The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce that a combination of nearly 100 student-athletes, coaches and teams will be honored with Special Achievement Awards during the 2018 Enshrinement presented by Killian Construction.
Special Achievement Awards are bestowed on national champions, First Team All-Americans and others who received national recognition while competing for a Missouri-based team in 2017.
The 2018 Enshrinement is set for Sunday, Jan. 28 in Springfield. An 11 a.m. reception presented by Meek’s The Builder’s Choice will be held at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, 3861 E. Stan Musial Drive. A 4 p.m. reception is set for the University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center in downtown Springfield, followed by the dinner and program at 5 p.m.
Each SAA recipient receives a complimentary ticket and will be honored on stage with a Hall of Fame-logoed plaque commemorating their achievement.
A sponsorship table of 10 is $1,500 and includes an autographed artist rendering of the Class of 2018 as well as recognition in the printed program. An individual ticket is $150. Numerous other sponsorships are available, including congratulatory ads. Please call the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at 417-889-3100.
The following are this year’s SAA recipients:
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CENTRAL METHODIST
Drew Gandy, Central Methodist University
NAIA Outdoor Decathlon National Champion
A senior from Fayette, Gandy won an NAIA Outdoor national championship in the decathlon, moving from fourth to first in the final three events and shattering his own school record by 407 points for a total of 6,855 points.
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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI
Central Missouri Women’s Soccer Team
NCAA D-II National Champion
Coached by Lewis Theobald, the Jennies soccer team captured the NCAA Division II National Championship, its first in school history, by beating No. 2-ranked Carson-Newman 5-3 in a shootout and finishing 26-0. In OT, Haley Freeman and Abby Rhodes had the successful overtime kicks and goalkeeper Ana Dilkes had a save.
Ana Dilkes, University of Central Missouri
NCAA D-II Soccer First Team All-American
Dilkes, a senior from Andover, Kan., earned First Team All-American honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association after leading the Jennies soccer team to a national title. As the goalkeeper, she allowed only five goals. She led D-II in five categories, including a .949 save percentage, 21 shutouts and 12 consecutive shutouts.
Baylie Edwards, University of Central Missouri
NCAA D-II Soccer First Team All-American
A senior and former Raymore-Peculiar High School standout, Edwards earned First Team All-American honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association after finishing third on the national championship team with 28 points (12 goals scored, four assists) and helping to anchor the nation’s top defense.
Kayla Hamner, University of Central Missouri
NCAA D-II Soccer First Team All-American
Kayla Hamner, a redshirt senior and Mill Valley (Kan.) High School graduate, earned First Team All-American honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association after she helped the Jennies defense lead the nation in shutouts (21), shutout percentage (.808), goals against average (.190), save percentage (.949) and goals allowed (5). Her 21 goals scored were fifth on the team.
Seth Hebert, University of Central Missouri
NCAA D-II Football First Team All-American
A redshirt junior tight end who previously starred at Fort Zumwalt West High School, Hebert earned NCAA D-II First Team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association – the 19th Mules player to earn such an award. Hebert hauled in 34 catches for 573 yards and five touchdowns, including a 104-yard, two-TD game against Washburn.
Jada Scott, University of Central Missouri
NCAA D-II Soccer First Team All-American
Scott, a redshirt junior from Bel-Air, Kan., earned First Team All-American honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association after she led the Jennies with 49 points on 19 goals and 11 assists, becoming the first UCM player to reach 100 career points.
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COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS
Cassidy Johnson, College of the Ozarks
NCCAA D-I Basketball First Team All-American
Johnson, a sophomore from West Plains, averaged a team-best 14.4 points for the College of the Ozarks women’s basketball team and earned First Team All-American honors from the National Christian College Athletics Association.
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COLUMBIA COLLEGE
Molly Carter, Columbia College
NAIA Softball First Team All-American
A sophomore shortstop from Columbia, Carter earned NAIA First Team All-American honors after recording 87 RBI, tops in the NAIA as well as a program single-season record. She also hit a team-record 14 home runs, batting .430 with an .804 slugging percentage.
