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Clark Rustand (Pima)
USA Volleyball named Michelle Malis (Sahuaro/Arizona) Outstanding Female Coach during its annual Junior Awards Luncheon on Monday, May 23 in Orlando, Florida.
Malis attended Sahuaro, where she was a four-year varsity starter and played club volleyball for the Southern Arizona Juniors.
Malis earned a scholarship to play volleyball at the University of Arizona. She was named to the All-Pac 10 Academic Second Team in 1991 and All-Pac 10 Academic First team in 1992 and 1993, as well as GTE Academic All-American in 1993. Malis graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture (nutrition and dietetics). And in 1996, she was one of 16 athletes in the nation to be awarded the NCAA Women’s Enhancement Post Graduate Scholarship. She graduated in August 1997 with a master’s degree in sports administration.
During the spring of 1993 and 1994, Malis coached for Club Cactus. In the fall of 1994, she was an assistant coach at California State University at Bakersfield. The team finished second in the NCAA Division II Championship.
Upon returning back to Tucson in the spring of 1995, Malis again coached club. In the fall of 1995, she and her husband A.J. started Zona VBC and Malis took over the volleyball program at Palo Verde High School. She was the varsity coach there through the 2001 season. Malis was the varsity coach at Sabino High School during the 2011 season. She is currently the varsity coach at Tanque Verde High School.
Utah baseball standout Kellen Marruffo (Sabino) was named to the All-NCAA Oxford Region team on Sunday. Marruffo helped Utah win the Pac-12 championship and named All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention last Thursday.
Pima Community College men’s golf coach Clark Rustand received recognition as the Golf Coaches Association of America released its National and District Golf Coaches of the Year on Monday presented by Golf Pride Grips.
Rustand was selected NJCAA Division I Coach of the Year for District I. He just completed his third season coaching for the Aztecs. Rustand led his team to its second straight Region I Championship and a sixth place finish at the NJCAA Division I Championship.
This list will be updated all year 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. 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
Michelle Malis/Volleyball
Sahuaro (1991)/Arizona
USA Volleyball Outstanding Female Coach (5/23)
Kellen Marruffo/Baseball
Sabino (2011)/Pima/Utah
All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention (6/2)
All NCAA Oxford Region Team (6/5)
Clark Rustand/Golf
Sabino (2000)/Pima Coach
NJCAA Division I National Coach of the Year finalist (5/16)
NJCAA Division I Coach of the Year for District I (6/6)
Kelsey Jenkins/Softball
Sabino (2014)/Wisconsin
Wisconsin Best Offense Award (5/1)
First-team All-Big Ten (5/11)
Academic All-Big Ten (6/1)
Mattie Fowler/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2011)/Nebraska
Nebraska Female Student-Athlete of the Year (4/17)
2016 Big Ten Medal of Honor (4/18)
First-team Academic All-District (5/5)
Second-team All-Big Ten (5/11)
All-Defensive Team Big Ten (5/11)
Academic All-Big Ten (Unblemished cumulative GPA) (6/1)
Sammy Nettling/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2014)/Northwestern
Academic All-Big Ten (6/1)
Courtney Brown/Softball
Flowing Wells (2015)/Pima
2016 NJCAA DI Softball Top Newcomer
ACCAC Division II Player of the Week (2/9)
1st Team All-ACCAC (5/2)
ACCAC All-Region I, Division II team (5/2)
NFCA 1st Team All Region (5/30)
NJCAA Division II All-American (5/31)
Margarita Corona/Softball
Tucson (2015)/Pima
2016 NJCAA DI Softball Top Newcomer
2nd Team All-ACCAC (5/2)
ACCAC All-Region I, Division II team (5/2)
ACCAC Division II Player of the Week (5/3)
NFCA 1st Team All Region (5/30)
Luis Gonzalez/Baseball
Catalina Foothills (2014)/New Mexico
All-Mountain West Second Team (5/25)
Mountain West Championship Most Valuable Player (5/28)
