By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University had 46 student-athletes earn the prestigious Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Faculty Athletics Representative's Scholar-Athlete award for the 2024-25 academic year.
The GNAC Faculty Athletic Representative Scholar-Athlete Award, presented by Barnes and Noble College, capped another remarkable year of academic awards and honors for WWU student-athletes.
Presented annually to the most outstanding student-athletes at each GNAC institution, the FAR Award honors student-athletes who have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.85 or better. All student-athletes, including redshirts and true freshmen, listed on any squad list at a GNAC full-member school, regardless of whether the sport is a GNAC championship sport, are eligible for the award. A record 426 GNAC student-athletes were recognized with FAR awards.
Brian Le (Track & Field), Delphine Maurer (Track & Field/XC) and Maddy Grandbois (Basketball, Track & Field) led the award winners earning the fourth FAR Award of their student-athlete career.
In addition to the 46 FAR award recipients, Western student-athletes also combined for a school-record 141 GNAC Academic All-Conference honors during the academic year. WWU has now had 231 GNAC FAR Award winners over the last six years for an average of 38.5 accolades per year.
WWU Athletics Academic Pride Points:
- 3.43 Department GPA for 2024-25 season
- 46 FAR Award Winners
- 141 GNAC Academic All-Conference honors
- All 15 programs finished with team GPA over 3.00
- Won the NCAA President's Award for Academic Excellence (90% Academic Success Rate)
WWU's 46 selections featured 33 from women's team sports and 13 from men's team sports.
Overall, WWU's nearly 300 student-athletes combined for a 3.43 GPA in 2024-25, with all 15 programs posting a team GPA over 3.00.
WWU Athletics has earned the NCAA's Presidents Award for Academic Excellence seven times in the last eight years, showcasing an academic success rate of 90%.
Here is a list of the 46 WWU student-athletes honored with 2024-25 FAR Awards from the GNAC:
|
Women
|
Sport
|
Academic Major
|
Year
|
GPA
|
Hometown
|
|
Elie Bassett***
|
Track & Field
|
Spanish & Psychology
|
Jr.
|
3.98
|
Granite Falls, WA
|
|
Bec Bennett
|
Track & Field
|
Rehabilitation Counseling
|
Gr.
|
4.00
|
Mosman, Australia
|
|
Paige Bylund
|
Soccer
|
Biology
|
Fr.
|
3.85
|
Seattle, WA
|
|
Kathryn Chapin
|
Track & Field
|
Undeclared
|
Fr.
|
4.00
|
Longview, WA
|
|
Evelyn Collins-Winn***
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Kinesiology
|
Sr.
|
3.86
|
Port Orchard, WA
|
|
Ayla Danner-Bunn**
|
Track & Field
|
Kinesiology
|
So.
|
3.98
|
Roy, WA
|
|
Alyson Deaver
|
Basketball
|
Biology
|
Jr.
|
4.00
|
Sumner, WA
|
|
Demi Dykstra**
|
Basketball
|
Elementary Education
|
So.
|
3.95
|
Lynden, WA
|
|
Avah Eslinger
|
Soccer
|
Undeclared
|
Fr.
|
3.87
|
Vancouver, WA
|
|
Chayse Flick-Williams
|
Volleyball/Softball
|
Undeclared
|
Fr.
|
4.00
|
Bellingham, WA
|
|
Emily Fojo**
|
Soccer
|
Biochemistry
|
So.
|
3.96
|
Sammamish, WA
|
|
Sonja Gebhardt
|
Rowing
|
Behavioral Science
|
Fr.
|
3.93
|
Kenmore, WA
|
|
Maddy Grandbois****
|
Basketball/Track & Field
|
Interdisciplinary Studies
|
Sr.
|
3.94
|
Marysville, WA
|
|
Asia Hardin***
|
Soccer
|
Management
|
Jr.
|
3.88
|
West Linn, OR
|
|
Adele Holland***
|
Volleyball
|
Marketing
|
Jr.
|
3.91
|
Puyallup, WA
|
|
Morgan Manalili***
|
Soccer
|
Mathematics/Computer Science
|
Jr.
|
4.00
|
Shoreline, WA
|
|
Olivia Matlock
|
Softball
|
Elementary Education
|
Jr.
|
4.00
|
Menlo, WA
|
|
Delphine Maurer****
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Biology
|
Sr.
|
3.95
|
San Diego, CA
|
|
Ruby May**
|
Soccer
|
Management
|
Fr.
|
3.88
|
Issaquah, WA
|
|
Malea Moy**
|
Rowing
|
Inclusive Education
|
Jr.
|
3.90
|
Lacey, WA
|
|
Kascia Muscutt***
|
Soccer
|
Kinesiology
|
Jr.
