UT Tyler’s Tatum Goff and Angelo State’s Kade Bragg – both junior, left-handed pitchers – earned 2023 Lone Star Conference Athlete of the Year honors, it was announced by the league office on Thursday (July 13).
Goff was named LSC Female Athlete of the Year, holding off West Texas A&M junior Torrey Miller (volleyball) and DBU senior Julia Garcia (golf). Goff is the first UT Tyler student-athlete – male or female – to win the LSC’s top athletic honor.
Goff, a native of Rusk, Texas, went a perfect 42-0 with a 1.36 ERA and 248 strikeouts to lead the Patriots softball team to a national semifinalist finish. She logged 267 innings, 23 complete games, 14 shutouts and a no-hitter. Goff set an all-time NCAA Division II record with 42 consecutive wins in the circle, breaking the mark of 40 that had stood since 1993.
Goff helped fuel a program-record 62 wins that included LSC regular season and tournament titles, as well as hosting rights for the conference tournament, regionals and super regionals. She was named Division II Pitcher of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and earned numerous All-American accolades. Goff was also named the LSC Pitcher of the Year and was an all-tournament selection at the NCAA Division II and LSC Championship.
For her efforts in the classroom as a Nursing major, Goff earned College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-American honors. She was also a member of the LSC Softball All-Academic Team.
Bragg was named LSC Male Athlete of the Year, ahead of Texas A&M-Kingsville sophomore Ja'Qualon (track and field) and West Texas A&M senior Julius Brown (basketball). Bragg is the third Rams student-athlete to win the conference’s top male athletic award, joining football player Markus Jones (2019) and baseball player Steve Naemark (2015).
Bragg, an Ennis, Texas native and Communications major, went 15-1 with two saves and a 1.20 ERA to lead Angelo State to its first NCAA Division II baseball national championship. The 6-foot-1 hurler recorded the final out in the title game. Bragg had 124 strikeouts over 104 2/3 innings and put together four complete games and three shutouts. Opponents hit just .171 off him. Bragg’s win total and ERA set new LSC single-season records.
Bragg helped lead LSC regular season and tournament titles and his arm propelled the Rams to host the league tournament, regionals and super regionals. He was named Division II Pitcher of the Year by the the American Baseball Coaches Association and Conference Commissioners Association. Bragg also earned All-American status by several publications. He was voted LSC Pitcher of the Year and was an LSC All-Tournament Team selection.
Bragg was recently selected in the Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins. He was taken in the 17th round.
The LSC Athlete of the Year awards were voted on by the league’s sports information directors.
2023 LSC ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Female
Tatum Goff, Jr., UT Tyler (Softball)
Male
Kade Bragg, Jr., Angelo State (Baseball)
ALL-TIME LSC ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Female
2023 Tatum Goff, Jr., UT Tyler (Softball)
2022 Zada Swoopes, Sr., West Texas A&M (Track and Field)
2021 Shanna McBroom, Sr. West Texas A&M (Softball)
2020 Maddi Chitsey, Sr., Lubbock Christian (Basketball)
2019 Fatim Affessi, Jr., West Texas A&M (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
Male
2023 Kade Bragg, Jr., Angelo State (Baseball)
2022 Benjamin Azamati, West Texas A&M, So., Track and Field
2021 Benjamin Azamati, West Texas A&M, So., Track and Field
2020 Zimari Manning, Tarleton State, Sr., Football
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