ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor Awards Announced

5/29/2008 12:56:13 PM

RICHARDSON, Texas –– 28 graduating student-athletes from 15 American Southwest Conference member institutions have been named as recipients of the 2007-08 ASC Scholar-Athlete Award on their respective campuses, the ASC office announced on Thursday (May 29).

The ASC Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to one male and one female member of the graduating class who has compiled the most outstanding record in academics, athletics and leadership over their collegiate career. The award is presented annually by the Faculty Athletics Representative at each conference member institution.

Recipients of the ASC Scholar-Athlete Award represent 15 different conference sports and include individuals who graduated with academic honors or hold admissions to graduate-level programs; are members of academic honor societies and campus organizations; competed on conference or division championship teams; earned ASC All-Academic, Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, All-Conference or All-Division honors; and who served as volunteers, tutors and teachers within their campus, community and church groups.

School	Scholar-Athlete	Major(s)	Sport(s)	Hometown
Concordia Texas	Michelle Heckmann	Accounting	Volleyball	Gatesville, Texas
East Texas Baptist	Sade’ Stewart	Chemistry	Basketball	Zwolle, La.
Hardin-Simmons	R.C. Waters	Art Education	Baseball	Mesquite, Texas
	Laura Newbrough	Social Work	Soccer	Sacramento, Calif.
Howard Payne	Travis Dawson	Exercise and Sport Science	Basketball	Valera, Texas
	Susanna Maxvill	Psychology	SOC / TEN / T&F	Richardson, Texas
LeTourneau	Ethan Cravalho	Professional Flight	Baseball	Honoka’a, Haw.
	Katelyn Stoltzfus	Middle School Education	Golf	Elverson, Penn.
Louisiana College	Trevor Carville	Athletic Training	Soccer	Baton Rouge, La.
	Shellie Spiers	Athletic Training	Soccer	Bossier City, La.
Mary Hardin-Baylor	Shaun Felechner	Marketing	Golf	Lahaina, Haw.
	Daphne Kahlig	Mathematics	Softball	Lott, Texas
McMurry	Brent Voorhees	Mathematics	Baseball	Wylie, Texas
	Tarra Richardson	Business Finance	Basketball	Brewer, Texas
Mississippi College	Tyler Winford	Biology/Pre-Med	Basketball	Madison, Texas
	Rachel Hardin	Elementary Education	CC / T&F	Germantown, Tenn.
Ozarks	Robby Finnell	Political Science	Baseball	Tulsa, Okla.
	Kate Schoenhals	Biology	Soccer	Medford, Ore.
Schreiner	Justin Walker	Exercise Science	Basketball	Houston, Texas
	Megan Eichman	Graphic Design	Softball	Devine, Texas
Sul Ross State	Art Gonzalez	Kinesiology	Basketball	El Paso, Texas
	Janice Mitchell	Business	Basketball	Round Rock, Texas
Texas Dallas	Mark Cox	Business Administration	Baseball	Coldspring, Texas
	Ericka Baker	Psychology	Basketball	Copperas Cove, Texas
Texas Lutheran	Matt Alves	Business Administration	Football	Austin, Texas
	Alanna Gangemi	Psychology	Tennis	San Antonio, Texas
Texas-Tyler	R.J. Cowan	Health and Kinesiology	CC / T&F	Whitehouse, Texas
	Kate Lightfield	Nursing	Softball	Houston, Texas

Biographical information on the ASC Scholar-Athlete Award recipients follow:

