The New Mexico Athletic Directors Association, interscholastic athletic directors in the state of New Mexico, is proud to announce the 2012 NMADA Male and Female Scholar Athlete Award Winners.

2012 NMADA Female Scholar Athlete – Shelby Walker, Des Moines High School, nominated by Deanna Walker, Des Moines High School Athletic Director. Shelby earned a total of 13 varsity letters in volleyball, basketball, and track during her career at DMHS. She is a member of the all state first team in both volleyball and basketball, and was also selected for the NMHSCA North – South All Star Volleyball Match. She has excelled in academics as well with a very strong GPA, rank in class, and ACT scores. Her academic program included college prep and dual credit college course work as well as Voc/Ag. In the summers, Shelby gets plenty “hands on” experience in the ranching business, especially building and repairing fences. Shelby has signed to play volleyball at Trinidad Junior College where she intends to complete a science degree in preparation for transfer to a 4 year school for a B.S. and ultimately Veterinary School.

Spragg, a 6′ 4″ phenom, has recently given her verbal commitment to the University of New Mexico, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The Lobo program has a history of picking up New Mexico’s gems for their program, including Ashley Rhoades, Jayla Trombley, Miquella Lovato and more recently getting verbal commitments from  Cassie House and Julia Warren.

Spragg plays on the New Mexico Juniors 16 Black squad, coached by Geoff Lawson.

Read more about Victoria’s decision in the Albuquerque Journal (subscription required): http://www.abqjournal.com/sports/2012/05/01/belen-sophomore-commits-to-lobo-volleyball.html 

Way to go, Victoria!

El Paso Franklin’s Arielle Bond recently signed a NLI to play with Angelo State, in San Angelo, Texas.

The 6′ 1″ OH/MB earned numerous awards while playing for the legendary Flo Valdez: 2011 5A Academic All-District, 2011 All-District and El Paso Times’ 2011 All City 1st Team. Bond served as the team captain her senior year, while helping lead the Cougars to the 1-5A District Championship. Club-wise, Bond suited up for the El Paso Heat and more recently, 915 United.

Angelo State, coached by Chuck Waddington, competes in the Lone Star Conference, a NCAA DII Conference and had a successful 2011-12 season, finishing 31-6 and losing to West Texas A&M in the 2011 Lone Star Conference Tournament. The Rambelles earned a spot in the NCAA Division II tournament, and progressed to the second round where they fell to Central Missouri.

Mesilla Valley Christian Schools has announced former Aggie great, Kelli Goodan, has accepted the head coaching position.

Goodan, currently employed at MVCS teaching and leading the FFA program, will take over for Amanda Whatley.

A native of Des Moines, NM, Goodan was a four-time academic All-WAC selection, 2009 Preseason all-WAC honoree while earning her undergraduate degree in agriculture and extension education. She spent two season as an Aggie graduate assistant coach while earning her master’s and coached in club with the Diamondbacks for four years.

Considered a natural leader during her tenure on the Aggie squad, Goodan is good fit for the program that had it’s share of success in the past.

Congratulations and good luck, coach!

Cristal Quiñones, NMMI head coach Shelby Forchtner and Gadsen head coach Al Rosen. Courtesy Shelby Forchtner

Congrats to Cristal Quiñones for signing her national letter of intent to play with New Mexico Military Institute.

Quiñones was part of the talented Panther front line that helped bring home two state championships, in 2010 and 2011.

Since starting at NMMI in 2006, head coach Shelby Forchtner has actively recruited in the New Mexico area and Gadsden has proven to be fertile ground for talented recruits, including 2008  NMMI signee, Liz Castellanos. Quiñones looks to be no different.

“We are extremely excited to get a student athlete like Cristal not only will she be able to step in and push for a starting spot as a freshmen because of her history with Gadsden,” said Forchtner. “I feel the school really suits what she is searching for in terms of her future and law enforcement.  So she is a great addition to our class of freshmen for 2012 and we hope to see great things of her on  and off the court.”

Congratulations and good luck!

Congratulations to Pricilla Jaramillo, who was named the head coach for the Gadsden Panthers.

Coach Jaramillo replaces Al Rosen, who will left to start up the nascent program at Centennial High School in Las Cruces.

Jaramillo has held a variety of coaching responsibilities at Gadsden for a number of years, acting as the assistant when the varsity team made their two championship runs.

Good luck, Coach!

The selections are obvious and it’s good to see Serna, Jackson and Lujan get the nod. With so much talent in the metro area, one could easily stack at least one more team with quality players, including Clevelend’s Jordan Bruere. Don’t forget the players from  Class 3A Sandia Prep (Mwaura, Felson) and Hope Christian (Berniklau, Westlake).

Way to go!

First Team

• Sara Hattis, Cleveland, middle
• Cassie House, Cleveland, outside
• Julia Warren, La Cueva, outside
• Sara Weber, St. Pius, outside
• Lindsay Bost, Cleveland, libero
• Brandi Torr, La Cueva, setter

Second Team

• Kaira Lujan, Abq Academy, middle
• Jasmine Serna, St. Pius, setter
• Rachael Bradley, Sandia, outside
• Felicity Jackson, St. Pius, libero
• Marissa Calvillo, Cleveland, outside
• Stephanie Wilson, Cibola, outside

Rosen

Al Rosen, Gadsden’s head coach, will be taking the helm at Centennial High School beginning in May, 2012.

