Dallas College Holds First Athletic Banquet

Media Contact: C.C. Gonzalez-Kurz; newsteam@DallasCollege.edu

For immediate release — April 23, 2026

For the first time in its history, Dallas College brought together student-athletes, coaches, alumni and administrators from all seven campuses to celebrate championships, All-American honors, Hall of Fame careers and Legacy Awards, during its inaugural athletic banquet April 21 at the Curtis Culwell Center.

Among those recognized, Eastfield Baseball Head Coach Michael Martin was named National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame Honoree. In his 25th season at Eastfield, Martin has built one of the most successful and respected programs in NJCAA history.

Each of the seven Dallas College campuses — Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland — maintain their own athletic teams competing in the Dallas Athletic Conference (DAC). Executive Athletic Director Lynn Nabi oversees the entire program, while each campus is administered by its own athletic director.

“Every day, I wake up grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an outstanding organization — and even more grateful to be part of your journey as

“I have always had a deep love for college athletics, because athletes understand perseverance. You know how to shake off a bad play, stand back up and take the next shot. You bring that same mindset into the classroom, and that’s why student athletes consistently post some of the strongest retention and graduation outcomes in higher education,” said Dr. Beatriz Joseph, Dallas College vice chancellor of student success, in her opening remarks.

She added that Division III athletes, who compete without athletic scholarships, deserve special recognition. “You do this because you love the game, because you believe in hard work and because you understand that the win is bigger than the scoreboard.”

Shawn Bradley delivers keynote address. Prior to the awards, a special keynote speech was delivered by former NBA player Shawn Bradley, who was one of the most recognizable and dominant defensive players during his career. He has since dedicated himself to giving back through charitable work, mentoring young athletes and inspiring others with his story of resilience and strength.

Championships

The 2025-2026 DAC champions were Eastfield Baseball and Volleyball, Brookhaven Women’s Soccer, Richland Men’s Soccer and Men’s Basketball and Cedar Valley Women’s Basketball. Eastfield Volleyball went on to win the national championship. Cedar Valley’s Aaban Khan captured the Tier 1 NJCAAe Fall Esports Championship.

Top Athletes and Coaches

At the banquet, Khan was named Esports Player of the Year, along with Platinum Ranked player Elena Ku, El Centro esports team captain. El Centro’s Skylar McCort was named Esports Coach of the Year for her strong commitment to developing talent, fostering teamwork and guiding the program to success.

Mia Santos (Eastfield Volleyball) and Alexis Cruz (Richland Men’s Soccer) were honored as Athletes of the Year for their performance, leadership and dedication. Santos earned DAC Most Valuable Player, NJCAA Division III National Player of the Year and was named Most Valuable Player of the 2025 NJCAA Division III Volleyball National Tournament. Cruz played a key role in the postseason success of the 2025 NJCAA Division III All-Tournament Team and was named the 2025 DAC Most Valuable Player. Both student-athletes were First Team All-American athletes in their sports.

Additional 2025-2026 First Team All-American student-athletes were Romiel Carter (North Lake Men’s Basketball); Jase Tarver (Richland Men’s Basketball); Charles Chimezie and Victor Gomez (Richland Men’s Soccer); Ava Little (Brookhaven Women’s Soccer); McKenzie Mitchell and Brooke Tyler (Brookhaven Volleyball); Madison Mosley (Eastfield Volleyball) and Ben Sheppard (Eastfield Baseball).

Transferring seniors take the stage.

Phil Nickel, head coach of the national champion Eastfield Volleyball team, was named Women’s Team Coach of the Year. He was recognized for his demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic excellence and mentorship guiding their team to success both on and off the court. Nickel was named the 2025 National Coach of the Year and DAC Volleyball Coach of the Year.

Men’s Team Coach of the Year went to Jonathan Havens, Richland Men’s Basketball Head Coach. Honored for his dedication, vision, excellence and making a lasting impact on the program and its athletes, he guided his team to back-to-back DAC championships and NJCAA Division III National Tournament appearances.

Legacy Awards

Six alumni and staff past and present were honored with Dallas College Lifetime Legacy Achievement Awards:

• Keitha Dickerson — Mountain View Women’s Basketball (2019-current) — Dickerson is Athletic Director at Mountain View. She led Mountain View to its first-ever NJCAA Division III National Tournament appearance in 2023, earning DAC Coach of the Year. A former professional WNBA player, she appeared in 36 games with the Minnesota Lynx and Utah Starzz.
• Cordell Ray — Eastfield Men’s Basketball (1996-1997) — As a key member of Eastfield’s 1997 NJCAA Division III National Championship team, Ray earned National Player of the Year and First Team All-American honors. He still holds the program rebounding average record at 11.1 per game.
• Cody Roberson — North Lake Baseball (1990-1991) — The All-Conference and All-Region pitcher from North Lake signed with the Atlanta Braves. Roberson is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel. He is a decorated combat leader who built an outdoor organization that has raised over $37 million for military and veteran causes.
• Ryan Roberts — Eastfield Baseball (2001) — A 2001 NJCAA Division III National Champion and First Team All-American, Roberts went on to star at UT Arlington and play nine seasons in Major League Baseball. Since retiring, he has worked in baseball development, media production and sports business leadership.
• Gary Talton — Mountain View Men’s Basketball (2010-2011) — A First Team All-American and national champion in 2011, Talton helped lead Mountain View to a 26–8 record and NJCAA Division III title. He continued his career at UIC before launching a successful professional career in the NBA G-League and overseas.
• Sean Worley — Richland Men’s Soccer (1994-2018) — A multiple-time National Coach of the Year and NJCAA Hall of Fame inductee, Worley built one of the most dominant programs in NJCAA history, leading to seven national championships and 330 career wins over more than two decades. His teams captured 17 straight regional titles and consistently competed for national championships.

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