November 9, 2012
San Antonio – Two of St. Mary’s seniors found honors in the Heartland Conference for their final year of work, while freshman Jack Wolf received the highest in his first year of collegiate play.
The Heartland Conference has released their selectees for the All-Heartland Conference Teams for the 2012 season, with St. Mary’s earning three representations as Wolf (Richardson, Texas) made the All-Heartland Conference First Team as well as being named the Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year. Seniors Anthony Bustos (Helotes, Texas) and Aaron Stares (Swindon, England) each made the Second Team.
For Wolf, his Freshman of the Year honor marks the first time since 2009 a Rattler has received the award from the league, and he becomes only the second Rattler in three seasons to place on the All-Heartland Conference First Team. Starting nearly every game in his first season with the Rattlers, Wolf played in all 17 games, including making 15 starts, tying for the team’s leading goals scorer with four. Wolf’s four goals included one game-winner, and he also tallied one assist for a total of nine points, second-best on the team. The freshman forward led the Rattlers in shots with 36, including 17 shot on goal.
For Stares, his selection for the 2012 season is the second straight year the defender has been honored on the All-Heartland Conference Second Team. The aggressive defender still found looks at the net, scoring two goals on the season as well as recording one assist for five points. Stares recorded 22 shots in his 14 games played that included 13 starts.
Bustos’ representation on the Second Team is his first career honor from the conference. Bustos also tied as the Rattlers’ leading goals scorer, netting four goals on the season to total eight points. The forward had one of the highest shot-on-goal percentages on the team at .696 with 16 of his 23 shots being on target.
The Rattlers’ three selectees for conference honors is complemented by St. Mary’s having its best record since 2009, finishing the 2012 season at 5-11-1 and fourth in the conference’s rankings.
While honorees Stares and Bustos are leaving their careers at St. Mary’s, the Rattlers can look forward in their Freshman of the Year and First Team selectee, Wolf.