ASC 2007-08 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD RECIPIENTS

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY TEXAS

Michelle Heckmann
Major: Education
Sport: Volleyball
Hometown: Gatesville, TX
Michelle Heckman has been a four-year stand-out. She was named to the ASC West First Team as a sophomore, Second Team as a junior, and earned ASC West Hitter of the Week honors both seasons. Named the Concordia Female Athlete of the Year, Concordia Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and Concordia Sportsmanship Athlete as a Sophomore, she was also honored as the Female Athlete of the Year and Sportsmanship Athlete as a Junior, and received the Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Athlete for the ASC. First Team All-ASC during her senior campaign, she was Player of the Week three times, the ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete for Volleyball and was the only player to be named Defensive and Offensive Player of the Week. Heckman was Academic All-Conference every season and carries a perfect 4.0 GPA. A member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, Heckmann has claimed Dean’s List honors every semester while at CTX. She is a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, served as the Student Government Secretary/Treasurer, is a mentor for college freshmen, leads a Calculus Study Group, is a member of the Concordia Youth Ministry Team, and works with the Food Drive. As an intramural activities coordinator, she volunteers with the Children’s Home Christmas Dinner, the Settlement Home Charity, is a member of the Field Day Action Team, and the Helping Hands Bible Study. During the 2006 and 2007 school years, Heckman served as a Resident Assistant (RA) in Harms Hall Dormitory.

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Sade’ Stewart
Major: Chemistry
Sport: Basketball
Hometown: Zwolle, LA
Stewart was a four-year letter winner with ETBU's women's basketball program. She finished her career this season with 1,244 points, which puts her fifth on ETBU's all-time scoring list. Sade' also finished in the top 10 all-time at ETBU in assists (304), steals (131) and 3-pointers (130). She was a three-time member of the ASC All-Academic team and was a three-time All-ASC East Division selection, including being named the ASC East Freshman of the Year in 2004-05. She was the ASC East preseason Player of the Year this past season but her year was cut short with an injury after just eight games. She was her senior class valedictory n at Zwolle, La., High School, and she won ETBU's M. L. Dubach Scholarship Award the last two years of her college career.

HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY

R.C. Waters
Major: Art Education
Sport: Baseball
Hometown: Mesquite, TX
Waters is what Division III athletics is all about. Always small in stature, he was the hardest worked on the baseball team for four years. He always put in the extra work to get on the field, but his talent level was not at a level as those in front of him. He was presented an opportunity late in his senior year to become a starter and he sparked the Cowboys to a 12-game winning streak. He is also a leader on and off the field and had a perfect GPA as an Art Education major.

Laura Newbrough
Major: Social Work
Sport: Women’s Soccer
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Was a CoSIDA Academic All-American with a 4.0 GPA in social work. Also named the ASC Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year. She was the ASC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and helped lead the Cowgirls to their fifth straight American Southwest Conference title. She was first-team All-ASC and was an honorable mention All-American.

HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY

Travis Dawson
Major: Exercise and Sport Science
Sport: Men’s Basketball
Hometown: Valera, TX
Travis is a three year letterman for the Yellow Jackets and was a starter for HPU at the beginning of the season before a knee injury cut his season short. Dawson is a two-time Academic All-Conference honoree and has received President’s and Dean’s list honors while at Howard Payne.

Susanna Maxvill
Major: Psychology
Sports: Women’s Soccer, Women’s Tennis, Track and Field
Hometown: Richardson, TX
After transferring to Howard Payne from Texas Women’s University when Howard Payne started soccer, Susanna Maxvill has been involved in almost every aspect of Howard Payne. Maxvill not only played soccer but has participated in women’s track for two seasons and women’s tennis for one. She has maintained a 3.77 GPA while being involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and volunteering time in the community in many different areas.

LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY

Ethan Cravalho
Major: Professional Flight
Sport: Baseball
Hometown: Honoka’a, HI
A three-time member of the ASC Academic Honor Roll… Earned Honorable Mention ASC-East honors as a sophomore… One of the school’s all-time leaders in career steals, walks, hit by pitches and runs… Served as the team captain in 2008… Posted a .397 on-base percentage in his career.

Katelyn Stoltzfus
Major: Middle School Education
Sport: Golf
Hometown: Elverson, PA
A four year member of the golf team and three time ASC Academic Honor Roll member … Works as an academic skills coach in the Achievement Resource Center … A member of Student Foundations that raises scholarships for students and performs community service projects … A member of SAAC … Teaches Sunday School at a Spanish speaking church in Longview … A member of DOK, a women’s society on campus.

