Former Ironwood Ridge and university of Arizona Spiritline, Pom Line and Cheer standout Heather O’Connor was named “Veteran of the Year” by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
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.
More on O’Connor HERE
Portions from news release.
We recognized 164 athletes in 2018. We have 52 athletes recognized this year so far.
Heather O’Connor/Cheer
Ironwood Ridge/Dallas Cowboys
Veteran of the Year (4/5)
Travis Cole/Baseball
Sahuaro/Christian Brothers
GSC Freshman of the Week (4/5)
Mia Trejo/Softball
Tucson/UNLV
Mountain West Player of the Week (4/2)
Jake Engel/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Dixie State
RMAC Player of the Week (4/2)
Abby Doughty/Softball
Cienega/Utah Valley
WAC Hitter of the Week (4/1)
Tristan Peterson/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/New Mexico State
WAC Hitter of the Week (3/25)
College Baseball National Player of the Week (3/25)
WAC Hitter of the Week Nominee (4/1)
Brianna Aguilar/Softball
Salpointe/Grand Canyon
WAC Preseason Team (1/30)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (2/18)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/1)
Kellye Springstead/Softball
Tanque Verde/California Baptist
WAC Pitcher of the Week nominee (2/11)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (3/11)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/1)
Delaney Schnell/Diving
Tucson/Arizona
Pac-12 Women’s Diver of the Week (1/30)
NCAA 1-Meter All-American (3/21)
NCAA 3-Meter All-American (3/22)
NCAA All-American Platform (3/23)
Brooks Fail/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Pac-12 Men’s Swimmer of the Week Nominee (1/30)
NCAA 800 Free Relay All-American Honorable Mention (3/27)
NCAA 800 Free All-American (3/28)
Hannah Orbach-Mandel/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Kenyon
NCAA 500 Free All-American (3/23)
NCAA 200 Free Relay All-American (3/23)
NCAA 200 Free All-American (3/23)
NCAA 400 Medley Relay All-American (3/23)
NCAA 800 Free Relay All-American (3/23)
NCAA 100 Free Real All-American (3/23)
NCAA 400 Free Relay All-American (3/23)
Nick Gonzales/Baseball
Cienega/NM State
Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List (2/13)
WAC Hitter of the Week (2/18)
USA Golden Spikes Award (2/18)
WAC Hitter of the Week (2/25)
NCBWA National Player of the Month (3/7)
Derrick Calvillo/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Hibbing
MCAC Player of the Week (3/11)
NJCAA D-III National Player of the Week (3/14)
MCAC Player of the Week (3/26)
Andie Larkins/Softball
Sahuaro/Seattle
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (3/25)
Roman Bravo Young/Wrestling
Sunnyside/Penn State
NCAA Freshman All-American (3/22)
Sierra Rodriguez/Track & Field
Flowing Wells/Air Force
Athlete of the Week (3/20)
Brendan Gary/Basketball
Sahuaro/Buena Vista
ARC All-Academic Team (3/19)
Brian Peabody/Basketball
Sahuaro/Pima Coach
District I, D-II Coach of the Year (3/18)
Shelby Kennedy/Softball
Cienega/Yale
Senior CLASS Award Nominee (3/15)
Rafael Padilla/Baseball
Nogales/Pima
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/11)
Nic Conway/Softball
Catalina Foothills/Yale
Ivy League Honor Roll (3/11)
Carlos Villarreal/Track
Rio Rico/Arizona
NCAA Indoor First Team All-American (3/9)
Allie Schadler/Track
Rio Rico/Washington
NCAA Indoor First Team All-American (3/9)
NaKeva Mack/Basketball
Cienega/Colorado Northwestern
All-Region 18 (2/28)
Abram Carrasco/Basketball
Cholla/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/15)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/6)
First Team All-ACCAC (2/27)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/27)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (3/1)
Austin France/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Nicholls State
Player of the Week (2/26)
Chloe Gavino/Tennis
Catalina Foothills/NM State
WAC Tennis Player of the Week (2/26)
Robert Wilson/Basketball
Salpointe/Pima
Second Team All-ACCAC (2/27)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/27)
Brian Romero/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Pima
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (2/26)
Kamryn Gastelum/Softball
Pueblo/Gateway
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (1/29)
Brianna Hardy/Softball
Buena/Phoenix College
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (2/4)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (2/20)
Bailey Thompson/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Seattle
WAC Hitter of the Week (2/18)
Bryce Cotton/Basketball
Palo Verde/Perth Wildcats
All-NBL First Team (2/17)
Lexy Coons/Softball
Sahuaro/Grand Canyon
WAC Pitcher of the Week nominee (2/11)
Max Smith/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/UNLV
MWC Preseason All-Conference Team (2/12)
Derek Daly/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Colorado School of Mines
RMAC Player of the Week (2/5)
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)
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)
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