Former Salpointe softball standout Kimberly McDaniels was named Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Player of the Year with Franciscan. McDaniels played and started in 28 games this season while holding a .422 batting average, 8th best in the conference. Her slugging percentage (.633) and on base percentage (.485) were amongst the best in the league to give her an impressive on base percentage plus slugging (OPS) of 1.118. She racked up 38 hits with 15 being extra base hits. She had 13 multi-hit games a drew 11 walks to lead the team.
Former Empire standout Vanessa Brink was selected California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) Pitcher of the Year after turning in a stellar freshman season with Embry-Riddle. She led the conference in wins with 19, was second in strikeouts with 166 in only 119.2 innings (9.71 average per 7 innings), and she tossed a perfect game in her second collegiate start.
Former Salpointe infielder Diana Miranda Montano was named to the All-Cal Pac Softball team for Embry-Riddle.
Former Pueblo standout Sierra Gaskill was named to the All-Cal Pac Softball Team from Benedictine Mesa.
Former Sahuaro standout Danielle Jamieson was named to the All-Cal Pac Softball team from Embry-Riddle.
Former Ironwood Ridge standout Emma Almodoba was named All-Cal Pac Honorable Mention with Embry-Riddle.
Former Benson standout Emily Darwin was named All-ACCAC First Team with Yavapai.
Former Buena standout Brianna Hardy was named All-ACCAC First Team with Phoenix College and D-II Player of the Year.
Former Sahuarita standout Solymar Navarro was named All-ACCAC Second Team with Eastern Arizona.
Former Sahuaro standout Brianna Jackson was named ACCAC D-II All-Region with Chandler-Gilbert.
Former Amphitheater standout Faith Orton was named ACCAC Third Team with Pima.
Former Tucson standout Kelli Samorano was named ACCAC Third Team with Pima.
Former Ironwood Ridge standout Nate Baez was named Pac-12 Baseball Player of the Week with ASU. According to a release from the Pac-12, Baez went 8-of-14 on the weekend for a .571 average and was second on the team with eight RBI, homered three times and added a double, giving him a 1.286 slugging percentage for the weekend and an overall .625 OBP with his two walks, had at least one RBI in each of the three games. Career-high 5 RBI on Friday, including a three-run shot in the third that broke a 2-2 tie and put ASU up for good and an RBI single in the eighth inning on Saturday capped a three-run inning that broke a 3-3 tie and earned the series victory for ASU. Seven of Baez’s eight RBIs on the weekend came with two outs and he was a perfect 5-for-5 hitting with two outs over the three games.
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.
66 athletes have been recognized for 2022 – we had 207 athletes recognized in 2021.
Vanessa Brink/Softball
Empire/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week (3/14)
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Year (5/4)
All-Cal Pac Softball Team (5/9)
Emily Darwin/Softball
Benson/Yavapai
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (3/21)
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (4/11)
All-ACCAC First Team (5/9)
ACCAC D-I All Region (5/9)
Brianna Hardy/Softball
Buena/Phoenix College
Most Decorated Athlete in NJCAA (3/31)
All-ACCAC First Team (5/9)
ACCAC D-II All-Region (5/9)
Faith Orton/Softball
Amphitheater/Pima
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (4/25)
Third Team All-ACCAC (5/9)
Kelli Samorano/Softball
Tucson/Pima
Third Team All-ACCAC (5/9)
Solymar Navarro/Softball
Sahuarita/Eastern Arizona
All-ACCAC Second Team (5/9)
ACCAC D-I All-Region (5/9)
Brianna Jackson/Softball
Sahuaro/Chandler-Gilbert
ACCAC D-II Player of the Year (5/9)
ACCAC D-II All-Region (5/9)
Kimberly McDaniels/Softball
Salpointe/Franciscan
PAC Freshman of the Week (3/28)
John Lemal MVP Award Finalist (4/21)
PAC Player of the Year (5/10)
All-PAC First Team (5/10)
All-PAC Sportsmanship Team (5/10)
Sierra Gaskill/Softball
Pueblo/Benedictine-Mesa
Cal Pac POW Nominee (2/28)
All-Cal Pac Softball Team (5/9)
Diana Miranda Montano/Softball
Salpointe/Embry-Riddle
All-Cal Pac Softball Team (5/9)
Danielle Jamieson/Softball
Sahuaro/Embry-Riddle
All-Cal Pac Softball Team (5/9)
Emma Almodoba/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Embry-Riddle
All-Cal Pac Honorable Mention (5/9)
Nate Baez/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/ASU
Pac-12 Player of the Week (5/9)
Allie Skaggs/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
Pac-12 Player of the Week (4/25)
Extra Inning National Player of the Week (5/3)
Pac-12 Player of the Week Nominee (5/9)
Preston Clifford/Baseball
Sabino/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (5/3)
First Team All-Region I, Division I (5/3)
Romeo Ballesteros/Baseball
Salpointe/Pima
Second Team All-ACCAC (5/3)
Treyjen Meza/Baseball
Sahuarita/Cochise
First Team All-ACCAC (5/3)
First Team All-Region I, Division I (5/3)
Gold Glove (5/3)
Kiko Romero/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Central Arizona
First Team All-ACCAC (5/3)
First Team All-Region I, Division I (5/3)
Gold Glove (5/3)
Madison Courney/Gymnastics
Mountain View/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Halli Mayberry/Gymnastics
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
MacKinzie Kane/Gymnastics
Emily Gray/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Ayden Schilb/Indoor Track
Cienega/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Trevor Volpe/Indoor Track
Salpointe/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Grace Driskill/Indoor Track
Rincon/UHS/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Grace Hala’ufia/Indoor Track and Field
Mountain View/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Wyatt Matson/Swim
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Tyler Rokop/Wrestling
Ironwood Ridge/ASU
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Sam Beskind/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Stanford
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Taylor Alicea-Jorgensen/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Utah
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Brooks Fail/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Arizona Outstanding Career (4/18)
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Delaney Schnell/Diving
Tucson/Arizona
Pac-12 Diver of the Meet (2/26)
Pac-12 Diver of the Year (4/4)
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Turner Washington/Track and Field
Canyon del Oro/ASU
West Region Athlete of the Year (3/17)
Bowerman Watch List (3/24)
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (4/28)
Morgan Gappmayer/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/NAU
Academic All-Big Sky Conference (4/21)
Isabella Almazan/Soccer
Salpointe Northern Colorado
Academic All-Big Sky Conference (4/21)
Colin Dreis/Football
Salpointe/Montana
Academic All-Big Sky Conference (4/21)
Harrison Beemiller/Football
Ironwood Ridge/NAU
Academic All-Big Sky Conference (4/21)
Heath Beemiller/Football
Ironwood Ridge/NAU
Academic All-Big Sky Conference (4/21)
Yannira Acuña/Softball
Salpointe/ASU
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/28)
USA Softball Top 25 Finalist (4/20)
Carlie Scupin/Softball
Salpointe/Arizona
Arizona Sophomore of the Year (4/18)
Stanley Berryhill III/Football
Mountain View/Arizona
Arizona Outstanding Career Nominee (4/18)
Abby Russell/Beach Volleyball
Salpointe/Arizona
Arizona Sophomore of the Year Nominee (4/18)
Alex Parkhurst/Beach Volleyball
Salpointe/Arizona
Arizona Junior of the Year Nominee (4/18)
Elise Muñoz/Softball
Salpointe/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/11)
Morgan Nash/Beach Volleyball
Sahuaro/Vanguard
All-GSAC Team
Jessie Niegocki/Softball
Mountain View/Rider
MAAC Pitcher of the Week (4/5)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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
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