San Diego State Athletics brought the Aztec community together on Monday, April 20, for its fifth annual A.C.E. Awards at Montezuma Hall, honoring student-athletes for their accomplishments in academics, athletics and leadership. The A.C.E. Awards, short for Aztecs Celebrating Excellence, recognize the dedication, resilience and spirit that define what it means to be an Aztec.
The evening welcomed student-athletes, donors, campus partners and athletic staff, all gathered to celebrate a year defined by achievement, perseverance and community across the athletics department.
This year marked another standout stretch in the classroom for San Diego State. A record 439 student-athletes were recognized as Scholar-Athletes, an honor awarded to those who earned a 3.2 semester GPA or maintained a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Additionally, 49 student-athletes received the Malik Award, presented to those who achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA. Men’s soccer and swimming & diving finished with the highest team GPAs.
Two special awards recognized student-athletes for personal and professional growth.
The Aztecs Going Pro Resilience Award honors student-athletes who have demonstrated significant academic or personal improvement through resilience, dedication and effort. This year’s recipients were Alyssa Schiller, swimming & diving, and Joe Borjon, football.
“Means a lot,” Borjon said. “I had a season-ending injury my first year here, and to be able to trust the training staff, work hard and put myself through treatment and numerous hard days to get back to where I am today and be able to play great, so means a lot.”
Schiller also reflected on what the recognition meant to her after her own journey.
“I mean, it’s definitely been a journey to be recognized for that struggle,” Schiller said. “It definitely means a lot, and I really appreciate SDSU, how supportive they have been through these four years, the situation, everything, so it means a lot, and I really appreciate it.”
The All-Aztecs Going Pro Award recognizes individuals who have exemplified personal growth, career development and civic engagement throughout their collegiate careers. This year’s honorees were Katie Senn, women’s soccer, and Lorenzo Hernandez, men’s soccer.
Senn’s impact extended well beyond the pitch. In addition to receiving the All-Aztecs Going Pro Award, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President was also honored on the Mountain West All-Community Service Team. Through her efforts, SDSU student-athletes completed more than 1,000 hours of community service, further highlighting her leadership across the department.
“It’s really cool. It’s a good feeling, but honestly, I wouldn’t have done it without my team, like they’d put in a lot of work with the community service, and were always so down to do whatever I asked them to,” Senn said. “But it’s cool to be a part of a really cool award ceremony like this, and I’m just grateful to be here, honestly.”
She also credited the support system around her throughout her collegiate journey.
“SDSU’s helped me grow tremendously with the help of the academic staff and my coaches, my team, my academic counselors and everybody just has been so supportive in everything I did,” Senn said. “Also, my athletic trainers, like I wouldn’t have come back from my back surgery without them, and it’s just been really grateful and a crazy journey for me.”
The Aztec Awards also spotlighted individual excellence across several categories, with each team nominating a representative. Members of the leadership and media relations teams selected winners.
Newcomer of the Year: Isabella Gomez (swimming & diving), Tae Simmons (men’s basketball)
Athlete of the Year: Nala Williams (women’s basketball), Chris Johnson (football)
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Jo-Yee Chan (women’s tennis), Aidan Russell (baseball)
Simmons said the honor came as a surprise.
“I didn’t even know I was nominated for this, to be honest,” Simmons said. “So I didn’t even know my name was on the thing. But it’s just such an honor. It just shows that my hard work was able to show.”
Gomez emphasized the team-first mindset behind her award.
“This means so much for me and for all the effort that we have worked like we have been hard working every day as an Aztec and all my team together, because it’s not just something by myself, it’s just a team thing,” Gomez said. “I’m so proud to be an Aztec.”
Williams, one of the program’s top newcomers this year, after transferring from Cal State Dominguez Hills, was one of two athletes named Athlete of the Year.
“It means a lot. I feel completely honored,” Williams said. “Honestly, I feel very lucky to just be welcomed by a community, the Aztec community, within only one year of being here, but I just feel incredibly honored.”
Russell earned Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors after balancing four years in the program with the demands of a difficult major.
“I mean, it’s awesome to get this award,” Russell said. “You know, I’ve been here for four years. It’s been really difficult as an athlete, bouncing baseball and in a pretty tough major, it’s a lot of time management.”
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) also presented its annual superlative awards, which are voted on by student-athletes. Among the notable winners were Katie Senn and Tyler Kowack for the Bigger than Us Award, along with Jordan Dobin and Latrell Davis for Most Team Spirit.
Track & field alum Jasmine Burrell was also recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award.
The ceremony also celebrated the people who support student-athletes behind the scenes, from academic advisors to athletic trainers and support staff.
The 2026 A.C.E. Awards ceremony was a night to remember, celebrating academic excellence, athletic achievement and the powerful support system that continues to shape SDSU student-athletes on and off the field.
