ASC Announces Sportsmanship Award Winners

LETU_Scarlett, Walters_UMHB_Dowdey_2015-16_FJ_Winners

LeTourneau junior Seth Walters (left), senior Xavier Scarlett, Mary Hardin-Baylor senior Cheyenne Dowdey were named the 2015-16 ASC Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Athltes of the Year.

6/1/2016 9:30:00 AM

All-Time Winners

RICHARDSON, Texas - Three student-athletes from two member institutions have been named winners of the 2015-16 American Southwest Conference Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award, the ASC office announced Wednesday (June 1) after a vote of the league’s athletic directors.

Two men student-athletes were named co-winners as LeTourneau senior Xavier Scarlett and junior Seth Walters received honors. Mary Hardin-Baylor senior Cheyenne Dowdey is the first Cru women’s student-athlete to receive the award.

Scarlett was selected as the ASC Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year for men’s soccer and picked up his third all-conference honor in 2015. Scarlett joins Daniel Iya (2008) as the only other honoree in LeTourneau history to receive the ASC Sportsmanship award. Scarlett also becomes the fourth player in program history along with Iya, Dillon Holt and Ryan Potter to pick up three all-conference honors. In 2015 Scarlett was one of two players to play and start all 18 games for the YellowJackets. The aggressive on-the-ball defender also had seven shots in 2015. After the season, Scarlett joined the Shreveport Rattlers FC.

“Xavier is a very hardworking individual and deserving of this honor, said LeTourneau men’s soccer coach Matthew Haesecke. “As a two-year team captain, he was a great leader to his teammates on and off the field. His commitment to our program will be something we will miss as he never gave anything less than 100 percent to all of his endeavors.”

Walters is a mechanical engineering student with a cumulative grade point average above 3.50. Walters won the Louisiana College Fall Invite (Sept. 21-22), is second on the team with a 77.33 scoring average and scored a team-best individual round of 70. He is the second recipient in LeTourneau history, joining Jacob Clay who earned the honor in 2012. Walters finished tied for 28th at the ASC Men's Golf Championships, shooting a 234 (82-77-75). He volunteers with both Longview and his hometown First Tee junior golf programs and is a singing and guitar-playing worship leader for LeTourneau chapel services.

“Seth is a very deserving individual of this honor, said LeTourneau men’s golf coach Walt Williams. “He is not only an outstanding golfer that won a tournament win this year, but is also a mechanical engineering student. On top of that, he participated by singing and playing the guitar as a worship leader for LeTourneau chapel services."

Dowdey was an ASC All-Conference and First Team ASC All-West Division selection. She finished second in the country in blocks per set and helped lead UMHB to a national statistical championship in that category. She was also ASC All-Academic. Dowdey is a member of the education and English Honor Societies at UMHB and is a member of the Dean’s List. She has always worked hard to be a great player and win on the court but she has also proven to be a true servant leader, helping our team and younger players in any way possible from move in day to helping our younger middles learn their roles. She is a great balance of encouraging, positive, and aggressive. She wants to win every match but has always been respectful in how she treats other teams and how she talks about them. She’s someone you can trust to do the right thing on her own. She has a great will to win but would always treat other teams with a healthy fear and respect on and off the court.

“Cheyenne is a hard working and aggressive competitor,” said UMHB volleyball coach Rob Frost. “She is also very caring and respectful. I could count on her to take great care of herself as an athlete and also take care of her teammates. She would always recognize and respect the talented teams we would compete against and felt she needed to give her very best each match. Cheyenne was a great balance of aggressive will to win and at the same time showing honor and respect to the teams we would see on the court. She is a very selfless hard working person and I speak for our whole team in saying we are excited for her to be recognized with this honor.”

The ASC Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award honors a male and female student-athlete who best displays the attributes of sportsmanship, leadership, citizenship and academic integrity in their athletic, academic and life pursuits. To become a nominee on the conference-wide ballot, a student-athlete must win the ASC Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year award in their respective sport. This is the 15th year the ASC has presented its Sportsmanship Award and ninth time the award is being presented after being renamed in honor of the Conference's first commissioner, Fred Jacoby.

