Former Mountain View standout Samantha Quezada led Bethany College to a fourth place finish in the country at the 2021 NAIA Softball World Series. As a pitcher, she was named First Team All-Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) while setting school records for innings pitched in a season (243.2) and complete games (28). Upon graduation, Quezada was named assistant coach the program announced.
Former Rio Rico standout Marlee Baxter earned All-KCAC Honorable Mention honors playing softball for Tabor College.
Former Canyon del Oro standout Kiko Romero was named West Coast League Player of the Week. Romero hit a grand slam and a triple while driving in five runs this week for the Corvallis Knights.
Kiko Romero. Grand Slam. Knights 6, Raptors 0 here in the top of three. 💣 @CAC_BaseballDB9 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/00TQca2smn
— Corvallis Knights (@CorvKnights) August 15, 2021
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. amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
Portions from news release.
We recognized 134 athletes in 2020 and 146 athletes this year so far.
Samantha Quezada/Softball
Mountain View/Bethany College
KCAC Softball Player of the Week (2/22)
First Team All-KCAC (5/5)
Marlee Baxter/Softball
Rio Rico/Tabor
All-KCAC Honorable Mention (5/5)
Kiko Romero/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Central Arizona
All-ACCAC/Region I First Team (5/4)
West Coast League Player of the Week (8/16)
Jordi Ives/Soccer
Mountain View/Air Force
Mountain West All-Newcomer Team (4/15)
Malia Vanisi/Soccer
Walden Grove/New Mexico
Lobo of the Week (5/12)
Mountain West Spring Academic Team (7/14)
Mountain West Scholar Athlete (7/15)
Amya Legarra/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Utah State
Mountain West Spring Academic Team (7/14)
Mountain West Scholar Athlete (7/15)
Luz Duarte/Soccer
Catalina/Pueblo/FC Tucson Women
FC Tucson Women MVP (7/30
Briggs Duce/Golf
Buena/Arizona
CGAA All-America Scholar (7/30)
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)
WCC Golf All-Academic Team (6/18)
CGAA All-America Scholar (7/30)
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)
The Bowerman Finalist (7/15)
CoSIDA Academic All-District (7/15)
USTFCCA All-Academic (7/22)
National Scholar Field Athlete of the Year Indoor (7/22)
National Scholar Field Athlete of the Year Outdoor (7/22)
Trevor Volpe/Track
Salpointe/Arizona
USTFCCA All-Academic (7/22)
Samantha Schadler/Track
Rio Rico/Duke
USTFCCA All-Academic (7/22)
Allie Schadler/Track
Rio Rico/Washington
USTFCCA All-Academic (7/22)
Trenton Bourguet/Football
Marana/ASU
Scholar Baller (7/22)
Bijan Robinson/Football
Salpointe/Texas
Maxwell Award Watch List (7/19)
Isabella Almazan/Soccer
Salpointe/Northern Colorado
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Kalista Kakou/Soccer
Salpointe/Eastern Washington
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Colin Dreis/Football
Salpointe/Montana
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Heath Beemiller/Football
Ironwood Ridge/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Terrell Hayward/Football
Cienega/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Taylor Powell/Football
Salpointe/Sacramento State
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Morgan Gappmayer/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Giselle Mata/Soccer
Cienega/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Alyza Flores/Golf
Cienega/NAU
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Luis Aguilar/Football
Nogales/Northern Arizona
Big Sky First Team (4/21)
Big Sky All-Academic (7/15)
Emma Franzone/Soccer
Sahuarita/Pima
Honorable Mention All-ACCAC (5/12)
Second Team All-Region I (5/12)
NJCAA First Team All-Academic (7/15)
Briannah Gerhart/Soccer
Tanque Verde/Pima
NJCAA First Team All-Academic (7/15)
Lydia Griffith/Basketball
Buena/Pima
NJCAA First Team All-Academic (7/15)
Marissa Lopez/Track
Sahuarita/Pima
NJCAA First Team All-Academic (7/15)
Andrea Vigil-German/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA First Team All-Academic (7/15)
Wyatt Wingstad/Baseball
Cienega/Gateway
NJCAA First Team All-Academic (7/15)
Angel Addleman/Basketball
Palo Verde/Pima
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic (7/15)
Kaitlyn Bassett/Soccer
Sabino/Pima
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic (7/15)
Jesse Avina/Track
Buena/Paradise valley
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic Indoor (7/15)
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic Outdoor (7/15)
Alyssa Kopach/Soccer
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
Second Team All-ACCAC (5/12)
Second Team All-Region I (5/12)
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic (7/15)
Alejandra Ramirez/Soccer
Marana/Pima
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic (7/15)
