Belton, Texas – University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball player Cheyenne Dowdey has been named the female winner of the American Southwest Conference’s Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award for the 2015-16 school year. Dowdey becomes just the fourth UMHB student-athlete to win the ASC Sportsmanship Award and is the first female from the school to win the honor.
Dowdey was a four-year letter winner and starting middle blocker for the Cru volleyball program. An English, Language Arts and Reading major from Hallettsville, Dowdey graduated in May with a 3.54 GPA. Dowdey was an ASC All-Conference and First Team ASC All-West Division selection as a senior. She finished second in the country in blocks per set and helped lead UMHB to a National Statistical Championship in that category. Dowdey was also ASC All-Academic as a senior. She is a member of the education and English Honor Societies at UMHB and is a member of the Dean’s List. Dowdey finished her career as the Cru and ASC career record holder for blocks and played for an ASC Champion and two NCAA Division III National Championship qualifiers during her career. Dowdey was also a four-time ASC All-Conference selection and a three-time ASC All-Academic pick as a member of the Cru.
“Cheyenne is a very hard working and aggressive competitor. She is also very caring and respectful. I could count on her to take great care of herself as an athlete and also take care of her teammates,” UMHB Volleyball Head Coach Rob Frost said. “She would always recognize and respect the talented teams we would compete against and felt she needed to give her very best each match. Cheyenne was a great balance of aggressive will to win and at the same time showing honor and respect to the teams we would see on the court. She is a very selfless hard working person and I speak for our whole team in saying we are excited for her to be recognized with this honor.”
Dowdey joins baseball player Kyle Shipp (2005-06), football player Preston Meyer (2002-03) and men’s soccer player Isaiah Minick (2014-15) as UMHB winners of the Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award. The ASC Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award honors a male and female student-athlete who best displays the attributes of sportsmanship, leadership, citizenship and academic integrity in their athletic, academic and life pursuits. In the 2005-06 academic year, the award was renamed in honor of the Conference’s first commissioner, Fred Jacoby. The winners are selected by a vote of conference Directors of Athletics from nominations provided by each league institution.
LeTourneau University men’s soccer player Xavier Scarlett and men’s golfer Seth Walters shared this year’s male Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award honors.