Taylor Possail, Columbia College
NAIA Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach of the Year
Possail helped guide Columbia College’s women’s basketball team to a 26-7 record in 2016-2017 and was named the NAIA Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. He was promoted to head coach after the season.
Carly Spalding, Columbia College
NAIA Softball First Team All-American
A senior from Monroe City, Spalding earned NAIA First Team All-American honors in softball after finishing in the top 10 nationally in 14 offensive categories, including first in runs scored per game (1.491), second in stolen bases (57) and third in total runs scored (82).
Abby Stricker, Columbia College
NAIA Long Jump National Champion
A 2016 graduate of Washington High School, Stricker became an NAIA Outdoor national champion, winning the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 6 inches.
Andrew Warner, Columbia College
NAIA Baseball First Team All-American
Warner, a junior from Lee’s Summit, became Columbia College’s first baseball player to earn NAIA First Team All-American honors in the program’s 35-year history. He ranked in the top five nationally in five offensive categories, including second in batting average (.478).
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CROWDER COLLEGE
Elvis Peralta, Crowder College
NJCAA Baseball First Team All-American
A sophomore from Lowell, Mass., Peralta earned First Team All-American honors from the National Junior College Athletics Association. In leading a 54-win Crowder College team to the Juco World Series, he hit .381 with 99 hits, including 11 home runs, and 75 runs scored, 74 RBI, 30 stolen bases and 76 RBI.
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DRURY UNIVERSITY
Joan Casanovas, Drury University
NCAA Division II 500 Freestyle & 1,650 Freestyle National Champion
A freshman from Spain, Casanovas won national titles in the 500 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships with times of 4 minutes, 18.64 seconds and 15:11.20.
Ryan Colombo, Drury University
NCAA D-II Baseball MVP & First Team All-American
Colombo, a senior from Seaman High School in Topeka, Kan., won the Josh Willingham Award as the MVP of NCAA Division II and earned First Team All-American honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. He hit .375 with 48 runs scored, 84 hits, 11 doubles and 43 RBI.
Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University
NCAA D-II Basketball Freshman All-American
Diestelkamp, a freshman from Owensville, earned NCAA Division II Freshman All-American honors from D-II Bulletin after averaging 11.6 points and grabbing 269 rebounds (second most in program history). Her efforts led to a 30-win season as Drury finished with a No. 6 ranking.
Drury University Women’s 200 Medley Relay
NCAA Division II National Champion
The foursome of Katya Rudenko, Zuza Chwadeczko, Vera Johansson and Bailee Nunn set a national record by winning the 200 medley relay at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, finishing in 1 minute, 38.78 seconds.
Drury University Women’s 200 Freestyle Relay
NCAA Division II Swimming National Champion
The team of Bailee Nunn, Vera Johansson, Katya Rudenko and Madeline Nelson won the 200-yard freestyle relay to become national champion at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, finishing in 1 minute, 31.03 seconds.
Bailee Nunn, Drury University
NCAA Division II 200 Breaststroke National Champion
A freshman from Marshfield, Nunn set a national record and won the 200 breaststroke national title at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, finishing in 2 minutes, 9.12 seconds.
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JEFFERSON CITY HIGH SCHOOL
Brian Ash, Jefferson City High School
ABCA High School Division I Coach of the Year
Ash led Jefferson City High School to the Class 5 state championship and a 31-2 record in 2017, earning the High School Division I Coach of the Year award from the American Baseball Coaches Association.
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KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals
American League Rawlings Gold Glove Winner
Gordon won his fifth Gold Glove after he led all left fielders with an ultimate zone rating of 11.5 and was third in defensive runs saved (9). He committed two errors, third-fewest in the majors.
Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals
American League Gold Glove Winner
Hosmer won his fourth Gold Glove, leading the majors with 34 scoops, a statistic that evaluates the number of errant throws a first baseman turns into an out. He committed four errors, tied for fifth-fewest among all first basemen, over 1,338 innings and also had a streak of 120 games without being charged with an error, a franchise record for a first baseman.
