Angelo State’s Markus Jones and West Texas A&M’s Fatim Affessi were named the 2019 Lone Star Conference Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively. The awards were announced Tuesday following a vote of the league’s sports information directors.
ASU’s Jones earned LSC top male athlete distinction following an outstanding football campaign, while WT’s Affessi claimed top female athlete honors after a remarkable track and field season.
Jones was the top male in front of West Texas A&M basketball standout Ryan Quaid, while Affessi took home the women’s award ahead of ASU track and field star Daisy Osakue.
Jones finished his four-year ASU career with a dominant senior year recording 84 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, 17 QB hurries, four forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks. The 36.5 tackles for loss led all NCAA divisions. He also broke the Rams career record for sacks with 37.
The Fort Worth, Texas native, was tabbed LSC Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes award) and Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second straight year, and first team All-LSC for the third time. Jones added first team All-Region, South Central Region Defensive Player of the Year, D2 CCA Defensive Player of the Year, AFCA First Team All-America, Don Hansen First Team All-America, Don Hansen Defensive Player of the Year, and an Associated Press First Team All-America accolades.
Jones was named the 2018 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year, which is presented annually to the top NCAA Division II senior offensive or defensive lineman in the nation. He was also a finalist for both the Cliff Harris award and the Harlon Hill Trophy. Jones recorded three tackles, three assists, and two quarterback hurries in the 2019 East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg Florida, and signed with the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent after the 2019 NFL draft.
Affessi won the NCAA Division II national championship in the long jump for the third straight year and made WT history as she was named the 2019 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Indoor and Outdoor Female Field Athlete of the Year after earning All-American honors four times.
During the indoor season, the junior was tabbed the LSC Outstanding Women’s Field Athlete and LSC Women’s Field Athlete of the Year for the second straight year after winning the long and triple jump titles at the league championships helping the Lady Buffs to the their sixth straight LSC title. Affessi would go on to finish second in the long jump and third in the triple jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Affessi, a Geneva, Switzerland native, continued her dominance in the jumps with wins in the long and triple jumps at the LSC Outdoor Championships before claiming her third straight long jump national title in Kingsville, Texas. She also finished second in the triple jump to score 18 points and lead WT to their third podium finish in four years.
Here are the honorees since 1999:
LONE STAR CONFERENCE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Year Male
2019 Markus Jones, Angelo State, Sr., Football
2018 Luis Perez, Texas A&M-Commerce, Sr., Football
2017 Daeshon Francis, UT Permian Basin, Jr., Basketball
Marshall Kasowski, West Texas A&M, Jr., Baseball
2016 Marqui Christian, Midwestern State, Sr., Football
2015 Steve Naemark, Angelo State, Jr., Baseball
2014 Dustin Vaughan, West Texas A&M, Sr., Football
2013 Alex Carpenter, Abilene Christian, Sr., Golf
2012 Nick Jones, Abilene Christian, Sr., Track and Field
2011 Chase Larsson, Cameron, Jr., Baseball
2010 Cyril Bouniol, Abilene Christian, Jr., Golf
2009 Bernard Scott, Abilene Christian, Sr., Football
2008 Sam Belt, Central Oklahoma, Sr., Basketball
2007 Nicodemus Naimadu, Abilene Christian, Sr., Cross Country/Track and Field
2006 Danieal Manning, Abilene Christian, Football
2005 Drew Beard, Southeastern Okla., Football
2004 Cole Province, Central Oklahoma, Wrestling
2003 Olan Coleman, Tarleton State, Football/Track and Field
2002 Steve Kelly, Tarleton State, Football
2001 Roberto Garza, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Football/Track and Field
2000 Roberto Garza, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Football/Track and Field
1999 Eddie Robinson, Central Oklahoma, Basketball
Year Female
2019 Fatim Affessi, West Texas A&M, Jr., Track and Field
2018 Kami Norton, Angelo State, Sr., Track and Field
2017 Rellie Kaputin, West Texas A&M, Sr., Track and Field
2016 Isabel Jimenez-Perea, Tarleton State, Sr., Golf
2015 Brenna Moore, Midwestern State, Sr., Golf
2014 Renee Erwin, West Texas A&M, Jr., Softball
2013 Katie Hines, Texas Woman's, Jr., Softball
2012 Elsamartina Apo, Angelo State, Sr., Softball
2011 Carla Cooper, Tarleton State, Sr., Golf
2010 Aisha Adams, Angelo State, Sr., Track and Field
2009 Emily Brister, West Texas A&M, Sr., Basketball
2008 Emily Brister, West Texas A&M, Jr., Basketball
2007 Emily Brister, West Texas A&M, So., Basketball
2006 Emily Brister, West Texas A&M, Fr., Basketball
2005 Celeste Stevenson, West Texas A&M, Basketball
2004 Michelle Hofmann, Angelo State, Softball
2003 LaTasha Mosley, Angelo State, Track and Field
2002 Brandi Robinson, Southeastern Okla., Basketball
2001 Precious Thibodeaux, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Basketball/Track and Field
2000 Sarah Butler, West Texas A&M, Volleyball
1999 Tracy Barnes, Abilene Christian, Track and Field