Austin Moore/Baseball
Mountain View (2012)/ West Texas A&M
Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week (3/2)
Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week (3/8)
Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week (3/29)
Lone Star Conference First Team (5/11)
LSC Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team (5/14)
Nick Chapman/Baseball
Sabino (2011)/West Texas A&M
Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week (5/4)
LSC Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team (5/14)
Zach Malis/Baseball
Desert Christian (2015)/Grand Canyon
WAC Hitter of the Week (4/25)
All-WAC Second Team (5/24)
Alex Robles/Baseball
Tucson (2013)/Austin Peay
John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Watch List (4/21)
Second Team All-Ohio Valley Conference (5/24)
Desiree Hong/Golf
Sahuaro (2015)/Pima
ACCAC Conference Player of the Year (4/19)
All-ACCAC Conference First Team (4/19)
First Team All-Region (4/19)
NJCAA All-American (5/18)
Jaide Stepter/Track
Canyon del Oro (2012)/USC
USC Student-Athlete of the Week (1/19)
Pac 12 Women’s Track Athlete of the Week (3/19)
Pac-12 Women’s Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year (5/10)
David Rauer/Golf
Cienega (2014)/Pima
NJCAA Division I Ping All-American (5/16)
NJCAA Division I Ping All-District team (5/16)
Frankie Wu/Golf
Ironwood Ridge (2014)/Pima
NJCAA Division I Ping All-District team (5/16)
Allison Curtis/Softball
Salpointe (2015)/Central Michigan
MAC Softball Player of the Week (4/18)
All-MAC First Team (5/10)
MAC All-Freshman Team (5/10)
Sydni Stallworth/Basketball
Palo Verde (2015)/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/18)
ACCAC Player of the Week (2/8)
First Team All-ACCAC (2/24)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/24)
ACCAC Division II Player of the Year (2/24)
All-NJCAA Tournament Team (3/19)
NJCAA First Team All-American (4/6)
NJCAA All-Star (5/18)
Emeric Quade/Gymnastics
Rincon/University (2012)/Ohio State
2016 All-American (4/15)
Academic All-District Men’s At-Large Team (5/12)
Linnea Doumas/Swimming
Rincon/University (2012)/Alaska Fairbanks
Academic All-District Women’s At-Large Team (5/12)
Makayla McAdams/Softball
Ironwood Ridge (2012)/New Mexico State
First Team All-WAC (5/11)
Samantha Ruth/Tennis
Catalina Foothills (2010)/Pima
Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award for Region II (5/8)
Stephanie Nickles/Tennis
Ironwood Ridge (2014)
ITA Most Improved Player for Region II (5/8)
ITA National Most Improved Player (5/8)
Tyler Falwell/Baseball
Palo Verde (2014)/Cochise
All ACCAC First Team (5/2)
First Team All-Region I (5/2)
ACCAC Division I Gold Grove nominee (5/2)
Anthony Felix/Baseball
Canyon del Oro (2015)/Pima
ACCAC Division II Gold Grove nominee (5/2)
Ryan Ramsower/Baseball
Salpointe (2014)/Pima
ACCAC 2nd Team All-Region I, Division II (5/2)
Odalis Orduno/Softball
Desert View (2014)/Pima
ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Week (2/17)
NJCAA National Division II Pitcher of the Week (2/18)
ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Week (3/22)
ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Week (4/18)
ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Week (4/26)
2nd Team All-ACCAC (5/2)
ACCAC All-Region I, Division II team (5/2)
Araceli Peralta/Softball
Tucson (2014)/Pima
3rd Team All-ACCAC
Melanie Cross/Softball
Cienega (2015)/Wisconsin
Wisconsin newcomer of the Year (5/1)
Courtney Pitts/Volleyball
Catalina (2011)/Pima/Benedictine
Benedictine Mesa Female Athlete of the Year
Gwen Murphy/Volleyball
Valley Union (2011)/ New Mexico State
NMSU Female Athlete of the Year (4/27)
Samantha Hacker/Golf
Sahuaro (2015)/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference 2nd Team (4/9)
Second Team All-Region (4/19)
Adriana Moreno/Golf
Cholla (2014)/Pima
All-ACCAC Conference 2nd Team (4/9)
Mariangela Garcia/Softball
Desert View (2014)/Western New Mexico
RMAC Player of the Week (3/15)
RMAC All-Academic First Team (4/18)
Kayla Green/Softball
