College honors for local scholars, athletes

Here’s a list of honors and degrees earned by Osceola County residents, as shared by news service Merit Pages News, or the schools’ media relations offices:

Kissimmee’s Jose Perez earned a spot on the Dean’s List for the Spring 2023 semester at Clarke University (Dubuque, Iowa).

Gabrielle Idalys Flores of Kissimmee is among the more than 2,900 candidates for graduation in the University of Georgia’s Class of 2023. She is slated to receive a BSA in Biological Science.

Alyssa Parson of Kissimmee, was part of the fall graduating class of Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a Bachelors of Science in Communication Studies Lee University (Tenn.) congratulates Andrea Cruz Pagan of Kissimmee on earning Dean’s List honors during the Fall 2023 semester.

Jordan Marino of Davenport graduate students in the Global Field Program (GFP) and the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) from Miami University’s (Oxford, Ohio) Project Dragonfly. Since joining the Global Field Program (GFP) master’s in 2020, Marino has traveled to Baja, Guyana and Thailand and conducted projects that have made a difference in the Davenport area. Dani Hopper of Kissimmee concluded her master’s course of study with a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Biology from Miami University through Project Dragonfly. Hopper works as a zookeeper at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Bryan Beggs from St. Cloud, assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery Regiment, received a promotion November 8, 2023 to the rank of Sergeant.

SPORTS

Saint Michael’s College (Vt.) women’s volleyball junior Alexandra Báez Rentas, an alum of New Dimensions High School, was named to the Northeast-10 Conference All-Conference third team. One of the most defensive-minded setters in the NE10, Báez Rentas is fourth in the league in assists per set (8.72) and eighth in digs per set (3.93). She is the league’s lone primary setter to average at least 3.0 digs. Her 65 kills are second in the NE10 among primary distributors, as Báez Rentas is one of only two players with at least 50 kills, 50 assists (619) and 200 digs (279).

Rockford (Ill.) College quarterback Jaylen Ray, an alum of Kissimmee’s Liberty High School, was selected to the Division III All- Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Second Team. Ray led the NACC in six offensive categories and finished in the top three in three others. He led the NACC in completions (259), attempts (410), passing yards (2,896), passing yards per game (289.6), total offense (3,021) and total offense per game (302.1). Ray also finished the regular season second in the conference in completion percentage (63.2%) and passing touchdowns (22) and third in passing efficiency (133.4). At the NCAA Division III level, Ray is currently eighth in the country in completions per game (25.9) and passing yards (2,896), 11th in passing yards per game (289.6) and 20th in total offense per game (302.1). On top of all that, Ray now holds a combined 17 single game, season or career school records, and he also tied the NCAA record for the longest play from scrimmage with a 99-yard touchdown pass against Concordia Wisconsin.