Former Ironwood Ridge standout Jacob Medina won the UC Ferguson Classic in his first collegiate tournament last week. The freshman shot 14-under-par over three rounds in Oklahoma City, hitting low rounds of 65 in the first and third. He was named Raider Athlete of the Week.
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.
150 athletes have been recognized for 2024 – we had 307 athletes recognized in 2023.
Jacob Medina/Golf
Ironwood Ridge/Northwestern
Raider Athlete of the Week (9/2)
Kenzie Fowler/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Arizona
Arizona Sports Hall of Fame (8/30)
Brooke Valencia/Soccer
Sabino/Pima
ACCAC Golaie of the Week (8/29)
Jamie Black/Soccer
CDO/FC Tucson Women
WPSL Desert Conference Best XI (8/14)
Carlie Scupin/Softball
Tucson/Arizona
D-I Softball Preseason Top 100-37 (1/19)
Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Top Cat of the Week (4/8)
Pac-12 Player of the Week nominee (4/8)
Pac-12 Second Team (5/7)
Pac-12 All-Defense (5/7)
NFCA West Region Third Team (5/18)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Allie Skaggs/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
D-I Softball Preseason Top 100-18 (1/19)
Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Ruby Award (4/29)
Pac-12 First Team (5/7)
Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year (5/9)
NFCA West Region First Team (5/18)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
D1Softball All-American (5/28)
Pac-12 Tom Hansen Medal (6/17)
CSC Academic All-American (6/18)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Yannixa Acuña/Softball
Salpointe/ASU
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Gianna Mares/Softball
Salpointe/BYU
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Dayanara Campos/Softball
CDO/Georgetown
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Julia Holt/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Howard
Most Improved (4/23)
MEAC All-Academic (5/6)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Riley Carley/Softball
Sabino/New Mexico State
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Zaylie Calderon/Softball
Mountain View/UTEP
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
CUSA Jim Castañeda Scholarship (6/6)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage/Softball
Salpointe/North Dakota State
Summit League Second Team (5/7)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
Summit League Academic Excellence (7/24)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Jessie Niegocki/Softball
Mountain View/Rider
All-MAAC Second Team (5/7)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Cassie Castaneda/Softball
Sabino/North Dakota
Summit League Peak Performer of the Week (4/22)
Summit League Honorable Mention (5/7)
Summit League Academic Excellence (7/24)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Halle Morris/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Utah Valley
WAC Second Team (5/6)
NFCA West Region First Team (5/18)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Emma Almodoba/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Player of the Week (3/4)
Cal Pac Player of the Year (4/30)
Cal Pac First Team (4/30)
Cal Pac All-Defense (4/30)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NAIA All-American (6/4)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Vanessa Brink/Softball
Empire/Embry-Riddle
Cal PAC Pitcher of the Week (3/11)
Cal PAC Pitcher of the Week (3/18)
Cal PAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (3/18)
Cal PAC Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/29)
Cal Pac First Team (4/30)
Cal Pac All-Academic Team (4/30)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Maddie Judge/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Defense Team (4/30)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Diana Miranda Montano/Softball
Salpointe/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac First Team (4/30)
Cal Pac All-Defense SS (4/30)
Cal Pac All-Academic Team (4/30)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
NFCA Scholar Athlete All-American (8/6)
Isaiah Roebuck/Baseball
Marana/Jamestown
Iron Jimmie of the Month (3/29)
Sun Belt College League Player of the Week (6/11)
Sun Belt Playoffs Most Outstanding Player (7/18)
Amelie Buffill-Gutierrez/Basketball
Sabino/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Amber Conner/Soccer
Tanque Verde/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Tristin Duron/Soccer
Marana/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Daniel Ehler/Soccer
Marana/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Annalise Holthaus/Basketball
