Former Salpointe standout Elise Muñoz collected 10 hits, five RBI and five runs in 16 at-bats last week to earn ACCAC Player of the Week honors playing for Pima. The Aztecs went 3-1 in four games against South Mountain and Paradise Valley.
Former Marana standout catcher Ashley Fields had eight hits, four runs and eight RBI in 13 at-bats last week as Central Arizona won all four games against Glendale and Pima. This is Fields’ second honor this season.
Former Sabino athlete Jade Kwinn was named Big Sky Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after the NAU standout hit a mark of 48.76m (160’ 0”) in the javelin throw to claim the current top spot in the league standings. She is currently ranked 24th in the entire NCAA for the event.
Former Flowing Wells standout Mitchell Effing was named Big Sky Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after the NAU standout leaped 7.79m (25’ 6.75”) in the long jump at the Willie Williams Classic to set the top mark by over a foot. He is also currently ranked sixth in the NCAA for the event.
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.
47 athletes have been recognized for 2023 – we had 201 athletes recognized in 2022.
Elise Muñoz/Softball
Salpointe/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (3/27)
Ashley Fields/Softball
Marana/Central Arizona
ACCAC Player of the Week (2/4)
ACCAC Player of the Week (3/17)
Jade Kwinn/Track and Field
Sabino/Northern Arizona
Big Sky Athlete of the Week (3/27)
Mitchell Effing/Track and Field
Flowing Wells/Northern Arizona
Big Sky Athlete of the Week (3/27)
Delaney Schnell/Diving
Tucson/Arizona
Pac 12 Diver of the Week (1/17)
Pac 12 Diver of the Week (1/24)
Pac 12 Diver of the Week (2/7)
Pac-12 Diver of the Meet (2/25)
Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year (2/24)
NCAA 1-Meter All-American (3/16)
NCAA 3-Meter All-American (3/17)
NCAA Platform All-American (3/18)
First Team Academic All-America (3/20)
Pac 12 Diver of the Year (3/23)
Jaden Bramhall/Volleyball
Cienega/ Tusculum
IVA Defensive Player of the Week (3/21)
Iliana Mendoza/Softball
Tucson/Colorado Mesa
NFCA D-II Player of the Week (3/21)
Ellessa Bonstrom/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Utah
D1Softaball Top 100 (1/10)
All-Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/13)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/20)
Devyn Netz/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
Pac-12 Player of the Week (2/27)
Pac-12 Player of the Week Nominee (3/20)
Ruby Bottai/Swim
Tucson/Colorado Mesa
CSCAA All-American (3/20)
Shane Erickson/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Rainy River
MCAC North Player of the Week (3/20)
Roman Bravo-Young
Sunnyside/Penn State
NCAA All-American (3/17)
Ashley Bradford/Softball
Sahuaro/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Player of the Week (3/14)
Aimee Shanks/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Fort Lewis
RMAC Player of the Week Nominee (2/8)
RMAC Player of the Week Nominee (2/28)
Kiko Romero/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
D1baseball Top 50 JUCO Transfer (1/4)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/13)
Allie Skaggs/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
D1Softaball Top 100 (1/10)
All-Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Softball America Preseason 1st Team (1/31)
Pac-12 Player of the Week Nominee (3/13)
Angel Addleman/Basketball
Palo Verde/Pima
All-ACCAC 2ND TEAM (3/4)
NJCAA All-Region D-II 2nd Team (3/2)
NJCAA Region II Tourney MVP (3/11)
Sal Silva/Wrestling
Walden Grove/Southeastern
NAIA All-American (3/4)
Liam O’Brien/Baseball
Salpointe/Paradise Valley
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (3/9)
GiGi Garcia/Softball
Marana/Arizona Western
ACCAC Player of the Week (3/9)
Chris Lopez/Wrestling
Mountain View/Western Wyoming
NJCAA All-American (3/4)
Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage/Softball
Salpointe/North Dakota State
Summit League Player of the Week (3/6)
Luisa Chavez/Basketball
Rio Rico/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (1/25)
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/24)
All-ACCAC 2ND TEAM (3/4)
NJCAA All-Region D-II 1ST Team (3/2)
Orion Barger/Track and Field
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-American (3/4)
Joel Gardner/Track and Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-American (3/4)
Abril Nerey/Softball
Rio Rico/Park University
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week Nominee (2/20)
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week (2/27)
Chase Verdugo/Basketball
Walden Grove/Embry-Riddle
Academic All-District (2/21)
Cal Pac Winter All-Academic (2/26)
Conner Verdugo/Basketball
Walden Grove/Embry-Riddle
Academic All-District (2/21)
Cal Pac Winter All-Academic (2/26)
Cal Pac Honorable Mention (2/26)
Jerry Carrillo/Basketball
Salpointe/Cochise Coach
ACCAC Coach of the Year (3/2)
Cesar Saenz/Basketball
Sabino/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (3/1)
All-ACCAC 2ND TEAM (3/2)
NJCAA All-Region D-II 1ST Team (3/2)
Cassidy Morrow/Softball
Sahuaro/Eastern Arizona
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/1)
Brody Boisvert/Baseball
Empire/Seward County
KJCCC West Player of the Week (2/28)
Asiah Bell/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Central Arizona
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (2/24)
Antonio Fernandez/Baseball
Sabino/McPherson College
KCAC Player of the Week (2/28)
Alex Parkhurst/Beach Volleyball
Salpointe/Arizona
Pac-12 Pair of the Week Nominee (2/28)
Kylee Callahan/Basketball
Salpointe/Knox College
MWC Newcomer of the Year (2/28)
Alexis Cortez/Basketball
Tucson/Bucharest Agronomy
Player of the Game (2/24)
Alyssa Brown/Basketball
Sahuaro/UNLV
Academic All-District (2/21)
Bryanne Olson/Basketball
Pusch Ridge/Hawaii at Hilo
Academic All-District (2/21)
Emma Morris/Basketball
Tanque Verde/Chaminade
Academic All-District (2/21)
Sam Beskind/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Colorado School of Mines
Academic All-District (2/21)
Cassie Castaneda/Softball
Sabino/North Dakota
Summit League Players to Watch (2/8)
Dominique Acosta/Basketball
Nogales/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/2)
Yannira Acuña/Softball
Salpointe ASU
D1Softaball Top 100 (1/10)
All-Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Softball America Preseason 1st Team (1/31)
Carlie Scupin/Softball
Tucson/Arizona
D1Softaball Top 100 (1/10)
USA Softball Top 50 Watch List (1/25)
All-Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Softball America Preseason 2nd Team (1/31)
Nick Gonzales/Baseball
Cienega/AA Altoona Curve
N0. 8 Pittsburgh Pirate Prospect (1/17)
Jessie Niegocki/Softball
Mountain View/Rider
Extra Inning Softball Top 15 (1/17)
Dillan Baker/Basketball
Salpointe/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/14)