June 24, 2003

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons basketball standout Kendra Anderson was named the ASC Female Athlete of the Year for a second consecutive year it was announced today in a voting by the league's sports information directors and selected media. Mary Hardin-Baylor football player Preston Meyer earned the male honors.

The American Southwest Conference Athlete of the Year award recognizes the male and female student-athlete whose athletic accomplishments have contributed to their sport, their institution's overall athletic program and the conference.

Kendra Anderson compiled an impressive senior campaign capped with her selection as the NCAA Division III National Player of the Year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. She was cited by several organizations for All-America and All-Region honors after helping take the Cowgirls to the NCAA Div. III Championship Sweet 16, a fifth consecutive American Southwest Conference title and fourth straight ASC Championship Tournament trophy. She won an unprecedented fourth Most Valuable Player award at the conference tournament.

Anderson averaged 20.1 points and 10.0 rebounds and was named the ASC West Division Most Valuable Player for the third straight year after leading the Cowgirls through an undefeated regular season.

Anderson capped her collegiate career as the NCAA Div. III representative in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Challenge played during the NCAA Div. I Final Four weekend. An ASC All-Academic award winner, Anderson was named to the Verizon Academic All-America and All-District VI teams.

Meyer is the most decorated player UMHB football history. Named to 10 All-America teams over his collegiate career, Meyer was twice selected to the American Football Coaches Association All-America team (2001, '02) and to the 2002 Associated Press Little All-America team, both first-time honors for in the UMHB football program. Meyer was selected to play in the 2002 Aztec Bowl and was voted co-captain by his teammates. Meyer is a two-time All-Region and ASC Defensive Player of the Year award winner and was three times named to the ASC All-Conference team. Meyer finished his career as the Crusaders' all-time leader in tackles, tackles for loss and interception return yardage and he holds 12 Crusader defensive records.

This is the fourth year the American Southwest Conference has presented Athlete of the Year awards. Anderson joins former Mary Hardin-Baylor basketball player Robert Moore as a two-time award recipient.