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Jasmin Joseph/Volleyball
Tanque Verde/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Gabriella Lopez/Basketball
Bisbee/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Bella Medina/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Elli Meinke/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Viviana Sanchez/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Christina Shaffer/Volleyball
Pusch Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Nick Arias/Baseball
Tucson/Pima
2nd Team All-ACCAC (5/1)
2nd Team Region I, D-I (5/1)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Reatta Danhof/Track/Cross Country
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic Track (7/18)
NJCAA All-Academic Cross Country (7/18)
James Lynch/Soccer
Salpointe/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Ixta Mendez-Jimenez/Soccer
Catalina Foothills/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Abby Whatton/Volleyball
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Makylee Wilson/Volleyball
Cienega/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Gabriela Amparano/Soccer
Salpointe/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Dillon Arvayo/Track
Mountain View/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Uriah Burrell/Soccer
Catalina Foothills/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Zack Comaduran/Track/Cross Country
Marana/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Elijah Conroy/Track/Cross Country
Rincon/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic Track (7/18)
NJCAA All-Academic Cross Country (7/18)
Mariah Cruz/Track/Cross Country
Mountain View/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic Track (7/18)
NJCAA All-Academic Cross Country (7/18)
Solaris Graves/Soccer
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Paden Hall/Track
Catalina Foothills/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Caleb Herd/Baseball
Cienega/Pima
2nd Team All-ACCAC (5/1)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Cooper Jones/Basketball
Buena/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Declan Jorgenson/Cross Country
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Seanna Krantz/Soccer
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Austin Madsen/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Cheyanne Ortiz/Softball
Tucson/Softball
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Wyatt Preble/Track
Salpointe/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Camila Razcon/Soccer
Marana/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Ariela Sanchez/Soccer
Sahuaro/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Gabriella Sanchez/Basketball
Tucson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Tariq Sheriff/Track
Empire/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
David Teso/Track
Benson/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Maylee Thompson/Track
Willcox/Pima
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Kayley Yanez/Golf
Marana/Pima
2nd Team All-ACCAC (May 6)
2nd Team All-Region I (May 6)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Reese McFarland/Softball
Sabino/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Riley McFarland/Softball
Sabino/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Kaitlyn McLaughlin/Softball
Tanque Verde/Arizona Western
First team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Ariana Aguirre/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Mariah Cunningham/Softball
Buena/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Melanie Merrill/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/Eastern
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Anthony Berrios/Soccer
Tucson/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Mollie Forbes/Softball
Mountain View/Arizona Western
Third Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Colby Gaines/Baseball
Walden Grove/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Benjamin Staiger/Baseball
Cienega/Eastern Arizona
NJCAA All-Academic (7/18)
Eric Garigan/Lacrosse
Salpointe William Penn
HAAC Defensive Player of the Week (3/11)
HAAC Defensive Player of the Week (3/18)
NAIA Defensive Player of the Week (3/19)
HAAC Defensive Player of the Year (4/26)
HAAC First Team (4/26)
NAIA All-American (5/17)
Benji Cazares/Baseball
Tucson/Pima/Old Pueblo Kings
Sun Belt Player of the Week (7/3)
Joey Staiger/Baseball
Cienega/Old Pueblo Kings
Sun Belt Player of the Week (6/18)
Jacob Wiltshire/Baseball
Sabino/NE Oklahoma State/Gauchos
Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week (6/18)