All-Time Sportsmanship Winners

Year	Men	Women
2015-16	(co) Xavier Scarlett, LeTourneau	Cheyenne Dowdey, Mary Hardin-Baylor
	(co) Seth Walters, LeTourneau
2014-15	(tri) Andrew Cummings, Ozarks	Jordana Andrews, Ozarks
	(tri) Matt Weaver, Ozarks
	(tri) Isaiah Minick, Mary Hardin-Baylor
2013-14	Zakk Revelle, Sul Ross State	Samantha Guerrero, Howard Payne
2012-13	Marcus Bobb, Ozarks	Jennifer Cooper, Mississippi College
2011-12	Collin Janssen, Concordia Texas	Hannah Langley, Mississippi College
2010-11	Ryan Yezak, East Texas Baptist	Whitney Wyly, Texas-Tyler
2009-10	(co) David Ashlock, Texas-Tyler	Kristen Chapman, LeTourneau
	(co) Sam Walker, Hardin-Simmons
2008-09	Ty Palmer, Texas Lutheran	Krissy Seaman, Texas Dallas
2007-08	Tyler Winford, Mississippi College	Lindsey Peters, Texas-Tyler
2006-07	Ryan Potter, LeTourneau	Michelle Heckmann, Concordia Texas
2005-06	Kyle Shipp, Mary Hardin-Baylor	Bethany Harris, Mississippi College
2004-05	Drew McMaster, Howard Payne	Katie DeDeaux, Mississippi College
2003-04	Cody Brotherton, McMurry	Lyndsay Llewellyn, McMurry
2002-03	Preston Meyer, Mary Hardin-Baylor	Julie Richardson, Ozarks
2001-02	Phil Kaiser, Ozarks	Lindsey Brotherton, Schreiner
2000-01	Michael Kawazoe, Austin College	Sarah Birge, Austin College
1999-00	Joe Fox, Austin College	Courtney Shires, Mississippi College

2015-16 ASC Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year Bios
Biographical information provided by each student-athletes' sports information director or head coach

Men’s Sportsmanship Nominees
Conner Bertsch, Concordia Texas (Baseball), Sr., Kinesiology
Conner Bertsch was extremely patient at the plate, drawing 40 walks to lead the ASC. He ended the year with a .301 batting average and led the team in fielding percentage. He hit two home runs to help carry the Tornados toward the end of the season and never let his early-season slump affect the other members of the team.

Clay Marley, Concordia Texas (Basketball – West Division), Sr., Computer Science
Clay Marley made 11 starts in 24 contests played this season. He averaged 4.3 points and 1.4 rebounds per game and shot .796 at the free throw line (39-49). He had career high 15 points against Hardin-Simmons (Feb 18) and recorded seven blocks. Marley was a team player and a key contributor on and off the floor.

Reid Adams, East Texas Baptist (Tennis – East Division), Fr., Kinesiology / Athletic Training
Reid Adams was named ASC East Division at second-team No. 6 singles and received the ASC East Division Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. Adams also helped ETBU to the program’s first appearance and win in the ASC Tournament.

Landon Price, East Texas Baptist (Cross Country), Gr., Master of Religion
Landon Price was named to the 2015 ASC Cross Country First Team. A two-time ASC Runner of the Week in 2015, Price recorded three top-10 finishes and also received the ASC Sportsmanship Award for men’s cross country and was the top Division III runner at the Texas Division III Championships.

Josh Ferrell, Univ. of Ozarks (Basketball – East Division), Jr., Health Science
Josh Ferrell was nominated for a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches Good Works Team during the 2015-16 season. Ferrell received the nomination as a result of a mission trip to Florida in the summer of 2015. Ferrell finished second in the ASC in steals and 11th in assists in 2015-16. He always shows courtesy to opposing coaches and players and is always the first to congratulate an opponent and the first to help a teammate up. He displays respect to the officials and was voted a team captain this season.