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LINCOLN UNIVERSITY
Sedeekie Edie, Lincoln University
NCAA D-II Outdoor Long Jump National Champion
Edie, a junior from Jamaica, won a national title in the long jump at NCAA Division II Outdoor, with a leap of 25.49 feet.
Lincoln University Men’s 4X100 Relay
NCAA D-II Outdoor National Champion
The foursome of Roberto Smith, Jakiel David, Stephen Rose and Miguel Barton won a national title in the 4×100-meter relay at the NCAA Division II Outdoor, running in 39.62 seconds.
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LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY
Erin Abbott, Lindenwood University
IWLCA First Team All-American
Abbott, a senior, led Lindenwood’s lacrosse team with 40 caused turnovers and 46 ground balls to earn First Team All-America honors from the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association.
Darrel Barnes, Lindenwood University
USA Weightlifting National Champion
A senior and graduate of McCluer North High School, Barns won the 136-pound weight class at the USA Weightlifting National Championships with lifts of 231 pounds in the snatch and 288 pounds in the snatch.
Darren Barnes, Lindenwood University
USA Weightlifting National Champion
Barnes won the 123-pound weight class at the USA Weightlifting National Championships, lifting 231 pounds in the snatch and 275.5 pounds in the jerk.
Muhammed Begaliev, Lindenwood University
USA Weightlifting National Champion
A sophomore from Uzbekistan, Begaliev won the 187-pound division at the USA Weightlifting Nationals, with lifts of 330 pounds and 401 pounds in the snatch and clean, respectively.
Rachel Benzing, Lindenwood University
IWLCA First Team All-American
Benzing, senior, paced Lindenwood’s lacrosse team with a team-leading 63 points in 15 games to earn First Team All-America honors from the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association.
Kallie Bildner, Lindenwood University
NCAA D-II Basketball Freshman All-American
Bildner, a Waynesville High School graduate, was named an NCAA Division II Freshman All-American by D-II Bulletin. She averaged 14.9 points a game with 9.2 rebounds and had 10 games of double-doubles (points, rebounds). That included a 33-point, 18-rebound effort.
Sophie Buelow, Lindenwood University
IWLCA First Team All-American
Buelow scored 44 goals and also had 15 assists, plus caused 14 turnovers for Lindenwood’s lacrosse team and earned First Team All-America honors from the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association.
Lori Eaton, Lindenwood University
Synchronized Swimming National Coach of the Year
Eaton guided Lindenwood’s to the national title of Synchronized Swimming and earned National Coach of the Year honors. It marked the third consecutive year in which Lindenwood won the national title.
Nick Feakes, Lindenwood University
Rugby First Team All-American
Feakes earned First Team All-American honors after leading Lindenwood to the national title at the USA Rugby Men’s Collegiate National Championships. He scored 34 points and earned MVP honors.
Hannah Finchamp, Lindenwood University
USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Champion
Finchamp, a senior from Kennewick, Wash., captured her second Women’s Short Track Cross Country national title at the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships, finishing only one second ahead of the second-place finisher. She also won the national title in the Cyclocross.
Victoria Francis, Lindenwood University
Wrestling National Champion
Francis, a senior from Litchfield, Ill., won the 170-pound division of the WCWA Women’s National Championships. Of her five wins there, one was by pin, and two others finished with scores of 12-7 and 11-4.
Serghei Golban, Lindenwood University
NCAA D-II Swimming 50 Freestyle National Champion
Golban, a junior from Moldova, won the 50 freestyle at the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships, finishing in 19.53 seconds.
Matt Griffiths, Lindenwood University
Five Stand Open Shooting National Champion
A junior from East Hampton, N.Y., Griffiths won the Individual Five Stand Open Title at the Sporting Clays National Championships. He also was a National Rifle Association First Team All-American.
Alyson Haylor, Lindenwood University
Synchronized Swimming Athlete of the Year
Haylor not only helped to lead Lindendwood’s Synchronized Swimming team to a national title but also was the 2017 Senior High Point Athlete of the Year for the national championships.
