Former Buena standout Brianna Hardy (Phoenix College) collected her 1,000th strikeout on March 22 and she is 101-3 in her career.
Hardy has been called out as a First Team All-American Athlete by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and the NJCAA, on two occasions. Likewise, she’s also been twice-recognized as Player of the Year, and Pitcher of the Year, by those organizations. In 2021, she received the Betty Jo Graber Award for Best Female Athlete in the NJCAA; and was also designated Most Valuable Player of the 2021 National Championship tournament.
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.
This is our 33rd recognition for 2022 – we had 207 athletes recognized in 2021.
Brianna Hardy/Softball
Buena/Phoenix College
Most Decorated Athlete in NJCAA (3/31)
Emily Darwin/Softball
Benson/Yavapai
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (3/21)
Jessie Niegocki/Softball
Mountain View/Rider
MAAC Pitcher of the Week (4/5)
Delaney Schnell/Diving
Tucson/Arizona
Pac-12 Diver of the Meet (2/26)
Pac-12 Diver of the Year (4/4)
Danielle Jamieson/Softball
Sahuaro/Embry-Riddle
Cal-Pac Player of the Week (4/4)
Mitchell Effing/Track and Field
Flowing Wells/NAU
Big Sky Freshman of the Year (3/4)
Turner Washington/Track and Field
Canyon del Oro/ASU
West Region Athlete of the Year (3/17)
Bowerman Watch List (3/24)
Katie Faulk/Softball
Marana/Utah
Utah All As Reception (3/29)
Halle Morris/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Utah
Utah All As Reception (3/29)
Grant Nations/Swim
Sabino/Utah
Utah All As Reception (3/29)
Kimberly McDaniels/Softball
Salpointe/Franciscan
PAC Freshman of the Week (3/28)
Yannira Acuña/Softball
Salpointe/ASU
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/28)
Kelsey Siemons/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Player of the Week (1/31)
RMAC All-Academic Team (1/31)
CoSIDA Academic All-District (2/17)
RMAC 2nd Team All-Conference (3/2)
RMAC Summit Award Winner (3/4)
Jazzy Hughes/Basketball
Mountain View/CSU Pueblo
RMAC Academic Honor Roll (1/31)
RMAC 2nd Team All-Conference (3/2)
Summer Fox/Basketball
Pueblo/Black Hills State
RMAC Academic Honor Roll (1/31)
Vanessa Brink/Softball
Empire/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week (3/14)
Conner Verdugo/Basketball
Walden Grove/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac All-Academic (3/4)
Chase Verdugo/Basketball
Walden Grove/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac All-Academic (3/4)
Sierra Gaskill/Softball
Pueblo/Benedictine-Mesa
Cal Pac POW Nominee (2/28)
Ana Rodriguez/Softball
Tucson/Central Arizona
ACCAC D-I Pitcher and POW (3/7)
Reece Gardner/Track and Field
Marana/Pima
NJCAA All-American: Heptathlon (3/5)
Aztecs Student-Athlete of the Week (3/8)
Joel Gardner/Track and Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-American: 5,000 (3/5)
Lucy Chavez/Track and Field
Bisbee/Pima
NJCAA All-American: WT (3/5)
Jaida Olson/Track and Field
Pusch Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-American: Pole Vault (3/5)
Tianna Carter/Basketball
Canyon del Oro/NC Central
MEAC Player of the Week (2/8)
Angel Addleman/Basketball
Palo Verde/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/5)
Second Team All-ACCAC (2/26)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/26)
Nikya Orange/Basketball
Tanque Verde/Pima
Third Team All-ACCAC (2/26)
First Team All-Region I, Division II (2/26)
Luisayde Chavez/Basketball
Rio Rico/Pima
Third Team All-ACCAC (2/26)
Second Team All-Region I, Division II (2/26)
Daniel Moody/Basketball
Walden Grove/Pima
All-ACCAC Honorable Mention (2/24)
Second Team All-Region I, Division II (2/24)
Mikayla Santa Cruz/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Creighton
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (2/14)
UTEP Invitational All-Tournament (2/14)
Max Hernandez/Volleyball
Tucson/Cornerstone
Golden Eagle Athlete of the Week (2/7)
Kevin Jimenez/Baseball
Nogales/New Mexico State
PG Preseason WAC Team (2/4)
Jack Langan/Baseball
Sabino/Cornell
NCAA D-III SAAC Member (1/27)