Ryan Morton, UT Dallas (Tennis – West Division), So., Mechanical Engineering
Ryan Morton was named first team All-ASC at No. 4 singles after claiming first team All-West Division honors in both singles and doubles for the Comets. Morton posted a 9-1 overall singles record this spring and was 7-3 in doubles competition, primarily at No. 3 with teammate Kenneth Sweeney. He was 4-0 against in both singles and doubles against ASC West opponents. Morton was also named the ASC All-Tournament Team after leading the Comets to a runner-up finish as UTD hosted the men’s tournament for the first time in program history.

Ali Yazdanshenas, UT Tyler (Track and Field), Sr., Mechanical Engineering
Ali Yazdanshenas helped lead UT Tyler to its fourth consecutive ASC Championship this year, placing in the top six in four events. Yazdanshenas was named all-conference after winning the hammer throw (157-03). He also finished second in the javelin (172-07), took third in the discus (135-11) and was sixth in the shot put (40-05). Yazdanshenas is known by his teammates and coaches as a selfless contributor both on and off the field. In practice or in the classroom he has always encouraged not only his teammates but in competition during meets. Yazdanshenas contributed to several events on the UT Tyler campus including Special Olympics, local food bank efforts, the Wellness Trail and multiple campus cleanups.

Women’s Sportsmanship Nominees
Kayla Casey, East Texas Baptist (Tennis – East Division), Sr., General Studies
Kayla Casey was named the ASC East Division Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and the Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. She received All-ASC honors at No. 1 singles and doubles and was All-ASC East Division in both positions as well. A three-time ASC East Division Player of the Week, Casey was the ITA Southwest Regional Singles Champion, an ITA National Tournament qualifier and ranked No. 10 in ITA national singles and No. 19 in doubles.

Megan Merrill, East Texas Baptist (Cross Country), Sr., Biology
Megan Merrill received the ASC Sportsmanship Award for women’s cross country and is an All-ASC Academic selection. Merrill recorded three top-20 finishes including coming in at 17th at the 2015 ASC Championship meet.

Kara Doege, Hardin-Simmons (Co-Golf), Class, Major(s)
Kara Doege was a four-year starter for the Cowgirl golf team. She had one top-10 finish this year and had an 85.33 stroke average. She is a three-time academic All-ASC selection and also a three-time WGCA All-American Scholar.

Rachel Gauspohl, LeTourneau, (Co-Softball), Sr., Kinesiology
Rachel Gauspohl has been a two-year letter winner on the LeTourneau softball team. Gauspohl and the YellowJackets have done a variety of community service projects throughout the season including a Cancer Awareness Game, Military Awareness Game, The Martin House Children’s Advocacy Center and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Day. Gauspohl hit .265 in 41 games with 31 hits including four doubles and four home runs to go along with 18 RBI. She was named the ASC Hitter of the Week (Feb. 9).

Jayme Harmon, Louisiana College (Soccer), Academics Sr., Athletics Jr., Physical Therapist Assistant
In the 2015-16 season Jayme Harmon was named to the ASC preseason watch list. She also set a new school single season record for goals with 9, and also added 1 assist for a total of 19 points. Post-season awards included All-ASC third team, ASC Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year, and NSCAA Scholar All-Region. This year Harmon was part of a team that had its best start in school history, starting the season 3-0-0.

Haven Neal, Mary Hardin-Baylor (Basketball – West Division), So., Mathematics
Haven Neal is a tough competitor who always pushes for the best from herself and her teammates. But she is always respectful and courteous toward opponents and officials. Off the court, she traveled to Haiti for a mission trip with Athletes in Action and is heavily involved with her church. Neal also leads a small group bible study, coached a little league softball team and volunteers in her church nursery. Her involvement with children also includes working youth sports camps and mentoring elementary students in her hometown. She does all of this while also earning ASC All-Academic honors and maintaining one of the highest GPA’s on the team.

