(June 22, 2008)--University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football player Jerrell
Freeman has been voted American Southwest Conference Male Athlete of the Year in balloting of ASC Sports Information Directors and selected media members. The ASC Male and Female Athlete of the Year Awards are the most prestigious on-field awards presented by the conference.

Freeman was a four-year letterman for the Cru football team as a
linebacker from Waco University High School. He was named D3football.com National Defensive Player of the Year and became the first ASC player to win national player of the year honors from D3football.com Freeman was voted ASC Defensive Player of the Year this fall and earned First Team ASC All-Conference honors for the third straight season. Freeman helped lead the Cru to the ASC Championship and UMHB also became the first ASC football program to advance to the national semifinals twice this past season. He was named All-American by D3football.com, Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association.

Freeman is a three-time All-Region selection and he was also named South Region Defensive Player of the Year by D3football.com this season. He finished the 2008 season with 112 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks seven pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and he also blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown. Freeman was also selected to play in the Aztec Bowl but had to turn down the bid when the Cru advanced to the national semifinals in December. Freeman played for three conference champions, four NCAA
Playoff qualifiers and the 2004 national runner-up team. He finished his
career as UMHB's all-time leading career tackler and he also became the
first UMHB football player to sign an NFL contract when he signed a
free-agent deal with the Tennessee Titans this spring.

Freeman is the seventh UMHB student-athlete to win ASC Athlete
of the Year honors in the last eight years. He joins men's basketball
player Robert Moore (two-time winner, 00-01, 01-02) football player
Preston Meyer (02-03), football player Cody Fredenburg (03-04), women's golfer Holly Glover (04-05) and football player Josh Kubiak (06-07) as the Cru's winners of ASC Athlete of the Year honors. McMurry track and field standout Hann Ollison finished second in balloting for ASC Male Athlete of the Year. Hardin-Simmons basketball player Mardochee Jean finished in third place.

"We feel like Jerrell is well-deserving of this award," UMHB
Vice-President for Athletics Ben Shipp said. "His determination and will
to win were obvious to everyone, making him an outstanding football
player. We are so proud of him and his accomplishments and thank for him for his contribution to our football program's success during Jerrell's
career."

"We are obviously thrilled for Jerrell and all of his accomplishments," Cru head football coach Pete Fredenburg said. "This is a real credit to him, his family, the coaching staff, our program and this entire university. We are very excited for him!"

Howard Payne women's basketball player Meia Daniels won ASC
Female Athlete of the Year honors for the second straight year. McMurry University basketball player Tarra Richardson was second and Louisiana College softball player McCaslin Carson finished third. UMHB softball player Kacie Kripner was the Cru's nominee for ASC Female Athlete of the Year. Kripner (Sr., San Antonio MacArthur HS) was voted ASC West Division Player of the Year and led the Cru softball team to its first NCAA Division III National Championships appearance this season.