RICHARDSON, Texas –– University of the Ozarks' Jeremy Provence and Tony Santoro, Concordia University Texas' Lauren Browning and Kevyn Jackson, Louisiana College's Stephanie Baer and Texas Lutheran University's Allen Cain have all earned the title of Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in their respective American Southwest Conference 2011 fall sport, the ASC office announced on Thursday (Jan. 26).

Overall, a record 72 student-athletes from ASC men's cross country, women's cross country, football, men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball were named to the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Team.

The honor, in its fifth academic year, recognizes student-athletes that achieve a higher level of academic achievement (a 3.20 grade-point average or better) while competing as a starter or important reserve on their team. From that list – limited to one nominee per school in each ASC championship sport – the sports information directors from the conference's 16 member institutions vote on a Distinguished Scholar-Athlete from each sport.

Baer (Monroe, La.), a senior cross country runner who is majoring in English with a perfect 4.0 GPA, has now won three straight ASC Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award awards. She graduated in December and is now working at a church in Arkansas while awaiting her graduate program to begin. Baer played three sports while at LC. Three times she named LC runner of the year. Baer was a four-year letter winner in cross country, three-year letter winner in soccer and one-year letter winner in tennis. She was also a standout on LC's nationally prominent debate team. Last year, Baer won the Kite-Caudell award at LC, which is given annually to the student athlete who best exemplifies excellence both on the field and in the classroom. She was also an active member in  SAAC and helped guide LC to a Make a Change in 14 Days title.

Receiving honorable mention on the Distinguished Scholar Athlete team were LC football player Ben Feibel (Shreveport, La.), men's cross country runner Josh Jee (Mandeville, La.), men's soccer player Nic Philpot (Pineville, La.) and women's soccer player Emily Breaux (Lafayette, La.).

Provence (Mountainburg, Ark.), a senior cross country runner who is majoring in physical education with a 3.60 GPA, produced the 8K school record, the top ASC time at the NCAA III Regional, finished second at the ASC Championships and was named ASC runner of the week twice during the 2011 season. Provence transformed himself over the course of four years into one of the elite runners within the ASC. He helped Ozarks to its best finish at the NCAA III regional (top-10) and just missed qualifying for the NCAA national race by two spots. Provence posted a pair of individual wins during the year, and helped Ozarks finish second at the ASC championships. He received All-Region honors and First Team All-Conference honors this year. He finishes his career as a three-time ASC All-Academic honoree and was a member of the Dean's List. His community service includes assisting local high school track and field programs at their meets.

Cain (San Antonio, Texas), a junior football player who is majoring in mathematics with a 3.48 GPA, was named to four playing All-America teams and the Capital One First Team Academic All-America Team. Cain was a First Team All-American by Beyond Sports, American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com. He was also named Second Team AP Little All-America. Cain is the first student-athlete in TLU history to claim four playing All-America honors and an Academic All-America award in the same season. He is the first TLU football player to claim first team All-America and first team Academic All-America honors in the same season. Cain led all of NCAA Division III in field goals made (17) and in field goals made per game (1.70). Cain's 17 field goals this year set ASC and TLU single-season records. Cain was a finalist for the 2011 Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award. Cain is heavily involved in the TLU campus community and in the Seguin community. He is a math grader, a resident assistant, a Student Government Association senator, a TLU Honors Program member, a Math Club member, a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a Student-Athlete Advisory Council representative, a Seguin Youth Services math tutor, and a youth football coach.

Santoro (Houston), a senior soccer player who is majoring in mathematics with a 3.62 GPA, was a three-year starter for the men's soccer team and served as a team captain his senior season. Santoro excelled in the classroom and the field, earning a spot on the Capital One Academic All-District Team in 2011. It was the second straight year he was named an Academic All-District performer. A starter in 18 matches, he scored six goals and recorded one assist. Santoro ranked second on the team in shots (44) and third in goals. He posted a pair of two-goal performances during the season to go along with one game-winning goal. For his efforts in 2011, he was named to the All-ASC Honorable Mention Team. He finishes his career with 14 assists, tenth-most at Ozarks and was a two-time All-Conference performer. He was a three-time ASC All-Academic Team honoree. Santoro served as President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee during his collegiate career and was also named to the Dean's List.

Browning (Georgetown, Texas), a senior soccer player who is majoring in education with a 3.80 GPA, was a four-year starting defender who graduates as the program's record holder for games played and as a member of the winningest class in school history. She is the first soccer player in school history – male or female – to be named NSCAA All-West Region. Browning was also one of the first two players in program history to be named to the All-ASC First Team as well as the ASC All-Tournament Team this past fall for role in CTX's first-ever postseason win. She anchored a back line that set a single-season school record for shutouts (11) this past fall, breaking the old mark of 10 set in 2010. She has made the ASC Fall Academic Honor Roll three times and has garnered All-ASC honors three times in career. Browning had a perfect 4.0 GPA during 2011 fall semester while team was in season. She came into a program that had never won more than four matches and helped Concordia Texas set a single-season school record for wins in sophomore, junior and senior seasons, which included winning 10 matches in 2010 and 14 in 2011.

Jackson (Baytown, Texas), a senior volleyball player who is majoring in nursing with a 3.94 GPA, is Concordia Texas' first player to make the Capital One Academic All-District First Team by CoSIDA in 2011. She had a perfect 4.0 GPA during 2011 fall semester while team was in season. Jackson was a three-year captain and four-year starter who transitioned to playing the libero position after being an outside hitter for first three seasons. She ranked second in the league in digs per set (5.07) to garner All-ASC Third Team recognition this past fall a libero. Jackson was honorably mentioned for All-ASC accolades in 2010 as an outside hitter. She helped CTX become the only ASC school to be named an AVCA All-Academic Team last summer. She will graduate ranked third in digs (1,263), fourth in service aces (104) and seventh in kills (562) during the program's ASC and NCAA Division III era, which began in 1999.

All honorees were also named to the Fall 2011 ASC Academic All-Conference Team.