Ty Touchstone and Anna Bellum Receive LSC Scholar-Athlete Awards

PORTALES, N.M. — Eastern New Mexico University athletes Ty Touchstone (Sr., Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) and Anna Bellum (Sr., Albuquerque, NM/Garden City CC) have been chosen as Lone Star Conference Scholar-Athlete Award winners for 2004-05. One male and one female student-athlete from each of the LSC’s 15 member institutions was chosen to receive the awards. A total of 29 student-athletes were honored, with just one recipient from Texas Woman’s University, which does not compete in men’s athletics.

Touchstone played free safety on the ENMU football team for four years and competed in track and field for two seasons. Bellum was an outside hitter on the Eastern volleyball team the past two seasons, following two years at Garden City Community College (Kansas).

Touchstone ranked third on the ENMU football team with 78 total tackles in 2004, and was second on the squad with 53 solo tackles. He led the Hounds with three blocked field goals — all on kicks in the fourth quarter of games ENMU won. Touchstone also broke up three passes and intercepted three passes. He recorded a season-high 15 tackles (10 solo) against nationally-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville. He also returned 11 punts for 10.2 yards per return. He was selected Second Team All-LSC South in 2004, and earned First Team All-LSC South honors in 2002.

Touchstone was the only NCAA Division II player, and one of just 15 players overall, chosen as 2004 National Scholar-Athletes by the National Football Foundation. He will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.

During his four years at Eastern, Touchstone accumulated 300 total tackles, including 187 solo tackles. He intercepted eight passes and broke up nine pass attempts. He also forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles. He played in all 43 games (2001-04), including 31 starts.

He was named First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America in football in 2003 and 2004, after earning Second Team Academic All-America honors in 2002. He was the College Division Football Academic All-America of the Year in 2004.

Touchstone earned First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors for the third consecutive season in football, and was named First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District for the first time in track and field this spring. In football, he was selected to the LSC South All-Academic Team for the third year in a row and was named LSC South Academic Player of the Year. In track and field, he was chosen to the LSC All-Academic Team for the first time this season.

Touchstone ran the 200-meter and the 400-meter races this spring. He also competed on the 4 x 400 and 4 x 100 relay teams for the Greyhounds. In the 200-meter dash, his top time was 23.44 in a meet at Angelo State University. He was 23rd in the 200-meter dash at the LSC Championships, as he clocked in at 23.59. He placed 22nd in the 400 meter dash at the LSC meet with his top time of 54.35.

Bellum led the Zias with 461 kills in 2004, as she averaged 3.6 kills per game. She ranked third on the ENMU squad with 412 digs, an average of 3.2 digs per game. She was chosen LSC South Hitter of the Week on Oct. 18, 2004.

During her two seasons with the Zias, she recorded 942 kills for the sixth highest total in school history. She tied for 10th all-time at ENMU with 806 career digs.

Bellum was named First Team All-LSC South both seasons at Eastern. In 2004, she earned academic recognition on the ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District squad and on the LSC South All-Academic Team. She also qualified for the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2004.

While playing for the Zias, she helped Eastern earn a combined record of 41-24 (.631), including 25-9 in 2004. She was a powerful offensive threat, as she led the Zias to their first ever NCAA Division II National Tournament berth this past season.