Cienega (2015)/NM State
WAC Pitcher of the Week (4/18)
Jamee Swan/Basketball
Marana (2012)/Colorado
ALL-PAC-12 Honorable Mention (2/29)
NetScouts Basketball USA All-Stars MVP (4/9)
Melanie Cross/Softball
Cienega (2015)/Wisconsin
Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week (3/28)
Sean Elliott/Basketball
Cholla (1985)/Arizona
Pac-12 All-Century Men’s Basketball Team (3/10)
Brianna Garcia/Softball
Sunnyside (2015)/South Mountain
DII ACCAC Player of the Week (3/8)
Kendra Behr/Softball
Benson (2014)/Eastern
DI ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (3/1)
Emerald Grijalva/Softball
Nogales (2015)/Phoenix
DII Pitcher of the Week (3/1)
Shalise Fernander/Basketball
Flowing Wells (2014)/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/4)
NJCAA National Player of the Week (11/6)
Third Team All-ACCAC (2/24)
Second Team All-Region I, Division II (2/24)
Region I, Division II Championship MVP (3/5)
Austin Nehls/Basketball
Catalina Foothills (2014)/Central Connecticut
Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team (3/1)
Shakir Smith/Basketball
Tucson (2011)/Adams State
All-RMAC First Team (3/1)
Marc Matthews/Basketball
Buena (2012)/Montana State
Honorable Mention All-GNAC (3/1)
Iliana Gonzales/Basketball
Salpointe (2012)/Franciscan
All-Allegheny Mountain First Team (3/1)
Jio Orozco/Baseball
Salpointe (2015)/Mariners
MLB.com Seattle Prospect Watch No. 19 (2/29)
Andie Larkins/Softball
Sahuaro (2015)/Seattle
WAC Pitcher of the Week (2/29)
Yusuf Shehata/Basketball
Amphitheater (2014)/Pima
Third Team All-ACCAC (2/25)
Second Team All-Region I, Division II (2/25)
Denesia Smith/Basketball
Cienega (2014)/Pima
Second Team All-ACCAC (2/24)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/24)
Madeline Bolin/Swim
Ironwood Ridge (2014)/West Virginia
Academic All-Big 12 Swimming & Diving Team (2/23)
Daniel Chavez/Basketball
Buena (2009)/Bethesda University
Jersey retirement (2/18)
Alex Verdugo/Baseball
Sahuaro (2014)/Dodgers
mlbpipeline.com 2016 All-Leap Team
Daniel Tolano/Baseball
Cholla (2014)/Pima
NJCAA Division II Pitcher of the Week (2/11)
Francisco Rodriguez/Baseball
Tucson (2013)/Pima
NJCAA Division II Player of the Week (2/11)
Kayla Bonstrom/Softball
Canyon del Oro (2012) /Stanford
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List (2/3)
Kellye Springstead/Softball
Tanque Verde (2015)/Cal Baptist
PacWest Newcomer of the Week (2/1)
Ryan Gray/Baseball
Catalina Foothills (2012)/Trinity
Baseball America Preseason DIII Pitcher of the Year (1/29)
Kennedy Kurtz/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge (2014)/Sacramento State
Big Sky All-Academic (1/27)
Terrence Johnson/Basketball
Cienega (2015)/South Mountain
ACCA D2 Player of the Week (1/20)
Jared Cochran, New Mexico Military, DH, Palo Verde
2016 NJCAA DI Baseball Top Incoming Freshmen – Western District
Sati Santa Cruz, Central Arizona, P, Sahuarita
2016 NJCAA DII Baseball Top Incoming Freshmen – Southwest District
Miguel Figueroa, Pima, P, Tucson High
Trevelle Hill, Pima, P, Tucson High
Manny Ramirez, Pima, SS, Bisbee
2016 NJCAA DI Softball Top Newcomers – District A (Region 1)
Hailly Greenough, Southeastern, Buena
2016 NJCAA DII Softball Top Newcomers – District A (Region 1)
Jade Allee Gateway, P, Buena
Lexi Valencia, Mesa, 3B, Tucson
Leighann Ballesteros, Mesa, Tucson
Edgar Poe/Football
Cienega (2012)/Army
Army Most Valuable Player (1/9)
Jeremy Timpf/Football
Sabino (2012)/Army
Creighton W. Abrams Award (1/9)
Portions from news release.
DIVISION II SOFTBALL ALL-STARS
SOFTBALL/BASEBALL ALL-FRESHMEN TEAMS
DIVISION III BASEBALL ALL-STARS
DIVISION III SOFTBALL ALL-STARS
DIVISION IV BASEBALL ALL-STARS
DIVISION IV SOFTBALL ALL-STARS
DIVISION V BASEBALL ALL-STARS
DIVISION V SOFTBALL ALL-STARS
BOYS TENNIS ALL-STARS
GIRLS TENNIS ALL-STARS
SAND VOLLEYBALL ALL-STARS
D-III GOLF ALL-STARS
TRACK & FIELD ALL-STARS
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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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