Athletics History 2 of 2

Laredo Morning Times | lmtonline.com | Sunday, May 10, 2020 | E5 50th Anniversary extraordinary group who bought in to do whatever necessary to win. They were committed and such a joy to coach. “I am very thankful for my time at TAMIU. I worked with great people. I was fortunate to coach wonderful young women, and the community was so welcoming to my family and I. … I miss everyone in Laredo and the TAMIU campus, and I wish them nothing but the best.” When Bento-Jackson (57-50) left after her fourth campaign, however, the program couldn’t keep up the momentum. Jeff Caha (4-57) was hired and coached the next three years as the team was a combined 5-78 over that span. He didn’t finish the schedule in either of his last two campaigns – in 2017-18 due to an in- vestigation he was cleared from any wrongdoing in, and in 2018-19 due to being let go – as two-time interim coach Tori Tucker (1-21) finished both seasons. Coming off a winless 0-27 slate in 2018-19, Nate Vogel took over in 2019 with plenty of work to do. And the former Miles Community Col- lege coach had a respectable debut in the Lone Star Conference going 11-17, but they just missed qualify- ing for the conference tournament. Individually, Vanessa Villar- real was the school’s lone four-time first-team All-Conference performer from 2003-06. The only other multi- winner was Laredoan Jessica Prieto in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Jasmine June (2008-09), Mary Tobias (2008- 09), Malika Jackson (2013-14) and Keiona Mathews (2015-16) each won the honor once. Villarreal (2003-05) was also a three-time NAIA All-American while Jackson (2013-14), Mathews (2015-16) and Prieto (2015-16) were each named WBCA All-American honorable mentions once. Other ma- jor award winners in the program’s history include Krystal Manning and Alexis Thomas winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2008-09 and 2013-14, respectively. MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF Two more TAMIU programs come from the links with men’s and wom- en’s golf. The university has no year-by-year records available for its programs. The Heartland Conference lists the men’s team beginning in 2006- 07 and taking eighth place before taking the next year off and return- ing in 2008-09. The group cracked the top-five with a fifth-place confer- ence finish in 2013-14 and had their highest overall finish in 2016-17 at third place. The women’s team was recorded for the first time by the Heartland Conference in 2008-09 taking sixth place – a spot they took in seven of their first eight seasons. Sixth is also the highest overall league finish for the team. Both squads’ 2019-20 seasons were canceled due to the coronavi- rus. The TAMIU men have had two players earn an All-Conference hon- or in its history as Parker Holekamp won first-team honors in 2018-19 and Andrew Ritchot was a second- team performer in 2011-12. On the women’s side, Taminie Panich is the lone All-Conference honoree being selected to the first-team in 2011-12. The teams are guided by Rudy Gonzalez, who was a successful local professional junior golf in- structor prior to his hire. After five seasons, Gonzalez helped each pro- gram improve as he was named the Heartland’s Coach of the Year on the men’s side in 2016-17. Over the years, Gonzalez has helped both programs pick up their first tournament wins and saw the men qualify for their first appear- ance in a NCAA West/South Cen- tral Super Regional. Individually, he also guided Holekamp as he Courtesy of TAMIU The 2015-16 men’s golf squad coached by Rudy Gonzalez, far right.