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ASC Announces Fall Distinguished Scholar-Athletes
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RICHARDSON, Texas –– Mississippi College’s Griffin Metcalf, LeTourneau’s Nicole Leman, Hardin-Simmons’ Travis Sugar, Matt Pitcock and Devon Howard, and Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Morgan Baker have all earned the title of Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in their respective American Southwest Conference 2012 fall sport, the league office announced on Thursday (Feb. 7).
 
Overall, 64 student-athletes from ASC men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball were named to Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Teams.
 
The honor, in its sixth 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 14 member institutions vote on a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete from each sport.
 
Metcalf (Anguilla, Miss. / Sharkey-Issaquena Academy), a sophomore cross country runner who is majoring in biology and pre-med with a perfect 4.0 GPA, was one of the top runners for the Choctaws this season.  He finished fifth overall in the ASC Cross Country Championships with a time of 27:04 in the 8K.
 
Leman (Achorage, Alaska / Grace Christian), a senior cross country runner who is majoring in kinesiology with a 3.83 GPA, set a personal record at the ASC Championships, where she placed first overall with a time of 22:39.95 in the 6K and became the first cross country YellowJacket to ever win the individual conference title. She was named the ASC Runner of the Year as well as the ASC Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. Leman held the best time in every running distance in the ASC this season. She then went on to compete in South/Southeast Regionals in Atlanta, Ga., where she punched her ticket to the national championship with a time of 23:10.63. Leman was the second from athlete from LeTourneau to ever qualify for a national championship.
 
Sugar (Leander, Texas / LHS), a senior football plyaer who is majoring in biology and pre-med with a 3.91 GPA,
was a first-team All-ASC performer at center and was named a third-team All-American. He was also a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy given by the National Football Foundation as one of the top student-athletes in college football. He is a three-time academic All-ASC selection and was named a CoSIDA academic all-district selection. He started 36 games in his four year career for the Cowboys.
 
Pitcock (Plano, Texas / Plano East HS), a junior soccer player who is majoring in business with a 3.91 GPA, was named a first-team all-ASC performer for the Cowboys after leading the team in scoring with six goals and 11 assists. His 11 assists led the ASC – by four. Pitcock was a team captain and named academic all-ASC and CoSIDA academic all-district first team.
 
Howard (Abilene, Texas / Cooper HS), a junior soccer player who is majoring in accounting and economics with a perfect 4.0 GPA, was named a scholar all-American by the NSCAA and was a first-team all-district selection and an Academic All-American by CoSIDA. She was also an all-region selection on the field and was first team all-ASC after scoring 10 goals and dishing out 16 assists. She is a leader in the Abilene, Texas, community and on campus.
 
Baker (Richmond, Texas / Needville HS), a senior volleyball player who is majoring in pre-physical therapy with a perfect 4.0 GPA, was a Capital One Academic All-American and is a two-time Capital One All-District VII selection. She earned ASC All-Academic honors twice and was also awarded the Heavin Servant Leader Award for her service to the UMHB campus and local community. Baker played for a pair of conference tournament qualifiers and helped the Cru set school single-season records for victories in back-to-back years. She also ranked among the team leaders in digs and service aces in each of her three seasons with the team.
 
All honorees were also named to the Fall 2012 ASC Academic All-Conference Team.