Evan Hartig, Lindenwood University
USA Cycling National Champion
Hartig, a junior from Dubuque, Iowa, won the Men’s Criterium title at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships.
McKenzie Hawkins, Lindenwood University
USA Rugby First Team All-American
A junior center from Maryville, Tenn., Hawkins was named a First Team All-American by USA Rugby. She helped Lindenwood reach the national championship game of the USA Rugby Collegiate 7s.
Shawn Kemeter, Lindenwood University
Sporting Clays National Champion
Shawn Kemeter won the Individual Sporting Clays Open title at the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target National Championships. He connected on 98 of 100 clays. He also was a National Rifle Association First Team All-American.
Chelsey McMichael, Lindenwood University
USA Weightlifting National Champion
McMichael won the 198-pound women’s division of the USA Weightlifting Nationals, lifting 198 pounds in the snatch, 182 pounds in the clean and 231 pounds in the jerk.
Jonathan Mead-Vancort, Lindenwood University
USA Cycling National Champion
Mead-Vancort, sophomore from Ithaca, N.Y., won the Men’s Individual Ominum crown at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals by placing third in the Road Race and third in the Criterium.
Brianna Miller, Lindenwood University
ACUI Collegiate 9-Ball Billiards National Champion
Miller became the first billiards player to win four national titles at Association of College Unions International’s Collegiate 9-Ball Championships, beating Maryland’s Heather Platter.
Matthew Montgomery, Lindenwood University
USA Weightlifting National Champion
A LaVernia, Texas native, Montgomery won the 207-pound division of USA Weightlifting Nationals, lifting almost 300 pounds in the snatch and almost 366 pounds in the clean.
Nic Moschetti, Lindenwood University
Men’s Skeet National Champion
Moschetti, a freshman from Bloomfield, Colo., won the men’s skeet competition at the National Junior Olympic Championships in Colorado, hitting 121 of 125 targets to advance to the finals and won the shoot-off with 59 more targets. He also was a National Rifle Association First Team All-American.
Tiffany Person, Lindenwood University
USA Rugby First Team All-American
A junior from Alexandria, Virginia, Person earned First Team All-American honors from USA Rugby. She helped Lindenwood reach the national championship game of the USA Rugby Collegiate 7s.
Chris Robinson, Lindenwood University
ACUI Collegiate 9-Ball Billiards National Champion
Robinson, from Ann Arbor, Mich., captured his first national title in billiards by winning the Association of College Unions International’s Collegiate 9-Ball Championships.
Austin Rodriguez, Lindenwood University
USA Weightlifting National Champion
Rodriguez, the team’s Olympic Weightlifting coach, won the 152-pound weight class at the USA Weightlifting Championships, hoisting 330 pounds in the snatch and 401 pounds in the clean.
Cristian Rodriguez, Lindenwood University
Rugby First Team All-American
Rodriguez, a fullback, was named a First Team All-American after leading Lindenwood to the USA Rugby Men’s Collegiate 7s National Championship. He crossed the scoring line in the sixth minute as the team was en route to a 26-5 win against St. Mary’s.
Kierstin Sokolowski, Lindenwood University
NCAA D-II Gymnastics Vault National Champion
Sokolowski earned her second career individual vault national championship at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate Championships. She received three 9.95 marks and one 9.90 score for a 9.9375 average, the second-highest in school history.
Tony Storic, Lindenwood University
Collegiate Water Polo First Team All-American
Storic, a graduate student from Croatia, led Lindenwood University to the national championship match of the Collegiate Water Polo Association Nationals and earned First Team All-American.
Jason Varozza, Lindenwood University
International Trap Open Shooting National Champion
A junior from St. Helenda, California, Varozza, won the Individual International Trap Open national title at the ACUI Clay Target National Championships. He was part of the Lindenwood Shotgun Sports team that won its 14th national title, too.
Chase Walter, Lindenwood University
NRA All-American
Walker earned First Team All-American honors from the National Rifle Association after a successful 2017 season with Lindenwood’s Shotgun Sports team.
