The UT Tyler soccer and cross country teams not only excelled on the pitch and the course, respectively, but also before, during and following the competition.
The two teams were each rewarded with the American Southwest Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Team Sportsmanship Award for the fall of 2013. This marks the sixth and seventh times a Patriots team has won the award.
The award, started during the 2007-08 academic year, honors the member institution in each ASC championship sport that best displays positive qualities of sportsmanship and fair play from its student-athletes, coaches and fans throughout the season.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committees from the conference’s 12-member institutions vote on the recipients.
This is the third time the men’s cross country team has won the award (2010, 2012, 2013) and the first in program history for the men’s soccer team.
Kenny Jones is head coach of the soccer squad, while Sylvester Jallah is his assistant.
Soccer team members include: Lance Quini, Cibolo; Reed Casterlin, Arlington; Alex Capuzzi, League City; Sergio Gardea, El Paso; Nick Mathews, Spring; Emerson Ornstein, Houston; Kaleb Garcia, Palestine; Diego Gutierrez Chavez, Guanajuato, Mexico; Alonso Rivera, Killeen; Michael Wilkins, Tyler; Alex Sanchez, Henderson; Enoch Shipman, Lindale; Austin Fletcher, Deer Park; Alan Arroyo, Guanajuato, Mexico; Kirby Guidry, Missouri City; Christian Olague, Henderson; James Winkler, Montgomery; Andrew Hayes, Friendswood; David Lopez-Molinar, El Paso; Douglas Leighton, Houston; Jose Barron, Kilgore; Taylor Nelson-Cook, Arlington; Alfonso Rocha, Spring; Brandon Severyn, San Antonio; Edwin Villatoro, Grand Prairie; Erick De Santiago, Little Elm; Trevor Self, New Braunfels; Erik Sanchez, Deer Park; Parker Hood, Houston; and Elijah Shipman, Lindale.
Bob Hepler is the head coach of the cross country team and he is assisted by Grant Spencer.
Cross country team members are: Brady Adger, Carrollton; Conner Benson, Humble; Derek Blain, Marietta, Ohio; Kyle Clawson, Richmond; Ryan Davis, Houston; Daniel Dee, Cushing; Nico Galicia, Houston; Jason Hamilton, Dallardsville; Jeffrey Henry, Topeka, Kan.; Nick Huff, Holly Lake Ranch; Matthew Irwin, Lindale; CJ Kornman, Longview; Matthew Markert, Lucas; Ford Noack, Tomball; Cesar Rodriguez, San Antonio; Kenny Sakun, Carrollton; Tyler Sellers, Hallsville; Ryan Townsend, Longview; Gerardo Viera, Mesquite; Alex Wilson, McKinney; Eric Zamora, Austin; and Miles Zeorlin, Tyler.
HITTING THE HARDWOOD
While the Herrington Patriot Center will be busy Friday and Saturday for the usual TABO Scholarship Tournament, the Patriots basketball squads will be venturing to Clarksville, Ark., for the ASC openers on Saturday.
The Patriot women are 2-1 and the Lady Eagles are 1-2.
The Patriot men are 1-1 on the young season, while the Eagles are 2-1.
After the visit to Razorback country, the Patriots are home for the holidays with five dates in the friendly confines of the Herrington Patriot Center.
ASC doubleheaders are set for Dec. 5 (UT Dallas, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.), Dec. 7 (Hardin-Simmons, 1 and 3 p.m.), Dec. 14 (Ozarks, 1 and 3 p.m.), Dec. 17 (LeTourneau, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.) and Dec. 19 (East Texas Baptist, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.).