Alex Young, Nicole Aponte Named Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athletes of the Year
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana’s Alex Young and Sam Houston State’s Nicole Aponte were named the Southland Conference Outdoor Track & Field Student-Athletes of the Year. The league announced the award winners Wednesday along with All-Academic selections for cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field. The teams were comprised of 35 male and 41 female student-athletes.
Young ended his career with the Lions etched well into the Southland history books. The graduate student capped his season in Oregon, unleashing a career-best 241-08 hammer throw to take second place at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships, further extending his lead at the top of the Southland all-time best list.
He posted a 3.83 undergraduate GPA and 4.00 graduate GPA with a major in kinesiology. The native of Nashville, Tenn., now a two-time All-Academic selection, was also named to this year’s CoSIDA Academic All-District team along with fellow Lion distance runner Stephen Cassingham. The Southeastern pair were the Southland’s lone representatives on the All-District teams for men or women.
Aponte, in her fifth-straight appearance on the Southland All-Academic team, was named the Women’s Student-Athlete of the Year. A complete athlete for the Bearkats, Aponte helped Sam Houston to a runner-up finish at the 2016 Southland Cross Country Championships – the team’s best finish in history – while advancing individually to the NCAA Cross Country South Central Regionals.
She helped the Bearkats to the team indoor track & field title with a silver medal in the distance medley relay and fourth-place finish in the mile run. At the outdoor championships, she took a gold medal in the 1,500m run and silver in the 800m.
The graduate student out of Kingwood, Texas holds a perfect 4.00 GPA with a major in victim services management.
Nathan Jones of McNeese and New Orleans’ Michael Nicholls both earned gold medals and First Team All-Conference honors across multiple sports this season. Jones won gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at this year’s outdoor conference championships while also earning top finishes at the indoor championships in the 3,000m, 5,000m and as anchor of the first-place DMR squad for the Cowboys.
Nicholls won gold in both the indoor 60m hurdles and the outdoor 110m hurdles.
Jones is majoring in health education with a 3.31 GPA while Nicholls is studying kinesiology (3.25).
On the women’s side, Jannika John and Evelyn Chavez of Lamar earned First Team All-Conference selections in multiple sports along with De’Shalyn Jones (Northwestern State), Tristyn Allen (Sam Houston State), Olivia Olguin (Sam Houston State) and Sashane Hanson (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi).
John and Chavez were the spearheads of strong distance performances from the Cardinals throughout 2016-17. Chavez took first place at the 2016 cross country championships while John finished third. At the indoor championships, Chavez won gold in the mile run and as anchor of the Cardinals’ winning DMR lineup. At the same event, John earned two silvers in the 3,000m and 5,000m events.
Chavez registered a 3.40 GPA with a nursing major while John finished with a cumulative 4.00 GPA with a major in family consumer sciences.
Nine members of the women’s All-Academic team posted perfect 4.00 GPAs.
The All-Academic teams are voted on by a head coach, sports information director and academic/compliance staff member from each Southland Conference institution. Student-athletes must possess a 3.0 cumulative GPA, have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution and participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competition to qualify for All-Academic selection.
The Southland Conference Awards Committee, which consists of one administrator from each of the 13 member schools, votes for the Student-Athlete of the Year. Nominees must have earned at least a 3.2 GPA and demonstrated athletics achievement for at least two years at the nominating institution.
Automatic selections are CoSIDA Academic All-District team members and First Team All-Conference selections. First Team All-Conference comprises top-five finishers at the cross country championships and gold medalists at indoor and outdoor track & field championships.
Automatic selections are listed first, in alphabetical order by school.
