Women's Soccer | 5/23/2023 11:00:00 AM

May 23, 2023- The only MIAA athlete named All-American by both the coaches association and communicators for her play as well as Academic All-American in the classroom is one of five female finalists for the Ken B. Jones Award, presented by Summit Pointe Financial Group, as the top student-athlete in the MIAA.  Emporia State soccer forward Mackenzie Dimarco will be recognized, along with the other finalists from around the league, at 2023 MIAA Awards Celebration presented by Husch Blackwell on June 6 in the Music Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo.
 
A two-time Emporia State Female Student-Athlete of the Year, Dimarco was a consensus All-American this past season, earning First-team D2CCA All-American and second-team United Soccer Coaches All-American honors. She was a unanimous First Team All-MIAA at forward after leading the MIAA in goals, shots, shots on goal and points while ranking second in game-winning goals.  She scored 23 goals to break the previous MIAA single-season record of 20 that was shared between herself and Jada Scott of Central Missouri in 2018. The Pleasant Hill, Mo. native led the nation in total goals, was second in total points, fifth in goals per game and tenth in points per game.
 
She became the first player in MIAA history to score hat tricks in back-to-back matches as the Hornets defeated both Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. Dimarco tied the NCAA Tournament single match record with four goals against Fort Hays State and broke the single match points record when she added an assist against the Tigers in the first round of the Central Regional Tournament. The Hornets advanced to the Central Region Championship match for the first time in school history.
 
She is the NCAA Division II active leader in goals scored with 61 in just 67 matches played. She holds the Emporia State career record for goals, points, shots attempted, shots on goal, goals per game and points per game.
 
Dimarco is a three-time First-Team All-MIAA performer, four times if the COVID Spring 2021 season in included. She became the first Hornet soccer player to earn All-American honors in when she was named Second-Team All-American by both the United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA in 2021. As a freshman she was named MIAA Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in 2019.
 
In the classroom she maintains a 3.78 GPA in rehabilitation and was named Second-Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators last season. She is a two-time Academic All-District performer and three-time MIAA Scholar-Athlete. Dimarco is a D2 Athletic Directors Association (ADA) Academic Achievement Award recipient and has been a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and ESU Athletic Director's Honor Roll every year at Emporia State.
 
She is also a contributor to her community as a member of the Emporia State soccer team that placed ninth in the nation in this past year's Helper Helper Community Service Challenge. She has helped out with Emporia Main Street Cleanup, ESU's Student Advisory Committee Trunk or Treat event for Emporia area youth, Laps 4 Landon walk to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis, and High Five Friday at various Emporia area elementary schools. She also serves as a youth soccer coach and speaks to youth about life as a student-athlete. Dimarco has also been a Hornet Helper on Emporia State new student move in day, aided in the Special Olympics Polar Plunge, and helped pack food as part of the Food for Students program for Emporia area children.
 
The other 2022-23 female finalists are golfer Morgan Brasser from Fort Hays State, track and field athlete Auna Childress from Pittsburg State, softball player Sydni Hawkins from Missouri Western and track and field athlete Madi Wulfekotter from Central Missouri.
 
The 2022-23 male finalists are wrestler Dalton Abney from Central Oklahoma, soccer player Ryan McCully of Northeastern State, track and field athletes Matthew Oglesby of Pittsburg State, Ryan Stanley from Fort Hays State and Luke Stuckey of Neb.-Kearney.
  
The Ken B. Jones award is named after the MIAA's first full-time commissioner and recognizes the conference's top Female and Male Student-Athlete. Mr. Jones was appointed league commissioner in 1981 and the inaugural award, in his honor, began in the 1993-94 academic year.

Each institution may nominate one female and one male student-athlete. The nominees must have completed at least their junior season of athletics eligibility by June 1 of the academic year of nomination. A nominee must have at least a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average through the previous full semester term through February 1 of the academic year of nomination at the certifying member institution.

Finalist were selected from female and male nominations at various MIAA member schools. A 13-member committee comprised of one administrator from each MIAA institution and the conference office ranks each candidate based on excellence in three categories: Athletic Achievement in that academic year, Career Academic Achievements and Community/Campus Service during the Academic Year. The committee announces its five finalists 14 days before naming its winner at the annual MIAA Awards Celebration.
 
In addition to the Ken B. Jones Award Emporia State Lady Hornet basketball player Cassondra Boston Richards and volleyball/basketball player Brittney Miller Pitts will be inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame during the Awards Celebration.

2022-23 Female Finalists
Morgan Brasser – Golf – Fort Hays State
Auna Childress – Track & Field – Pittsburg State
Mackenzie Dimarco – Soccer – Emporia State
Sydni Hawkins – Softball – Missouri Western 
Madi Wulfekotter – Track & Field – Central Missouri 

2022-23 Male Finalists
Dalton Abney – Wrestling – Central Oklahoma 
Ryan McCully – Soccer – Northeastern State
Matthew Oglesby – Cross Country/Track & Field – Pittsburg State
Ryan Stanley – Track & Field – Fort Hays State
Luke Stuckey – Cross Country/Track & Field – Nebraska Kearney
 
Emporia State has had ten Ken B. Jones Award winners, seven times for the women and three for the men.
ESU Female Ken B. Jones Award Winners
1996-97         Deandra Doubrava, Emporia State, Volleyball/Track & Field*
1998-99         Deandra Doubrava, Emporia State, Track & Field
2000-01         Emily Bloss, Emporia State, Basketball
2002-03         Sarah Wuertz, Emporia State, Track & Field
2007-08         Michelle Stueve, Emporia State, Basketball
2009-10         Cassondra Boston, Emporia State, Women's Basketball
2018-19         Brianna Schmitz, Emporia State, Track and Field 
ESU Male Ken B. Jones Award Winners
2003-04         Tyler Paul, Emporia State, Football
2015-16         Brent Wilson, Emporia State, Football
2019-20         Jace McDown, Emporia State, Football (FALL)