Rich Alday/Baseball
Tucson/Pima/New Mexico Coach
ABCA Hall of Fame (7/3)
Alyssa Aguilar/Softball
Salpointe/BYU
All-Big 12 Academic (7/2)
Tanner Aros/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/Old Pueblo Kings
Sun Belt Player of the Week (6/20)
Max Lialios/Baseball
Sabino/Old Pueblo Kings
Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week (6/20)
Mason White/Baseball
Salpointe/Arizona
Bobby Bragan Award Watch List (2/16)
Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/8)
Frisco Classic All-Tournament Team (3/6)
Pac-12 All-Conference Team (5/21)
Pac-12 Tournament MVP (5/25)
ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I All-West Region (6/11)
Carlos Molina/Baseball
Pueblo/Dickinson State
NSAA Second Team (5/2)
Wyatt Wilharm/Baseball
Benson/Dickinson State
NSAA Second Team (5/2)
Jonathan Lerma/Baseball
Catalina/Dickinson State
NSAA Honorable Mention (5/2)
Keanu Calamayan/Baseball
Empire/Dickinson State
NSAA Second Team (5/2)
Ian Mejia/Baseball
Sahuarita/Mississippi Braves
Pitcher of the Week (4/23)
Southern League Pitcher of the Week (5/6)
Pitcher of the Week (5/14)
Southern League Pitcher of the Week (5/20)
Pitcher of the Week (6/2)
Southern League Pitcher of the Month (6/5)
Camila Zepeda/Softball
Tucson/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Year (5/7)
First team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
NJCAA Second Team All-American (6/4)
Haley Ehlert/Softball
Empire/Waldorf
Champion of Character (5/2)
Rebekah Quiroz/Softball
Flowing Wells/Pima Coach
NJCAA District Coach of the Year (5/28)
Sydney Gray/Softball
Sabino/Nebraska
Big Ten Player of the Week (2/19)
Big Ten Player of the Week (2/21)
Big Ten Player of the Week (3/11)
Second-Team All-Big Ten (5/10)
NFCA Second-Team All-Midwest Region (5/18)
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
Isabel Tanabe/Softball
Douglas/Hastings
CSC Academic All-District (5/28)
Odalys Garcia-Peret/Softball
Empire/Ottawa AZ
CSC Academic All-District
Iliana Mendoza/Softball
Tucson/Colorado Mesa
RMAC First Team (5/1)
D2CAA South Central 1st Team (5/23)
D2CAA 3rd Team All-America (5/23)
Amiee Shanks/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Ft. Lewis
RMAC Golden Glove (5/1)
RMAC Academic All-Conference (5/15)
DII Rawlings Gold Glove Award (5/23)
Isaiah Jackson/Baseball
Cienega/Arizona State
Pac-12 All-Defensive Team (5/21)
Morgan Pepe/Track & Field
Ironwood Ridge/Pima
NJCAA All-American (5/18)
Nathaniel Curtiss/Track & Field
Rincon/UHS/Pima
NJCAA Pole Vault All-American (5/18)
Dylan Bradford/Baseball
Sabino/NW Oklahoma State
NCBWA All-Central Region First Team (5/15)
Kyle Crooks/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Central Missouri Coach
NCBWA Central Region Coach of the Year (5/15)
Mariah Lopez/Softball
Cienega/Utah
D-I Softball Preseason Top 100-23 (1/19)
Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week Nominee (4/8)
Pac-12 First Team (5/7)
NFCA First-Team Pacific Region (5/18)
Miia Campos/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Regis
RMAC First Team (5/1)
RMAC Tournament Team (5/4)
NFCA South-Central Region – 2nd Team (5/9)
Rachel Barriga/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Regis
CSE Midseason Freshman All-American (4/4)
Sydney Lenhart/Soccer
Salpointe/Brandeis
Morris Sepinuck Award (5/8)
Alyssa Trejo/Softball
Tucson/UNLV
Mountain West Player of the Week (4/29)
Mountain West All-Tournament Team (5/11)
Reagan Grossi/Softball
Empire/Dakota Wesleyan
GPAC First Team (5/7)
Alexis Aguirre/Softball
Canyon del Oro/Eastern Arizona Coach
ACCAC Coach of the Year (5/7)
Jazmyne Waddell/Softball
San Manuel/Pima
ACCAC D-I Pitcher of the Week (2/28)
ACCAC D-I Pitcher of the Week (3/21)
ACCAC D-I Pitcher of the Week (4/10)
ACCAC D-I Pitcher of the Week (4/17)
First team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
Talia Martin/Softball
Mountain View/Pima
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (4/17)
Second Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
Aubrey Marx/Softball
Cienega/Pima
Second Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
All-Region I, Division I (5/7)
Mallory Zylinski-Wrobel/Softball
Sahuarita/Pima
Third Team All-ACCAC (5/7)
James Velasquez/Baseball
Walden Grove/Hastings
Mid-America Pitcher of the Week (4/23)
GPAC First Team (5/7)
Gabriel Escalera/Golf
Walden Grove/Hastings
Mid-America Men’s Golfer of the Week (4/24)
GPAC First Team (5/7)
Zach Vincent/Baseball
Pusch Ridge/Midland
GPAC Honorable Mention (5/7)
Christian Rodriguez/Softball
Catalina Foothills/North Central
64Analytics.D3 Pitcher of the Week (5/6)
Julian Encinas/Softball
Amphitheater/North Central
64Analytics.D3 Hitter of the Week (5/6)
Myranda Moreno/Golf
