MSU's Willson Named to LSC 75th Anniversary Team
WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Former Midwestern State University softball pitcher and current student assistant pitching coach Brittany Willson is among the top 75 Lone Star Conference stduent-athletes and coaches from sports other that football and basketball in a team announced this week as the LSC continues it's year-long 75-year anniversary commemoration.
The LSC, known to be the oldest collegiate athletic conference in the southwestern United States, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with a tribute to its outstanding teams and great sports personalities. An NCAA Division II conference with 15 member institutions in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas, the LSC was founded on April 25, 1931. The 1931-32 athletic seasons were the first for the league. In October, 75 football standouts were honored, and 75 basketball stars were recognized in January.
The Top 75 all-sports listing includes 32 men's and 23 women's athletes along with 20 coaches from the sports of baseball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field and volleyball.
Willson led MSU to the LSC Championship as a senior in 2006, LSC North Division titles in 2004 and 2006 and to the NCAA Division II Tournament the first three season's of the team's existence.
She was named Third-Team AFCA All-America last season after leading MSU to a 44-15 season where she was 29-10 with 270 strikeouts and a 1.38 ERA.
Including her one season at Texas Woman's University prior to MSU starting softball, Willson posted a 93-40 career record with a 1.46 ERA and 834 strikeouts. Her 93 wins is a Lone Star Conference record.
Willson earned AFCA All-South Central Region first-team honors three times and second-team once. She was named LSC North Pitcher of the Year twice, first-team All-LSC North or South all four seasons she pitched and was the league's Freshman of the Year as well.
Abilene Christian leads the listing with a total of 33 current and former Wildcats including a number of track and field honorees. Texas A&M-Kingsville (formerly Texas A&I) and West Texas A&M each added seven honorees.
A few of the other distinguished student-athletes on the list are Katie Bryan, Sarah Butler, Darrell Green, Earnest Haynes, Dax Johnston, Michelle King, J.L. Lewis, Brad Massey, Nicodemus Naimadu, Billy Olson, Jeev Singh, Yolande Straughn and Alexis Wing. Seven coaches on the list -- Debbie Hendricks, Don W. Hood, Kim Hudson, Vince Jarrett, Neal Kinlund, Wes Kittley and Jon Murray -- led their respective teams to one or more national championships.
Twelve of the honorees are currently associated with the LSC: Dianne Baker, compliance coordinator/promotions manager at Texas Woman's; Britt Bonneau, baseball head coach at ACU; Kathleen Brasfield, athletic director at Angelo State; Butler, volleyball assistant coach at WTAMU; Mike Cook, women's soccer head coach at Central Oklahoma; Jerry Hrnciar, men's golf head coach at Cameron; Hutton Jones, men's and women's tennis head coach at ACU; Julie Mata, softball head coach at Tarleton State; Naimadu, junior track & field student-athlete at ACU; Wendell Simmons, baseball head coach at UCO; Kim Vinson, associate athletic director at CU and Chantiel Wilson (McDonnell), softball head coach at ACU.
The LSC has a rich tradition in track and field including former Texas A&I sprinters Green and Haynes.
Green ran a 10.08 in the 100-meter dash in 1981 which still stands as the all-time best in the league. He also holds the LSC marks, set at the annual conference meet, in the 100- (10.22) and 200-meter (20.67) dashes.
Haynes was a top sprinter with the Javelinas. In the 1969 national meet, he ran a 9.3 in the 100-yard dash, tying the national mark set by Bob Hayes of Florida A&M which still stands.
The ACU trio of Olson, Straughn and Naimadu represent a long line of Wildcat standouts in track and field.
Olson was a U.S. Olympian in 1988 and his career best of 19-5.5 still ranks him among the top 10 U.S. vaulters of all time. He won four LSC pole vault titles and eight NAIA national championships while setting the indoor world record 11 times.
Straughn won a total of 17 conference and national championships in individual events and relays as well as belonging to four straight LSC championship teams and a total of six national title teams in indoor and outdoor track and field. She also competed in the 1988 Olympics for her native Barbados.
