Former Catalina Foothills standout Cole Altherr (Embry-Riddle) was named Cal Pac All-Conference as a pitcher.
Former Empire softball standout Vanessa Brink (Embry-Riddle) was named to the Cal Pac All-Academic Team.
Former Sahuarita softball standout Leah Salas (Embry-Riddle) was named Cal Pac Newcomer of the Year. Salas was also named to the All-Defensive Team.
Former Salpointe softball standout Diana Miranda Montano (Embry-Riddle) was named Cal Pac All-Conference as an infielder.
Former Rio Rico standout Abril Nerey (Park-Gilbert) was named Cal Pac All-Conference as a pitcher.
Former Catalina Foothills golfer Libby Axen (Embry-Riddle) was named to the Cal Pac All-Academic Team for golf.
This list will be updated all year in an effort to recognize all former local prep stars who have gone on to win 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.
81 athletes have been recognized for 2023 – we had 201 athletes recognized in 2022.
Cole Altherr/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Player of the Week Nomination (3/17)
Cal Pac Player of the Week Nomination (4/17)
Cal Pac All-Conference (5/2)
Vanessa Brink/Softball
Empire/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Player of the Week Nomination (3/27)
Cal Pac Player of the Week Nomination (4/17)
Cal Pac All-Academic Team (5/3)
Leah Salas/Softball
Sahuarita/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Newcomer of the Year (5/2)
Cal Pac All-Conference (5/2)
Cal Pac All-Defensive Team (5/2)
Diana Miranda Montano/Softball
Salpointe/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac All-Conference (5/2)
Abril Nerey/Softball
Rio Rico/Park University
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week Nominee (2/20)
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week (2/27)
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week (3/20)
Cal Pac Player of the Week Nomination (4/17)
Cal Pac All-Conference (5/2)
Libby Axen/Golf
Catalina Foothills/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac All-Academic Team (4/1)
Diego Bejarano/Baseball
Tucson/Park
Cal Pac Player of the Week Nomination (3/27)
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)
Arizona Junior of the Year (4/24)
Pac 12 Defender of the Year (5/10)
Pac 12 All-Defensive Team (5/10)
Pac 12 First Team (5/10)
Yannira Acuña/Softball
Salpointe ASU
D1Softaball Top 100 (1/10)
All-Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Softball America Preseason 1st Team (1/31)
Pac 12 First Team (5/10)
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)
Pac 12 First Team (5/10)
Devyn Netz/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
Pac-12 Player of the Week (2/27)
Pac-12 Player of the Week Nominee (3/20)
Pac 12 Second Team (5/10)
Jessie Niegocki/Softball
Mountain View/Rider
Extra Inning Softball Top 15 (1/17)
All-MAAC Team (5/9)
MAAC All-Academic (5/9)
Shane Erickson/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Rainy River
MCAC North Player of the Week (3/20)
MCAC North Player of the Week (5/8)
Elise Muñoz/Softball
Salpointe/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (3/27)
All-ACCAC First Team (5/9)
All-Region I, D-I Team (5/9)
Mallory Zylinski-Wrobel/Softball
Sahuarita/Pima
All-ACCAC Second Team (5/9)
All-Region I, D-I Team (5/9)
Asiah Bell/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Central Arizona
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (2/24)
ACCAC Third Team (5/9)
Kyana Vieux/Softball
Marana/Central Arizona
ACCAC First Team (5/9)
Division I All-Region (5/9)
Cassidy Morrow/Softball
Sahuaro/Eastern Arizona
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/1)
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (4/4)
ACCAC Second Team (5/9)
Division I All-Region (5/9)
GiGi Garcia/Softball
Marana/Arizona Western
ACCAC Player of the Week (3/9)
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/26)
ACCAC Second Team (5/9)
Ashley Fields/Softball
Marana/Central Arizona
ACCAC Player of the Week (2/4)
ACCAC Player of the Week (3/17)
ACCAC Third Team (5/9)
Cassie Castaneda/Softball
Sabino/North Dakota
Summit League Players to Watch (2/8)
All-Summit League First Team (5/9)
Defensive Player of the Year (5/9)
Bela Goerke/Softball
Sahuaro/South Dakota
Summit League Honorable Mention (5/9)
Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage/Softball
Salpointe/North Dakota State
Summit League Player of the Week (3/6)
Summit League Second Team (5/9)
Nicole Conway/Softball
Catalina Foothills/Yale
Ivy League Honor Roll (4/10)
Ivy League Pitcher of the Week (5/1)
Academic All-Ivy Team (5/10)
Alyssa Brown/Basketball
Sahuaro/UNLV
Academic All-District (2/21)
UNLV Academic Champion (5/4)
Christian Olea/Baseball
