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Karena Garcia named Smith College Student Athlete of the Year

Karena Garcia (Smith College)

Competing in multiple sports in high school is almost a thing of the past but former Flowing Wells standout Karena Garcia took her abilities to the next level at Smith College where she competed in Cross Country, Basketball and Track & Field at a high level. Garcia also performed at a very high level in the classroom.

Garcia carried an impressive 3.80 GPA in Engineering while also completing three high-level internships including one at the University of Arizona with the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department. She has been accepted to the Navy Officer Candidate School.

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 134 athletes in 2020 and 96 athletes this year so far.

Karena Garcia/Multiple Sports
Flowing Wells/Smith
NEWMAC Academic All-Conference (3/10)
Smith Woman of the Year (5/28)
Smith Student-Athlete of the Year (5/28)

Nick Estrella/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Azusa Pacific
NCBWA All-West Region (5/26)
ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. II All-West Region (6/2)

Turner Washington/Track & Field
Canyon del Oro/Arizona State
First Team NCAA Indoor All-American (3/14)
USTFCCCA Male Athlete of the Week (3/23)
Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Week (3/25)
Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Week (4/14)
USTFCCCA Male Athlete of the Week (4/20)
USTFCCCA Male Athlete of the Week (5/4)
First Team NCAA Outdoor All-American Shot Put (6/9)
First Team NCAA Outdoor All-American Discus (6/11)

Justice Summerset/Track & Field
Mountain View/Arizona
2nd Team NCAA Outdoor All-American (6/11)

Johnnie Blockburger/Track
Tucson High/Arizona
Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Week (3/25)
Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Week (4/14)
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (5/19)
2nd Team NCAA Outdoor All-American (6/9)

Brianna Hardy/Softball
Buena/Phoenix College
NJCAA D-II Pitcher of the Week (3/14)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (4/2)
ACCAC D-II Pitcher of the Week (4/11)
ACCAC First Team (5/10)
ACCAC Pitcher of the Year (5/10)
Division II All-Region (5/10)
NFCA D-II South Region First Team (6/4)
NFCA D-II First Team All-American (6/4)
NFCA D-II Pitcher of the Year (6/4)

Isaiah Murphy/Basketball
Cienega/ Hiroshima Dragonflies
Top 5 Rookie (6/6)

Tim Derksen/Basketball
Amphitheater/Geneve
Eurobasket All-Swiss SBL Player of the Year (6/4)
Eurobasket All-Swiss SBL Forward of the Year (6/4)
Eurobasket All-Swiss SBL Import Player of the Year (6/4)
Eurobasket All-Swiss SBL First Team (6/4)

Tristan Peterson/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Washington State
Pac-12 All Conference (6/3)

Nate Baez/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/ASU
Pac-12 Honorable Mention (6/3)

Lauren Wedman/Softball
Sahuaro/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Preseason Players to Watch (2/11)
RMAC Player of the Week (3/2)
RMAC First Team (5/12)
NFCA South-Central 1st Team (5/20)
NFCA D-II First Team (5/25)

Kevin Jimenez/Baseball
Nogales/New Mexico State
WAC Second Team (5/25)

Jake Engel/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Dixie State
All-Decade Team (1/7)

Hope Hisey/Soccer
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
Pac-12 Fall/Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/19)

Delaney Schnell/Diving
Tucson/Arizona
NCAA All-American 1 Meter (3/19)
NCAA All-American Platform (3/21)
CSCAA All-American 1 Meter (3/23)
CSCAA All-American Platform (3/23)
Pac-12 Fall/Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/19)

Sam Beskind/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Stanford
Pac-12 Fall/Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/19)

Jacob Meeker-Hackett/Football
Cienega/Arizona
Pac-12 Fall/Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/19)

Rhett Rodriguez/Football
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Pac-12 Fall/Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/19)

Brooks Fail/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
NCAA All-American 500 Free (3/25)
NCAA All-American 1650 Free (3/27)
NCAA All-American 200 Fly (3/27)
NCAA HM All-American 800 Free Relay (3/24)
Pac-12 Fall/Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/19)

Alex Parkhurst/Beach Volleyball
Salpointe/Arizona
Pac-12 Second Team (5/21)

Blaise Biringer/Softball
Cienega/Mississippi
SEC Freshman of the Week (4/13)
All-SEC Freshman Team (5/11)

Celine Pacheco/Softball
Empire/Milwaukee School of Engineering
NFCA Great Lakes 2nd Team (5/20)

Stacy Iveson/Softball
Catalina/Pima/Yavapai (coach)
NJCAA Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (5/21)

Carlie Scupin/Softball
Tucson High/Arizona
Pac-12 Freshman of the Week (3/2)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/2)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (4/26)
All Pac-12 Freshman Team (5/16)
NFCA West 3rd Team (5/20)

