DBU Report Summer 2021 - Page 41

SUMMER 2021 41 In two other firsts in University history, both the DBU Patriettes and Cheer Teams won their national titles at the NCA College Nationals held in Daytona, Florida, on April 8-11. A few weeks before Nationals, the Patriettes led by Head Coach Brittni Bean and Assistant Mackenzie Lee found out they would be going head-to-head against the 5x reigning champion of the category, Blinn College. After competing the last six years in the DII Jazz category, the Patriettes shook things up by jumping into the Pom Open category, and it paid off with bringing home the championship trophy. Led by Head Coach Callie Taylor and Graduate Assistant Coaches Haiden Herring and Presley Gilcrease, DBU Cheer was in the Division II Intermediate All Girl Open Division with a total of five teams, including reigning champions Oklahoma Baptist and Valdosta State. This year marked the 10th anniversary of DBU competing at NCA Nationals. The Patriots had the lowest amount of deductions in their division for both days and won by .5, coming back a whole point from prelims. DBU also had the 14th highest score out of the entire competition with a final score of 96.12/100. DBU PATRIETTES AND CHEER TEAMS WOMEN’S SOCCER DBU Women’s Soccer placed five players on the Spring 2021 Lone Star All-Conference team, tying with Angelo State for the most in the league. Seniors Kaci Parks and Delaney Schmidt joined a trio of freshmen in Marit Auee, Ashley Merrill, and Blythe Obar, who were also each named to the All-Freshman Team, a league-high in the LSC. Merrill was also dubbed Lone Star Conference Player of the Year. Head Coach Michelle Lenard was named the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and fourth time in her career. Lenard led the Patriots to a 12-1-1 record and a No. 1 United Soccer Coaches ranking in the 2021 spring season and has accumulated a career record of 182-74-23. BASS FISHING Bass Fishing is currently ranked as the No. 8 ranked team in the country. They have qualified for two championships this season and will compete in the ACA National Championship next week in Alabama. SOCCER Women’s Soccer matched their highest final national ranking at season’s end when they were ranked #7 in the nation in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Michelle Lenard’s team finished the season 12-1-1 and won the Lone Star Conference regular-season title for the second straight year. Coach Lenard and Women’s Soccer held the No. 1 national ranking for several weeks in the spring and upset Division I opponent LSU in Baton Rouge. TENNIS Women’s Tennis’ Taylor Leslie was named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year after posting an 18-1 record in singles play. Leslie finished the season ranked the #48 singles player in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Women’s Tennis’ Kate Daugherty was named the Lone Star Conference Senior of the Year after going 12-5 in singles and posting a 14-4 record in doubles. Men’s Tennis reached the semifinals of the NCCAA National Championships in Mobile, Alabama. TRACK & FIELD Women’s Track & Field placed fourth at the Lone Star Conference Championships and placed three athletes on the All-Conference Team, while the Men’s Track & Field team also landed three athletes on the All-LSC team. Madison Brown qualified for the NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field National Championship that will take place next weekend in Michigan.