Shake, Falkenstine Named Athletes of the Year

University of Houston-Victoria sophomore Heather Shake of Pearland and senior Nathan Falkenstine of Houston, were named the 2015 UHV Athletes of the Year on Sunday during the annual UHV Jaguars athlete awards banquet held at Victoria Educational Gardens Pavilion located at the Victoria Regional Airport..

After a stellar freshman year where she became the first UHV women’s golfer to win a conference championship and advance to the NAIA National Championships, she continued that success on to this year.

She has finished in the top five in all six events she has played in and has helped lead the Jaguars to four team titles. She is also currently ranked No. 5 in the Golfstat NAIA Head-to-Head Rankings. She leads her team with a 72.29 scoring average and of her 14 rounds this season, four have been in the 60s and nine have been in the 70s.

She earned individual titles at the UHV Fall Classic where she shot a school record 14-under par 202 with rounds of 69-66-67. She came right back to win the Trinity Alamo Classic. She has placed second at two events, third at one and tied for fourth at another.

This was the second straight year for Shake to earn the UHV Female Athlete of the Year honor.

Falkenstine has been a pivotal part of the Jaguars’ pitching staff this season moving from starter to closer.

In 23 appearances this season he has compiled a 5-4 record with three saves and a team-leading 3.17 ERA. He tossed a complete game in his only start of the season. In 54 innings, he has allowed 22 runs on 51 hits and 17 walks, while striking out 44.

In his four-year career at UHV, he has compiled a 22-20 record in 69 games with a 4.41 ERA. In 239 innings he has allowed 137 runs on 267 hits and 70 walks, while striking out 197 batters.

Both Shake and Falkenstine received the Player of the Year awards in their respective sports. Other Player of the Year awards went to junior Lani Munoz of Lubbock in softball, senior Vance Edwards in men’s golf, senior Lewis Edwards of Bristol, England, in men’s soccer and freshman Emily Lupton of Preston, England, in women’s soccer.

Newcomer of the Year honors went to Sevanah Campos-Reyes of Victoria (softball), Victor Coronado of Houston (baseball), Cristian Esparza of Corpus Christi (men’s golf), Brian Redmond of Tullaneore, Ireland, (men’s soccer), and Chase O’Brien of Calgary, AB, Canada (women’s soccer).

Champions of Character awards for display of the five-core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program went to Megan Huerta of Van Vleck (softball and women’s soccer), Falkenstine (baseball), Shelbi Vincent of Nederland (women’s golf), William Dawson-Hicks of Houston (men’s golf), and Jack Pluckwell of Bury St. Edmonds, England (men’s soccer).

The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region, offers courses leading to more than 65 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and concentrations in the schools of Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Education & Human Development, and Nursing. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus as well as teaching sites in Fort Bend and Harris counties, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. Since its founding in 1973, UHV has provided students with a quality university education from excellent faculty at an affordable price.