|
4.00
|
Leavenworth, WA
|
|
Sarah Plemmons**
|
Rowing
|
Spanish/Geology
|
So.
|
3.97
|
Richland, WA
|
|
Isabella Porter***
|
Track & Field
|
English/Secondary Education
|
Sr.
|
3.94
|
Shelton, WA
|
|
Claire Potter***
|
Soccer
|
Biochemistry
|
Jr.
|
3.99
|
Pasco, WA
|
|
Iliyana Schneiderman
|
Rowing
|
Early Childhood Education
|
Fr
|
3.92
|
Stevens Point, WI
|
|
Lauren Simicich
|
Track & Field
|
Undeclared
|
Fr.
|
3.96
|
Bothell, WA
|
|
Alexis Slater**
|
Softball
|
Disability & Advocacy
|
Jr.
|
3.94
|
Everett, WA
|
|
Emma Smith**
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Accounting
|
Sr.
|
3.87
|
Portland, OR
|
|
Skye Stenehjem
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Industrial Design
|
Fr.
|
3.88
|
Yakima, WA
|
|
Hayli Tri**
|
Volleyball
|
Undeclared
|
Fr.
|
3.98
|
Lake Stevens, WA
|
|
Anna VanderYacht***
|
Volleyball/Basketball
|
Inclusive Education
|
Jr.
|
3.94
|
Lynden, WA
|
|
Taylor Wall***
|
Rowing
|
History/Political Science
|
Jr.
|
3.82
|
Grand Junction, CO
|
|
Olivia Wikstrom
|
Basketball
|
Accounting
|
Sr.
|
3.85
|
Bainbridge Island, WA
|
|
Men
|
Sport
|
Academic Major
|
Year
|
GPA
|
Hometown
|
|
Tristan Bahm
|
Track & Field
|
Biochemistry
|
Fr.
|
4.00
|
Olympia, WA
|
|
Sten Brakstad**
|
XC/Track & Field
|
English
|
So.
|
3.89
|
Portland, OR
|
|
Jack Kendrick
|
Golf
|
Finance
|
Fr.
|
3.90
|
Vancouver, WA
|
|
Brian Le****
|
Track & Field
|
Kinesiology
|
Sr.
|
3.96
|
Tumwater, WA
|
|
Frank Miedema***
|
Soccer
|
Law, Diversity & Justice
|
Jr.
|
3.91
|
Corvallis, OR
|
|
Donagh Palmer**
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Energy Science/Technology
|
So.
|
3.97
|
Portland, OR
|
|
TJ Parnow***
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Energy Science/Technology
|
So.
|
3.99
|
Grass Valley, CA
|
|
Luke Reiss**
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Environmental Studies
|
So.
|
3.90
|
San Luis Obispo, CA
|
|
Austin Seals***
|
Track & Field
|
Kinesiology
|
Jr.
|
3.91
|
Lynnwood, WA
|
|
Sebastiano Silvetti***
|
Soccer
|
Theatre
|
So.
|
3.99
|
Bergamo, Italy
|
|
Joar Tidblom***
|
Soccer
|
International Business
|
Jr.
|
3.90
|
Norrkoping, Sweden
|
|
Angus Van Valey
|
Track & Field
|
Electrical/Computer Engineering
|
Fr.
|
3.93
|
Snohomish, WWA
|
|
Eli Williams
|
XC/Track & Field
|
Undeclared
|
Fr.
|
4.00
|
La Grande, OR
|
|
* = Number of FAR Awards during collegiate career
|
A faculty athletic representative (FAR) is a member of the faculty at a NCAA member institution who has been designated to serve as a liaison between the institution's faculty and the athletic department. The FAR serves as a representative of the institution in conference and NCAA affairs.
The role of the FAR is "to ensure that the academic institution establishes and maintains the appropriate balance between academics and athletics."
Dr. Bruce Larson is in his second term as WWU's Faculty Athletic Representative.
Here is a breakdown of the all-time WWU FAR Award winners by year since the award debuted in 2011-12. WWU's 46 award winners fell three short of the school record 49 established last year:
|
Year
|
Total
|
Women
|
Men
|
|
2024-25
|
46
|
33
|
13
|
|
2023-24
|
49
|
33
|
16
|
|
2022-23
|
44
|
29
|
15
|
|
2021-22
|
29
|
22
|
7
|
|
2020-21
|
33
|
25
|
8
|
|
2019-20
|
30
|
20
|
10
|
|
2018-19
|
16
|
12
|
4
|
|
2017-18
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
|
2016-17
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
|
2015-16
|
6
|
6
|
0
|
|
2014-15
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
|
2013-14
|
10
|
7
|
3
|
|
2012-13
|
12
|
9
|
3
|
|
2011-12
|
15
|
10
|
5
|
