The last competition for Arizona in the 2024-25 season was June 15, when baseball was eliminated from the College World Series in Omaha. The first action for a Wildcat squad in 2025-26 squad will come in early August when soccer visits NAU for an exhibition, with volleyball following a few weeks later and football getting into action on Aug. 30 against Hawaii.

The time in between can seem like forever for UA fans, which is why we try to fill that void each summer with a look at how each athletic program is doing. This is our Taking Stock series, which over the previous three weeks analyzed the condition of each Wildcat discipline.

The 2024-25 academic year, which saw Arizona move into the Big 12 Conference after 45 years as a member of the Pac-12, was overall a good one. The Wildcats won conference tournament titles in baseball, women’s golf and men’s tennis while making the conference tourney finals in men’s basketball and softball. Volleyball won the NIVC title and triathlon took home the national title.

Below is a link to each of our 17 sport-specific stories:

• Saturday, June 21: Volleyball under Charita Stubbs
• Sunday, June 22: Football under Brent Brenann
• Monday, June 23: Soccer under Becca Moros
• Tuesday, June 24: Triathlon under Wes Johnson
• Wednesday, June 25: Cross country under (former coach) Bernard Lagat
• Thursday, June 26: Swimming & diving under Ben Loorz
• Friday, June 27: Women’s basketball under Becky Burke
• Saturday, June 28: Men’s basketball under Tommy Lloyd
• Sunday, June 29: Gymnastics under John Court
• Monday, June 30: Men’s golf under Jim Anderson
• Tuesday, July 1: Women’s golf under Giovana Maymon
• Wednesday, July 2: Men’s tennis under Clancy Shields
• Thursday, July 3: Women’s tennis under Ryan Stotland
• Friday, July 4: Softball under Caitlin Lowe
• Saturday, July 5: Baseball under Chip Hale
• Sunday, July 6: Beach volleyball under Steve Walker
• Monday, July 7: Track & field under Andrew Dubs

Arizona State’s Big 12 Titles

Women’s Swimming and Diving

The Sun Devils won their first conference title in program history at the Big 12 Championships winning 14 individual titles in Federal Way, Washington. The team went 8-6 in the regular season in duals. 

Men’s Swimming and Diving 

The Sun Devils were able to win their third consecutive conference championship and the first Big 12 title winning 12 individual titles and sweeping the relays to establish their dominance within the conference all season long. Junior Jonny Kulow was named Big 12 Swimmer of the Meet and Lucien Vergnes was named men’s Freshman of the Meet. 

Football 

The Sun Devils also finished the season with an undefeated record at home for the first time since 2004 and just the tenth time in program history. Highlights from this season included a blowout opening home win against Wyoming with the second-highest student attendance recorded for an ASU home game with 13,698 students attending the game. Other highlights include a thrilling 28-23 win over No. 14 BYU and a crushing 49-7 victory over in-state rival Arizona in Tucson. By defeating No. 16 Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship and clinching their first outright conference championship since 1996, Arizona State secured a spot in the College Football Playoffs for the first time in program history. 

Volleyball 

ASU won the 2024 Big 12 championship as JJ Van Niel in his second season helped Arizona State win its first conference championship in program history. The team finished 30-3, going 17-1 in Big 12 play. 

Sun Devil Athletics Matches All-Time Best GSR

Sun Devil Athletics has either maintained or surpassed its all-time best GSR every year since 2008. Twelve teams posted GSR scores at 100 percent. Those teams are men’s and women’s basketball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, gymnastics, soccer, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, water polo and wrestling.

Highlights from the student programming areas:

CAREER: 

Sun Devil Athletics continues to elevate its partnership with ASU Career Services and hosted 15 career-related events to include a Career Fair, hands-on career readiness-related workshops involving multiple employers across various industries.  Student-athletes had direct one-on-one interactions with hiring managers who offered real-time feedback on resumes, interviewing strategies, and LinkedIn.

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Sun Devil Athletics continued Sparky’s Tours, character education programs delivered in elementary schools, as well as the wide range of initiatives Sun Devil Athletics support in partnership with A New Leaf Homeless Shelter.

MENTAL HEALTH/IMPACT: 

Mental Health: Hosted multiple SAAC/SDA/ASU Sport Clinician collaborations around mental health topics, including a Mental Wellness Fair, along with other key programs addressing trauma, sleep, travel, managing emotions, gambling, etc. 

Impact Programs: EmpowHER hosted student-athlete tailgates before selected Olympic sports competitions to bring student-athletes together and encourage support for their peers at the selected game. The SAAC, International Student-Athlete committee hosted an affinity event in collaboration with ASU’s International Students and Scholars Center (ISSC).

What is the Big 12 Commissioner’s Cup?

The Commissioner’s Cup was created to recognize Big 12 athletic departments for their efforts in fostering an environment that develops student-athletes both on and off the field. Points are determined by a combination of NCAA Graduation Success Rate, Big 12 regular and postseason titles, plus on-campus programs offered that focus on community engagement, mental health and career development.