Chance Wenglewski, Lindenwood University
Rugby First Team All-American
Wenglewski earned First Team All-American honors from USA Rugby 15s.
Lindenwood University Cheerleading Team
NCA/NDA National Champion
The Lindenwood University cheerleading team won its fourth national title at the NCA/NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships, scoring 98.80 to take the crown. It was the highest score ever for the squad, which avoided any deductions in the two-day event.
Lindenwood University Dance Team
UDA National Champion
The Lindenwood Lion Line won its seventh national title in program history by winning the Open Jazz Division at the Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Dance Team National championships.
Lindenwood University Olympic Weightlifting Team
Collegiate Weightlifting National Champion
The Lindenwood Olympic Weightlifting team swept the coed, men’s and women’s division of the Collegiate Weightlifting University Nationals. Darren Barnes, Darrel Barnes, Austin Rodriguez, Muhammad Begaliev, Matthew Montgomery and Chesley McMichael all won individual national titles.
Lindenwood University Roller Hockey Team
RHA D3 National Champions
The Lindenwood University Roller Hockey Team celebrated its seventh consecutive national title in the Roller Hockey Association’s D3 Tournament. Chris Visico was named the Top Playmaker, while Jason Novak, Jake Escarcega and Charles Robinson made the first team of the all-tournament team, with Escarcega the MVP and Robinson the Most Valuable Goaltender. Jalen Krogman and Trenton Matteson were First Team All-Tournament selections on the D1 list.
Lindenwood University Rugby Teams
Rugby College 7s National Champion
The Lady Lions won the USA Rugby College 7s national title in a 31-12 win against Life University, just weeks after falling to Penn State 28-25 in one of the closet national 15s championships ever. Meanwhile, the Lindenwood men’s rugby team also won the College 7s national title.
Lindenwood University Shotgun Sports
SCTP Collegiate National Champions
Lindenwood University’s Shotgun Sports team won its 14th consecutive national title at the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championships. The team included Chase Walker, Shawn Kemeter, Jason Varozza, Drew Feig, Matt Griffiths, Trevor Shockley, Justin Phillips, Quinten Smith, Nic Moschetti, Will Thomas, Kyle Johnson, Myles Walker, Gavin Scott, Hunter Derenski and Jake Hamm.
Lindenwood University Synchronized Swimming
U.S. National Champions
Lindenwood University’s Synchronized Swimming team won its third consecutive U.S. National Championships title, pulling off a clean sweep of solo, duet and team technical and free events. Led by individual High Point Champion Allyson Haylor, Lindenwood became the first program in 13 years to pull off the sweep.
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MISSOURI BAPTIST
Natalia Alfonzo, Missouri Baptist University
NAIA Indoor Race Walk National Champion
Alfonzo punctuated the end of her indoor track and field career by winning the 3,000-meter race walk at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships, setting a new national record with a time of 13 minutes, 49.84 seconds.
Kyle Foley, Missouri Baptist University
NAIA Volleyball Player of the Year
Foley not only earned First Team All-American honors in NAIA volleyball but was voted Player of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the second consecutive year. The junior from St. Louis ranked No. 2 in NAIA in assists per game (10.7).
Mico Janicijevic, Missouri Baptist University
NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American
Janicijevic, a senior from Serbia, earned First Team All-American honors in NAIA volleyball after leading the team with 388 kills en route to the national semifinals. He finished his career with a 1,620 kills.
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MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
Jake Burger, Missouri State University
NCAA D-I Baseball First Team All-American
A third baseman from Chesterfield, Burger was named an NCAA Division I First Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Baseball America after helping lead the Bears to an NCAA Super Regional. He hit 22 home runs (seventh-most in D-I in 2017) and ranked sixth nationally in runs scored (69) before being a first-round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox.
Jeremy Eierman, Missouri State University
NCAA D-I Baseball First Team All-American
A shortstop from Warsaw, Eierman was named an NCAA Division I First Team All-American by both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as well as Perfect Game/ Rawlings. He hit 23 home runs and hit .333 in six postseason games as the Bears reached an NCAA Super Regional.
