May 11, 2006
Graduating senior Stacey Gooden (Houston, TX/J. Frank Dobie H.S.) will graduate as the valedictorian of The University of Texas-Pan American class of 2006 and will be joined by 10 other student-athletes in walking across the stage and accepting her diploma on Saturday (May 13) at the UTPA Fieldhouse.
"The cumulative grade point average for this group is somewhere around a 3.5 which is really exemplary. Their accomplishments both on and off the field or court are noteworthy but what they managed to do in the classroom while also being student-athletes is very impressive," said Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Support and Student Services Garry Gibson.
Stacey Gooden (Women's Basketball / Houston, TX)
Gooden, a psychology major, has maintained a 4.0 grade point average over her four years at UTPA and is the valedictorian of her class. She was selected for honorable mention honors on the Fourth Annual Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Scholar-Athlete Team and was a two-time selection to the Independent All-Academic Team. Gooden is third all-time with 109 games played for her career and finishes her tenure at UTPA with 340 points, 287 rebounds and 31 blocked shots.
Derrick East (Men's Basketball / Binger, OK)
East was the only senior on the 2005-06 Bronc basketball team and served as the team captain. He appeared in 19 games during his senior season, starting 13 of them, before sitting out the rest of the season with an injury. East finished his career averaging 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while appearing in 96 games and was an All-Tournament selection at the South Padre Island Invitational. East is graduating with a degree in social studies.
Danielle Holthe (Women's Volleyball / Covina, CA)
Holthe, a mathematics major, firmly established her place as one of the top players ever to don a Lady Bronc uniform during her senior season. She led the team in hitting percentage (.229) and was second in multiple categories. She is in the top-five on many all-time lists, including first in block assists (250), second in total blocks (318) and games played (452), fourth in block solos (62) and fifth in kills (887). Holthe earned honorable mention All-Independent honors in 2005 as well as the Independent All-Tournament team.
Rehman Esmail (Men's Tennis / Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada)
Esmail finished his career at UTPA with 19 singles victories over three seasons while going 25-23 in doubles' action. During his senior season, he played primarily in the third flight and accumulated a 2-7 record. In his junior season, Esmail teamed with Jeremy Salvo in number one doubles to go 10-5, 4-2 in Southland Conference play. He earned multiple Bronc Pride 3.0 Club honors at UTPA while majoring in international business.
Nik Porter (Men's Tennis / Tunbridge Wells, England)
Porter notched 30 career singles' victories and 23 doubles' victories over his four years at UTPA. He served as the team captain and played exclusively in the number one slot in 2006 in singles while working in both the first and second flights in doubles' action. As a freshman, Porter was second on the team with 16 singles wins and recorded the most combined victories with 26 in singles and doubles. He was named to the Bronc Pride 3.0 Club multiple times as well as receiving UTPA Athletic Director's Honor Roll laurels. Porter is an international business major.
Nikki Boychuk (Women's Golf / Willis H.S.)
Boychuk is graduating with a degree in journalism after a very successful run at UTPA, both on the golf course and in the classroom. As a collegiate golfer, Boychuk recorded nine top-10 finishes and five top-five marks. In four trips to the PGA National Minority Collegiate Golf Championship, she recorded four top-five finishes, including twice as the runner-up. She has received three NGCA Scholar-Athlete Awards and earned one All-Independent Second Team selection. Boychuk is tied for the second-lowest round ever by a female golfer at UTPA.
Daniela Cortes (Women's Golf / Aguascalientes, Mexico)
Cortes put her name at the top of the program record books by shooting a 70 at the 2005 Bronc Classic and tying Nancy Verastegui for the lowest round by a female golfer at UTPA. She is a three-time All-Independent Second Team selection and has notched 11 top-10 finishes in her career. In six of those 11 finishes, she placed in the top-five. Cortes was recognized multiple times as a member of the Bronc Pride 3.0 Club. She is graduating with a degree in international business.
Stefanie Maynard (Women's Golf / Pflugerville, TX)
Maynard graduates as the most successful female golfer ever to play at UTPA. Selected as the 2005-06 UTPA Female Student-Athlete of the Year, she won five individual titles during her time as a Lady Bronc, including three National Minority Collegiate Golf Championships. In 2004, Maynard was named the Independent Golfer of the Year as well as being honored with First Team All-Independent laurels twice and second team honors once. She is a three-time NGCA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient and was selected as the UTPA Female Newcomer of the Year in 2003. She majored in manufacturing engineering and was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Aaron Guerra (Baseball / Edinburg, TX)
Guerra has been an integral part of the Bronc baseball team for the last four years. Serving as both a starter and reliever, he has won 10 games as a Bronc and led the team in innings pitched during his junior campaign in which he was the most successful pitcher on the staff with five victories. He has qualified for numerous Bronc Pride 3.0 Clubs and has received Dean's List honors three times. This season, Guerra has a 3-5 record and is third on the team in strikeouts with 57 in 66.1 innings pitched. He will graduate with a degree in biology.
Otis Powers (Baseball / Brownsville, TX)
Powers has been named to three NCAA Division I Independent All-Academic teams during his time at UTPA. He was awarded the Lou Hassel Award at the UTPA Athletics banquet for being the male student-athlete with the highest grade point average. Powers has also been recognized as an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award winner and a U.S. Achievement Academy All-American Scholar as well as qualifying for multiple Dean's Lists, Athletic Director's Honor Rolls and Bronc Pride 3.0 Clubs. Powers is set to graduate with a pre-law degree.
Elysia Sloan (Women's Tennis / Duncanville, TX)
Sloan recorded the most wins of her career during the 2006 season, notching a 7-11 record in singles' action playing in the third and fourth flights. She won 20 singles and 20 doubles' matches during her career at UTPA. Sloan went on a three-match winning streak in both singles and doubles with victories over Nicholls State, South Dakota and Laredo Community College. Sloan has received recognition on the UTPA Athletic Director's Honor Roll, multiple Dean's Lists and many Bronc Pride 3.0 Club honors. She graduates with a degree in international business with a minor in Spanish.
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