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PAGE 8 July 2025
Gadsden State Athletes named to Spring 2025 ACCC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll
AU PRO BASKETBALL SIGNEE - Former Alabama women’s basketball guard and current Las Vegas Ace, Aaliyah Nye, has signed with Athletes Unlimited (AU) Pro Basketball for the 2026 season. AU Pro Basketball will tip off its fifth championship season on Feb. 4, 2026, at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, TN, and will run until Feb. 28. The competition features a fast-paced, full-court, 5-on-5 format with an innovative scoring system where every player can lose or win points during each game. Aaliyah Nye Became Alabama’s 10th overall draft pick in program history after being selected by the Las Vegas Aces as the 13th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. She has Competed in every game so far during her rookie season with the Aces, making 21 appearances and she currently ranks in the WNBA top 25 for three-point percentage (21st; 36.7%). She played for the Crimson Tide from 2022-25, becoming the program’s all-time three-pointer shooter. GREEN HEADED TO EUROPE - Former Alabama women’s basketball player, Zaay Green, has signed a professional contract with Kibirkštis Vilnius in Lithuania, Europe, and will compete for the team during the upcoming 2025-26 season. Green competed for Alabama during the 2024-25 season at starting point guard. She became the program's 11th overall draft pick after being selected by the Washington Mystics in round three of the 2025 WNBA Draft. CRIMSON TIDE TENNIS - Alabama women’s tennis head coach Jonatan Berhane has named Women’s Tennis Association professional (WTA), Cristina Sanchez- Quintanar, as an assistant coach. Sanchez-Quintanar most recently coached two seasons at Texas (2023-25) after a spending couple of years at the helm of the Arkansas women’s tennis team (2021-23). While at Arkansas, she led the Razorbacks to the program’s best conference performance since 2009 with eight wins. Prior to her head coaching stint, Sanchez-Quintanar served as assistant coach at the University of Central Florida for five seasons (2016-21) following her professional career. The Crimson Tide tennis program also recently added elite incoming freshman Amina Salibayeva. She is a standout tennis player from Almaty, Kazakhstan and has competed at high levels during her prep years. BALLIN IN BOUTWELL - For the second straight season, the Alabama men's basketball team will play in an exhibition game at the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham. The Crimson Tide will face Florida State in the Ballin In Boutwell exhibition game, which is set for 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at www.ballininboutwell.com. The Alabama women’s basketball team is also set to play Florida State in an exhibition game at the Boutwell Auditorium. The Crimson Tide and Seminole women are set to play in Ballin in Boutwell on October 16 at Noon CT. FOUR-STAR PROSPECT - Alabama Head Men's Basketball Coach Nate Oats has announced the signing of Collins Onyejiaka, who will continue his playing career at the Alabama men's basketball program starting in the 2025- 26 season. Onyejiaka is the eighth member of the Crimson Tide’s 2025 signing class that is ranked No. 4 in the country, according to 247Sports, that includes Amari Allen, Jalil Bethea, Taylor Bol Bowen, Keitenn Bristow, Davion Hannah, London Jemison and Noah Williamson. Onyejiaka is 6-11, 270 lbs and he is from| Boston, MA. He is a four- star prospect, the No. 2 prospect in Massachusetts, and the No. 12 center in the country before reclassifying. Alabama News Men’s Basketball : Julien Barnett of Tampa Fla.; Kolby Battles of Jacksonville; Carter Johnson of Anniston; Shannon Jones of Birmingham; Montrevion Kellogg of Gadsden; Keishawn Morris of Brooklyn, NY; Tobias Stoutermire of Montevallo; Cristian Willis of Decatur, MS. Women’s Basketball: Alayna Noble of Birmingham; Jaxson Sizemore of Glencoe; Tyla Tatum of Collinsville. Men’s Cross Country: Travis Cooley of Lincoln; Ryan Matthews of Ashville; Lane Self of New Hope; Connor Strawn of Glencoe; Tyler Worley of Lincoln. A multitude of Gadsden State Community College student-athletes and all eight athletic teams were recently honored by being named to the Alabama Community College Conference Spring 2025 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll for achieving a 3.0 GPA or higher in at least 12 hours of courses. "These student-athletes should be proud of themselves as they have balanced academics with practice and games,” said Dean Myrick, commissioner of the Alabama Community College Conference. "I am very proud of them, along with the faculty and staff at our amazing colleges for the work they do in preparing our student-athletes for life outside of athletics.” Cardinal student-athletes named to the Honor Roll include: Baseball: Aidan Bee of Clanton; Gabriel Brito of Gadsden; Brayden Cooper of Spanish Fort; Brandon Fears of Snellville, GA; Mason Freeman of Madison; Blake Hall of Hazel Green; Andrew Hardy of Pell City; Grayson Hays of Athens; Payton Isbell of Moody; Cooper Jarvis of Gardendale; William Johnson