Missouri State University Handball Team
National Champion
Coached by MSHOF Hall of Famer Dr. Tommy Burnett, the Missouri State University Handball Teams combined to win the 12th national title at the 65 annual Collegiate Championship. The men’s and women’s team combined to score 4,381 points, outpacing Minnesota State-Mankato by just 13 points. Earning All-American honors were Sam Esser, a sophomore from Olathe, Kan., who was the No. 1 men’s player, and Gretchen Gregory, a sophomore from St. Louis.
Mary Beth Payne, Missouri State University
National Champion, Collegiate Handball Championships
Payne, a Bolivar High School graduate, captured a national title in the National Collegiate Handball Championships. She defeated Tatum Gutierrez of Texas 21-13, 19-21 and 11-0 in the tiebreaker.
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MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Max Hogan, Missouri Southern State University
NCAA D-II Baseball First Team All-American
A third baseman from St. Louis, Hogan earned NCAA Division II First Team All-American honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Hogan, who led the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) in seven categories, hit .390 with 59 runs scored, 78 hits, 20 doubles, 15 home runs and 59 RBI. He was a 32nd-round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles.
Vincent Kiprop, Missouri Southern State University
NCAA D-II National Track Athlete of the Year
A sophomore from Kenya, Kiprop was named the NCAA Division II National Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He ran the seventh-best time in D-II Indoor history in the 10,000 meters (28 minutes, 19.94 seconds) and later won the D-II Outdoor 10,000 meters and set the D-II Outdoor record in the 5,000 meters (13:48.88).
Emily Presley, Missouri Southern State University
NCAA D-II Pole Vault National Champion
A sophomore from St. Clair, Presley earned her second consecutive pole vault national championship at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, with a height of 13 feet, 2.50 inches.
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MINERAL AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Pam Zuluaga, Mineral Area Community College
NJCAA Volleyball First Team All-American
Zuluaga, a sophomore setter from Bogota, Colombia, earned First Team All-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s list for the NJCAA. She ranked sixth nationally in assists and service aces (27) and led the team to a 36-2 record and No. 6 final ranking.
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UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
J’den Cox, University of Missouri
NCAA Division I Wrestling National Champion
A senior from Columbia, Cox won the 197-pound bracket of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, becoming the first Mizzou wrestler to win three national titles. He finished the season 28-0, joining Ben Askren with Mizzou’s only undefeated seasons.
Kameron Misner, University of Missouri
Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
Misner earned Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American honors after he hit .282 with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 34 RBI and had 17 stolen bases.
Karissa Schweizer, University of Missouri
NCAA Division I Indoor 5,000 Meters National Champion
A junior, Schweizer won her second NCAA national title by capturing the 5,000 meter run at the NCAA Indoor. She broke her own school record by finishing in 15 minutes, 19:14 seconds.
T.J. Sikkema, University of Missouri
Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
An All-Freshman team selection in the Southeastern Conference, Sikkema also earned it for Louisville Slugger nationally. He was 8-2 with a 2.72 ERA, four saves and struck out 81 in 79 1/3 innings.
Brian Smith, University of Missouri
NCAA D-I Wrestling Coach of the Year
Smith was named the NCAA Division I Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association after Mizzou finished fifth – its third-highest finish in program history – at the NCAA Championships. Mizzou had five All-Americans, tying the most in school history for a single national tournament.
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MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE
Uros Ilic, Missouri Valley College
NAIA Men’s Soccer Player of the Year
Ilic, a sophomore from Serbia, was named the NAIA Men’s Soccer Player of the Year and a First Team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches after leading Missouri Valley to the national championship game. He had four game-winning goals, tied for the team lead in goals (7) and was second in total points (17).
Ryan Barnes, Missouri Valley College
NAIA Lacrosse Player of the Year
Barnes, a sophomore from Farmington, Minn., was named the NAIA Lacrosse Player of the Year and an NAIA First Team All-American. He finished with team-bests in six categories, including goals (57), points (85), total shots (155).
