School Name Goes Here

RICHARDSON, Texas –– Texas-Dallas’ Chris Barnes, Ozarks’ April Young and Matt Arant, East Texas Baptist’s Ryan Yezak and Ashton Brey, Mississippi College’s Josh Gray and Emily Bordenave, Schreiner’s Simone Date, LeTourneau’s Brooke Kincade, and Hardin-Simmons’ Brendon Kelso have all earned the title of Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in their respective American Southwest Conference 2010-11 winter and spring sports, the ASC office announced on Monday (June 13).

Overall, 100 student-athletes from ASC men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track and field, women’s track and field, and softball were named to the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team.

The honor, in its fourth academic 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.

Barnes (San Antonio, TX), a junior men’s basketball player who is majoring in business administration with a 3.59 GPA, became UTD first men’s basketball All-American, earning NABC/NCAA D-III Second Team All-America honors. He was named All-ASC after collecting All-ASC East Division Player of the Year recognition. Barnes was also named CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team and was a two-time ASC East Player of the Week this season. He averaged 17.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Young (Deer, AR), a junior women’s basketball player who is majoring in biology with a 3.99 GPA, is a two-time All-Conference performer and earned a spot on the 2010-2011 Capital One Academic All-America All-District VI First Team during this season. She led the ASC in three-pointers per game (2.2) and three-point percentage (41.7%). She finished seventh in assists (3.2) and twenty-third in scoring (11.3). Her three-point percentage placed her among the top-20 in NCAA III.

Yezak (Snook ,TX), a senior baseball player who is majoring in psychology with a 3.82 GPA, led the team in batting average, hits, home runs, runs scored and RBIs. Yezak was named the 2010-2011 ASC Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award of the Year winner this season for his work both on and off the field. He was a two-time member of the ASC All-Sportsmanship team and was also named the 2011 ASC East Division Sportsmanship winner.

Gray (Ocean Springs, MS), a senior men’s golfer who is majoring in communications with a 3.68 GPA, was part of the men’s golf team that qualified and finished seventh at the ASC Championships. He played in seven events finishing in the top five of one tournament and the top ten in two tournaments.

Date (Denton, TX), a sophomore women’s golfer who is majoring in political science with a 3.98 GPA, has made  President’s List each semester she has been at SU, and earned a 4.0 for the spring 2011 semester. Her best result was at the TLU Intercollegiate Invite, where she finished fourth after shooting a 169.

Arant (Georgetown, TX), a junior men’s tennis player who is majoring in history, literature and sociology with a 3.88 GPA, was named to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America All-District VI Team, and one of only two ASC players to do so. Arant, who owns a career 4-3 doubles record, posted two wins in doubles play in 2011. Arant posted a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the 2011 spring semester.

Kincade (Sugar Land, TX), a graduated women’s tennis player who majored in business administration with a perfect 4.0 GPA, concluded her final season as a YellowJacket with a team-leading 13-5 record in singles' play. Teaming with newcomer Sarah Case, Kincade also compiled a 10-7 record in doubles' play, with an 8-7 record in doubles' No. 1 flight. She was honored as the ASC East Division Player of the Week for the week of March 10-16. A former women's soccer player at LeTourneau, Kincade is also serving as a graduate assistant coach for the women's soccer team.

Kelso (Jacksboro, TX), a senior men’s track and field athlete who is majoring in religion with a perfect 4.0 GPA, was the Cowboys top performer on the year. He placed fourth or better in all four throwing events at the conference meet, despite throwing with an elbow injury.

Bordenave (Belle Chase, LA), a senior women’s track and field athlete who is majoring in kinesiology with a 3.97 GPA, helped the Lady Choctaws to two cross country ASC Championships in her career. She has maintained her high GPA while running both cross country and track.

Brey (Lindale, TX), a junior softball player who is majoring in education and Spanish with a perfect 4.0 GPA, was the top hitter on the 2011 conference champion team, finishing with a career-high 57 hits on the season on the way to a first-team All-ASC East selection. She was also named to the NFCA All-West Region team. For her work in the classroom, Ashton has also been honored by being named Academic All-American on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America team, as well as earning Academic All-District honors. Ashton also was honored as the top student-athlete on campus this year at ETBU.

All honorees were also named to the Winter/Spring 2010-11 ASC Academic All-Conference Team.

ASC WINTER/SPRING 2010-11 DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM

(+Sport’s Distinguished Scholar-Athlete)

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Name                                     School                              Cl.          Major                                    Hometown

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S TENNIS

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

ALL-TIME ASC DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR-ATHLETES