Jessica Gradillas (BU)
Jessica Gradillas (Nogales) was named Athlete of the Week by Bryant University on Tuesday. Gradillas batted .500 in two appearances for the Bulldogs. The junior went 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBI. She had game-tying RBI in both ends of Sunday’s doubleheader sweep over Hartford and had the game-winning sacrifice fly in the second game of the day.
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 collegiate and professional recognitions. NOT CHAMPIONSHIPS. If you are aware of anything I have missed along the way, please let me know.
We recognized 144 athletes in 2017.
Jessica Gradillas/Softball
Nogales/Bryant
Bryant Athletes of the Week (3/27)
Megan Flores/Softball
Salpointe/Pima
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/26)
Spencer Packard/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Western
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/13)
Nick Ames/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/UNLV
Mountain West Player of the Week (2/19)
Rebel of the Game (2/18)
Rebel of the Week (2/20)
Rebel of the Game (3/25)
Isaiah Murphy/Basketball
Cienega/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/28)
NJCAA All-Tournament Team (3/25)
Max Smith/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/UNLV
Rebel of the Game (3/23)
Delaney Schnell/Diving
Tucson/Arizona
Pac-12 Diving Freshman/Newcomer of the Year (3/22)
Niki Gonzalez/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Grand Canyon
WAC Player of the Week
Shelby Kennedy/Softball
Cienega/Yale
Ivy League Softball Honor Roll (3/19)
Brian Peabody/Basketball
Sahuaro/Pima College (coach)
HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week (1/7)
NJCAA District I Coach of the Year (3/19)
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage/Softball
Salpointe/Grand Canyon
WAC Preseason Team (1/31)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (2/26)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (3/12)
Keven Biggs/Basketball
Cienega/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (2/28)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/28)
Region I, Division II Championship MVP (3/9)
Collin Dylla/Track
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American (3/7)
Cameron Crandall/Track & Field
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American (3/7)
Anahiramar Lopez/Track & Field
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American (3/7)
Tavion Ross/Track
Tucson/Central Arizona
NJCAA 2-time Indoor All-American (3/7)
Alexis Cortez/Basketball
Tucson High/Utah Valley
WAC Basketball Player of the Week (1/14)
WAC All-Newcomer Team (3/5)
NaKeva Mack/Basketball
Cienega/Colorado Northwestern
SWAC Honorable Mention (3/1)
Abram Carrasco/Basketball
Cholla/Pima
Second Team All-ACCAC (2/28)
Second Team All-Region I, Division II (2/28)
Christine Ortega/Basketball
Flowing Wells/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/17)
Second Team All-ACCAC (2/28)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/28)
Chaz Mack/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Cochise
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (1/17)
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (2/28)
Bryce Cotton/Basketball
Palo Verde/Perth Wildcats
All-NBL First Team (2/27)
NBL Most Valuable Player (2/27)
Tori Brown/Softball
Cienega/Egis
RMAC Player of the Week (2/27)
Tylor Gil/Softball
Santa Cruz/Phoenix
ACCAC DII Player of the Week (2/26)
Brianna Griffiths/Softball
Tanque Verde/Yavapai
ACCAC DI Player of the Week (2/16)
Austin Nehls/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Central Connecticut State
CoSIDA NCAA Academic District I First Team (2/22)
Kayla Green/Softball
Cienega/New Mexico State
WAC Pitcher of the Week (2/12)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (2/19)
Andie Larkins/Softball
Sahuaro/Seattle
WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year (1/31)
WAC Preseason Team (1/31)
Alexa Coons/Softball
Sahuaro/Grand Canyon
WAC Pitcher of the Week nominee (2/12)
Gavin Cohen/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
UA Student-Athlete of the Month (2/5)
Ivan Estrella/Baseball
Tucson/Texas Rio Grande Valley
Fall Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (1/17)
Perfect Game Preseason All-WAC Team (2/2)
Reece Nilsen/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Rocky Mountain College
Frontier Conference Men’s All-Conference 2nd Team (1/25)
Frontier Conference Freshman of the Year (1/25)
Kiana Verdugo/Track & Field
Sahuarita/Hamlin
MIAC SID Indoor Field Athlete of the Week (1/23)
Brianna Pitre/Basketball
Sabino/ Texas Rio Grande Valley
Fall Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (1/17)
Mari Ruiz/Softball
Cholla/West Texas A&M
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Jaclyn Wittke/Soccer
Sahuaro/Angelo State
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Kaycie Cormier/Cross Country
Douglas/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Melody McLaughlin/Basketball
Mountain View/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Bailey Gin/Volleyball
Tucson/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Clarissa Moreno/Softball
Desert View/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Brooklyn Misenhimer/Softball
Sahuaro/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Mariangela Garcia/Softball
Desert View/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Roberto Cota/Cross Country
Pueblo/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Roberto Contreras/Cross Country
Rio Rico/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
DeAndre Williams/Football
Tucson/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Brandon Vesterdal/Football
Cienega/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Jacob Valdez/Football
Buena/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Michael Lopez/Football
Ironwood Ridge/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Larry Lecount/Football
Cholla/Western New Mexico
Lone Star Conference Commissioner Honor Roll (1/17)
Mikey Silva/Basketball
Sunnyside/Shadow Mountain
SMCC Athlete of the Week (1/14)
Portions from news release.
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he 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 and on AZPreps365.com. Andy was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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