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Kennedy Kurtz (Sac State)
Kennedy Kurtz averaged 12.75 assists and 2.50 digs per set while hitting .600 for Sacramento State during the 13th-annual Sacramento State Volleyball Invitational this past weekend.
Sacramento State lost to Santa Clara 3-1 in the championship (25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 25-22).
“We played very hard tonight against a very good opponent,” Sacramento State head coach Ruben Volta said via news release. “Even when we fell behind a decent amount of points, we kept fighting. I was happy with our defense, I thought we served well, and we did a nice job with our attack. It was a very good offensive game, and a few plays of execution provided the difference.
“Kennedy (Kurtz) had a very good weekend and hustled down a lot of balls, Lauren (Kissell) was unstoppable on the outside, and I thought Maddie (Cannon) had an excellent tournament.”
Kurtz, now a sophomore, was named to the Big Sky All-Academic Team after her freshman season.
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In an effort to recognize all former local prep stars who have gone on to achieve either academic and/or athletic awards at the next level, I will update this list. These are not high school awards but college and professional awards. NOT CHAMPIONSHIPS.
If you are aware of anything I have missed along the way please let me know. amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
Kennedy Kurtz/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge (2014)/Sacramento State
Big Sky All-Academic Team (1/27)
Sacramento State Invitational All-Tourney Team (9/19)
Cole Puchi/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Boston University
Patriot League Academic Honor Roll (6/18)
Academic All-Patriot League (3/2)
Donny Sands/Baseball
Salpointe (2015)/Yankees Organization
GCL All-Star Team (9/16)
Daniela Sanchez/Soccer
Sabino (2015)/Pima
ACCAC Goal Keeper of the Week (9/8)
NJCAA Division I Goalie of the Week (9/10)
Alex Verdugo/Baseball
Sahuaro (2014)/Dodgers System
MLB.com Prospect Team of the Week (7/7)
Cal League Player of the Week (/7)
Sierra Heredia/Soccer
Sabino (2014)/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (9/8)
Gwen Murphy/Volleyball
Valley Union (2011)/ New Mexico State
Air Force Falcon Classic All-Tournament Team (8/28)
Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week (8/31)
Sports Imports/AVCA D-I National Player of the Week (9/1)
Madeline Bolin/Swimming
Ironwood Ridge (2014)/West Virginia
Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team (6/18)
Kayley Willingham/Softball
Sabino (2011)/Arkansas At Monticello
Great American Conference All-Academic (7/22)
D-II Athletics Directors All-Academic (8/14)
Jose Rojas/Cross Country
Rio Rico (2013)/Pima/Western New Mexico
D-II Athletics Directors All-Academic (8/14)
Monica Islava/Softball
Nogales (2013)/Butler College
An NJCAA third team All-American
All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference
KJCCC Jayhawk West Player of the Week (3/15)
Lyndsay Leikem/Basketball
Flowing Wells (2013)/Indiana
Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award (7/8)
Mattie Fowler/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2011)/Nebraska
Capital One Academic All-District Softball Team (5/8)
Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award (7/8)
Emeric Quade/Gymnastics
Rincon/UHS (2012)/Gymnastics World/Ohio State
Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award (7/8)
Marissa Baca/Tennis
Ironwood Ridge (2013)/Northern Colorado
Big Sky Spring Academic Team (7/1)
Sarrah Boughan/Track/Cross Country
Canyon del Oro (2013)/Pima
NJCAA exemplary academic achievement (6/24)
Ryan Norrix/Baseball
Tucson (2013)/Pima
NJCAA exemplary academic achievement (6/24)
Stephan Meyer/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge (2012)/Arizona/Bellevue
