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Emily DeWalt’s listed as a setter, but she does a lot more than pass for the Bobcats.
The sophomore from Helotes stands at 5-foot-10 — just an inch shorter than outside hitters Courtney Heiser and Kenedi Rutherford. DeWalt’s length allows her to stay on Texas State’s front line and, at times, play above the net. She finished the 2019 season with 77 kills and a career-high 51 blocks.
That doesn’t keep DeWalt from doing the things a setter has to do, either. She still scoops out digs off of tipped spikes from behind her blockers, ranking second on the team with 267. And she's still electric at dishing out dimes, leading the team and ranking third in the conference with 1,196 assists.
The setter’s versatility is a commodity for the maroon and gold. The sophomore rarely comes off the floor and the team tends to struggle when she does. DeWalt was subbed out three times in Texas State’s final game of the season against UC Santa Barbara in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Dec. 5. The Bobcats were outscored by seven points with her on the bench.
DeWalt was named Sun Belt Setter of the Year, helped her team win the league's regular season and tournament titles and was selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Southwest All-Region Team for the second consecutive year. She wants to keep pushing her team, too.
“We made history this year by going back-to-back,” DeWalt said. “I'd love to do that again next year to make history again. But I think now that we've gotten past the first round (of the NCAA tournament), we want to make it past the second next year.”
DeWalt’s hyperactivity on the floor makes her the Daily Record’s 2019 Female Athlete of the Year.
Honorable Mentions:
San Marcos Volleyball’s Julia Gutierrez
Gutierrez made the most of her lone season as the Lady Rattlers’ varsity libero.
After spending two years as a defensive specialist alongside former San Marcos libero Celie Contreras, Gutierrez broke Contreras’ school record for most digs in a season with 715 this year. The senior also set program-best marks for passing efficiency (2.34, 2.21) and serve percentage (98.8%, 96.6%) both in a season and in a career, respectively.
Texas State Track & Field’s Tramesha Hardy
Hardy’s reign of dominance extended into her final season at Texas State.
The senior was the top scorer in the Sun Belt Indoor and Outdoor Championships, taking gold medals in the indoor 200 and 400 meters and the outdoor 200. Hardy was also named Most Outstanding Performer at both meets.
The Houston native’s collegiate career came to an end after a 14th-place finish in the 200-meter dash at the NCAA quarterfinals. She finished her time in San Marcos as a 13-time league champion and six-time conference Most Outstanding Performer.
Texas State Volleyball’s Cheyenne Huskey
Huskey and DeWalt were the only Bobcats to play in all 117 sets this season.
Like DeWalt, Huskey's presence on the court boosted Texas State’s performance. The senior outside hitter led the team with 425 kills and 57 serving aces. The Columbus graduate was also named to the All-Sun Belt First Team and finished her collegiate career making the NCAA Tournament every season, including two with the Florida Gators.
Texas State Softball’s Cat Osterman
Osterman played a pivotal role in helping Team USA reach gold medals in the 2019 USA Softball International Cup, Pan American Games and Japan Cup.
The Bobcats’ associate head coach started in the championship game of the USA Softball International Cup, pitching for 3.0 innings, striking out six batters and allowing one hit, one run and no walks in the 2-0 victory over Japan.