of Gadsden; Jackson Jones of Muscle Shoals; Chris McNeill of Chelsea; Nolan Moore of Leeds; Daniel Munoz of Tampa, FL; Peyton Parkinson of Birmingham; Bennett Plowden of Helena; William Roberts of Northport Tuscaloosa; Evan Snow of Alexandria; Jacob Steed of Bremen, GA; Hayden Strickland of Northport Tuscaloosa; Raeden Sumner of Summerville, GA; Walker Thomas of Chelsea; Aaron Wallace of Hueytown; Mckade Watson of Wetumpka ; James White of Villa Rica, GA; Samuel Wilson of Florence; Colton Ziegler of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Auburn Sports Men’s Tennis Team: – Samuel Arnold of Cedartown, Ga.; John David Cunningham of Rome, GA; Charles McIntire of Grant; Kamron Palacios of Cedartown, GA; Luke Russo of Springville; Elisha Sims of Guntersville; Women’s Cross Country: Madeline Holt of Jacksonville; McKinley Kay of Rainbow City; Alexis Renn of Prattville; Kaylee Tarpley of Altoona. Softball: Madison Allen of Auburn; Clancy Bright of Alexandria; Jasie Brooks of Southside; Karli Crocker of Reform; Allysabeth Croy of Lyerly, GA; Emma Croy of Glencoe; Lauren Farmer of Attalla; Chloe Gattis of Southside; Kennadi Johnson of Pell City; Tennley Johnson of Oneonta; Aubrey Kerst of Douglasville, GA; Rachel McCown of Huntsville; Maribeth Parette of Wetumpka; Abigail Payne of Hokes Bluff; Ava Ramsey of Southside; Reagan Sanders of Oxford; Sydney Simpson of Gadsden; Lanie Williams of Centre; Adajiah Wilson of Oxford; Kirby Wisner of Sylvania; Laura Wood of Attalla. SEVEN SELECTED IN MLB DRAFT - Auburn Junior Ike Irish was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. Irish is Auburn’s 10th first round pick, including the fourth under head coach Butch Thompson. He is the fifth highest drafted player in program history and the third highest drafted position player in program history, trailing only Frank Thomas (No. 7) and Gabe Gross (No. 15). Joining Irish at the professional level will be infielder Eric Snow, as well as Dylan Watts, Cam Tilly, Samuel Dutton, Hayden Murphy and Cade Fisher. Snow and Watts were selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the No. 172 overall pick in the sixth round and No. 202 overall pick in seventh round, respectively. Tilly was taken by the New York Mets with the No. 223 overall pick in the seventh round, and Dutton was drafted by the Athletics with the No. 290 overall pick in the 10th round. Murphy was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the No. 453 overall pick in the 15th round, and Fisher rounded out the day by being taken by the Boston Red Sox with the No. 538 overall pick in the 18th round. UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS - Auburn seniors Deric Fabian and Carson Myers have agreed to terms as undrafted free agents with the Colorado Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays, respectively. Fabian and Myers join Auburn's seven draft picks, marking nine players from this past season who will get an opportunity in professional baseball. Six of the nine former Tigers are pitchers, marking the most pitchers put into professional baseball in a single year in program history. VOLLEYBALL ASSISTANT - Rachael Sunder, a former All-American and National Champion at UCLA, will join the Auburn Volleyball program as ab assistant coach. For the past four seasons, Sunder has acted as the Assistant Director of Austin Skyline Juniors Volleyball Clubs, one of the top programs in the nation. MEN'S GOLF SCHEDULE - Auburn men’s golf head coach Nick Clinard has announced the Tiger's schedule for the 2025-26 season. The schedule features 10 team events and two individual tournaments. The season kicks off Sept. 15 at the Invitational at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, TN. After playing The Honors Course (Sept. 15-16), the Tigers head to the Ben Hogan Collegiate (Sept. 29-30) and The Williams Cup (Oct. 19-21) before rounding out the fall in Tulsa, Oklahoma at The Clerico (Oct. 27-28). The MartinFed Invitational will serve as an opportunity for extra work for individual players in the fall. The event is set for Oct. 13-14 at Turtle Point Country Club in Florence, AL. The Thomas Sharkey Collegiate (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1) offers another opportunity for individuals in the early spring. The Georgia Southern University Golf Course will host the tournament in Statesboro. For the ninth time since 2013, Auburn officially opens its spring slate at the Amer Ari Invitational (Feb. 5-7) in Waikoloa, Hawai’i. Next, the Tiger's head to Gainesville, FL for the Gator Invitational (Feb. 14-15). After the trip to the sunshine state, the Tigers travel to Las Vegas for the Southern Highlands Collegiate (March 1-3) before returning to The Hayt (March 7-9) in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL for the first time since 2019. To wind down the regular season, the Tigers compete in the Valspar Collegiate (March 23-24), the Mason Rudolph Championship (April 3-5) and the Ford Collegiate (April 13-14), three events that reappear on the team schedule after strong showings a year ago. Postseason action commences the week of April 22 at the SEC Championship (April 22- 26), which returns to Seaside Golf Club.