Tucson/Pima
1st Team All-ACCAC (May 6)
2nd Team All-Region I (May 6)
Vanessa Candito/Softball
Empire/Regis
RMAC Tournament MVP (5/4)
Gianna Pancost/Softball
Sabino/Colorado-Colorado Springs
RMAC Player of the Week (4/9)
RMAC Honorable Mention (5/1)
Jordan Morgan/Football
Marana/Arizona
Sapphire Award (4/29)
Rumur Rouille/Volleyball
Ironwood Ridge/Long Island
NEC Scholar Athlete (2/7)
NEC Academic Honor Roll (2/7)
LIU Scholar-Athlete of the Year (4/30)
Leah Salas/Softball
Sahuarita/Embry-Riddle
Cal PAC Player of the Week nominee (3/18)
NAIA Player of the Week (3/26)
Cal Pac First Team (4/30)
Abril Nerey/Softball
Rio Rico/Park-Gilbert
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week nominee (3/18)
Cal PAC Pitcher of the Week (3/25)
Cal PAC Pitcher of the Week (4/1)
Cal Pac Honorable Mention (4/30)
Diego Alvarez/Baseball
Sahuarita/Pima
ACCAC Pitcher of the Week (4/18)
2nd Team All-ACCAC (5/1)
2nd Team Region I, D-I (5/1)
Elijah Reeves/Baseball
Marana/Pima
2nd Team All-ACCAC (5/1)
Alec Larson/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/Benedictine Mesa
Cal Pac Player of the Week nominee (3/4)
Cal Pac Player of the Week nominee (4/1)
Cal Pac 1st Team All-Conference (4/30)
Cal Pac All-Academic Team (4/30)
Cole Altherr/Baseball
Catalina Foothills/Embry-Riddle
Cal Pac Pitcher of the Week nominee (4/1)
Cal Pac Honorable mention (4/30)
Diego Bejarano/Baseball
Tucson/Park-Gilbert
Cal Pac Player of the Week Nominee (4/29)
Cal Pac Honorable mention (4/30)
Cal Pac All-Defense (4/30)
Evan Nelson/Basketball
Salpointe/Harvard
Harvard Humanitarian Award (4/20)
Sam Beskind/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Colorado School of Mines
RMAC Player of the Week (1/15)
RMAC First Team (3/6)
RMAC Academic First Team (3/13)
RMAC Academic Player of the Year (3/13)
Academic All-District (4/18)
Dillan Baker/Basketball
Salpointe/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/2)
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/9)
All-ACCAC DII First Team (3/6)
All-Region DII First Team (3/6)
NJCAA 3rd Team All-American (4/10)
AZ JUCO All-Star (4/13)
Majok Deng/Basketball
Salpointe/Colorado School of Mines
RMAC Player of the Week (1/29)
RMAC Player of the Week (2/26)
RMAC First Team (3/6)
RMAC All-Tournament Team (3/9)
D2CCA South Central 2nd Team (3/21)
NABC South Central 2nd Team (3/25)
Johnnie Blockburger/Track
Tucson/USC
Pac-12 Track Athletes of the Week (4/8)
Trayvion White-Austin/Track
Tucson/Arizona
Pac-12 Track Athletes of the Week (3/26)
Andrew Cook/Football
Ironwood Ridge/Colorado State Pueblo
NFF Hampshire Honor Society (4/10)
Hailie Mann/Softball
Mountain View/Ft. Lewis
RMAC Pitcher of the Week (4/9)
Levi Padilla/Baseball
Salpointe/Regis
RMAC Player of the Week Nominee (4/9)
Ainsley Malis/Volleyball
Tanque Verde/West Texas A&M
NCAA Graduate Scholarship (4/8)
Neysia Howard/Track
Tucson/GCU
WAC High Point Award (2/20)
WAC Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year (3/5)
GCU Thunder Award (4/1)
Abraham Valenzuela/Track and Field
Palo Verde/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (3/29)
Nathaniel Curtiss/Track and Field
Rincon/UHS/Pima
First Team All-ACCAC (3/29)
Alyssa Brown/Basketball
Sahuaro/UNLV
Mountain West Player of the Week (1/8)
Mountain West Tourney MVP (3/13)
Outstanding Rebel of the Week (3/22)
Camilla Zepeda/Softball
Tucson/Pima
ACCAC D-I Player of the Week (3/21)
Emily Darwin/Softball
Benson/Grand Canyon
WAC Pitcher of the Week (3/11)
Lual Lual/Basketball
Catalina Foothills/Mesa
All-ACCAC DII Second Team (3/6)
All-Region DII Second Team (3/6)
Gabriella Lopez/Basketball
Bisbee/Pima
DII Defensive Player of the Year (3/6)
All-ACCAC DII Second Team (3/6)
All-Region DII Second Team (3/6)
Dominique Acosta/Basketball
Nogales/Pima
ACCAC Player of the Week (1/2)
All-ACCAC DII First Team (3/6)
All-Region DII Second Team (3/6)
Bria Medina/Basketball
Salpointe/Knox
Midwest Conference Newcomer of the Year (2/27)
Midwest Conference First Team (2/27)
Kylee Callahan/Basketball
Salpointe/Knox
Midwest Player of the Week (1/3)
Midwest Conference First Team (2/27)
Aaliyah Ortiz/Basketball
Palo Verde/Culver-Stockton
All-Heart of America Team (3/1)
Dylan Dreis/Football
Salpointe/Arizona
Arizona Bow Intern of the Year (2/29)
Isaiah Miller/Wrestling
Sahuarita/Jamestown
GPAC Freshman of the Year
GPAC First Team (2/21)
Bryce Cotton/Basketball
Palo Verde/Perth
NBL Most Valuable Player (2/19)
Spencer Packard/Baseball
Canyon del Oro/Arkansas Travelers
MLB Prospect (2/7)
Devyn Netz/Softball
Ironwood Ridge/Arizona
D-I Softball Preseason Top 100-94 (1/19)
Pac-12 Preseason Team (2/1)
Aquarina Thomas/Volleyball
Tucson/Des Moines Area CC
Fall Academic All-Region (1/16)