Former Empire standout Nathan Smith (Aurora University) was named Player of the Game playing in the Palm Springs Collegiate Summer League (PSCL) on June 23. Smith went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Former Cienega standout Dakota Martin (Benedictine) earned PSCL Player of the Game honors on June 20. He went 1-1 with a walk-off double.
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.
Portions from news release.
We recognized 164 athletes in 2018. We have 103 athletes recognized this year so far.
Nathan Smith/Baseball
Empire/Aurora
PSCL Player of the Game (6/23)
Dakota Martin/Baseball
Cienega/Benedictine
PSCL Player of the Game (6/20)
Tristan Peterson/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Rochester Honkers
WAC Hitter of the Week (3/25)
College Baseball National Player of the Week (3/25)
WAC Hitter of the Week Nominee (4/1)
Collegiate Baseball 1st Team All-American (5/30)
Midwest-ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team (6/12)
Rochester Player of the Game (6/18)
Rochester Player of the Game (6/18)
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)
WAC Hitter of the Week (5/6)
USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist (5/15)
First Team ALL-WAC (5/21)
Collegiate Baseball 1st Team All-American (5/30)
2019 Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist (5/16)
Bragan Award Semifinalist (6/5)
NCBWA District 8 Player of the Year (6/7)
Baseball America 2nd Team All-American (6/10)
Midwest-ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team (6/12)
D1Baseball First Team All-American (6/13)
ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I All-American First Team (6/15)
Tyler Fallwell/Baseball
Palo Verde/Sioux City Explorers
American Association Pitcher of the Week (6/17)
Jake Engel/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Dixie State
RMAC Player of the Week (4/2)
D2 Baseball Team of the Month (4/8)
All-RMAC First Team (5/7)
RMAC All-Tournament Team (5/15)
D2CCA South Central Region First Team (5/15)
NCBWA D-II 1st Team All-American (5/29)
CCA NCAA II 1st Team All-American (5/31)
So. Central-ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team (5/24)
DII ABCA/Rawlings Third Team All-American (5/31)
Nick Estrella/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Azusa Pacific
PacWest Preseason Team (1/23)
All-PacWest First Team (5/14)
D2CCA West Region Second Team (5/15)
DII West-ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team (5/24)
Spencer Packard/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Campbell
All-Greenville Region (6/7)
Brianna Hardy/Softball
Buena/Phoenix College
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (2/4)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (2/20)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (4/11)
ACCAC Pitcher of the Year (5/7)
ACCAC D-II All-Region (5/7)
NJCAA All-Region (6/4)
NJCAA D-I 1st Team All-American (6/6)
NJCAA D-I National Player of the Year (6/6)
Justice Summerset/Track & Field
Mountain View/Arizona
Pac 12 Field Athlete of the Week (4/30)
NCAA 2nd Team All-American (6/7)
Kelsey Jenkins/Softball
Sabino/Canadian Wild
Park Planet Player of the Game (5/31)
Reece Nilsen/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Rocky Mountain
NAIA Men’s Golf Third Team All-American (5/31)
Alexis Belkof/Gymnastics
Catalina Foothills/Sacramento State
MPSF Second Team Vault & Floor (3/21)
MPSF 1st Team Scholar Athlete (4/19)
Allie Schadler/Track
Rio Rico/Washington
NCAA Indoor First Team All-American (3/9)
MPSF Scholar Athlete (4/5)
Trevor Volpe/Track
Salpointe/Arizona
MPSF Scholar Athlete (4/5)
Carlos Villarreal/Track
Rio Rico/Arizona
NCAA Indoor First Team All-American (3/9)
Arizona Junior of the Year (4/23)
Arizona student-athlete of the month (5/6)
MPSF Scholar Athlete (4/5)
Lanea Tuiasosopo/Rowing
Ironwood Ridge/UCLA
UCLA Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Trevor Werbylo/Golf
Salpointe/Arizona
All-Pac-12 Second Team (5/1)
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)
Pac-12 Dive All-Academic Second Team (4/9)
Arizona Sophomore of the Year (4/23)
Team USA World Platform Diving Roster (5/26)
Annabelle Huether/Golf
Salpointe/Pomona-Pitzer
Second Team All-SCIAC (4/30)
Gina Snyder/Softball
Sahuaro/Arizona
Arizona Player of the Game (5/11)
Pac-12 Softball All-Academic First Team (5/23)
Katie Faulk/Softball
Marana/Utah
Pac-12 Softball All-Academic First Team (5/23)
Jonathan Walters/Golf
Canyon del Oro/South Mountain
Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Finalist (5/11)
Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award (5/20)
NJCAA West Region All-American (5/20)
NJCAA PING 1st team All-American (5/20)
Jessica Williams/Golf
Amphitheater/Embry Riddle
CoSIDA Academic All-District (5/16)
NAIA First Team All-American (5/20)
Brandon Holbert/Baseball
Empire/Rainy River
MCAC Baseball Northern All-Division (5/15)
MCAC Baseball All-State (5/20)
Phil Hindes/Baseball
Sahuaro/Rainy River
MCAC Baseball Northern All-Division (5/15)
Mia Trejo/Softball
Tucson/UNLV
Mountain West Player of the Week (4/2)
NFCA West Region Second Team (5/19)
Jaymon Cervantes/Baseball
Empire/Minot State
NSIC All-Conference (5/8)
NSIC Baseball All-Tournament Team (5/12)
Maggie Morales/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Minnesota Crookston