Honorable Mention NAIA All-American (6/1)
Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete (5/28)
MCAC Pitcher of the Year (5/1)
First team all-MCAC (5/1)
MCAC Scholar-Athlete (5/1)
MCAC Pitcher of the Week (3/30)
Krystal Quihuis/Golf
Salpointe (2014)/Arizona
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (6/3)
WGCA Honorable Mention All-America
All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
Blake Martinez/Football
Canyon del Oro (2012)/Stanford
Phil Steele 2015 Preseason All-Pac-12 1st Team
Bednarik Award Watch List
Daniel Gonzales/Football
Cienega (2012)/Navy
Phil Steele 2015 Preseason All-AAC 4th Team
Jeremy Timpf/Football
Sabino (2012)/Army
Phil Steele 2015 Preseason All-Independent 1st Team
Bednarik Award Watch List
Alex Robles/Baseball
Tucson High (2013)/Austin Peay
All-Ohio Valley Conference: Utility (5/19)
All-Ohio Valley Conference: Pitcher (5/19)
Kayla Bonstrom/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2012)/Stanford
Capital One Academic All-District Softball Team (5/8)
NFCA Division I All-American 2nd Team (5/27)
Melanie White/Softball
Sahuaro/Rock Canyons (CO/2011)/Marist
MAAC Pitcher of the Week (3/3)
MAAC Pitcher of the Week (4/21)
MAAC Pitcher of the Year (5/6)
First Team All-MAAC (5/6)
Robin Landrith/Softball
Ironwood Ridge (2012)/Baylor
Capital One Academic All-District Softball Team (5/8)
Chelsea Gourdin/Softball
Marana (2011)/ New York Institute of Technology
Capital One Academic All-District Softball Team (5/8)
David Rauer/Golf
Cienega (2014)/Pima
NJCAA Division I All-District I team (5/11)
2nd Team NJCAA Division I All-American (5/11)
Second Team All-Conference (5/11)
All-Region (5/11)
Anthony Moncada/Golf
Tucson (2012)/Pima
NJCAA Division I All-District I team (5/11)
Second Team All-Conference (5/11)
All-Region (5/11)
Frankie Wu/Golf
Ironwood Ridge (2014)/Pima
NJCAA Division I All-District I team (5/11)
All-Region (5/11)
Destinee Williams/Softball
Cienega (2014)/Prairie View A&M
SWAC Player of the Week (5/6)
SWAC All-Conference First Team (5/6)
Shayna Adelstein/Softball
Mountain View (2013)/Western Washington
GNAC Academic All-Conference Team (4/22)
Adrianna Vasquez/Softball
Tucson (2014)/Finlandia
Great South Athletic Conference Team (4/29)
GSAC All-Freshman Team (4/29)
Kelsey Jenkins/Softball
Sabino (2014)/Wisconsin
First Team All-Big Ten (5/6)
Brooklyn Beardshear
Sahuaro (2013)/Dixie State
All-PacWest First Team (5/6)
Kailey Mellen/Softball
Mountain View (2014)/Coastal Carolina
Big South All-Freshman Team (5/6)
Stephanie Tatham/Softball
Cienega (2012)/Colorado Christian
RMAC All-Academic Team (4/23)
Donny Perdue/Baseball
Pusch Ridge (2013)/Kishwaukee College
NJCAA Region IV All-Region Team (5/5)
Kelsey Smith/Softball
Empire (2014)/East Tennessee State
Southern Conference Freshman Team (5/5)
Hannah DeLuna/Softball
Salpointe (2014)/Embry-Riddle
California Pacific Player of the Week (4/6)
California Pacific All-Conference Team (4/29)
Sammie Merriman/Softball
Marana (2011)/Embry-Riddle
California Pacific All-Conference Team (4/29)
Araselly Vargas/Softball
Tucson (2013)/Tabor
KCAC Softball Player of the Week (3/23)
KCAC First Team (4/28)
NFCA NAIA Southwest Region 2nd Team (5/20)
Jenna Carson/Softball
Cienega (2013)/Bethany College
KCAC First Team (4/28)
Alex McMahon/Golf
Ironwood Ridge (2011)/University of Arizona
2014 Mayfair Award (2/5)
Pac-12 Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year (4/24)
Alexis Alfonso/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2013)/Eastern/Pima
ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Week (3/17)
ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Week (4/8)
ACCAC Second Team (4/28)
Division II All-Region (4/28)
Bryce Cotton/Basketball
Palo Verde (2010)/Providence/Austin Spurs
2015 NBA D-League All-Star (2/4)
NBA D-League Performer of the Week (2/22)
All-NBA D-League Second Team (4/22)
All-Rookie First Team (4/22)