Stephanie Alderson, Univ. of Ozarks (Co-Track and Field), So., Early Childhood Education
A member of the University of the Ozarks inaugural NCAA Division III women’s track team, Stephanie Alderson placed 10th in the 2016 ASC Championships in the 1500 meter run (5:35.98). Alderson leads by example and is the first to practice and the last to leave. She is known around campus for her outgoing personality and willingness to help with campus projects. She has been involved in a variety of services activities, including local 5K races, a Clarksville High School track meet and a Salvation Army service project during the Christmas holiday. For NCAA Division III Week, she was instrumental in organizing a field day event on campus for students from Clarksville's self-contained classrooms. Additionally, Alderson was a volunteer at the 2016 Univ. of Ozarks Fan Fest, assisting with games for children. Her campus leadership positions include serving as the President of FCA and Vice-President of SAAC. She is also a member of the cross country team.

Karly Harris, Sul Ross State (Track and Field), Jr., Kinesiology
Karley Harris has been a standout for the Sul Ross State women’s track and field team in 2016. A two-time ASC Athlete of the Week, Harris earned a provisional national qualifier and was named the ASC Outstanding Athlete of the Year at the 2016 ASC Track and Field Championships. Harris recorded a first place finish in the 200 meter (25.24) and the 400 meter (58.16). Harris teamed up with Leslie Gonzalez, Desiree Garza and Karina Ramirez to also win the 4X100 meter relay (49.35) at this year’s conference meet. In April Harris medaled in the women's 400 meter dash with a third-place finish and a personal season-best (56.17) at the Incarnate Word Invitational in San Antonio.

Isaura Rodriguez, Sul Ross State (Softball), Jr., Business
Isaura Rodriguez has been a stable presence in the infield and at the plate in 2016. She finished her junior season starting in 36-of-37 games played for Sul Ross State. Rodriguez recorded 21 hits including six doubles and was 5-of-6 for stolen bases. Defensively Rodriguez finished with an. 896 fielding percentage.

Jasmine Lopez, UT Dallas (Basketball – East Division), Sr., Criminology
Jasmine Lopez earned honorable mention All-ASC honors as a transfer senior for the Comets after averaging 5.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game this past season. Lopez played in 22 games for UTD this season, starting the final 14 contests of the season. She scored in double figures in seven games this season, including a season-best 21 points against Belhaven on Feb. 6. Worked with her team to coordinate a holiday gift drive for Hope’s Door, a non-profit in Plano which offers intervention and prevention services to individuals and families affected by intimate partner and family violence and to provide education programs that enhance the community's capacity to respond. In addition, Lopez serves as a student work in the UTD sports information office and has enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves, reporting for service this summer.

Sophie Farmer, UT Dallas (Tennis – West Division), Fr., Biomedical Engineering
Sophie Farmer earned first team All-ASC honors and was named the ASC West Division Freshman of the Year in her debut season with the Comets. Farmer posted a 7-6 overall singles record, going 5-0 in division play as she was named first team All-ASC West in singles and second team All-ASC West in doubles. She was 7-8 on the season in doubles overall, with four different partners, and 3-2 against divisional opponents.

Amanda Colegrove, UT Tyler (Volleyball – East Division), Sr., Social Sciences
Amanda Colegrove finished the season with 97 kills and 40 blocks to go along with earning a 3.80 GPA during her senior season.

Laura Lindsey, UT Tyler (Co-Golf), Sr., Mechanical Engineering
Laura Lindsey became a four-time All-American after winning three tournaments in her senior season and helping lead the Patriots to the American Southwest Conference title and to a NCAA Division III National runner-up finish. Lindsey earned four ASC Golfer of the Week honors with wins at the Golfweek Fall Invite, Linda Lowery Invite and the Division III National Spring Preview. She finished fifth at the ASC Championship.

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