ASC FALL 2012 DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAMS
(+Sport’s Distinguished Scholar-Athlete)
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Name Institution Cl. Major Hometown
+Griffin Metcalf Mississippi College So. Biology/Pre-Med Anguilla, Miss.
Landon Price East Texas Baptist So. Religion & Missions Mt. Vernon, Texas
Brady Timmons Howard Payne Jr. Bus. Management Granbury, Texas
Brenden Palmer LeTourneau Sr. Mechanical Engineering Westerville, Ohio
William Graham Louisiana College So. Christian Studies Denham Springs, La.
Matt Friant Ozarks Sr. Envi. Studies  Conway, Ark.
Alex Guzman Schreiner So. Biology San Antonio, Texas
Jordan Newcomer Texas Dallas Jr. Mathematics Rowlett, Texas
Kyle Clawson Texas-Tyler Jr. Civil Engineering Richmond, Texas
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Name Institution Cl. Major Hometown
+Nicole Leman LeTourneau Sr. Kinesiology Anchorage, Alaska
Megan Wagenaar Concordia Texas Jr. Business Missouri City, Texas
Madison Kauffman East Texas Baptist So. Psychology n/a
Julia Holub Hardin-Simmons Sr. Biology Seymour, Texas
Shandi Winstead Howard Payne Jr. Communications Brownwood, Texas
Melody Criswell Louisiana College Jr. Nursing Flower Mound, Texas
Jennifer Cooper Mississippi College Gr. Biology Raymond, Miss.
Kara Willbanks Ozarks Jr. Physical Education Fort Smith, Ark.
Courtney Van Ness Schreiner So. Undecided Pasadena, Texas 
Lacey Moore Sul Ross State So. Biology Ft. Davis, Texas
Mel Cavage Texas Dallas So. Biology Austin, Texas
Ashley Meadows Texas Lutheran Jr. Biology Universal City, Texas
FOOTBALL
Name Institution Cl. Major Hometown
+Travis Sugar Hardin-Simmons Sr. Biology/Pre-Med Leander, Texas
Jacob Alford East Texas Baptist Jr. History Lindale, Texas
Thomas Head Howard Payne Sr. Psych./Bus. Admin Alvarado, Texas
Hunter Feibel Louisiana College Jr. Biology Shreveport, La.
Elijah Hudson Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Pre-Physical Therapy Albany, Texas
Austin Gray Mississippi College Jr. Business Admin.  Hoover, Ala.
John Campbell Sul Ross State So. Natural Res. Mgmt.  Castroville, Texas
Allen Cain Texas Lutheran Sr. Math/Comp. Science San Antonio, Texas
MEN’S SOCCER
Name Institution Cl. Major Hometown
+Matt Pitcock Hardin-Simmons Jr. Business Plano, Texas
Sebastian Parra Concordia Texas Sr. Business Austin, Texas
Austin Walker East Texas Baptist Sr. Religion Forney, Texas
Ryan Young Howard Payne Sr. Political Science Mesquite, Texas
Anthony Martinez LeTourneau Jr. International Business Jasper, Texas
Brandon Dutton Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Accounting Temple, Texas
Ryan Dunbar Mississippi College Jr. Accounting Madison, Miss.
Josh Duncan Ozarks Jr. Physical Education Little Rock, Ark.
Garner Buford Schreiner  So. History Corpus Christi, Texas
Steven Nicknish Texas Dallas Jr. Mechanical Eng. Spring, Texas
Chris Powell Texas-Tyler Sr. Finance Houston, Texas
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Name Institution Cl. Major Hometown
+Devon Howard Hardin-Simmons Jr. Accounting/Economics Abilene, Texas
Olivia Jablinski Concordia Texas Sr. Christian Education Plano, Texas
Rachel Pool East Texas Baptist Sr. Education Tyler, Texas
Shannon Costello Howard Payne Sr. Ex. and Sport Science Farmington Hills, Mich.
Jamie Malinaric LeTourneau Jr. Biomedical Engineering Keller, Texas
Emily Breaux Louisiana College Sr. Athletic Training Lafayette, La.
Camryn Powell Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Nursing Frisco, Texas
Bethany Roberson Mississippi College Sr. Graphic Design Collierville, Tenn.
Morgan O’Neil Ozarks Sr. Ply Sci./Env. Studies/Eng. Carbondale, Ill.
Veronica Kloss Schreiner Sr. Exercise Science Spring, Texas
Sarah Borg Texas Dallas So. Physics Tomball, Texas
Amanda Weaver Texas-Tyler Sr. English Arlington, Texas
Jennifer Kopetic Texas Lutheran Jr. Psychology/Spanish Round Rock, Texas
VOLLEYBALL
Name Institution Cl. Major Hometown
+Morgan Baker Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Pre-Physical Therapy Richmond, Texas
Stacy Manship Concordia Texas Jr. Secondary Education El Paso, Texas
Kayla Taylor East Texas Baptist So. Nursing Arlington, Texas
Madison Reyes Hardin-Simmons Sr. Exercise Science Abilene, Texas
Sarah Davies Howard Payne  Sr. Biology Austin, Texas
Samantha Syme LeTourneau So. Civil Engineering Beaverlodge, Alberta
Rachel Farmer Mississippi College So. International Studies Tupelo, Miss.
Jamie Burns Schreiner Sr. Biology La Vernia, Texas
Josette Delgado Sul Ross State Sr. Natural Resource Mgmt. El Paso, Texas
Dana Hilzendager Texas Dallas Sr. Criminology Red Oak, Texas
Megan Lee Texas Lutheran So. Education Universal City, Texas