FRISCO, Texas – BYU’s Meghan Hunter (track and field) and Colorado’s Travis Hunter (football) were selected as the recipients of the third annual Bob Bowlsby Award.

Established by the Big 12 Board of Directors, the Bob Bowlsby Award is the Conference’s highest individual honor. Named for former Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, the award recognizes one male and one female student-athlete who exemplify excellence and leadership both on and off the field.

The winners were determined by a vote of the league’s athletics directors.

This marks the second consecutive year a BYU student-athlete has received the honor, while Colorado celebrates the award in its first season back in the Big 12.

Hunter, a track and field standout at BYU, maintained a 3.95 GPA while earning a graduate degree in communications disorders. She earned 2024 Academic All-Big 12 honors.

The 2024 Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award honoree won the 2025 Big 12 title in the 800m, setting both a meet and school record (1:58.99). Hunter also contributed to a Distance Medley Relay team that broke NCAA and BYU records (10:37.58) in the 400m leg.

The Provo native procured First Team All-America recognition in the 800m after placing third at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

In 2019, shortly after signing her letter of intent with BYU, Hunter was involved in a devastating car accident that resulted in a broken neck. Doctors initially said she would never run again. A CWSA Honda Inspiration Award finalist, she defied expectations through intense physical and mental rehabilitation, eventually returning to become an All-American. Hunter’s experience is viewed as an inspiration to her teammates and coaches.

 

Colorado’s Travis Hunter delivered one of the most decorated individual seasons in college football history, being named the consensus National Player of the Year while becoming the Buffaloes’ second Heisman Trophy winner.

The native of Suwanee, Georgia, was named the National Defensive Player of the Year (Bednarik, Lott IMPACT Trophy), became the first repeat winner of the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile) and captured the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver. He was a unanimous first-team All-American, earning seven first team honors across major publications.

A psychology major, Hunter was selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft and remains on track to graduate in December.

The cover star of EA Sports College Football 25 was named the Division I Football Academic All-American of the Year and is a two-time first-team Academic All-America honoree. A frequent member of CU’s 4.0 GPA Club, he has balanced elite athletic performance with a deep commitment to academics.   

Off the field, Hunter is the epitome of a teammate and a good citizen. He regularly visited schools and community centers and helped families in need by purchasing Christmas gifts. After sustaining an injury during the Colorado State game his sophomore season, he reached out to support the opposing player – who had received online threats – by recording a joint video to defuse the situation.

Each Big 12 institution was permitted to nominate one male and one female student-athlete of any classification who compete in a Conference-sponsored sport during the 2024-25 academic year.

During his tenure as Commissioner from 2012-22, Bowlsby successfully navigated television rights deals, protected student-athletes’ well-being and innovated the field of college athletics. Most recently, Bowlsby led the way for BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston to join the league, while his inaugural year saw him successfully navigate the addition of TCU and West Virginia into the Conference.

Wylie High School incoming junior middle hitter Aubrey DeGrate helped to lead her club team, Madfrog 16 National Team, to a national title in the 16U Open Division at the 2025 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship, held June 25-July 3 at Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas. Photo by Maddie Smith / C&S Media

By David Wolman

[email protected]

Three volleyball players from Wylie High School and eight from Wylie East competed in the 2025 USA Volleyball Girls National Championship, held June 25-July 3 at Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas.

Wylie incoming junior middle hitter Aubrey DeGrate helped to lead her club team, Madfrog 16 National Team, to a national title in the open 16U division. Madfrog dominated to a 10-1 record, losing 21 sets against just seven sets lost. They went 3-0 in gold bracket play, capped off with a 2-1 come-from-behind win (21-25, 25-23, 15-13) over Arizona Storm 16 Thunder in the championship game.

Outside hitter Keelyn Green, an incoming junior at Wylie, helped to guide Premier 16 Black G (NT) to a 10-1 record and national runner-up finish in the 16U Freedom division.

Another incoming junior at Wylie, Julia Hudgins, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, was named to the all-tournament team after she helped to lead Arete 16 Navy Telos (NT) to third place in the 16U USA division.

Wylie East rising sophomore setter Norah Hicks played a key role in leading TAV Black Jason (NT) to second place in the nation in the 15U Open division. Hicks’ club team went 9-2 overall at junior nationals and won 19 sets against just five set losses.

Reagan Johnson, an incoming sophomore at Wylie East and outside hitter, delivered a solid performance for Madfrog 15’s N White (NT), which finished in 14th place in the 15U Liberty division. Raegan Jeffers, a sophomore middle blocker, left Dallas with a top 25 finish. Her club team, Premier 15 Black (NT), captured 21st place in the 15U Liberty division.

Rlieigh Brown, a sophomore middle hitter, competed for UEPA 15D (NT), which captured 23rd place in the 15U USA division. Tess Adamic, an incoming freshman, led Drive Nation 14-Red (NT) to 26th place in the 14U Open division.

Jordan Turner, an incoming senior setter and University of Memphis commit, earned 33rd place with Excel 17 National Red (NT), which competed in the 17U Open division. Siena Scholz helped to lead Arsenal 17 Blue (NT) to three wins and a 79th-place finish in the 17 Patriot division.