The newest high school in Las Cruces, Centennial’s population will include a cross section from each of the other three high schools, but will impact Las Cruces High the most. The high school will begin the 2012-13 season with primarily a freshmen and sophomore population, and compete in Class 4A for two seasons.

This is Rosen’s first attempt at building a program from scratch, but given his penchant for winning and coaching skills, expect the program to be force in short time.

Williamson Named to Capital One Academic All-America First Team

Dec. 15, 2011

TOWSON, Md. – University of New Mexico senior Kelly Williamson was selected to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Volleyball First Team today. Williamson is the first-ever repeat recipient in program history, as she was named to the academic All-America third team last year. She is also the first Lobo volleyball athlete ever to be selected to the academic All-America first team.

“It’s a great honor,” Williamson said. “I would never have achieved it without the support of my team, coaches, professors, parents and the incredible academic support staff at UNM. I would like to give special thanks to Katie Scanlon, my academic advisor, who kept me on track to graduate and was someone I could always turn to for great advice. I would also like to thank my parents who instilled good work ethic and passion into me from a young age. Thanks go out to my professors, who have challenged me to go beyond the classroom to discover my love for science and the environment and to my team and coaches who have made my experience at UNM so unforgettable.”

The award is a true testament to what hard work and dedication in the classroom can bring. Williamson is the epitome of what a student athlete should strive to be. Her relentless diligence finally paid off in the form of an academic All-America first team selection. The award should come as now surprise when looking at Williamson’s track record.

First and foremost, Williamson was named a Rhodes Scholar Candidate in 2010. She has made UNM’s Dean’s List all three years she has attended UNM. She is one of the UNM Student Athlete Advisory Committee Representatives. And she is involved in student government as a senator in ASUNM.

Williamson is a Conservation Biology major with a 4.00 G.P.A. and is a three-time member of the All-MW Academic team. Last June, Williamson competed in the USA Challenge Invitational Tournament for the Bring it Promotions (BIP)/USA Development Team. BIP, in conjunction with USA Volleyball, sent two teams of top-level collegiate players to compete in the event in Beijing, China. She was also named the Lobo Club Student-Athlete of The Year for community service contributions as well as academic excellence.

The 6-2 outside hitter also earned her stripes on the court this season, as she was a first team All-Mountain West selection. The Buenos Aires, Argentina, native led the Lobos to a 14-15 record and was second on the team with 3.64 kills per set, while averaging 1.51 digs per set.

To paint an even brighter picture of Williamson’s academic achievements you would have to start by mentioning the fact she was named a Rhodes Scholar candidate in 2010. She has made UNM’s Dean’s List all three years she has attended UNM. She is one of the UNM Student Athlete Advisory Committee Representatives and is also involved in student government as a Senator in ASUNM.

Williamson’s societal contributions don’t just start and stop with academic accolades and on court success. Staying true to her conservation biologist background, the activist in her came out while at UNM. During her time as a Lobo, Williamson organized annual “Green Games” during her playing career. The aim of the events was to ensure that everyone gained an understanding of how sustainability can be incorporated into their daily lives.

Head coach Jeff Nelson summed everything up by adding, “”Kelly is our first two-time academic All-American, she works really hard at everything she does and is exceptional in the classroom. She really leads our team in terms of classroom and community service and I think she’s really deserving of the award. I don’t know anyone in that group that’s worked harder and that has been more involved on campus and in everything else. I’m really excited for her and it’s exciting to have her win it two years in a row.”

Courtesy Gatorade

CHICAGO (December 14, 2011) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Julia Warren of La Cueva High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade New Mexico Volleyball Player of the Year. Warren is the first Gatorade New Mexico Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from La Cueva High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Warren as New Mexico’s best high school volleyball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award announced in December, Warren joins an elite alumni association of past state volleyball award winners, including USA Volleyball players Kim Glass (2001-02, Horseshoe HS, Penn.), Kim Willoughby (1998-99, 1999-00, Assumption HS, La.) and Ogonna Nnamani (1999-00, University HS, Ill).

The 6-foot-1 junior outside hitter recorded 618 kills, 455 digs, 78 blocks, 78 service aces and 57 assists this past season while posting a hitting percentage of .445 and leading the Bears (18-4) to the Class 5A state semifinals. The state leader in both kills and digs, Warren is a Class 5A First Team All-State selection and was one of 33 players invited to the USA Volleyball High Performance Women’s Junior A2 Team’s summer camp in July, 2011. She has collected 1,035 kills and 807 digs in her prep volleyball career.

Warren has maintained a 3.0 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally with a literacy-outreach program, as a Special Olympics coach and as part of multiple community service initiatives in association with the Young Life ministry.

“Julia Warren has got a lot of different shots,” said Al Rosen, head coach of Gadsden High. “She’s very powerful. She handles the ball, defends—I even saw her as a setter last year when they were shorthanded. She carried that team, period.”

Warren has verbally committed to play volleyball on an athletic scholarship at the University of New Mexico beginning in the fall of 2013.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Warren joins recent Gatorade New Mexico Volleyball Players of the Year Nathalie Castellanos (2010-11, Gadsden HighSchool), Halie Harton (2009-10, Goddard) and Kristin Valencia (2008-09, Moriarty) among the state’s list of former award winners.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.