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NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
Marcus Jones, Northwest Missouri State University
NCAA D-II Football First Team All-American
Jones, a senior defensive back and former North Kansas City High School standout, earned NCAA Division II First Team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association. In 12 games at cornerback, he had 33 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception.
Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri State University
NCAA D-II Basketball Coach of the Year
McCollum was named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and D-II Bulletin after guiding Northwest Missouri State to the national championship. The Bearcats earned 35 wins, a record for the program.
Justin Pitts, Northwest Missouri State University
NCAA D-II Basketball Player of the Year
Pitts, a 5-foot-9 junior guard from Blue Springs who led the Bearcats to the NCAA Division II national basketball title, was the Player of the Year by Basketball Times, the D-II Bulletin and the National Basketball Coaches Association. He also received the Bevo Francis Award, given to the nation’s top small-college basketball player. He broke five school single-season records, including points (754), field goals made (275) and assists (183).
Northwest Missouri State Men’s Basketball
NCAA D-II National Champion
The Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team won its first NCAA Division II national championship, beating Fairmont State 71-61 and finishing 35-1. Justin Pitts scored 23 points, and Chris-Ebou Ndow had 17 points and 18 rebounds while Anthony Woods 13 points.
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PARK UNIVERSITY
Daniel Arteaga, Park University
NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American
Arteaga was an NAIA First Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association after leading Park to a national title. He also was named the MVP of the 2017 NAIA Volleyball National Invitational Tournament.
Xavielle Brown, Park University
NAIA Basketball First Team All-American
Brown, a senior guard who repeated as the American Midwest Conference Player of the Year, averaged 21 points a game (seventh-best in NAIA Division I) and scored his 2,000th point en route to being named an NAIA First Team All-American.
Nada Meawad, Park University
NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American
Meawad was named the NAIA Volleyball Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She finished with 473 kills and hit .318, both top-30 numbers in the NAIA.
Mike Talamantes, Park University
NAIA/AVCA Men’s Volleyball Coach of the Year
Talamantes was named the Coach of the Year by the NAIA and American Volleyball Coaches Association after leading Park to the NAIA National Invitational Tournament championship. The 2017 marked his seventh year on campus, with his record now 151-35.
Oscar Tuero, Park University
NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American
Tuero earned NAIA Volleyball First Team All-American honors as a middle blocker for Park University, which won the 2017 national championship in the NAIA Invitational Tournament.
Park University Men’s Volleyball
NAIA National Invitational Champion
Third-ranked Park University upset top-ranked Grand View University to win the 2017 NAIA Volleyball Invitational Tournament, sweeping its way to a 36-34, 25-21, 25-16 victory. It was the program’s fifth national title as the Pirates finished the season 26-5.
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PLATO RESIDENT
Doug Kyle, Plato
Skeet Shooting National Champion
A Fair Grove High School graduate who is a reserve deputy for the Texas County Sheriff’s Office, Kyle won the Wayne Mays Championship at the National Skeet Shooting Association’s World Skeet Championships. He won in a shootoff after hitting all 100 targets and won the championship.
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ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL
Kyle Ruark, Rockhurst High School
High School Soccer First Team All-American
A senior, Ruark earned High School Soccer First Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches. He led Rockhurst to the Class 4 state title.
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ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY
Kaleb Jackson, Rockhurst University
NCAA D-II Soccer First Team All-American
Jackson, a senior and former standout at DeSmet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, helped to lead Rockhurst to its third consecutive NCAA Division II national semifinal, earning NCAA D-II First Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches. He led the team with 13 goals and 33 points.
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ROCKWOOD SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL-St. Louis
Billy Hency, Rockwood Summit High School
High School Soccer First Team All-American
Hency, a senior, received High School First Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches Association. He scored 12 goals and had nine assists for 33 points in 2017.
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SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE
Danny Wright, Southeast Missouri State
Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
An All-Freshman team pick in the Ohio Valley Conference, Wright also earned a spot on Louisville Slugger’s national list. He hit .376 with 13 doubles, five home runs, three triples and 36 RBI.
