2012-13 ATHLETICS YEAR IN REVIEW FOOTBALL
• Lions rally in the final minute to tie the game against rival Texas A&M-Kingsville, then defeat the Javelinas 21-14 in overtime to capture the Chennault Cup for the first time since 2001. • Linebacker Danny Mason named the 2012 Lone Star Conference Linebacker of the Year, ranking third nationally in tackles per game (11.5). • Mason became the eighth Lion linebacker to be named a two-time first team All-LSC selection and was named a second team All-American by Beyond Sports Network in addition to earning first team Daktronics All-Region honors. Mason would represent Team Texas in the 2013 Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Game. • Colby Carthel was named A&M-Commerce’s 19th head football coach, being hired to take over the program on January 22, 2013.
VOLLEYBALL
• A&M-Commerce reaches 20 victories on the season, an improvement of nine matches from 2011, and finish fifth in the Lone Star Conference, advancing to the LSC quarterfinals. • Middle blocker Rachel Robertson was named the 2012 Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in hitting percentage, points per set and kills per set. • Robertson finished her career ranked third all-time in program history in career kills with 1,359. • Three Lions garnered All-LSC honors, including Robertson (first team), setter Jordan Neal (second team) and middle blocker Breanne Snyder (Honorable Mention). • Robertson and right side hitter Kayla Bond were recognized as Capital One Academic All-District selections as the duo were both named to the LSC’s Volleyball All-Academic team.
SOCCER
• Forward Brionna Minde was named the Lone Star Conference Academic Player of the Year after leading the LSC in assists in 2012. • Minde and defenseman Eva Brutto were named NSCAA third team All-Region selections. • Brutto was named to the All-Lone Star Conference first team while forward Anitra Wright was a second team honoree. • Midfielder Callie Annett was named a Capital One Academic All-District selection and joined Minde on the LSC Soccer All-Academic team.
CROSS COUNTRY
• Dorian McCradic was named the Lone Star Conference’s Freshman of the Year after placing sixth at the 2012 LSC Championships in Lawton, Okla. • Fellow freshman Luis Romero joined McCradic on the All-Lone Star Conference team after placing 15th at the conference championships. • Senior Alex Kimp was named to the LSC Cross Country All-Academic team for the second consecutive season.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
• A&M-Commerce had one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the nation, posting a nine-win improvement in 2012-13. • A&M-Commerce posted one of the greatest upsets in Lone Star Conference Championship history as the seventh-seeded Lions toppled regular season co-champion Abilene Christian 80-79 in the quarterfinals at the Allen Event Center. • Head coach Nicole Anderson was named the 2012-13 Lone Star Conference co-Coach of the Year. Forward Breanna Harris was tabbed a second team All-LSC selection while guard Danielle Dixon was an All-LSC honorable mention selection.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
• Head coach Sam Walker became the all-time winningest coach in A&M-Commerce history as the Lions rallied to defeat reigning LSC champion Midwestern State 74-66 at the Field House on January 9, 2013. The victory was the 202nd of Walker’s career, moving him past Hall of Famer Jim Gudger as the all-time Lion victories leader. • A&M-Commerce qualified for the Lone Star Conference Basketball Championship for the ninth-straight year, the second-longest active streak in the LSC, and the 34th time overall - the most appearances of any conference institution. • Forward Andrew Davis was named a first team Capital One Academic All-American, one year after earning third team honors. He was also the Lone Star Conference’s Academic Player of the Year for men’s basketball. • Forward Preston Whitley was named an honorable mention All-LSC selection, concluding his Lion career by becoming the latest member of the A&M-Commerce 1,000-point club.
MEN’S GOLF
• Freshman Kason Childress made an impression in his first collegiate tournament, tying for the individual championship at the Paris J.C. Dragon Invitational on September 17, 2013. • Junior C.J. Clem was named a second team All-Lone Star Conference selection after leading the Lions in scoring average. • Sophomore Marcus Sanna was named to the LSC Men’s Golf All-Academic team. • Clem became the third Lion since 2000 to qualify for the NCAA South Central Regional, shooting a 4-over 220 and finishing among the top-50 of the individual standings.
WOMEN’S GOLF
• Junior Sara Diaz was named the Lone Star Conference Academic Player of the Year for women’s golf. • Diaz finished the year with one top-10 and five top-20 individual showings, highlighted by a fifth-place finish at the Lion Invitational on March 14-15, 2013, being named to the All-Tournament team. • Junior Chantry McMahan was named to the All-LSC honorable mention team after posting three top-10 and three additional top-20 showings for the Lions in 2012-13.
TRACK AND FIELD
• Three Lions qualified for the 2013 NCAA Division II National Championships as Dakota Fountain (long jump), Vanessa Jackson (400 meter dash) and Ashley Ross (discus) each placed among the top-20 at the national meet. • Fountain claimed the Lone Star Conference championship in the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.68 meters, ranking third in Division II. • Five school records were broken during the 2013 season, including Luis Romero running a 1:51.62 in the 800 meter run at the LSC Championships, breaking a school record that had stood since 1960. • 10 Lions garnered USTFCCCA All-Region honors, including a pair for sophomore Matt Rich who was among the top-five in the region in both the javelin and the decathlon. • Alex Kimp was named the Lone Star Conference Men’s Track and Field Academic Athlete of the Year, giving the Lions four Academic Players of the Year in 2012-13, tying for the most of any LSC institution.
SOFTBALL
• A&M-Commerce announced the addition of a softball program, which will begin competition in the spring of 2015. Richie Bruister was named the program’s first-ever head coach at a press conference on July 17.
2013 A&M-Commerce Football
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