UNLV senior Max Smith (Canyon del Oro) was named to the Mountain West Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team on Tuesday. Smith hit for a .313 average, while playing in all 59 games in 2018. Smith tallied 42 RBIs on 72 hits.
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 164 athletes in 2018. We have 20 athletes recognized this year so far.
Max Smith/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/UNLV
MWC Preseason All-Conference Team (2/12)
Abram Carrasco/Basketball
Cholla/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/15)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/6)
Hannah Whetzel/Track
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
UA Student Athletes of the Month (2/4)
Austin Bryan/Baseball
Sahuarita/Pima
ACCAC D- I Pitcher of the Week (2/4)
Kayla Green/Softball
Cienega/NM State
WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year (1/30)
WAC Preseason Team (1/30)
Andie Larkins/Softball
Sahuaro/Seattle
WAC Preseason Team (1/30)
Brianna Aguilar/Softball
Salpointe/Grand Canyon
WAC Preseason Team (1/30)
Delaney Schnell/Diving
Tucson/Arizona
Pac-12 Women’s Diver of the Week (1/30)
Brooks Fail/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Pac-12 Men’s Swimmer of the Week Nominee (1/30)
Isabella Almazan/Soccer
Salpointe/Northern Colorado
Big Sky All-Academic (1/24)
Allison Raniere/Soccer
Sahuaro/Eastern Washington
Big Sky All-Academic (1/24)
Mykaela Hammer/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/Montana
Big Sky All-Academic (1/24)
Victoria Cooper/Soccer
Ironwood Ridge/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (1/24)
Chase Laurita/Football
Ironwood Ridge/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (1/24)
Jake Casteel/Football
Salpointe/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (1/24)
Max Michalczik/Football
Catalina Foothills/ NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (1/24)
Maggie Morales/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Minnesota Crookston
NSIC All-Academic with Distinction Award (1/18)
Josh Herzog/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/MSOE
Raider of the Week (1/14)
Alexis Cortez/Basketball
Tucson High/Utah Valley
WAC Player of the Week (1/7)
Levi Wallace/Football
Tucson High/Buffalo Bills
PFF Top Graded Rookie Cornerback (1/2)
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 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