NSIC All-Academic with Distinction Award (1/18)
UMC Student-Athlete of the Month (4/8)
NSIC All-Academic (5/16)
Dylan Thomas/Baseball
Sabino/University of Mary
NSIC All-Academic (5/16)
Mark Fulbright/Baseball
Buena/Minot State
NSIC All-Academic (5/16)
Drew Hill/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Colorado School of Mines
RMAC Pitcher of the Week (4/9)
All-RMAC First Team (5/7)
RMAC All-Tournament Team (5/15)
D2CCA South Central Region Second Team (5/15)
Maddie Dowdle/Softball
Pusch Ridge/Grand Canyon
WAC All-Tournament Team (5/11)
Brittany Woolridge/Softball
Empire/Concordia
GPAC All-Conference (5/8)
Yannira Acuna/Softball
Salpointe/ASU
PAC-12 All-Freshman Team (5/8)
Shelby Kennedy/Softball
Cienega/Yale
Senior CLASS Award Nominee (3/15)
All-Ivy League Second Team (5/8)
Margarita Corona/Softball
Tucson/Stephen F. Austin
Southland Hitter of the Year (5/7)
Southland Conference First Team (5/7)
Destinee Williams/Softball
Cienega/Prairie View A&M
G.E. Higgs Award (4/23)
SAC All-Conference (5/9)
Iliana Mendoza/Softball
Tucson/Eastern New Mexico
All-LSC Third Team (5/2)
Abby Doughty/Softball
Cienega/Utah Valley
WAC Hitter of the Week (4/1)
All-WAC First Team (5/7)
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)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/9)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (4/15)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/22)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (5/6)
All-WAC First Team (5/7)
Bailey Thompson/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Seattle
WAC Hitter of the Week (2/18)
WAC Hitter of the Week (4/15)
All-WAC First Team (5/7)
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)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/22)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (5/6)
All-WAC Second Team (5/7)
Andie Larkins/Softball
Sahuaro/Seattle
WAC Preseason Team (1/30)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (3/25)
WAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/15)
WAC Pitcher of the Week (4/22)
All-WAC Second Team (5/7)
Maria Vanezza Caldera/Softball
Tucson/Pima
ACCAC Second Team (5/7)
Bianca Castillo/Softball
Rio Rico/Pima
ACCAC Third Team (5/7)
Diondra Bodman/Softball
Marana/Paradise Valley
ACCAC D-II All-Region (5/7)
Carlos Apodaca/Wrestling
Rio Rico/Embry-Riddle
NAIA Wrestling Scholar-Athlete (3/6)
NWCA Scholar All-American (4/25)
Haley Basye/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Embry Riddle
All-Cal Pac Team (5/1)
Danielle Jamieson/Softball
Sahuaro/Embry Riddle
All-Cal Pac Team Honorable Mention (5/1)
Roman Bravo Young/Wrestling
Sunnyside/Penn State
NCAA Freshman All-American (3/22)
NWCA D-I Scholar All-American (4/25)
Andrew Cota/Wrestling
Mountain View/Hunter
NWCA D-II Scholar All-American (3/14)
Austin Bryan/Baseball
Sahuarita/Pima
ACCAC D- I Pitcher of the Week (2/4)
ACCAC D- I Pitcher of the Week (4/15)
ACCAC All-D-I Region (4/30)
All-ACCAC Second Team (4/30)
Efrain Cervantes/Baseball
Salpointe/South Mountain
ACCAC All-D-I Region (4/30)
All-ACCAC Second Team (4/30)
Mason Gavre/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Paradise Valley
ACCAC All-D-2 Region (4/30)
Manny Villa/Baseball
Sahuarita/Scottsdale
ACCAC All-D-2 Region (4/30)
Kelsey Siemons/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Tournament All-Tournament Team (3/9)
Jessica Giacoma/Softball
Pusch Ridge/Yavapai
Roughrider Hitter of the Week (4/21)
Nic Conway/Softball
Catalina Foothills/Yale
Ivy League Honor Roll (3/11)
Ivy League Honor Roll (4/15)
Ivy League Honor Roll (4/22)
Erick Migueles/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Utah
Pac-12 Baseball Player of the Week nominee (4/15)
Karena Garcia/Basketball
Flowing Wells/Smith College
NEWMAC Academic All-Conference Team (2/18)
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team (2/15)
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)
Pac-12 Swimming All-Academic First Team (4/9)
Matthew Lujan/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Pac-12 Swimming All-Academic First Team (4/9)
Isaac Stump/Swim
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
Pac-12 Swimming All-Academic Second Team (4/9)
Taylor Nations/Swim
Sabino/Arizona
Pac-12 Swimming All-Academic First Team (4/9)
Lexy Ram/Basketball
Ironwood Ridge/Cal Baptist
Academic All-WAC (4/10)
Erik Orr/Swim
Rincon/UHS/Air Force
Academic All-WAC (4/10)
Rhett Rodriguez/Football
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Arizona Student-Athlete of the Month (4/8)
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)
ACCAC Player of the Year Runner-up (4/8)
NJCAA First Team All-American (4/8)
Tim Derksen/Basketball
Amphitheater/Fribourg
Swiss SBL Interperformances Player of the Week (4/2)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Rafael Padilla/Baseball
Nogales/Pima
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/11)
NaKeva Mack/Basketball
Cienega/Colorado Northwestern
All-Region 18 (2/28)
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)
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)
Kayla Green/Softball
Cienega/NM State
WAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year (1/30)
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)
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)