To read the full story, stay informed and support local journalism, subscribe to your community newspaper The Wylie News today!

Golfer Morgan Sjoerdsma became Cal State LA’s first four-time Academic All-American when she was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Women’s At-Large third team on Tuesday, July 8.

Sjoerdsma, who graduated with a Master of Arts in Educational Technology this spring, previously earned first-team honors in 2024, second-team honors in 2023, and third-team honors in 2022. She achieved the first three awards as an undergraduate.

“Morgan’s legacy will live forever within this program. Her impact both on and off the golf course is immeasurable,” said Hans Kersting, Cal State LA golf head coach. “To be named an Academic All-American for the fourth time is far beyond what any other student-athlete has ever achieved at Cal State LA. I’m proud to know that I was able to coach a young lady who has made such an incredible impact not only on our golf team, but also the entire university.”

The CSC Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in athletic competition and in the classroom. To be eligible in golf, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.5 grade point average and must have competed in 70 percent of the team’s total events.

Sjoerdsma carried a 4.00 grade point average as a graduate student and a 3.96 GPA while completing her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.

The At-Large team includes the sports of golf, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, water polo, bowling, fencing, rifle, crew/rowing, skiing, gymnastics, and beach volleyball. The Division II At- Large teams honored 53 student-athletes.

Sjoerdsma earned CSC All-District honors last month for a fourth straight year, which put her on the ballot for All-America recognition. She was joined by two other California Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes: golfer Madison Murr of Cal State San Marcos (first team and CSC Academic All-American Team Member of the Year) and water polo player Autumn Day of Cal State Monterey Bay (second team).

Sjoerdsma was one of 10 student-athletes who were repeat selections from the 2023-24 Academic All-America Division II At-Large team and one of 16 who earned a GPA of 4.00 as either an undergraduate or graduate student. She was also a three-time winner of the CCAA Elite 13 Award for top academic achievement during her career.

“It is truly remarkable that Morgan is the first in the history of the university to achieve the distinction of being a four-time Academic All-American,” said Cal State LA Executive Director of Athletics Daryl Gross. “This is an incredible accomplishment for an outstanding student-athlete.”

Sjoerdsma completed her remarkable Cal State LA career with another outstanding 2024-25 season. She had five top-10 finishes, including a second-place finish at the LA Invitational and a third-place finish at the Swan Memorial. She also tied for 10th at the NCAA West Regional and was 16th in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships. Sjoerdsma had a scoring average of 75.32.

Sjoerdsma earned first-team All-CCAA honors for a fourth straight season and was ranked 94th in the final national individual rankings. She finished her career with three wins, two runner-up finishes, seven top-three finishes, 14 top-five finishes, and 19 top-10 finishes.

“Her character is exemplary, and her leadership has been evident since her freshman year,” Gross said. “As our captain, Morgan embodies everything we aspire to cultivate at Cal State LA. She excels as a scholar off the course and is a champion golfer, making her one of the most decorated athletes in our history. Without a doubt, she will be a future Hall of Famer. Morgan has laid the groundwork for our women’s golf program, and her legacy will be cherished forever.”

Sjoerdsma played in the NCAA West Regionals for a fourth time after qualifying as an individual in 2022 and 2023 and with the team in 2024 and 2025. She finished in a tie for 10th at the NCAA West Regionals in the final tournament of her career.

The CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America award earned by Sjoerdsma is the 20th all-time for Cal State LA. She and two-time honoree Christie Lau (women’s tennis) are the only student-athletes to earn multiple Academic All-America awards.

CAL STATE LA ALL-TIME CSC/CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA AWARDS 

2025 – Morgan Sjoerdsma, Women’s Golf, 3rd team 
2024 – Morgan Sjoerdsma, Women’s Golf, 1st team 
2023 – Iane Henke, Women’s Volleyball, 2nd team 
2023 – Morgan Sjoerdsma, Women’s Golf, 2nd team 
2022 – Morgan Sjoerdsma, Women’s Golf, 3rd team 
2021 – Daniel Simonis, Men’s Soccer, 3rd team 
2018 – Samuel Croucher, Men’s Soccer, 2nd team 
2018 – Ingvar Moseley, Men’s Track & Field, 1st team 
2015 – Iona Lofrano, Women’s Volleyball, 2nd team 
2014 – Dane Nielsen, Men’s Soccer, 2nd team 
2014 – Shane Panther, Men’s Soccer, 2nd team 
2014 – Heather Williams, Women’s Soccer, 3rd team 
2013 – Christie Lau, At Large – Women’s Tennis, 2nd team 
2013 – Lisa Ohberg, Women’s Track/CC, 3rd team 
2012 – Waleed Cassis, Men’s Soccer, 3rd team 
2012 – Christie Lau, At Large – Women’s Tennis, 2nd team 
2011 – Sergio Cedano, Men’s Soccer, 3rd team 
2000 – Kasey Jungwirth, Women’s Volleyball, 1st team 
1995 – Marisol Cossio, Women’s Track/CC, 3rd team 
1987 – Robert Briglia, Men’s Track/CC, 3rd team