Jahnessa Mackey/Tennis
Amphitheater (2013)/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference First-Team Singles
All-ACCAC Conference Second-Team Doubles
Cristina Oropeza/Tennis
Nogales (2013)/Metro State/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference First-Team Singles
All-ACCAC Conference Second-Team Doubles
Yani Alameda/Tennis
Pueblo (2012)/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference First-Team Doubles
Ema Hernandez/Tennis
Sunnyside (2013)/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference First-Team Doubles
All-ACCAC Conference Second-Team Singles
Stephanie Nickles/Tennis
Ironwood Ridge (2014)/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference Second-Team Singles
All-ACCAC Conference Second-Team Doubles
Noelle Karp/Tennis
Catalina Foothills (2014)/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference Second-Team Doubles
Krista Duffield/Swimming
Catalina Foothills (2014)/ NC State
NCAA All-American (3/21)
NC State Female Rookie of the Year (4/13)
Mariangela Garcia/Softball
Desert View (2014)/Western New Mexico
RMAC Player of the Week (3/24)
NFCA Division II National Freshman of the Year Finalist (4/9)
Murphy Gershman, Basketball
Tucson High (2007)/Pima CC
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/21)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/10)
ACCAC All-Conference and All-Region (2/28)
Second-Team NJCAA Division II All-American (3/31)
Niki Gonzalez/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2014)/Mount St. Mary’s
NEC Rookie of the Week (3/30)
Steven Naemark/Baseball
Mountain View (2008)/Cochise/Angelo State
Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week (2/17)
NCBWA DII South Central Pitcher of the Week (2/18)
Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week (2/23)
Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week (2/24)
Division II All-American First Team (3/22)
A’jha Edwards/Basketball
Tombstone (2010)/Pima/Montana State University-Northern
NAIA National Division I Player of the Week (1/6)
NAIA National Division I Player of the Week (1/13)
Frontier Conference Player of the Year (3/9)
Frontier Conference First Team (3/9)
Talbott Denny/Basketball
Salpointe (2012)/Lipscomb
Atlantic Sun Conference all-tournament team (3/8)
Jamee Swan/Basketball
Marana/Colorado
Pac-12 Honorable Mention (3/3)
Odalis Orduno/Softball
Desert View 2014)/Pima
ACCAC Division II Player of the Week (2/22)
ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Wee (4/13)
Shalise Fernander/Basketball
Flowing Wells (2014)/Pima
ACCAC Division II Player of the Week (2/22)
ACCAC All-Conference and All-Region (2/28)
Marc Matthews/Basketball
Buena (2012)/Montana State-Billings
GNAC Honorable Mention Player of the Week (2/17)
Keona Hunter/Softball
Santa Rita (2013)/Pima
ACCAC Division II Player of the Week (2/17)
RaTanya Newsome/Basketball
Tucson High (2010)/Western New Mexico
RMAC Defensive Player of the Week (2/9)
Melody McLaughlin, Basketball
Mountain View (2012)/Pima CC
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/26)
National Player of the Week (1/28)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/9)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/16)
ACCAC All-Conference and All-Region (2/28)
Kayla Henry/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2011)/Grand Canyon
Preseason Softball All-WAC Team (1/28)
Nalani Hernandez, Basketball
Tucson High (2010)/Southern Oregon/Western New Mexico
RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Week (1/19)
WNMU student-athletes of the week (1/19)
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here, on AZPreps365.com and on the pages of the Vail Voice and the Tanque Verde Voice. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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Portions from news release.
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