DALLAS - Conference USA honored the 11 accomplished recipients of the Jim Castañeda Postgraduate Scholarship on Thursday. 2023 marks the 15^th year the award has been named after Dr. Jim Castañeda, who served Rice for 46 years as an educator, coach and Faculty Athletics Representative before he passed in 2008. Every season, C-USA grants the $4,000 scholarship to distinguished graduates selected by the league’s Faculty Athletics Representatives and approved by the Conference USA Board of Directors.
 
2023 Jim Castañeda Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
Ariana Rivera, Charlotte, Track and Field
Sommer Baker, Florida Atlantic, Softball
Bailey Grossenbacher, FIU, Softball
Hannah Suder, Middle Tennessee, Women’s Soccer
Katelin Cooper, Louisiana Tech, Softball
Nick Nakwaasah, North Texas, Football
Grace Forbes, Rice, Track and Field/Cross Country
Sierra Frazier, UAB, Softball
Isabel Clara Brooks, UTEP, Rifle
Isa Hernandez, UTSA, Women’s Soccer
Ansley Cate, WKU, Women’s Soccer
 
Ariana Rivera, Charlotte, Track and Field
Rivera spent 2021-23 at Charlotte as a member of the track and field team following her time at Virginia Tech, specializing in hurdles. She was part of the C-USA team championships in both 2022 and 2023 in the outdoor season, as well as the 2023 indoor campaign. She graduated in May of 2023 with a 3.93 GPA as a Health Systems Management major and received the Chancellor’s Award at Charlotte, was recognized as a 2023 Commissioner’s Academic Medal recipient, and earned a spot on both the 2022 and 2023 Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
 
Sommer Baker, Florida Atlantic, Softball
Baker, an infielder for Florida Atlantic has been a member of the Owls for three seasons. She has made the Dean’s List on four occasions and earned a spot on the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2020, 2021 and 2023, while also earning the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal in 2023. The Haines City, Florida, native is expected to graduate in the summer of 2023 and currently boasts a 3.934 GPA in her Master’s program in Exercise Science and Health Promotion.
 
Bailey Grossenbacher, FIU, Softball
Grossenbacher, an outfielder at FIU, has spent three seasons as a member of the Panthers. Her accolades include a C-USA Service Award, an FIU Unsung Hero Award, an FIU Gold/Blue Achievement Award, a member of the Dean’s List every semester since her freshman year, has been a member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and has earned the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal multiple times in her career. Grossenbacher is on track to graduate in December of 2023 and boasts a 3.85 GPA in Hospitality Management.
 
Hannah Suder, Middle Tennessee, Women’s Soccer
Suder, a goalkeeper, has been a member of the Middle Tennessee women’s soccer program for four years. She was Summa Cum Laude, a member of the Dean’s List, was named a Senior Honor Student, has been a member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll multiple times and has received the C-USA Commissioner’s Medal on multiple occasions. The Jacksonville, Florida, native currently boasts a 4.0 GPA while pursuing her Master’s degree in Criminal Justice with a targeted graduation date of May 2024.
 
Katelin Cooper, Louisiana Tech, Softball
Cooper led the team in home runs this past season (nine), and ranked second in RBI, total bases and slugging percentage. In the classroom, Cooper was named an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete for the 2021-22 season, was a 2023 C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal recipient, a member of the 2023 C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and was named to the 2023 Academic All-District Team. The Choudrant, Louisiana, native is on track to graduate in November of 2023 with a Master of Arts in Human Services and currently boasts a 3.88 GPA.
 
Nick Nakwaasah, North Texas, Football
Nakwaasah is a defensive back for the Mean Green and was a member of SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) this past season at North Texas. A member of the Dean’s List on multiple occasions and 2023 C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member, Nakwaasah graduated in May of 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance with a 3.278 GPA.
 
Grace Forbes, Rice, Track and Field/Cross Country
Forbes has competed in both cross country and track and field for the Owls since 2019, specializing in distance running. She graduated in May of 2023 with a 3.91 GPA in Kinesiology. A 2022 First Team NCAA All-American in the 10,000m in both 2021 and 2022, Forbes also earned Indoor First Team All-American status in the 5,000m in 2021, as well as the 3,000m in 2020-21. She has been named a C-USA Scholar Athlete of the Year three times across her two sports, as well as the Michael L. Slive C-USA Female Athlete of the Year (2021-22).
 
Sierra Frazier, UAB, Softball
Frazier, UAB’s catcher, has been a member of the Blazers for five years. The Corona, California, native was a First Team All-Conference selection from 2021-23 and was named the 2023 Conference USA Player of the Year. A 2021 C-USA All-Academic selection, Frazier is a four-time member of the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, a three-time Commissioner’s Academic Medal recipient and an NFCA All-Academic Scholar. She graduated in April of 2023 with a 3.79 GPA in Kinesiology-Exercise Science.
 
Isabel Clara Brooks, UTEP, Rifle
Brooks has led the Miners on 32 occasions during her four years of competition, including 11 times as the aggregate leader. The Houston native has been named a member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll and received the Commissioner’s Academic Medal four times (2020-23), while also being named a Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Top-10 Senior at UTEP. Brooks boasts a 3.97 GPA in Mechanical Engineering.
 
Isa Hernandez, UTSA, Women’s Soccer
Hernandez, a midfielder for the Roadrunners, has competed six seasons at UTSA where she ranks second in program history in games played (80) and was the team’s captain for two seasons. The Kyle, Texas, native has earned the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal four times and has been a member of the Commissioner’s Honor Roll on six occasions. She has also been on the UTSA President’s List three times, the Dean’s list four times and was named the Will and Mary Hathaway Female Academic Athlete of the Year in 2023. Hernandez owns a 4.0 GPA and is in the process of earning her PhD in Organic Chemistry with an expected graduation of May 2027.
 
Ansley Cate, WKU, Women’s Soccer
Cate, a defender for four seasons at WKU, earned the United Coaches Player of Distinction Award, a C-USA Spirit of Service Award, a WKU Coaches Award and has been named to the C-USA All-Freshman team during her career. The Paris, Tennessee, native graduated in May of 2023 with a 3.96 GPA in Exercise Science, and was a recipient of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal in 2023, a member of the Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2023, a C-USA All-Academic First Team selection in 2022, and a second team choice in 2020.