2019 SMDR Male Athlete of the Year: Bryan London II

Footballs have a magnetic pull to Bryan London II.

The senior linebacker topped triple-digit tackles for the third season of his four-year career. London needed 107 stops in 2019 to break the all-time program record. He surpassed it by 11.

The Converse Randolph graduate finished 11th in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and No. 1 in the Sun Belt with 118 total tackles. 

London crossed plenty of items off his bucket list, too. He snared the first interception of his career in the season-opener at Texas A&M on Aug. 29. He reached a new single-game career-high with 22 tackles in a 37-34 triple-overtime win at home against Georgia State on Sept. 21 and registered his first sack in the same game.

London’s said he intends to play football professionally in the near future, but his legacy in San Marcos will be one to remember. The senior’s final year at Texas State wins him the Daily Record’s 2019 Male Athlete of the Year laurel.

Honorable Mentions:
 

Texas State Track & Field’s T’Mond Johnson
Johnson swept the Sun Belt Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the shot put for the third season in a row and was named the conference’s Most Outstanding Performer on May 17.

The Killeen native’s career with the maroon and gold ended at the NCAA West Preliminary in Sacramento, California in late May when the senior tossed for 18.74 meters (61-5.75), taking 17th place and narrowly missing the finals.

San Marcos Boys’ Soccer’s Melvin Molina

Molina brought firepower in the Rattlers’ first season in District 26-6A.

The sophomore forward found the back of the net 19 times this year, the top mark in the district, and helped San Marcos to a fifth-place finish with a 6-7-1 record in league play. Molina was named to the All-District First team at the end of the season.

Texas State Baseball’s Connor Reich

No one in the league won more games than Connor Reich.

The right-handed pitcher threw in 16 games last season, starting in 15, and finished with an 8-2 record. Only two other pitchers in the league reached the eight-win total. Reich had more strikeouts than both with 90 — the No. 5 mark in the conference.

The senior from Hallsville was named the Sun Belt Community Coffee Pitcher of the Year with a 4.47 ERA. Reich was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft on June 5 and is currently a member of the organization’s rookie advanced affiliate team, the Grand Falls Voyagers in Grand Falls, Montana.

Texas State Men’s Basketball’s Nijal Pearson

Pearson’s elevated his play as the Bobcats’ go-to player in his junior season.

The Beaumont native reached career highs in 3-point percentage (.386%) and points per game (16.4) and helped Texas State win the most games in a single season in program history with 24.

Pearson was selected to the All-Sun Belt First Team at the end of the 2018-19 season and was predicted to make a repeat appearance in the 2019-20 Preseason All-Sun Belt awards. Pearson is currently averaging 17.8 points per game.