Kaelyn Smith (Friends University)
Former Empire standout Kaelyn Smith (Friends), former Canyon del Oro standout Haley Basye (Embry-Riddle) and former Salpointe standout Hanna DeLuna (Embry-Riddle) earned NAIA All-American status by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) on Wednesday.
Former Rio Rico standout Aloysius Cruz (Tennessee Wesleyan) was named a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete on Thursday.
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. We are up to 87 for 2018.
Kaelyn Smith/Softball
Empire/Friends
NFCA NAIA Reg. III 1st Team All-American (5/30)
Haley Basye/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Embry-Riddle
NFCA NAIA Reg. IV 2nd Team All-American (5/30)
Hannah DeLuna/Softball
Salpointe/Embry-Riddle
NFCA NAIA Reg. IV 2nd Team All-American (5/30)
Aloysius Cruz/Baseball
Rio Rico/Tennessee Wesleyan
Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete (5/31)
Cesar Salazar/Baseball
Sahuaro/Arizona
Johnny Bench Award Finalist (5/17)
Pac 12 All-Conference Team (5/31)
Robert Metz/Football
Canyon del Oro/Green Bay Blizzard
IFL Defensive Player of the Week (5/30)
Sarrah Bramblett/Cross Country
Canyon del Oro/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Scholar Athlete of the Year (4/20)
Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete (5/25)
Casey Morinelli/Golf
Mountain View/Benedictine at Mesa
Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete (5/24)
Carley Nelson/Golf
Marana/Benedictine at Mesa
Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete (5/24)
Andrew Sverdrup/Golf
Ironwood Ridge/Embry-Riddle
Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete (5/24)
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)
All-Mountain West Second Team (5/24)
Zachary Rosson/Baseball
Desert Christian/Northwestern College
GPAC All-Conference First Team (5/10)
Nick Gonzales/Baseball
Cienega/New Mexico State
WAC Freshman of the Year (5/22)
WAC First Team (5/22)
Zach Malis/Baseball
Desert Christian/Grand Canyon
WAC First Team (5/22)
Mia Trejo/Softball
Tucson/UNLV
Rebel of the Game (2/10)
Rebel of the Game (3/10)
Rebel of the Game (4/14)
Rebel of the Game (5/4)
Mountain West All-Conference 1st Team (5/16)
Reina Bondi/Softball
Ironwood Ridge (UNLV)
Rebel of the Game (3/3)
Mountain West All-Conference 2nd Team (5/16)
Collin Dylla/Track
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American (3/7)
NJCAA All-American (5/19)
Cameron Crandall/Track & Field
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American (3/7)
NJCAA All-American (5/19)
Anahiramar Lopez/Track & Field
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA Indoor All-American (3/7)
NJCAA All-American (5/18)
Araceli Esquivel/Golf
Salpointe/Pima
1st Team All-Conference (4/24)
1st Team All-Region (4/24)
NJCAA All-American (5/17)
Kelsey Jenkins/Softball
Sabino/Wisconsin
Big 10 Player of the Week (4/30)
JWOS Big Ten Player of the Year (5/9)
JWOS All-Big Ten Team (5/9)
Wisconsin Student of the Month (5/9)
All-Big Ten First Team – Unanimous (5/9)
NFCA Great Lakes Region 2nd Team (5/17)
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)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (4/23)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (5/7)
WAC Second Team (5/8)
WAC All-Tournament Team (5/12)
NFCA West Region 3rd Team (5/17)
Niki Gonzalez/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Grand Canyon
WAC Player of the Week
WAC Second Team (5/8)
CoSIDA Academic All-American (5/10)
NFCA West Region 2nd Team (5/17)
Mia Trejo/Softball
Tucson/UNLV
Rebel of the Game (2/10)
Rebel of the Game (3/10)
Rebel of the Game (4/14)
Rebel of the Game (5/4)
NFCA West Region 3rd Team (5/17)
Makenzie Sullivan /Softball
Canyon del Oro/Boise State
NFCA Pacific Region 3rd Team (5/17)
Maggie Morales/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Minnesota-Crookston
Crookston All-Academic Team (4/29)
NSIC Spring All-Academic team (5/16)
Sabrina Tebou/Softball
Empire/LMU
West Coast Conference 2nd Team (5/15)
Cooper Cordova/Golf
Mountain View/Pima
NJCAA Division I PING All-District team (5/14)
Johnny Fiore/Golf
Marana/Pima
NJCAA Division I PING All-District team (5/14)
