Western Athletic Conference

 

DENVER – Seattle U softball player Ally Choate and Utah Valley men's track and field athlete Andre Jones have been named the 2020-21 Western Athletic Conference Stan Bates Award winners. Named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates, the annual award is given to the WAC's top male and female scholar-athletes and recognizes athletic, academic and community accomplishments. The award includes a $3,000 postgraduate scholarship.

 

Choate, from Yelm, Wash., earned her bachelor's degree in humanities for teaching with a minor in mathematics and social welfare in June of 2021. A four-time President's List honoree and nine-time Dean's List recipient, she also earned Academic All-WAC honors all four years while also earning First Team All-WAC honors on the diamond while helping lead Seattle U to a pair of WAC Tournament titles. 

 

Off the field, she spent 100 hours student teaching during her senior year while also helping plan the Seattle U career fair and volunteering at virtual story time, reading to local students online during the pandemic. She started 176 of 177 games she appeared in, finishing with 212 hits to rank second all-time in Seattle U program history. Her 121 runs also rank second and her 75 hits in 2019 set a new single-season record for the Redhawks.

 

"Ally Choate has been a model representative of the Seattle U softball program throughout her career," said SU head softball coach Geoff Hirai. "She is one of the best teammates you can have and she always has time for them whenever they need them. Ally Choate is the total package as a student athlete."

 

Jones, from Meridian, Idaho, graduated in April 2020 with his bachelor in behavioral science and will graduate in August 2021 with his masters in business administration. A four-time Dean's List recipient, he was also recognized as Academic All-WAC seven times as both an indoor and outdoor track and field participant. 

 

A four-time WAC champion and eight-time All-WAC honoree, he was named WAC Men's Outstanding Track Athlete of the Year in 2019. Holding the school record in both the 110m hurdles and 55m hurdles, he was an NCAA West Region Preliminary qualifier in the 400m hurdles in 2019.

 

Individually, he has spent countless hours volunteering with Life Care Center of Treasure Valley, Boise Rescue Mission, Utah Action Food Bank and Utah Valley Strengthening Families. He also participated with teammates reading to local elementary students, as well as spearheading a food drive and gathering toys and donations for Toys for Tots.

 

"Andre is a tremendous leader," said UVU cross country/track and field head coach Scott Houle. "He has the ability to lead by example and also taking directions. I would love to have many more young men with his work ethic, ability, and desire to be a great person."