Alondra Lugo/Softball
Douglas/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic (7/15)
Solymar Navarro/Softball
Sahuarita/Eastern Arizona
ACCAC Third Team (5/10)
NJCAA Second Team All-Academic (7/15)
Angela Amparano/Soccer
Salpointe/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Jaslyn Booker/Basketball
Buena/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Kortney Cahill/Soccer
Cienega/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Emmanuel Corral/Track
Pusch Ridge/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Shane Erickson/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Aydalis Felix/Volleyball
Rincon/UHS/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Caleb Rayman/Track
Cienega/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Holly Stutz/Volleyball
Cienega/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Brendan Torres/Track
Empire/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Seti Valencia/Soccer
Sunnyside/Pima
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Alec Larson/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Alyssa Carpio/Softball
Tucson/Yavapai
NJCAA Third Team All-Academic (7/15)
Maya Benita/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
WGCA All-American Scholar (7/6)
Spencer Packard/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Campbell
Grand Park CSL All-Star (7/4)
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)
CSCAA Scholar All-American (7/6)
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)
CSCAA Scholar All-American (7/6)
Andre Jackson/Baseball
Cienega/LA Dodgers (AA)
MLB Futures All-Star (6/30)
Roman Bravo-Young/Wrestling
Sunnyside/Penn State
NCAA All-American (3/20)
Honda Trophy Finalist
Penn State Male Athlete of the Year (6/29)
Erik Orr/Swim
Rincon/UHS/Air Force
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Chloe Gavino/Tennis
Catalina Foothills/NM State
WAC Second Team (4/29)
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Andrew Rhonehouse/Track
Catalina Foothills/Grand Canyon
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Lyric Baker/Soccer
Cienega/NM State
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Hannah Leitner/Soccer
Rincon/UHS/NM State
WAC Second Team (4/11)
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Hannah Draper/Soccer
Catalina Foothills/NM State
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Anabella Muscoreil/Basketball
Marana/Dixie State
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Hope Banales/Softball
Canyon del Oro/NM State
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Hailey Tanori/Softball
Sahuarita/NM State
WAC Athlete of the Week (3/22)
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
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)
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage/Softball
Salpointe/Grand Canyon
WAC Athlete of the Week Nominee (4/5)
WAC Honorable Mention (5/12)
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Lexy Coons/Softball
Sahuaro/Grand Canyon
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Jaiden Reid/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Grand canyon
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Jake Engel/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Dixie State
All-Decade Team (1/7)
Academic All-WAC (6/24)
Sam Lossou/Soccer
Rincon UHS/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (5/13)
First Team All-Region I (5/13)
United Soccer Coaches All-American (6/17)
NJCAA D-II First Team All-American (6/24)
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)
NJCAA D-II Championship MVP (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)
NJCAA D-II First Team All-American (6/11)
NJCAA Female Student-Athlete of the Year (6/11)
Bryce Cotton/Basketball
Palo Verde/Perth Wildcats
Fans MVP (6/15)
National Basketball League MVP (6/15)
All-NBL First Team (6/15)
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)
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)
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)
Hope Hisey/Soccer
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Valentina Franco/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (5/12)
First Team All-Region I (5/12)
Litycia 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)
Ruth Morga/Soccer
Cholla/Park University
Player of the Game (4/1)
Cal Pac Honorable Mention (5/12)
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)
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)
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)
Clay Branton III/Football
Tucson/Arizona Christian
SAC Defensive 2nd Team (4/22)
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)
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)
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)
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)