Heath Stinson of Pell City; Lucas Tanner of Rome, GA; Michael Warren of Pell City. Volleyball: Allie Bryant of Pleasant Valley; Kaleigh Butler of Geraldine; Ellie Carden of Ohatchee; Emma Earl of Holly Pond; Ally Folsom of Oxford; Ella Garmany of Centre; Savannah Hall of Valley Head; Macey Johnson of Huntsville; Lacie Roer of Centre; Rylin St. Clair of Leesburg; Kiley Tyler of Hayden; Brianna Williams of Fort Payne. “Excelling as a student-athlete is a significant accomplishment,” said Blake Lewis, Gadsden State’s athletic director. “The dedication, time and endurance required to succeed in both athletics and academics is immense. These students deserve high praise for their achievements. It has been an honor to watch them develop both on the field and in the classroom.” For more information about Gadsden State Athletics, visit gocardinals.gadsdenstate.edu. Jax State News NEW COACHES - Jax State Head Coach Jeremy Provence has added assistant coaches Kevin Kean and Noah Osborne to the Gamecocks Cross Country and Track & Field staff. Kean joins the Jax State program after serving as the Head Track and Field Coach at Tiffin University. Osborne recently served as a track & field graduate assistant at Southeastern University, where he helped the Fire to have three individuals take home outdoor conference championships. VOLLEYBALL ASSISTANT - Jacksonville State volleyball head coach Derek Schroeder has promoted Kat Raschilla to assistant coach for the 2025-26 season. In 2024, Raschilla was a part of the volleyball staff as a graduate assistant in a season that saw the Gamecocks double their win total from the previous year. Raschilla was also on staff to help coach CUSA All-Conference Second Team honoree, Kayla Williams. Raschilla, a native of Tuscaloosa, played collegiately at the University of Louisiana-Monroe from 2019-2022. ALL-AMERICAN SCHOLARS - Four Jax State golfers recently earned All-American Scholar status from the Women's Golf Coaches Association. To be selected, a student-athlete's must have an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher, be an amateur and on the team's roster through the conclusion of the team's season, and have played in 50% of the team's regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year. Juniors Rachel Camp and Ebby Somers, along with sophomore Sandra Menes and freshman Lara El Chaib qualified. A total of 1,499 players from 403 programs were recognized. MEN'S BASKETBALL - The Jax State Men's Basketball program will open up its 2025-26 Conference USA season at home on December 29 against Western Kentucky. The Gamecocks will follow up the opener with a road trip at new CUSA members, Delaware (January 2) and reigning CUSA Champions, Liberty (January 4). Jax State is coming off a 2024-25 campaign that saw a Division I program record 23 wins and the first NIT appearance in program history. The Gamecocks will play their first home game of 2026 against FIU on January 7 before heading to Kennesaw State on January 10. The Gamecock return home to play three consecutive home games against Sam Houston (January 14), Louisiana Tech (January 17) and Middle Tennessee (January 24), before embarking on a three-game road set against FIU (January 28), Missouri State (January 31) and Western Kentucky (February 4). The remainder of Jax State's home slate includes Kennesaw State (February 7), UTEP (February 11), New Mexico State (February14), Delaware (February 26) and Liberty (February 28). In between the five home contests at The Pete, Jax State will take on Louisiana Tech (February 18) and Sam Houston (February 21) in Ruston, La. and Huntsville, Texas respectively. Jax State wraps up the regular season with a two-game road trip at New Mexico State (March 5) and to UTEP (March 7). BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP - Jax State is home to three of the four members of Junior Team USA that will compete in Guatemala at the 2025 PANAM Bowling Youth Championship. Annalise OBryant, Erin Klemencic, and incoming freshman Gianna Brandolino will represent the stars and stripes at the championship August 9-16. During the event, the team will participate in singles competition, doubles play, mixed doubles, and team competition. OBryant and Klemencic both turned in All-American seasons during their first year at Jax State.
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