Naimadu, the only current student-athlete to make the top 75 team, is one of the greatest distance runners in NCAA history. A junior, he has already won 10 individual national championships in both cross country and track and field. He is the only male athlete in Division II history to win three cross country national titles.
Lamar's Ridgeway holds the distinction of Texas' first seven-foot high jumper including a NAIA national title and three LSC championships.
Johnston, Lewis and Singh all won national titles on the links. UCO's Johnston was the Division II Player of the Year in 1996 and a two time first team All-American selection. Texas State's Lewis turned pro in 1984 and is a player on the PGA Tour with two wins to his credit. Singh is currently ranked No. 47 in the Official World Golf rankings after a stellar career at ACU.
Butler is WTAMU's most decorated volleyball player and had her No. 7 jersey retired following her playing days. Now the assistant volleyball coach for the Lady Buffs, she is a three-time All-American and a two-time Division II National Player of the Year. Prior to playing at WTAMU, Butler was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 1996 after a stellar first year at Texas.
Bryan and Wing stood out on the softball diamond and each still holds LSC records. Bryan of ACU is the league's career leader in home runs and runs batted in, while ASU's Wing holds the season hits mark after earning first team All-American honors twice and leading ASU to the national championship in 2004.
Massey led the Wildcats to the 2003 College Baseball World Series after earning MVP honors at the South Central Region tournament. An offensive power, he was a three-time first team all-LSC South Division selection.
King won the NCAA Division II individual tennis national championship in 1992 and was a three-time all-America singles player at ACU. She won three straight conference singles and doubles titles (1990-92).
On the soccer pitch, Cook started the UCO program in 1998 and has led the Bronchos to five regular-season LSC titles. The five-time LSC Coach of the Year has also guided UCO to five Division II playoff appearances.
Below is the list of all 75 student-athletes and coaches in alphabetical order by school:
Abilene Christian: Brian Amos; Tracey Barnes; Tim Bright; Katie Bryan; Britt Bonneau; Matt Davidson; Sylvia Dyer; Delloreen Ennis-London; Cliff Felkins; Yolanda Henry; Don W. Hood; Brek Horn; Vince Jarrett; Dale Jenkins; Hutton Jones; John Kemboi; Michelle King; Wes Kittley; Marlene Lewis; Brad Massey; Chantiel McDonnell; Jane McNeill; Jon Murray; Nicodemus Naimadu; Billy Olson; Shelly Owen; Brad Pursley; Jeev Singh; Yolande Straughn; Donna Sykes; Mazel Thomas; Freddie Williams; Mark Witherspoon.
AngeloState: Kathleen Brasfield; David Noble; Joshua Owusu; Alexis Wing.
Cameron: Jerry Hrnciar; Kim Vinson.
Central Oklahoma: Ricky Belk; Alma Brahimaj; Mike Cook; Dax Johnston; Wendell Simmons; Skip Wagnon.
East Texas State/Texas A&M-Commerce: Delmer Brown; John Carlos; Charles Holding; R.L. Lasater
Lamar: Pedro Bueno; Colin Ridgeway; James Schmidt.
McMurry: Rickey Parris.
MidwesternState: Brittany Willson.
North Texas: Delmer Brown
Northeastern State: Alli Toomer
TarletonState: Olan Coleman; Julie Mata.
Texas A&I/Texas A&M-Kingsville: Darrell Green; Maria Gutierrez; Earnest Haynes; Matt Hickl; Garrett Murdy; Lashawndra Ratcliff; John Rivera.
TexasState: Neal Kinlund; J.L. Lewis; Bill Woodley.
TexasWoman's: Dianne Baker.
West Texas A&M: Sarah Butler; Debbie Hendricks; Kim Hudson; Kendra Morgan; Jill Myatt; Ana Carolina "Carol" Pereira; Ana Cristina "Tita" Pereira.
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