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SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Natalie O’Keefe, Southwest Baptist University
NCAA Division II Indoor High Jump National Champion
A senior from Granite City, Ill., O’Keefe repeated as a national champion in the high jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, with a jump of 5.77 feet. She went on to receive the Ken B. Jones Award, the top award from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).
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JOHN VIANNEY HIGH SCHOOL
Steven Bibas, St. John Vianney High School
High School Soccer First Team All-American
A senior forward, Bibas earned High School Soccer First Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches. He helped St. John Vianney to a runner-up finish in Class 4 and scored 12 goals and nine assists for 33 points – including five game-winning goals.
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JOSEPH’S ACADEMY of St. Louis
Gabby Blossom, St. Joseph’s Academy-St. Louis
High School Volleyball First Team All-American
Blossom earned the High School First Team All-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association after leading St. Joseph’s Academy to the Class 4 state championship. In her career, she tallied 2,560 career assists and led the team to an 111-26-4 record.
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St. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Chrishana Wilson, St. Louis Community College
NJCAA Basketball First Team All-American
A 5-foot-10 freshman forward, Wilson earned First Team All-America honors in the National Junior College Athletics Association after averaging 17.1 points and 14.7 rebounds a game for St. Louis Community College.
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TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Christa Reisinger, Truman State University
NCAA D-II Softball First Team All-American
Reisinger, a junior from Winfield, earned NCAA Division II First Team All-American honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association after winning the D-II batting title with a .509 average, just four percentage points from tying the all-time record.
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WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Lane Lohr, Washington University
NCAA Division III Women’s Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year
The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named Lohr its Assistant Coach of the Year in NCAA Division III Women’s Track and Field. He coached five events in which Washington University earned medals as it won the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.
Brandon Lum, Washington University
NCAA Division III 200 Butterfly National Champion
A sophomore from Ventura, Calif., Lum won the 200 butterfly race at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving National Championships, setting a race record with a time of 1 minute, 44.56 seconds.
Brad Margolin, Washington University
NCAA D-III Baseball Gold Glove Winner
A senior from Northbrook, Ill., Margolin earned a Gold Glove from the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings in NCAA Division III. He finished the season with a .969 fielding percentage, committing only one error in 32 chances.
Deko Ricketts, Washington University
NCAA Division III 800 Meters Indoor & Outdoor National Champion
A senior from Kansas City’s Barstow School, Ricketts won two national titles in the 800 meters in the NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He finished in 1 minute, 51.07 seconds and won the Outdoor in a photo finish, in 1:51.30.
Rebecca Ridderhoff, Washington University
NCAA Division III 400 Meter Hurdles National Champion
Ridderhoff won the 400 meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, finishing in 60.15 seconds in a race that vaulted Washington University into first place midway through the meet.
Jeff Stiles, Washington University
NCAA Division III Women’s Track & Field Coach of the Year
The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named Stiles its Coach of the Year in NCAA Division III Women’s Track and Field. He guided the Washington University women’s teams to dual national titles in the NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor championships.
Washington University Women’s Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field Team
NCAA Division III Indoor & Outdoor National Champion
Ranked No. 1 all season, Washington University’s women’s track and field team won the NCAA Division III Indoor & Outdoor championships – with the Outdoor title its first in school history. At the Outdoor, the team scored 56 points, or 19 more than the second-place finisher, thanks to seven medalists.
Washington University, Women’s Relay Team
NCAA Division III Distance Medley National Champion
Audrey Western, Kelli Hancock, Ashley Knudson and Alison Lindsay teamed together to win a national title in the distance medley relay at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, finishing in 11 minutes, 48.43 seconds.
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WEBSTER UNIVERSITY
Josh Fleming, Webster University
NCAA D-III Baseball First Team All-American
A junior left-handed pitcher from Columbia, Ill., Fleming earned NCAA Division III First Team All-American honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association. He was 8-1 with a Division III-best 0.68 ERA as he struck out 115 and walked 12. He was a fifth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays.