2016-17 Southland Conference Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field All-Academic Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Freddie Gasbarri^ |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Chieti, Italy |
3.43 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Tobias Riker^ |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Mainz, Germany |
3.93 |
Business Administration |
| Brian O’Bonna% |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Brampton, Ontario, Canada |
3.10 |
Management |
| Nathan Jones&% |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Rhyl, Wales |
3.31 |
Health Education |
| Oliver James&3 |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Sunderland, England |
3.66 |
Biology |
| Michael Nicholls&% |
New Orleans |
So. |
Bridgetown, Barbados |
3.25 |
Kinesiology |
| Kalvin Singletary&2 |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Van Vleck, Texas |
3.22 |
Criminal Justice |
| Tyler Adams&2 |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Buffalo, Texas |
3.29 |
Engineering Technology |
| Stephen Cassingham$ |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
3.94 |
Mathematics |
| Alex Young*$%2 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Gr. |
Nashville, Tenn. |
3.83 |
Kinesiology |
| Kerry Gleason&2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Jr. |
Justin, Texas |
3.00 |
Kinesiology |
| Hunter Key% |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Garrison, Texas |
3.43 |
Kinesiology |
| Ryan Simmons |
Abilene Christian |
Jr. |
Belton, Texas |
3.85 |
Accounting |
| Reid Rivers |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Anchorage, Alaska |
3.90 |
Vocation & Ministry |
| Evan Arambula3 |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Eustace, Texas |
3.69 |
Human Resource Management |
| Ryan Cleary |
Abilene Christian |
Jr. |
Prosper, Texas |
3.82 |
Accounting |
| Garett Cortez |
UIW |
So. |
Schertz, Texas |
3.83 |
Sport Management |
| Chris Speaks |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Coldspring, Texas |
3.21 |
Engineering Technology |
| Marek Spriesterbach |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
So. |
Limburg, Germany |
3.94 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Daven Murphree3 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Winnsboro, Texas |
3.69 |
Kinesiology |
| Federico Machado |
New Orleans |
Sr. |
San Salvador, El Salvador |
3.98 |
Marketing & Business |
| William Maraggia2 |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Inez, Texas |
3.77 |
Management |
| Daniel Shelton |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
3.18 |
Kinesiology |
| Grant Williams2 |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Hot Springs, Ark. |
3.64 |
Biology |
| Chris Winski |
UIW |
Jr. |
Katy, Texas |
3.97 |
Biology |
| Markus Schweikert |
Central Arkansas |
Jr. |
Spay, Germany |
3.82 |
Marketing |
| Stu Ferguson2 |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Oxford, England |
3.68 |
Family & Consumer Science |
| Lucas Akins2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Grand Saline, Texas |
3.33 |
Kinesiology |
| Derek Orlando |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Katy, Texas |
3.27 |
Business Management |
| Jacob Ulbricht2 |
UIW |
Sr. |
Spring Branch, Texas |
3.76 |
Education |
| Sam Farrell |
UIW |
So. |
Ingram, Texas |
3.86 |
Sport Management |
| Clayton O’Callaghan |
New Orleans |
Sr. |
New Roads, La. |
3.42 |
Kinesiology |
| Mark Golay |
New Orleans |
So. |
New Orleans, La. |
3.77 |
Biology |
| Juan Fraga |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
3.50 |
Kinesiology |
| Andrew Leuthner |
UIW |
Jr. |
UIW |
3.72 |
Accounting |
2016-17 Southland Conference Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field All-Academic Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Dominique Allen% |
UIW |
So. |
Converse, Texas |
3.59 |
Rehab Science |
| Jannika John^%2 |
Lamar |
Gr. |
Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany |
4.00 |
Family Consumer Sciences |
| Evelyn Chavez^& |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Porter, Texas |
