Connor Bertsch, McKenzie Ralston Named ASC Athletes of the Year

Connor Bertsch was named a D3Baseball.com All-American and the West Region Player of the Year. McKenzie Ralston won the ASC and NCAA Division III Individual Championships.

6/15/2015 9:59:26 AM

RICHARDSON, Texas – Concordia Texas junior first baseman Connor Bertsch and Mary Hardin-Baylor senior women’s golf player McKenzie Ralston have been named the 2014-15 American Southwest Conference Athletes of the Year, the league office announced Monday (June 15) after a vote of the conference's sports information directors and former Outstanding Media Service Award recipients.

The ASC Athlete of the Year award recognizes the men's and women's student-athlete whose athletic accomplishments during the current athletic year best contributed to their sport, their institution's overall athletic program and to the conference. Each ASC member institution nominates its campus athlete of the year recipients to the conference-wide ballot. The award is presented for the 16th time in 2014-15.

Bertsch is the first Concordia Texas student-athlete to receive the award. Ralston is the second women’s and the ninth overall Mary Hardin-Baylor student-athlete to be named the ASC Athlete of the Year.

“I'm so proud to represent the Concordia baseball team and the university, in receiving this prestigious award”, said Bertsch. “I couldn't have accomplished this without the motivation and support from my coaches, teammates, family, and friends. I’m grateful to have played for such an amazing team and a dedicated coaching staff that pushed each of its players to perform their absolute best resulting in opportunities like this.”

“I am honored to receive this award, and it’s just now sinking in what it means”, said Ralston. “It has always been my goal to win a national championship, but to win the ASC Athlete of the Year as well is more than I ever expected. I could not have scripted a better ending to my college career.”

Bertsch (Fayetteville, Texas / Fayetteville HS) led the ASC in batting average (.443), RBI (31), slugging percentage (.784), on-base percentage (.549) and walks (25). Starting all 29 conference games for the Tornados at first base, Bertsch recorded a team-high 275 put outs and only one error all season. He also tied for second in home runs (6), third in total bases (69), fourth in doubles (10) and was eighth in hits (39) and 10th in runs scored (22). Bertsch was one of the top players in ASC baseball and one of the more outstanding players in Division III in 2015. In addition to a first team All-ASC selection, Bertsch received dual honors as the ASC Player of the Year and Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year in baseball. On the national level, Bertsch was named a D3Baseball.com All-American and the West Region Player of the Year. The American Baseball Coaches Association also tabbed Bertsch on the West Region first team.

“Connor is what a Division III player is all about,” said Concordia Texas baseball coach Thomas Boggs. “Connor came in as a small school player who was not recruited and has worked hard to become a Division III All-American. He is not only our leader on the field, but also a great student in the classroom and an outstanding person.”

In her final collegiate season, Ralston (Temple, Texas / Temple HS) put the exclamation point on her collegiate career at Mary Hardin-Baylor as the ASC Athlete of the Year. Ralston raised the bar for ASC women’s golf winning six of 11 tournaments and was named ASC Golfer of the Week accolades six times. One of two women’s golfers in ASC history to claim both individual medalist honors in the ASC Championship and the NCAA Division III Championship, Ralston was named first team All-American by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association and ended the year ranked sixth in Division III with a 75.67 adjusted scoring average.

“I am so proud of McKenzie for many things, but above all, the endless commitment she has given to the game,” said UMHB women’s golf coach Jackie Ralston. “I couldn’t be more excited for her future in golf. She is a great ambassador for Mary Hardin-Baylor and I know she will be thrilled to accept this award.”

All-Time Winners

Year	Men	Women
2014-15	Connor Bertsch, Concordia Texas (baseball)	McKenzie Ralston, Mary Hardin-Baylor (golf)
2013-14	Kyle Schleigh, Texas Dallas (basketball)	Lauren Robenalt, Texas-Tyler (softball)
2012-13	Javicz Jones, Mary Hardin-Baylor (football)	Katie Kuykendall, Hardin-Simmons (soccer)
2011-12	Kevin Cunningham, McMurry (track & field)	Brittany Roberson, Howard Payne (basketball)
2010-11	Ben McLaughlin, Louisiana College (football)	Amy Kuykendall, Hardin-Simmons (soccer)
2009-10	Jake Mullin, McMurry (football/baseball)	Ayrika Henderson, East Texas Baptist (softball)
2008-09	Hann Ollison, McMurry (track & field)	Ashley Huston, Hardin-Simmons (track & field)
2007-08	Jerrell Freeman, Mary Hardin-Baylor (football)	Meia Daniels, Howard Payne (basketball)
2006-07	Josh Kubiak, Mary Hardin-Baylor (football)	Meia Daniels, Howard Payne (basketball)
2005-06	Aaron Crais, Texas Lutheran (baseball)	Sandi Clark, Louisiana College (softball)
2004-05	Cody Brotherton, McMurry University (track & field)	Holly Glover, Mary Hardin-Baylor (golf)
2003-04	Cody Fredenburg, Mary Hardin-Baylor (football)	Brittany Cary, McMurry (golf)
2002-03	Preston Meyer, Mary Hardin-Baylor (football)	Kendra Anderson, Hardin-Simmons (basketball)
2001-02	Robert Moore, Mary Hardin-Baylor (basketball)	Kendra Anderson, Hardin-Simmons (basketball)
2000-01	(co) Aaron Kernek, Austin College (football/track & field)	Talitha Belcher, McMurry (track & field)
	(co) Robert Moore, Mary Hardin-Baylor (basketball)
1999-00	Brad Parris, McMurry (track & field)	Ogonna Merritt, McMurry (basketball)

Awards Breakdown
Team Winners

9	Mary Hardin-Baylor
8	McMurry
5	Hardin-Simmons
3	Howard Payne
2	Louisiana College
1	East Texas Baptist
1	Texas Dallas
1	Texas-Tyler
1	Texas Lutheran
1	Austin College

Men’s Award Winners

7	Mary Hardin-Baylor
5	McMurry
1	Concordia Texas
1	Louisiana College
1	Texas Dallas
1	Texas Lutheran
1	Austin College

Multiple Winners

2	Kendra Anderson, Hardin-Simmons (01-02, 02-03)
2	Meia Daniels, Howard Payne (06-07, 07-08)
2	Robert Moore, Mary Hardin-Baylor (00-01, 01-02)

Women’s Award Winners

5	Hardin-Simmons
3	Howard Payne
3	McMurry
2	Mary Hardin-Baylor
1	East Texas Baptist
1	Louisiana College
1	Texas-Tyler

Winners by Sport

9	Basketball
8	Football
7	Track & Field
3	Baseball
3	Golf
3	Softball
2	Soccer

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