Bailey Thompson/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Seattle
WAC Athlete of the Week Nominee (3/15)
WAC Athlete of the Week (3/29)
WAC Athlete of the Week Nominee (4/12)
All-WAC First Team (5/12)
NFCA Pacific 3rd Team (5/20)

Halle Morris/Softball
Canyon del Oro/ Utah
NFCA Pacific 3rd Team (5/20)

Ellessa Bonstrom/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Utah
All Pac-12 Third Team (5/16)

Derrick Calvillo/Baseball
CDO/Dickinson State
NSAA Player of the Week (4/12)

Jake Federico/Baseball
Tucson/Briar Cliff
Briar Cliff Athlete of the Week (3/15)
All-GPAC Honorable Mention (5/17)

Manuel Quiroz/Soccer
Sunnyside/Pima
Region I, D-II Finals Most Valuable Player (5/15)

John Michael Gonzalez Jr./Baseball
Empire/Rainy River
MCAC Player of the Week (4/19)
MCAC North Division Player of the Year (5/12)
All-MCAC Baseball Team (5/13)

Mateo Sierras/Baseball
Tucson/Rainy River
MCAC Pitcher of the Week (3/22)
MCAC All-North Division Team (5/12)
All-MCAC Baseball Team (5/13)

Akira Jones/Track & Field
Saint David/Pima
NJCAA D-I All-American (5/13)

Reise Way/Track & Field
Buena/Pima
NJCAA All-American (5/13)

Sam Lossou/Soccer
Rincon UHS/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (5/13)
First Team All-Region I (5/13)

Juan Suarez/Soccer
Desert View/Pima
All-ACCAC Honorable Mention (5/13)
Second Team All-Region I (5/13)

Francisco Manzo/Soccer
Salpointe/Pima
All-ACCAC Honorable Mention (5/13)
Second Team All-Region I (5/13)

Dave Cosgrove/Soccer
Catalina/Pima Coach
ACCAC Coach of the Year (5/13)

Reece Gardner/Track & Field
Marana/Pima
NJCAA All-American (5/12)

Alyssa Trejo/Softball
Tucson/UNLV
Rebel of the Week (4/30)

Mia Trejo/Softball
Tucson/UNLV
Mountain West Player of the Week (5/4)
Rebel of the Week (5/5)
All-Mountain West Second Team (5/12)

Jonathan Lerma/Baseball
Catalina/Central Lakes
MCAC All-Central Division Team (5/12)

Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage/Softball
Salpointe/Grand Canyon
WAC Athlete of the Week Nominee (4/5)
WAC Honorable Mention (5/12)

Valentina Franco/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (5/12)
First Team All-Region I (5/12)

Alyssa Kopach/Soccer
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
Second Team All-ACCAC (5/12)
Second Team All-Region I (5/12)

Emma Franzone/Soccer
Sahuarita/Pima
Honorable Mention All-ACCAC (5/12)
Second Team All-Region I (5/12)

Espinoza/Soccer
Sahuarita/Pima
Honorable Mention All-ACCAC (5/12)
Second Team All-Region I (5/12)

Saydee Guzman/Soccer
Cienega/Pima
Honorable Mention All-ACCAC (5/12)
Second Team All-Region I (5/12)

Brianna Guzman/Soccer
Douglas/Cochise
ACCAC Keeper of the Week (5/4)
Second Team All-ACCAC (5/12)
First Team All-Region I (5/12)

Ruth Morga/Soccer
Cholla/Park University
Player of the Game (4/1)
Cal Pac Honorable Mention (5/12)

Solymar Navarro/Softball
Sahuarita/Eastern Arizona
ACCAC Third Team (5/10)

Julian De Alva/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Rainy River
MCAC Player of the Week (3/22)
Voyageur Player of the Week (5/5)

Antonio Garcia/Baseball
Pueblo/Rainy River
Voyageur Player of the Week (5/5)

Tristan Shehorn/Football
Ironwood Ridge/Ottawa
SAC Offense 1st Team (4/22)
NAIA Coaches All-America (5/5)

Raquel Lane/Soccer
Desert Christian/Trinity International
NCCAA Scholar Athlete (5/4)

Mikey Lord/Soccer
Desert Christian/Trinity International
NCCAA Scholar Athlete (5/4)

Kiko Romero/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Central Arizona
All-ACCAC/Region I First Team (5/4)

Alex Kelch/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Pima
All-ACCAC/Region I Second Team (5/4)

Taylor Radtke/Softball
Desert Christian/Vanguard
GSAC All-Softball Team (5/4)

Nalani Hernandez/Basketball
Tucson/Pima Asst. Coach
WER Asst. Coach of the Year Nominee (4/13)

Connor Wierman/Golf
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Region (5/2)

Andrew Rivas/Golf
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-Region (5/2)

Reagan Martin/Flag Football
Canyon del Oro/Kansas Wesleyan
Flag Football All-KCAC (4/17)

Diego Bejarano/Baseball
Tucson/Park University
Player of the Game (5/2)

