Wharton County Junior College's student athletes were recently recognized for their achievements. Pictured, from left, are 2019 Johnnie Frankie Award winner Brock Brandl of El Campo, volleyball team MVP Olivia Aprea of Needville, Dr. Ty Pate Academic Award recipient Kirby Evelo of Boling, and rodeo team MVP Kolton Mazoch of El Campo.
WHARTON, TEXAS – Wharton County Junior College’s student athletes were recently honored for success in competition and in the classroom.
During the 56th Annual Athletic Banquet – held earlier this month at the Pioneer Student Center on the Wharton campus – athletes from the college’s baseball, volleyball and rodeo teams were introduced and recognized for athletic accomplishment as well as educational achievement. All three program coaches thanked their players for their dedication and effort on the field of competition, while stressing that sports represent only one component of a person’s life.
“Your worth is not determined by athletics. It’s who you are that counts,” said WCJC Baseball Coach Keith Case.
Baseball player Brock Brandl of El Campo won the 2019 Johnnie Frankie Award. Established in honor of the late WCJC Coach Johnnie Frankie and presented by his daughter, Jenny Banker, the award is reserved for WCJC athletes who embody high character and singular abilities.
“This award goes to an outstanding person who happens to be a student athlete,” Banker said of Brandl.
The Dr. Ty Pate Academic Award, established in memory of the late WCJC administrator and former athlete, went to rodeo team member Kirby Evelo of Boling. Leigh Ann Collins, WCJC’s vice president of instruction, presented the award, noting that Evelo earned a 3.59 Grade Point Average and will continue her education at Texas A&M.
All three coaches introduced the members of their respective teams, with Volleyball Coach Brianna Janecka and Rodeo Coach Sean Amestoy also naming a team Most Valuable Player. The volleyball team’s MVP went to Needville resident Olivia Aprea, a past Johnnie Frankie Award winner. The rodeo team MVP went to El Campo’s Kolton Mazoch.
Academic All-Conference Awards were also presented to students who had at least a 3.25 GPA, had been enrolled at the college for at least three semesters and had taken at least 36 hours of course work.
Academic All-Conference Award winners for 2019 were:
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