Tucson/Cochise
First Team All-ACCAC (5/5)
Second Team All-Region I (5/5)
Alexis Garayzar/Softball
Lindsey Wilson/Rio Rico
Mid-South Conference First Team (5/3)
Will Menaugh/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Madison Courney/Gymnastics
Mountain View/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Katie Daily/Jumps
Flowing Wells/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Dominic Gehr/Track Multis
Marana/Arizona
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
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)
Arizona Ruby Award (4/24)
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Turner Washington/Throws
Canyon del Oro/ASU
Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Week (4/4)
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Taylor Alicea-Jorgensen/Swim
Catalina Foothills/Utah
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Diego Marquez/Track
Salpointe/Arizona
Arizona Community Service Award (4/24)
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Travion White-Austin/Track
Sahuaro/Arizona
Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Week Nominee (5/2)
Andrew Stucky/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Pima
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (4/4)
ACCAC Player of the Year (5/1)
First Team All-ACCAC (5/1)
First Team All-Region (5/1)
Sabrina Garcia/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Central Arizona
ACCAC Player of the Week (2/4)
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/16)
Aimee Shanks/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Fort Lewis
RMAC Player of the Week Nominee (2/8)
RMAC Player of the Week Nominee (2/28)
RMAC First Team Academic All-Conference (4/27)
Miia Campos/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Regis
RMAC Player of the Week (3/28)
RMAC Academic Honor Roll (4/27)
Lima Magana/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Regis
RMAC Academic Honor Roll (4/27)
Levi Padilla/Baseball
Salpointe/Regis
RMAC Academic Honor Roll (4/27)
Roman Bravo-Young
Sunnyside/Penn State
NCAA All-American (3/17)
NWCA Scholar All-America (4/21)
Rumur Rouille/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/Long Island
LIU Most Improved Player (4/26)
Mackenzie McRee/Golf
Salpointe/Ohio
Ohio MVP Award (4/23)
Grace Hala’ufia/Throws
Mountain View/Arizona
Arizona Valedictorian (4/24)
Joel Gardner/Track
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-American (3/4)
2nd Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
USTFCCCA NJCAA D-I Athlete of the Week (4/12)
Angelica Martinez/Golf
Tucson/Pima
2nd Team All-ACCAC (4/10)
All-Region (4/10)
Devin Alvarez/Baseball
Sahuarita/Eastern Arizona
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/30)
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)
NJCAA 2nd Team All-American (4/4)
Candice Pocase/Pole Vault
Santa Rita/Pima
2nd Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
Jacob Rosales/Track
Walden Grove/Pima
1st Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
Tristan Spalding/Track
Paolo Verde/PIma
1st Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
2nd Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
Orion Barger/Track
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-American (3/4)
2nd Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
2nd Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
Rowen Coulombe/Javelin
Mountain View/Pima
2nd Team All-ACCAC (3/31)
Antonio Fernandez/Baseball
Sabino/McPherson College
KCAC Player of the Week (2/28)
KCAC Player of the Week (3/27)
Landyn Lewis/Golf
Tucson/Tucson City Golf
Player Development Award (2/21)
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)
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)
Ruby Bottai/Swim
Tucson/Colorado Mesa
CSCAA All-American (3/20)
Ashley Bradford/Softball
Sahuaro/Colorado Mesa
RMAC Player of the Week (3/14)
Kiko Romero/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
D1baseball Top 50 JUCO Transfer (1/4)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (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)
Chris Lopez/Wrestling
Mountain View/Western Wyoming
NJCAA All-American (3/4)
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)
Brody Boisvert/Baseball
Empire/Seward County
KJCCC West 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)
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)
Dominique Acosta/Basketball
Nogales/Pima
ACCAC D-II Player of the Week (2/2)
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
No. 8 Pittsburgh Pirate Prospect (1/17)
Dillan Baker/Basketball
Salpointe/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/14)