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Daniel Montana and Christian Rodriguez earn MCAC Baseball honors

Former Cienega standout Daniel Montana and former Catalina Foothills standout Christian Rodriguez earned All-Conference recognition by the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) playing for North Central.

Montana played in a total of 28 games where he was second on the team with a .419 batting average, hits with 39 on the season, and RBI with 23. He led the team with a slugging percentage of .774 and also had an on base percentage of .509. Montana’s team high nine total home runs this season is a new NCU Baseball record.

Junior catcher Rodriguez played in a total of 27 games where he posted a .267 batting average, a total of 16 hits, and nine RBI.

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.

99 athletes have been recognized for 2023 – we had 201 athletes recognized in 2022.

Daniel Montana/Baseball
Cienega/North Central
UMAC All-Conference First-Team (5/16)

Christian Rodriguez/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/North Central
UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention (5/16)

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)
NJCAA All-American (6/12)

Shane Erickson/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Rainy River
MCAC North Player of the Week (3/20)
MCAC North Player of the Week (5/8)
MCAC North All-Division 1st Team (5/18)
NJCAA All-American (6/12)

Josue Franco/Baseball
Ironwood Ridge/Rainy River
MCAC North All-Division 1st Team (5/18)

Turner Washington/Throws
Canyon del Oro/ASU
Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Week (4/4)
Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll (5/3)
Pac 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year (5/13)
Academic All-District (5/31)
NCAA Outdoor Shot Put All-American (6/7)
NCAA Outdoor Discus All-American (6/9)

Mason White/Baseball
Salpointe/Arizona
Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American (6/7)

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)
All-Summit League Academic (6/7)

Bela Goerke/Softball
Sahuaro/South Dakota
Summit League Honorable Mention (5/9)
Academic All-District (5/16)

Kevin Jimenez/Baseball
Nogales/New Mexico State
Second Team All-WAC (5/22)

Emiliano Mata/Baseball
Douglas/Arkansas Tech
NCBWA Region Pitcher of the Week (4/5)

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)
NJCAA All-American (5/6)

Antonio Fernandez/Baseball
Sabino/McPherson College
KCAC Player of the Week (2/28)
KCAC Player of the Week (3/27)
NAIA First Team All-American (5/6)

Kiko Romero/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
D1baseball Top 50 JUCO Transfer (1/4)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/13)
Pac-12 All-Conference (5/25)
Collegiate Baseball All-America (6/6)

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)
Academic All-District (5/16)
NFCA West Region Second Team (5/18)
NFCA Rawlings Gold Glove (5/31)

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)
Academic All-District (5/16)
NFCA West Region First Team (5/18)
NFCA Second Team All-American (5/31)

Mariah Lopez/Softball
Cienega/Utah
Pac 12 Pitcher of the Week (4/17)
Pac 12 First Team (5/10)
NFCA Pacific Region First Team (5/18)
NFCA Third Team All-American (5/31)

Isaiah Jackson/Baseball
Cienega/ASU
Pac-12 All-Defensive Team (5/25)

Alessandro Castro/Baseball
Pusch Ridge/Pima
Lawrence R. Toledo Leadership Award (5/22)

Mia Casadei/Softball
Tanque Verde/Pima
Lawrence R. Toledo Leadership Award (5/22)

Dillon Arvayo/Decathlon
Mountain View/Pima
NJCAA All-American (5/19)

Johnathon Lane/Steeplechase
Walden Grove/Pima
NJCAA All-American (5/19)

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)
NJCAA All-American (5/20)

Jessie Niegocki/Softball
Mountain View/Rider
Extra Inning Softball Top 15 (1/17)
All-MAAC Team (5/9)
MAAC All-Academic (5/9)
Academic All-District (5/16)
NFCA Northeast Region First Team (5/18)

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)
Academic All-District (5/16)
NFCA West Region Second Team (5/18)

Blaise Biringer/Softball
Cienega/Arizona
NFCA West Region Second Team (5/18)

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)
NFCA Pacific Region Second Team (5/18)

Logan Cole/Softball
Salpointe/Arizona
Freshman of the Week Nominee (5/8)

Gabe Escalera/Golf
Sahuarita/Hastings
GPAC All-Conference (5/11)

Izzy Paco/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
Academic All-District (5/16)

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)
Academic All-District (5/16)

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)
Academic All-District (5/16)

Isabel Tanabe/Softball
Douglas/Hastings College
Academic All-District (5/16)

Daniel Durazo/Baseball
Salpointe Arizona Christian
Academic All-District (5/16)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Sabrina Garcia/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Central Arizona
ACCAC Player of the Week (2/4)
ACCAC Player of the Week (4/16)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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