Derek Daly/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Colorado School of Mines
CoSIDA Academic All-American (5/10)
RMAC All-Tournament Team (5/12)
Taylor Lambert/Softball
Cienega/Indiana
All-Big Ten Freshman Team (5/9)
Kayla Green/Softball
Cienega/New Mexico State
WAC Pitcher of the Week (2/12)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (2/19)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (4/2)
WAC Pitcher of the Week nominee (4/16)
WAC First Team (5/8)
Andie Larkins/Softball
Sahuaro/Seattle
WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year (1/31)
WAC Preseason Team (1/31)
WAC Pitcher of the Week nominee (4/2)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (4/16)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (5/7)
WAC First Team (5/8)
Bailey Thompson/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Seattle
WAC Second Team (5/8)
Madelyn Dowdle/Softball
Pusch Ridge/Grand Canyon
WAC Hitter of the Week Nominee (5/7)
Robyn Porter/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
Arizona Unsung Hero Award (4/16)
Arizona Student-Athlete of the Month (5/6)
Gabe Mendoza/Soccer
Desert View/Pima
Lawrence R. Toledo Leadership Award (5/8)
Tyra Yanez/Track
Sahuaro/Pima
Lawrence R. Toledo Leadership Award (5/8)
Tyler Blohm/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Ft. Lewis
RMAC All-Academic First Team (5/3)
Daniel Tolano/Baseball
Cholla/Tennessee Wesleyan
TSWA Pitcher of the Week (4/11)
All-AAC First Team (5/2)
Carlos Villareal/Cross Country
Rio Rico/Arizona
Arizona Sophomore Athlete of the Year Nominee (4/16)
Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Week (5/1)
Brianna Griffiths/Softball
Tanque Verde/Yavapai
ACCAC DI Player of the Week (2/16)
ACCAC First Team (5/1)
Division I All-Region (5/1)
Tylor Gil/Softball
Santa Cruz/Phoenix
ACCAC DII Player of the Week (2/26)
ACCAC First Team (5/1)
Division II All-Region (5/1)
Czarina Lorta/Softball
Nogales/Eastern Arizona
ACCAC Second Team (5/1)
Madison Wiley/Softball
Sahuaro/Paradise Valley
Division II All-Region (5/1)
Spencer Packard/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Western
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/13)
ALL-ACCAC Second Team (4/30)
D-I All-Region (4/30)
Diego Cueva-Schraidt/Golf
Sabino/Pima
All-NJCAA Region I (4/29)
Bobby Padilla/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Pima
All-NJCAA Region I (4/29)
Brooks Fail/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Arizona Freshman Athlete of the Year Nominee (4/16)
Jessica Williams/Golf
Amphitheater/Embry-Riddle
All-Cal Pac Team (4/10)
Cal Pac Golfer of the Year (4/10)
Nate Renfro/Basketball
Sahuaro/San Francisco
West Coast Conference All-Academic Team (2/21)
Chaz Mack/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Cochise
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (1/17)
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (2/28)
Second Team NJCAA All-American (4/11)
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)
Second Team NJCAA All-American (4/10)
Bryce Cotton/Basketball
Palo Verde/Perth Wildcats
All-NBL First Team (2/27)
NBL Most Valuable Player (2/27)
Perth Wildcats MVP (4/7)
Matthew Blandeburgo/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Marymount California
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week (4/2)
Max Christoff/Baseball
Sabino/Presentation
NAIA Baseball National Player of the Week (4/2)
Maria Vanezza-Caldera/Softball
Tucson/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/2)
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)
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)
NCAA 1-meter All-American (3/15)
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)
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)
Tori Brown/Softball
Cienega/Egis
RMAC Player of the Week (2/27)
Austin Nehls/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Central Connecticut State
CoSIDA NCAA Academic District I First Team (2/22)
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.
FOLLOW @ANDYMORALES8 ON TWITTER!
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 is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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