In the first week of fall sports action, which began on Friday, UMHB had tremendous success across the board. Crusader volleyball went 4-0, women’s soccer dominated in its home opener, men’s soccer played a tough Concordia squad to a 1-1 draw, and both cross country teams had notable performances at the first meet of the season in Georgetown.
Each Monday, we will recognize one male student-athlete and one female student-athlete whose contributions and performance stood out in the previous week. It is a way to recognize some of the outstanding individuals representing The Cru, and highlight their efforts towards their team’s overall success. We’re excited to bring this to you each week. Our Week 1 honors are sponsored by Sacrifice Training, Central Texas’ premier athletic training facility for all ages.
Athletes of all ages choose Sacrifice Training, elevating their level of fitness and athleticism! Founded by Cru football alum Bryson Tucker, Sacrifice Training has successfully helped numerous high school and college athletes reach the next level, including Atlanta Falcons DT Ta’Quon Graham and former UMHB QB and current UFL receiver Blake Jackson. But they are not limited to high performance development. The team at Sacrifice Training also works with first-time gym-goers and less-experienced athletes, pushing them to reach their own individual goals in their athletic journey. Learn more today at sacrificetraining.com.
Male Athlete of the Week: Alfredo Lozano, Cross Country
When you break a program record, that’s going to get some attention. Especially when that record was established seven seasons prior. That’s exactly what Lozano, a native of Denver City, Texas did on Friday morning, when he ran a time of 17:28.95 at Southwestern’s Stormy Seas Opener.
It was the first official event of UMHB’s 2024 fall sports calendar, and Lozano ran at a high-level against strong competition from the University of Texas, Southwestern, and St. Thomas (TX). His time in the 5K surpassed Daniel Choi’s previous program record of 18:31.14, and also bested his 5K time of 20:14.5 from last September by over two minutes.
While cross country is unique in the fact that courses vary in elevation changes and running surface, Lozano’s improvement is especially notable. The pace that the senior ran at in Friday’s season opener would put him close to breaking his PR of 28:46.9 from the DBU Old Glory Gallop last October. Lozano placed 40th overall, but 18th amongst D-III competitors in the event, which marked his highest placement ever in a collegiate race.
Female Athlete of the Week: Dravyn Hurd, Volleyball
Last week, UMHB head volleyball coach Mark Pryor said that junior hitter Dravyn Hurd had “gotten nothing but better” following a stellar 2023 season that saw her earn First Team All-ASC honors. That was made clear throughout UMHB’s 4-0 weekend at the Oregon Trail Classic on Friday and Saturday, as Hurd played a key role in The Cru’s success on the West Coast.
Offensively, Hurd led the team in kills (40), points (49.5), and hitting percentage (.456). That included three straight matches with double-digit kills, as she recorded 10 against Pacific, and 12 apiece in Saturday’s victories over George Fox and Willamette. Impressively, in the 3-1 win against Willamette, Hurd was 12-of-19 on total attacks with zero errors, finishing with a hitting percentage of .632.
The Beaumont native is one of the nation’s most efficient hitters, and through the first weekend of action, Hurd leads the ASC in hitting percentage. She also ranks seventh in the league in kills/set (2.86).
Defensively, Hurd led The Cru in blocks (13.0), highlighted by her six-block performance in the season-opening win over Linfield. Hurd’s 0.93 blocks/set this past weekend was fifth in the ASC and she tallied the third-most blocks of any player in the conference.