LOUISIANA COLLEGE

Trevor Carville
Major: Athletic Training
Sport: Soccer
Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
Carville has been an exemplary student athlete, carrying a 3.48 GPA, while playing soccer and covering other sports as an athletic training student. Carville not only has balanced the load better than most, he has excelled in both.

Shellie Spiers
Major: Athletic Training
Sport: Soccer
Hometown: Bossier City, LA
Spiers has been a model for what student/athletes should be. She just completed her senior season in soccer. She was the team captain this past year. She helped the LC women’s soccer team to one of the best turnarounds in the conference this past year. Off the field she maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA. She was able to maintain this GPA despite the hours she had to put in on the soccer practice field, plus her hours as a student athletic trainer, covering other sports. Spiers showed tireless work effort and dedication that helped her succeed more than most in the same situation.

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR

Shaun Felechner
Major: Marketing
Sport: Golf
Hometown: Lahaina, HI
Felechner is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference selection for the Cru and he has been a member of two ASC Championship Teams during his time at UMHB. He is heavily involved with the BSM on campus. He also serves as a University Ambassador, a group hand-selected for service by the President of UMHB.

Daphne Kahlig
Major: Mathematics
Sport: Softball
Hometown: Lott, TX
Kahlig is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference selection and a three-time ASC All-West Division selection. She has helped pitched the UMHB softball team to a pair of ASC West Division titles and four straight ASC Tournament appearances. She has also participated in numerous service projects with the softball program. Daphne is a team leader for the Cru softball team and will finish her career among the school’s career leaders in pitching victories, strikeouts and ERA.

MCMURRY UNIVERSITY

Brent Voorhees
Major: Mathematics
Sport: Baseball
Hometown: Wylie, TX
Voorhees is a Mathematics Major with a 3.91 GPA. He became the American Southwest Conference’s all-time leader in home runs and RBI during the 2008 season. He is a two-time all-American named by D3Baaseball.com, and has been an all-region selection as a freshman and a junior. Through Sunday, May 4 (McMurry is still competing in baseball), Voorhees has 45 home runs and 196 RBI, which are both McMurry and ASC career records.

Tarra Richardson
Major: Business Finance
Sport: Basketball
Hometown: Brewer, TX
Richardson laws a five-time all-American for McMurry’s women’s basketball program in her four seasons. She is also a two-time academic all-American and a three-time academic all-conference selection. In her career she scored 2,194 points, grabbed 1,015 rebounds, blocked 304 shots and had 207 career steals. She was just the second woman in NCAA history to record at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 300 blocks in a career. She was also the 2008 Jostens Trophy Award Winner, which is a national award for the top NCAA Division III student athlete in basketball. Tarra was also an outstanding scholar concentrating in Finance. She excelled academically achieving a 3.87 GPA and was awarded the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE

Tyler Winford
Major: Biology/Pre-Med
Sport: Basketball
Hometown: Madison, TX
Winford has been selected as the ASC East Division Freshman of the Year in 2004-2005. Tyler has been named MC’s Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player during his freshman season. His sophomore season, he was selected as MC’s Best Offensive Player, First Team All ASC and NABC All South Region 2nd Team. In 2005-2006 he was chosen as a Street and Smith Pre-Season First Team All American and Preseason D3hoops.com All American. Tyler has also played with USA Athletes International Team in Croatia, Italy and Bosnia. In the classroom, his accomplishments are just as notable. He was chosen as the Alpha Chi Scholar Athlete in 2006 and 2007. From 2004-2007 he was on the President’s List and has also been selected to the Mortar Board and Who’s Who Among American Universities while carrying a 3.97 in Biology. Tyler was one of 13 students to receive early acceptance to medical school. Tyler’s community activities include speaking to FCA groups, elementary students and junior high basketball teams. In 2005 he assisted in Hurricane Katrina clean-up efforts as well as working with Habitat for Humanity. Tyler has also volunteered at the Wingard House, which is a homeless shelter.

