, Texas
Tanner McIntyre	Texas-Dallas	Jr.	Business Administration	The Colony, Texas
Keen Seong Liew	Ozarks	So.	Psychology	Tmn Puchong Prima, Malaysia
Brian Verret	Louisiana College	So.	Biblical Studies	Baton Rouge, La.
Ken Wheeler	McMurry	So.	Undeclared	Fort Worth, Texas

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Name	School	Cl.	Major	Hometown
Carla Lewis	McMurry	So.	Ex. Sci. / Human Per.	Tuscola, Texas
Natalie Price	Texas-Dallas	Jr.	Arts & Technology	Euless, Texas
Samantha Puent	Ozarks	Jr.	Music	Bangor, Wis.
Rachel Hardin	Mississippi College	Sr.	Elementary Education	Germantown, Tenn.
+Dana Robbins	Texas Lutheran	Jr.	Psychology / Kinesiology	Seguin, Texas
Heidi Stevens	Texas-Tyler	Sr.	Early Childhood Ed.	Ottumwa, Iowa

Related Headlines