2022 END OF YEAR AWARDS

It was an eventful year in San Marcos as many teams within the city limits saw successful seasons.

As a new year arrives, take a look back at 2022 with the San Marcos Daily Record’s End of Year Sports Awards.

Game of the Year: San Marcos Football vs. East Central

The San Marcos-East Central football game had so many storylines converging into one.

An interim head coach, a backup quarterback starting, but most importantly it was a win-and-in game.

What proceeded was a heavyweight fight between two programs on the brink of desperation.

Trailing 16-13 with less than three minutes left, San Marcos drove down the field before being at the East Central 31 yard line with 1:10 left in the game.

The Rattlers decided to go with the trick play and went with a double reverse pass as junior Kutter Gage Webb hit  senior running back Jaidyn Brown for the game-winning touchdown to send San Marcos to the playoffs.

For playing under pressure despite the off the field drama and winning on a trick play is the reason San Marcos football vs East Central takes home Game of the Year.

Male Athlete of the Year: Tristan Stivors, Texas State pitcher

Simply put, Tristan Stivors was not only one of the best closers in the Sun Belt but perhaps in the entire nation.

Stivors led the nation in saves with 18 and was a consensus first team All-American across multiple college baseball outlets.

Perhaps Stivors greatest moment of the year was when he was named the starter in Texas State’s Regional game against No. 2 Stanford.

Despite being his first collegiate start, Stivors struck out nine batters through seven innings in Texas State’s loss to the Cardinal.

Stivors made himself a Texas State legend with this performance.

Oh and must we forget that Stivors had perhaps the greatest “Horns Down” moment when he made the save to stun the No.1-ranked Texas Longhorns in Austin.

Female Athlete of the Year: Emily DeWalt, Texas State setter

This was the year Emily DeWalt not only established herself as a Texas State legend but also a Sun Belt Conference legend.

DeWalt finished her career as a Bobcat being named Sun Belt Player of the Year, Setter of the Year, honorable mention All American, and being the all-time leader in assists in both Texas State and Sun Belt Conference history.

Newcomer of the Year: Alyssa Wilson, Texas State Track & Field

A graduate student from UCLA, Alyssa Wilson made a statement this year with the Texas State Track and Field Program.

Wilson won three gold medals at the outdoor conference meet, winning the shot put, discus and hammer throw while also winning two gold medals at the indoor conference meet in the weight throw and shot put.

Her performance swept the awards in the Sun Belt for both Best Outdoor Field Performer and Best Indoor Field Performer while being named as a first team all conference in both outdoor and indoor.

Complete dominance at both levels of track and field is the reason Wilson is named SMDR Newcomer of the Year.

Team of the Year: Texas State Baseball

If there was a team this year that put San Marcos on the map for the entire world to see, it was Texas State Baseball.

Going 47-14, the Bobcats took the world by storm and established themselves as one of the best mid-major baseball programs in the nation.

Being ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation, Texas State swept Ohio State, won a three game series against No. 11-ranked Arizona, upset No. 1 Texas in Austin en route to the program’s second ever Sun Belt title and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

From there, the Bobcats advanced to their first ever Regional Final and beat No.2 Stanford before falling to the Cardinal in a decisive winner-take-all game.

It was a historic season for the Texas State baseball team and perhaps a launching pad for the Bobcats to become a top tier mid-major powerhouse.

cmcwilliams

@sanmarcosrecord.com

Twitter: @ColtonBMc