Rachel Hardin
Major: Elementary Education
Sports: Cross Country, Track and Field
Hometown: Germantown, TN
Hardin is an ASC record holder in the women’s 6K run with the time of 23:25. She has also been the ASC Champion in the 5000 meter run as well as the overall individual conference champion. She finished her junior season as one of the top runners in the ASC. As a senior, she finished second in the ASC Championships. Rachel led the Choctaws to an ASC Team Championship and was selected First Team All ASC. Rachel also individually placed 18th overall at the NCAA Regionals and led the team to an overall 10th place finish. Rachel has also been recognized as the cross country/track outstanding senior athlete at Mississippi College. Rachel has been just as successful in the classroom. She currently has a 3.97 G.P.A. in Elementary Education and has been named to the President’s list, Dean’s list, the Mississippi College Alpha Chi Scholar Athlete in 2008, and numerous ASC All Academic teams. Rachel’s community service activities include working as a volunteer at Pinelake Baptist Church in preschool ministry. She has also been very active in working with inner city children, traveling in the mission field and multiple other service projects in the Jackson-Metro area.

UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS

Robby Finnell
Major: Political Science
Sport: Baseball
Hometown: Tulsa, OK
Finnell has been an outstanding student and athlete, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science. He has been named to ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Baseball team for three straight seasons, and is a member of the ASC All-Academic Team. On the field, his achievements include ASC All-East Division Second Team honors as a designated hitter, ASC All-East Division Honorable Mention as a starting pitcher, and ASC East Division Pitcher of the Week. He became the school career leader in number of offensive categories following a productive 2008 season. He is the career leader in home runs (31), RBI (159), games played (162), runs (131), hits (189), doubles (31), triples (8), total bases (329), walks (73) and hit by pitch (42). He owns a .348 career batting average, tenth-best at Ozarks and a .606 career slugging percentage, fourth-best at Ozarks. Finnell earned All-Conference honors three times in his career.

Kate Schoenhals
Major: Biology
Sport: Soccer
Hometown: Medford, OR
Schoenhals has excelled both in and out of the classroom since arriving at Ozarks in 2004. She has made the University’s honor roll each semester she has attended Ozarks and is a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society and the Tri-Beta National Biological Honor Society. She has been active in many organizations on campus, including The Planet Club, the Ozarks Biological Society and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Kate has also been a standout member of the Lady Eagles soccer team, earning all-conference honors as a midfielder each season and finishing her career as the program’s leader in career starts (68). She was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America District VI Team following the 2007 season. She was also named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Off campus, Kate has volunteered her time for the Needy Paws animal shelter in Clarksville, studied abroad in Ireland, and volunteered on a medical mission trip to Ghana. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a biology major/chemistry minor, and plans to attend veterinary school at Oregon State University in the fall.

SCHREINER UNIVERSITY

Justin Walker
Major: Exercise Science
Sport: Basketball
Hometown: Houston, TX
Player/Coach; Resident Assistant; President of FCA; Student Activities Board; Service Council; 3.5 overall GPA; Justin has demonstrated throughout his career at Schreiner University a total commitment to academic and athletic excellence. Every year his example has served to inspire not only other players on his team but the entire campus community. He is extremely unselfish and had consistently done what his coaches, professors, and administrators have asked of him. He is a true exemplar of what a student-athlete should strive to become.

Megan Eichman
Major: Graphic Design
Sport: Softball
Hometown: Devine, TX
Overall GPA 3.3; Deans List 2005-2007; Presidents List 2006; ASC Academic All Conference 2005-2007; ASC All Conference honorable mention 2005-2006; ASC All Conference (2nd Team); Who’s Who (College Students); SAAC 2006-2008; Megan has excelled both in the classroom and in her athletic endeavors. She has been a true leader on her team and among the various groups she has been a member of on campus. Her undaunted efforts to be the best she can possibly be, both in the classroom and on the field, epitomizes the vision for Division III athletics.

SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY

Art Gonzalez
Major: Kinesiology
Sport: Basketball
Hometown: El Paso, TX
Team captain and point guard for the Men’s Basketball team for the past 2 years, Art has played in 95 games, accumulating 764 career points. He ended his senior 2007-08 season ranked 1st in the American Southwest Conference in free throws, 2nd in 3-point field goals made, 8th in assists, 17th for overall scoring, and 4th for minutes played. In the words of his coach, “Art was a great floor leader…could pick apart the defense and attack off the dribble…he just knew how to play the game. A hard-working player in practice every day…he never wanted nor took a day off.” For the past two years he has been named ASC All-West Division Honorable Mention and ASC All-Academic. Art participated in a reading program in which athletes read to children at area elementary schools to help increase awareness of the importance of good reading skills, and participated in the annual Lobos vs. Cancer fund raiser. A fifth-year senior, Art just completed his student teaching in El Paso at the same elementary, middle, and high schools that he attended himself. With a 3.3 gpa, he will graduate in May of 2008 with a degree in kinesiology and plans a career in coaching.

Janice Mitchell
Major: Business
Sport: Basketball
Hometown: Round Rock, TX

SRSU’s Woman of the Year in 2008 and highest academic and leadership honor. She has been a four-year member of the Lady Lobos basketball team, serving as captain for three seasons. At the end of her senior year, in the American Southwest Conference, she ranked 5th for assists, 8th for assist/turnovers, and 9th for free throws. In addition, she has earned American Southwest Conference All-Academic honors for the past three years with a gpa of 3.04. Janice has also been an active presence on campus and in the community. As first-generation, she participated in Lobo Scholars, Freshman Leadership, served as a SRSU Ambassador, a Student Support Service Mentor, 2 years as Senator for Student Government Association, on the Student Service Fee Committee, and on a committee publicizing the Quality Enhancement Plan, a major part of SRSU’s reaffirmation of accreditation. She has also volunteered for the West Texas Food Bank and Relay for Life three years. She was selected for Who's Who among College Students and 1st Runner-up for Homecoming Queen in 2007. She is an outstanding leader, citizen, and role model. Mitchell plans to attend the University of North Texas to pursue a Master’s of Business Administration in finance.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

Mark Cox
Major: Business Administration
Sport: Baseball
Hometown: Coldspring, TX
A four-year member of the UTD baseball team, Cox was the staff ace the last two seasons, helping lead UTD to the NCAA West Regional Tournament in 2007. In the last two seasons, he won 22 games and struck out 164 opposing batters, working his way into the UTD record book by throwing the first no-hitter in school history earlier this season. Three-time Academic All-Conference and a second-team All-ASC selection in 2008. He was recognized as a UTD Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and was recently named UTD’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year.

Ericka Baker
Major: Psychology
Sport: Basketball
Hometown: Copperas Cove, TX
Baker was not only one of the best players on a 16-10 UTD women’s basketball team that enjoyed its most successful season in school history, but was a finalist for the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team after finishing as a first-team selection in the District 6 voting. She was a team captain and among the statistical leaders for the Comets, averaging 13.5 points and a team-best 5.4 rebounds per game. She has been a two-time member of the ASC East Division All-Defense and was chosen as the East Division’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. She is also a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference selection. Baker is active in the UTD Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was a representative to the 2007 NCAA Student Leadership Conference.

TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY

Matt Alves
Major: Business Administration
Sport: Football
Hometown: Austin, TX
Alves is a graduating senior business administration major carrying a 3.94 GPA. Alves, a four-year letterman and three-year starter for the TLU football team, is TLU’s first two-time Academic All-American in football. Alves was a 2007-08 ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-America selection. The year before, Alves was a 2006-07 ESPN The Magazine Academic Second Team Academic All-America selection, becoming the first TLU football player to achieve the national award. Alves was the ASC’s Distinguished Scholar-Athlete award winner for football this year. Alves was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI First Team for a second consecutive season, enabling him to appear on the national All-America ballot two times. Alves was also recently named, along with 22 other TLU students, as an outstanding campus leader in the 2008 edition of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Alves is a three-time ASC All-Academic honoree. In his football career, he collected 112 total tackles and had 19.0 tackles for loss. A linebacker, Alves was fourth on the team in tackles in 2007 with 60. He also had 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two recovered fumbles and a blocked kick. He was named an ASC Defensive Player of the Week in the 2006 season.

Alanna Gangemi
Major: Psychology
Sport: Tennis
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Gangemi was TLU’s 2007-08 Female Sportsmanship Award Winner and TLU’s 2007-08 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She was also TLU’s nominee for ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete for women’s tennis. Alanna has always been a true example of sportsmanship on the court. She is fair, honest and respectful to her opponents and a true leader and friend to her teammates. Gangemi, a four-year letterwinner, was 4-1 in ASC play at No. 1 singles spot in 2008. She played No. 1 singles for two years and No. 1 doubles for three years. She was a 2008 ASC West 2nd Team Selection. Gangemi is a 2008 CoSIDA Academic All-District VI nominee in the At-Large category. She named to the 2007 First Team Academic All-District VI At-Large and was a nominee for Academic All-American. She is a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference selection, and she twice led the Bulldogs to the ASC Championship Tournament. Alanna’s service clubs and fraternity involvements include: Psi Chi, Psychology Club, Alpha Mu Gamma, TLU Peer Mentors, Alpha Chi and Delta Epsilon Iota. She will attend graduate school at Univ. of Colorado-Denver to pursue her master’s degree in psychology. She graduated this May with a cumulative GPA of 3.97.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER

R.J. Cowan
Major: Health & Kinesiology
Sports: Cross Country, Track and Field
Hometown: Whitehouse, TX
Cowan has been named to the UT Tyler President’s Honor Roll four times, the Dean’s List three times and is a Phi Kappa Phi inductee. He was voted the Male Athlete of the Year and Student-Athlete of the year at UT Tyler in 2007-08. R.J. has a cumulative GPA of 3.8 and has earned a 4.0 GPA each of the last four semesters. R.J. has been active in community service working with Relay for Life, trash pick-up, Salvation Army soup kitchen and bell ringer, volunteer for Children’s Cabinet, Children’s Diabetes Association volunteer, nature trail steward, and library reader. R.J.is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at UT Tyler. R.J. Cowan has competed on the UT Tyler Cross country team for four years and on the 2008 inaugural Track & Field team. He has been named a 2007Academic All American, and 2007 United States Cross Country and Track & Field Coaches’ Association South Region Athlete of the year. H is the 2007 NCAA south Region Cross Country Champion and has been named to the ASC All-Conference first team 2004, 2005, and 2007. He is a 2007 Cross Country national finisher.

Kate Lightfield
Major: Nursing
Sport: Softball
Hometown: Houston, TX
Lightfield has achieved success in the classroom, maintaining a 3.73 GPA while at UT Dallas and a perfect 4.0 GPA at UT Tyler. For her hard work in the classroom, Kate has been named to the ASC All-Academic team every year. She was named to the Dean’s list at UTD and was inducted in to the Greek Honor Society. AT UT Tyler, Kate was named to the President’s Honor Roll in Fall 2007. Kate is an active member of the campus Fellowship of Christian Athletes and will be a member of the leadership team next fall. Prior to attending UT Tyler, Kate attended UT Dallas for three years. While at UT Dallas, she was twice named to the ASC all-conference team, to the NFCA All-West region team. She was selected team captain her sophomore and junior seasons.

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