MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced Athletics Department has 26 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars, as announced by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.
At least one student-athlete from each men's and women's program earned the distinction.
The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar award has a decades-long tradition of recognizing outstanding, young minority men and women who have distinguished themselves in their academic and athletic pursuits.
Women's water polo's Jacqueline Azevedo and men's water polo's Andrew Ore were named Sport Winners. Azevedo was also named a Semifinalist for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Athlete of the Year.
UC Merced's 26 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars are the most the most in the NAIA and the fifth most across all levels of collegiate athletics. Only high-major programs Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Temple, and Nebraska have more.
Women's soccer's Isabella Spiva earned the honor for a UC Merced record fourth consecutive year. Kaikoa Soma of men's volleyball and Tiler Fears of men's basketball landed on the first team for the third straight year. Alexandra Lopez and Emily Gonzales of UC Merced women's cross country/outdoor track are also 3X Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars.
In addition to their athletic ability, those named 2024 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars are students of color who have maintained at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, are at least sophomores academically, and have been active on their campuses or in their communities.
Listed below are the 2024 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars and their major.
Men's Basketball
Tiler Fears –Management of Innovation, Sustainability, and Technology, M.M.
Women's Basketball
Faith Mucheru – Biological Sciences
Paloma Ramirez – Management & Business Economics
Men's Cross Country/Outdoor Track
Noel Simon – Biological Sciences
Women's Cross Country/Outdoor Track
Brieanna Anderson – Political Science
Emily Gonzales – Biological Sciences
Alexandra Lopez – Political Science
Fanny O'Vincent – Psychology
Elizette Ysais – Public Health
Men's Soccer
Edwin Casillas – Mechanical Engineering
Women's Soccer
Kyla Dolorfino – Management & Business Economics
Katy Flores – Biological Sciences
Aaliyah Hernandez – Psychology
Liliana Johnson – Biological Sciences
Preeya Singh – Biological Sciences
Isabella Spiva – Public Health
Kassidy Spiva – Public Health
Men's Volleyball
Dylan Jong – Cognitive Science
Kaikoa Soma – Political Science
Brennan Taylor – Civil Engineering
Women's Volleyball
Haley Branley – Psychology
Bianca Malaluan – Management & Business Economics
Semiramis Tanasescu – Biological Sciences
Men's Water Polo
Andrew Ore – Bioengineering
Women's Water Polo
Jacqueline Azevedo – Management & Business Economics
Juliana Torres – Public Health