3.40 |
Nursing |
| Alexandra Sokolova&2 |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Moscow, Russia |
3.28 |
Corporate Communication |
| Katja Woelfl^2 |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Ellhofen, Germany |
4.00 |
General Business Administration |
| Nicole Casper&2 |
McNeese |
Gr. |
Buna, Texas |
4.00 |
Health Promotions |
| De’Shalyn Jones&%2 |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Tyler, Texas |
3.17 |
Psychology |
| Nicole Aponte*%5 |
Sam Houston State |
Gr. |
Kingwood, Texas |
4.00 |
Victim Services Management |
| Tristyn Allen&% |
Sam Houston State |
So. |
Sealy, Texas |
3.61 |
Mass Communication |
| Olivia Olguin^%2 |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
Arlington, Texas |
3.22 |
Kinesiology |
| Hannah McWilliams%2 |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Portland, Texas |
3.81 |
Marketing |
| Sashane Hanson&% |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
So. |
Montego Bay, Jamaica |
3.45 |
Biomedical Science |
| Morgan Woods |
McNeese |
So. |
Lake Arthur, La. |
4.00 |
Elementary Education |
| Kenzie Walker Mascorro |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Abilene, Texas |
3.75 |
Nursing |
| Alison Smegal |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada |
3.72 |
Biology |
| Ana Kriletic |
Houston Baptist |
So. |
Split, Croatia |
4.00 |
Psychology |
| Brigette Caruthers |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Branson, Mo. |
3.88 |
Physical Therapy |
| Carnley Graham |
Abilene Christian |
So. |
Prosper, Texas |
3.90 |
Environmental Science |
| Tyra Duma |
Northwestern State |
So. |
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
4.00 |
Health & Exercise Science |
| Brielle Collet |
Abilene Christian |
So. |
Matador, Texas |
4.00 |
Kinesiology |
| Jacqueline Rushford |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
DeRidder, La. |
3.99 |
Health & Exercise Science |
| Shelby Pesek2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Gr. |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
3.71 |
Mass Communications |
| Melina Ortiz3 |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Port Lavaca, Texas |
3.94 |
Biomedical Science |
| Keila Rodriguez2 |
UIW |
Sr. |
Brownsville, Texas |
3.91 |
Vision Science |
| Dekayta Alex |
Southeastern Louisiana |
So. |
Natchitoches, La. |
3.71 |
Kinesiology |
| Rainy Castaneda2 |
UIW |
Sr. |
Laredo, Texas |
3.54 |
Government |
| Clarissa Smith |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Jr. |
Holden, La. |
3.88 |
Biology |
| Brianna Blagowsky |
UIW |
Jr. |
Plano, Texas |
3.90 |
Education |
| Kendall Rodriguez |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
So. |
Burleson, Texas |
4.00 |
Management |
| Stephanie Aguilar |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Rosenberg, Texas |
3.89 |
Psychology |
| Taylor Thomas |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Waller, Texas |
3.72 |
Kinesiology |
| Karina Velez |
UIW |
Sr. |
Eagle Pass, Texas |
3.83 |
Accounting |
| Taylor Posey |
Abilene Christian |
So. |
Rotan, Texas |
3.74 |
Nursing |
| Jasmine Williams |
UIW |
Sr. |
Huntsville, Texas |
3.96 |
Sport Management |
| Addison Martinez |
Southeastern Louisiana |
Gr. |
Jennings, La. |
3.67 |
Business Management |
| Katelyn Mead |
UIW |
Sr. |
Costa Mesa, Calif. |
3.90 |
Sociology |
| Danielle Martinez |
UIW |
So. |
New Braufnels, Texas |
3.78 |
Marketing |
| Rana Ryan |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Roanoke, Texas |
3.05 |
Nursing |
| Samantha Gibson |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. |
3.05 |
Exercise Science |
| Imogen Hull |
McNeese |
So. |
Kerikeri, New Zealand |
3.65 |
Finance |
| Sara Calhoun |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Fayetteville, Ark. |
3.66 |
Accounting |
* Student-Athlete of the Year
^ Top-five finisher, 2016 XC Championships
& Gold Medalist, 2017 Indoor Championships
% Gold Medalist, 2017 Outdoor Championships
$ CoSIDA Academic All-District
2 Two-time All-Academic selection
3 Three-time All-Academic selection
4 Four-time All-Academic selection
5 Five-time All-Academic selection