UT Tyler junior basketball player Sam Phipps and Eastern New Mexico senior softball player Laney Lucero headlined a group of 24 student-athletes on the sixth annual Lone Star Conference Athletic Performance All-Conference Team, it was announced by the league office on Wednesday (May 13).
Phipps was named LSC Male Athletic Performance Athlete of Year, while Lucero was voted LSC Female Athletic Performance Athlete of Year. The team recognizes student-athletes who excel in work ethic, dedication to process, attendance, communication, leadership and growth.
Phipps, who is a native of Logan, Utah, has shown every characteristic of being a great leader in the weight room and is yet to hit his ceiling. Throughout the year, no matter the challenges, he handled every obstacle with passion, relentlessness and faithfulness. Phipps has shown no fear of the uncomfortable or uncertain and is always willing to put himself in a position where he may fail, if it means the team or himself could benefit from it.
Physically, Phipps has grinded and fought his way into the top 5 in every statistic measured for his team: sprints, conditioning, vertical jump, back squat, bench press, snatch high pull and squat jumps. What separates Phipps from the rest of his team, and even from the rest of men's athletics, is that no matter how good he performs he always pushes to get better, and often times he does. Mentally, Phipps is one of the most driven and toughest athletes on campus. When he first got to UT Tyler, he was more of a, “let my work talk for itself,” type of athlete. However, once he realized his team needed him to use his words as much as his actions, he did not shy away from the responsibility.
Phipps is the first student-athlete from UT Tyler to claim the award. He is also the first men’s basketball player to win.
Lucero, who is a native of Albuquerque, N.M., competed as a fifth-year player for the ENMU softball program. She is the most improved player for the program. Lucero only played in 21 games collecting 17 hits as a freshman in 2021. This year, she is one of the top players in the entire conference. She is a seven-time LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll recipient, was recognized as a NFCA/Easton All-America Scholar Athlete in 2024 and is a two-time member of the College Sports Communicators All-District Team. Lucero named conference hitter of the week earlier in the season.
Lucero’s work ethic in the weight room is unmatched to any women’s student-athlete to come through ENMU. She is dedicated to her craft and makes her teammates better every single day. Lucero is the type of student-athlete who is first to arrive and last to leave for a workout. Her strength is incredible to witness, and developed in just a short time with the program.
Lucero is the first student-athlete from Eastern New Mexico to win the award. She is the second softball player, joining Cameron’s Robyn Bales in 2023.
The individual awards are voted upon by the league’s athletic performance staff.
Angelo State, Cameron, DBU, Lubbock Christian, Midwestern State, St. Edward’s, St. Mary’s, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas Woman’s, UT Permian Basin and West Texas A&M also had at least one representative on the all-conference team.
2025 LSC ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Male Athletic Performance Athlete of the Year: Sam Phipps, Jr., UT Tyler (Basketball)
Female Athletic Performance Athlete of the Year: Laney Lucero, Sr., Eastern New Mexico (Softball)
| Name |
School |
Year |
Sport |
Hometown |
| Xavier Walton |
Angelo State |
Jr. |
Football |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Landry Morrow |
Angelo State |
Jr. |
Basketball |
Ackerly, Texas |
| Jaxon Ingram |
Cameron |
Sr. |
Basketball |
Durant, Okla. |
| Anastasia Uspenskaia |
Cameron |
Sr. |
Tennis |
Ufa, Russia |
| Braeden Pitts |
DBU |
Fr. |
Basketball |
Little Elm, Texas |
| Emma Croley |
DBU |
Fr. |
Soccer |
Riverside, Calif. |
| Esaias Swindle |
Eastern New Mexico |
Fr. |
Football |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
| Laney Lucero |
Eastern New Mexico |
Sr. |
Softball |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Brevin McCool |
Lubbock Christian |
Sr. |
Baseball |
Hobbs, N.M. |
| Audrey Robertson |
Lubbock Christian |
Gr. |
Basketball |
Kerrville, Texas |
| Ezra Davidson |
Midwestern State |
So. |
Football |
Killeen, Texas |
| Sydney Williams |
Midwestern State |
Sr. |
Tennis |
Austin, Texas |
| Jordan Saunders |
St. Edward’s |
Sr. |
Cross Country |
Keller, Texas |
| Luke Mulkey |
St. Mary’s |
Jr. |
Soccer |
Parker, Texas |
| Laurene Robinson |
St. Mary’s |
Jr. |
Volleyball |
Bedford, Texas |
| Eli Martinez |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Sr. |
Football |
Slaton, Texas |
| Katryna Hernandez |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Sr. |
Track and Field |
Skidmore, Texas |
| Kayla Glover |
Texas Woman’s |
Sr. |
Basketball |
DeSoto, Texas |
| Tristan Exline |
UT Permian Basin |
So. |
Football |
China Spring, Texas |
| Taysha Rushton |
UT Permian Basin |
Gr. |
Basketball |
Midland, Texas |
| Sam Phipps |
UT Tyler |
Jr. |
Basketball |
Logan, Utah |
| Lovisa Hevinder |
UT Tyler |
Sr. |
Basketball |
Stockholm, Sweeden |
| Ahamed Mohammed |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
Basketball |
Glendale, Ariz. |
| Kailee Benton |
West Texas A&M |
Jr. |
Track and Field |
Amarillo, Texas |
ALL-TIME LSC ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Male
2025 Sam Phipps, Jr., UT Tyler (Basketball)
2024 Lance Barnett, Sr., Cameron (Baseball)
2023 Weston Max, Sr., Cameron (Baseball)
2022 Benjamin Azamati, So., West Texas A&M (Track and Field)
2021 Caleb Brown, Sr., Midwestern State (Football)
2020 Josh Elvir, Sr., Angelo State (Baseball)
Female
2025 Laney Lucero, Sr., Eastern New Mexico (Softball)
2024 Malia Viernes, Jr., Texas Woman’s (Volleyball)
2023 Robyn Bales, Sr., Cameron (Softball)
2022 Hannah Kelley-Lusk, Sr., West Texas A&M (Soccer)
2021 Zada Swoopes, Sr., West Texas A&M (Track and Field)
2020 Lexie Houston, Jr., DBU (Volleyball)