Chloe Gavino/Tennis
Catalina Foothills/NM State
WAC Second Team (4/29)

Orlando Rodriguez/Baseball
Cholla/Rainy River
MCAC Player of the Week (4/27)

Terrell Huggins/Baseball
Cienega/Pima
ACCAC DI Player of the Week (4/27)

Noah Estrella/Baseball
Flowing Wells/Pima
ACCAC DI Pitcher of the Week (4/27)

Gavin Cohen/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Loyola Marymount
WCC Golfer of the Month (3/17)
LMU Male Athlete of the Year (4/26)
LMU Best Moment (4/26)

Clay Branton III/Football
Tucson/Arizona Christian
SAC Defensive 2nd Team (4/22)

Luis Aguilar/Football
Nogales/Northern Arizona
Big Sky First Team (4/21)

Harrison Beemiller/Football
Ironwood Ridge/Northern Arizona
Big Sky Second Team (4/21)

Jonas Leader/Football
Canyon del Oro/Northern Arizona
Big Sky Second Team (4/21)

Abby Doughty/Softball
Cienega/Utah Valley
Preseason All-WAC Team (4/14)

Hailey Tanori/Softball
Sahuarita/NM State
WAC Athlete of the Week (3/22)

Elijah Bussey/Soccer
Buena/Air Force
WAC Player of the Week (4/12)

Shakir Smith/Basketball
Tucson High/Sporting Portugal
2021 Taca De Portugal MVP (4/11)

Robby Campillo/Baseball
Salpointe/Arizona Christian
GSAC Player of the Week (2/8)

Hannah Leitner/Soccer
Rincon/UHS/NM State
WAC Second Team (4/11)

Chloe Kunnemann/Soccer
Empire/Pima
NJCAA DII Goalie of the Week (4/7)

Luisa Chavez/Basketball
Rio Rico/Pima
ACCAC Third Team (4/6)
ACCAC Region I-DII First Team (4/6)

Nikya Orange/Basketball
Tanque Verde/Pima
ACCAC Third Team (4/6)
ACCAC Region I-DII First Team (4/6)
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/6)

Reilly Tidwell/Softball
Mountain View/Western Oregon
GNAC Pitcher of the Week (3/29)

Ezekiel Alley/Basketball
Cholla/Northwest Nazarene
GNAC Player of the Week (1/11)
GNAC Player of the Week (1/18)
GNAC Player of the Week (2/8)
GNAC Player of the Week (2/22)
GNAC Player of the Week (3/8)
NCAA DII West Region All-Tournament Team (3/15)
NABC West District Second Team (3/21)

Tony Torres/Indoor Track
Ironwood Ridge/Colorado Mesa
USTFCCCA All-America (3/15)

Baylee Slaughter/Basketball
Marana/Arizona Christian
GSAC Scholar-Athlete (3/25)

Travis Walker/Basketball
Sabino/Arizona Christian
GSAC Scholar-Athlete (3/25)

Samantha Loving/Tennis
Salpointe/Southwestern College
KCAC Tennis Player of the Week (3/23)

Samantha Quezada/Softball
Mountain View/Bethany College
KCAC Softball Player of the Week (2/22)

Roman Bravo Young/Wrestling
Sunnyside/Penn State
NCAA All-American (3/20)

Zachary Bohnenkamp/Track
Canyon del Oro/Northern State
NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence (3/18)

Maggie Oliver/Swim
Sabino/St. Cloud State
NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence (3/18)

Kelsey Siemons/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Defensive Player of the Week (3/1)
RMAC All-Academic First Team (3/4)
RMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention (3/4)

Natalie Bartle/Basketball
Ironwood Ridge/Colorado Mesa
RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll (3/4)
RMAC All-Conference Second Team (3/4)

Summer Fox/Basketball
Pueblo/Black Hills State
RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll (3/4)

Robby Wilson/Basketball
Salpointe/Arizona Christian
GSAC All-Conference (3/2)

Luke Morrison/Baseball
Cienega/Ozarks
ASC Player of the Week (3/1)

Emma Morris/Basketball
Tanque Verde/Chaminade
Female Athletes of the Week (2/16)

Bree Olson/Basketball
Pusch Ridge/ Hawai’i at Hilo
Athlete of the Week (2/3)

Mandy Lorenson/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Ft. Lewis
RMAC Preseason Players to Watch (2/11)

Drew Hill/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Colorado School of Mines
RMAC Preseason Players to Watch (2/11)

Alfredo Villa/Baseball
Rincon/UHS/Adams State
RMAC Preseason Players to Watch (2/11)

Abram Carrasco/Basketball
Cholla/Westmont
GSAC Player of the Week (2/1)

Nick Gonzales/Baseball
Cienega/Pirates
BaseballAmerica No. 3 Pirate Prospect (1/19)
BaseballAmerica No. 51 MLB Prospect (1/19)
MLB Second-base Prospect (1/24)

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