Former Mountain View softball standout Zaylie Calderon was named Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete. Calderon also earned the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal.
Former Salpointe volleyball standout Andrea Owens was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team last year playing for North Texas and she earned a Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal.
Former Buena pitcher Brianna Hardy was named to the NJCAA DII Softball All-America First Team playing for Phoenix College.
Pima athletes Jaida Olson (Pusch Ridge) and Daniel Henely (Cienega) named NJCAA All-Americans.
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.
86 athletes have been recognized for 2022 – we had 207 athletes recognized in 2021.
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)
NFCA NJCAA D-II South 1st Team (5/30)
NJCAA DII Softball All-America Teams (6/8)
NJCAA DII Pitcher of the Year (6/8)
Zaylie Calderon/Softball
Mountain View/UTEP
Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal (4/15)
Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete (6/8)
Andrea Owens/Volleyball
Salpointe/North Texas
Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal (4/15)
Jaida Olson/Track and Field
Pusch Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-American: Pole Vault (3/5)
NJCAA All-American: Pole Vault (5/19)
NJCAA DI Outdoor Field All-America First Team (6/10)
Daniel Henely/Golf
Cienega/Pima
NJCAA DI Men’s Golf All-America Honorable Mention (5/14)
Jessie Niegocki/Softball
Mountain View/Rider
MAAC Pitcher of the Week (4/5)
All-MAAC First Team (5/11)
NFCA D-I NE Region First Team (5/19)
All-ECAC Team (6/9)
Danielle Jamieson/Softball
Sahuaro/Embry-Riddle
Cal-Pac Player of the Week (4/4)
All-Cal Pac Softball Team (5/9)
Cal Pac Scholar Athlete of the Year (6/8)
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)
NAIA All-American Honorable Mention (6/8)
Cade McGee/Baseball
Salpointe/Gonzaga
WCC Freshman of the Year (5/24)
WCC All-Freshman Team (5/24)
WCC Honorable Mention (5/24)
Collegiate News Freshman All-American (6/8)
Tairia Flowers/Softball
Salpointe/Loyola Marymount Coach
WCC Coach of the Year (5/17)
Yannira Acuña/Softball
Salpointe/ASU
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/28)
USA Softball Top 25 Finalist (4/20)
Pac-12 First Team (5/11)
CoSIDA NCAA District 8 Academic (5/11)
NFCA D-I West Region First Team (5/19)
NFCA D-I Second Team All-American (6/1)
Softball America First Team (6/2)
Third Team Academic All-America (6/7)
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)
Pac-12 Second Team (5/11)
NFCA D-I West Region First Team (5/19)
NFCA D-I Second Team All-American (6/1)
Softball America Second Team (6/2)
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)
CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Team (5/26)
Bijan Robinson/Football
Salpointe/Texas
Athlon Sports Big 12 Preseason All-Conference (6/1)
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)
NJCAA World Series Tournament MVP (6/4)
NJCAA World Series Outstanding Offensive Player (6/4)
NJCAA World Series Tournament Team (6/4)
Nate Baez/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/ASU
Pac-12 Player of the Week (5/9)
Collegiate Baseball 3rd Team All-American (6/2)
Kyle Crookes/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Central Missouri Coach
MIAA Coach of the Year (5/5)
NCBWA D-II Central Region Coach of the Year (5/19)
NCBWA D-II Coach of the Year (6/2)
Ellessa Bonstrom/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Utah
Pac-12 First Team (5/11)
CoSIDA NCAA District 8 Academic (5/11)
NFCA D-I Pacific First Team (5/19)
NFCA D-I Third Team All-American (6/1)
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)
NFCA NJCAA D-I West Second Team (5/30)
Ashley Bradford/Softball
Sahuaro/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Player of the Year (5/6)
RMAC First Team (5/6)
NFCA D-II South Central Second Team (5/11)
D2CAA Second Team All-American (5/27)
John Michael Gonzalez/Baseball
Empire/Rainy River
MCAC North All-Division (5/13)
MCAC All-State First Team (5/24)
All-Region XIII First Team (5/24)
Gabriel Soto/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/Mesabi Range College
MCAC North All-Division (5/13)
MCAC All-State Third Team (5/24)
All-Region XIII Third Team (5/24)
Jayce Cunha/Wrestling
Mountain View/Embry-Riddle
NWCA NAIA Scholar All-American (4/25)
Christian Rodriguez/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/North Central
UMAC All-Conference (5/17)
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)
NCAA D-I CoSIDA District 8 (5/19)
Reece Gardner/Track and Field
Marana/Pima
NJCAA All-American: Heptathlon (3/5)
Aztecs Student-Athlete of the Week (3/8)
NJCAA All-American: Pole Vault (5/19)
Carlie Scupin/Softball
Tucson/Arizona
Arizona Sophomore of the Year (4/18)
NFCA D-I West Region Second Team (5/19)
Sydney Gray/Softball
Sabino/Nebraska, Lincoln
NFCA D-I Midwest 3rd Team (5/19)
Izzy Pacho/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
NFCA D-I West Region First Team (5/19)
Halle Morris/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Utah
Utah All A’S Reception (3/29)
NFCA D-I Pacific Third Team (5/19)
Cassie Castaneda/Softball
Sabino/North Dakota
Summit League All-Tournament Team (5/16)
Mateo Sierras/Baseball
Tucson/Rainy River
MCAC North All-Division (5/13)
Robby Campillo/Softball
Salpointe/Arizona Christian
CoSIDA NAIA District 4 Academic (5/11)
Katie Faulk/Softball
Marana/Utah
Utah All As Reception (3/29)
Pac-12 Defensive Team (5/11)
Mia Trejo/Softball\
Tucson/UNLV
Mountain West Second Team (5/8)
Lauren Wedman/Softball
Sahuaro/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Second Team (5/6)
Aleena Alexander/Softball
Salpointe/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Spring All-Academic Team (5/4)
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)
Emma Almodoba/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Embry-Riddle
All-Cal Pac Honorable Mention (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)
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)
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)
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
Mitchell Effing/Track and Field
Flowing Wells/NAU
Big Sky Freshman of the Year (3/4)
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)
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)
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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