ARLINGTON, Texas – Former UT Arlington volleyball star
Brianna Ford was recognized as the 2024-25 Western Athletic Conference Joe Kearney Award winner. Named in honor of longtime WAC commissioner Joe Kearney, the awards are given annually to the top male and female student-athletes in the WAC during the preceding academic year.
Ford capped her final season in the orange and blue winning the WAC Player of the Year and WAC Championship while concluding her third consecutive First Team All-WAC campaign with career-bests in kills (501), kills per set (4.47), hitting percentage (.304), digs per set (2.90), blocks (108), blocks per set (0.96), aces (42) and assists (41) over 32 matches, or 112 sets.
She also became the first player in the program's history to be named an AVCA All-American. The Amarillo, Texas native finished the season ranked among the nation's top 27 players in total points (16th), total kills (27th), points per set (12th) and kills per set (17th).
It marks the second straight year for a UT Arlington student-athlete to take home the honors, following Lucas Van Klaveren (track & field) last year.
Joe Kearney Award Winners:
2025: Brianna Ford, Volleyball, UT Arlington; Gabe Remy, Track & Field, Utah Valley
2024: Lucas Van Klaveren, Track & Field, UT Arlington; Greta Karinauskaite, California Baptist, Track & Field
2023: Xavier Gipson, Football, Stephen F. Austin; Kristin Fifield, Softball, Grand Canyon
2022: Teddy Allen, Basketball, NM State; Annina Brandenburg, Track & Field, Abilene Christian
2021: Fardaws Aimaq, Basketball, Utah Valley; Ane Olaeta, Basketball, California Baptist
2020: Nick Gonzales, Baseball, NM State; Megan Hart, Volleyball, NM State
2019: Mark Nikolaev, Swimming and Diving, Grand Canyon; Brooke Salas, Basketball, NM State
2018: Jemerrio Jones, Basketball, NM State; Kelsey Horton, Softball, NM State
2017: Paul Hoffmeister, Soccer, Utah Valley/DeWayne Russell, Basketball, Grand Canyon; Shawnte' Goff, Basketball, UTRGV
2016: Antoine Rozner, Golf, Kansas City; Gwen Murphy, Volleyball, NM State
2015: Michael McPherson, Track & Field, Utah Valley; Courtney Frerichs, Cross Country/Track & Field, Kansas City
2014: Mitchell Huxhold, Swimming and Diving, Bakersfield; Stephanie Verdoia, Soccer, Seattle U
2013: Kyle Barone, Basketball, Idaho; Hannah Kiser, Cross Country/Track & Field, Idaho
2012: Andrew Blaser, Track and Field, Idaho/Robert Turbin, Football, Utah State; Chelsea Hayes, Track & Field, Louisiana Tech
2011: Colin Kaepernick, Football, Nevada; Emma Friesen, Swimming and Diving, Hawai'i
2010: Kellen Moore, Football, Boise State; Amber Kaufman, Volleyball/Track and Field, Hawai'i
2009: Tom Mendonca, Baseball, Fresno State; Melanie Gloria, Tennis, Fresno State
2008: Steve Susdorf, Baseball, Fresno State; Emma Friesen, Diving, Hawai'i
2007: Colt Brennan, Football, Hawai'I; Kanoe Kamana'o, Volleyball, Hawai'i
2006: Nick Fazekas, Basketball, Nevada; Kanoe Kamana'o, Volleyball, Hawai'i
2005: Gabriel Wallin, Track and Field, Boise State; Jamie Southern, Softball, Fresno State
2004: Kirk Snyder, Basketball, Nevada; Kim Willoughby, Volleyball, Hawai'i
2003: Nick Watney, Golf, Fresno State; Kim Willoughby, Volleyball/Basketball, Hawai'i
2002: David Carr, Football, Fresno State; Stacy Prammanasudh, Golf, Tulsa
2001: LaDainian Tomlinson, Football, TCU; Florence Ezeh, Track and Field, SMU
2000: Courtney Alexander, Basketball, Fresno State; Amanda Scott, Softball, Fresno State
1999: Andre Miller, Basketball, Utah; Martina Moravcova, Swimming and Diving, SMU
1998: Lars Frolander, Swimming and Diving, SMU; Amanda Scott, Softball, Fresno State
1997: Keith Van Horn, Basketball, Utah; Martina Moravcova, Swimming and Diving, SMU
1996: Keith Van Horn, Basketball, Utah; Nina Lindenberg, Softball, Fresno State
1995: Stoney Case, Football, New Mexico; Susanne Metz, Gymnastics, Utah
1994: Marshall Faulk, Football, San Diego State; Amy Van Dyken, Swimming and Diving, Colorado State
1993: Marshall Faulk, Football, San Diego State; Mikki Kane-Barton, Volleyball, Utah
1992: Carlton McDonald, Football, Air Force; Anu Kaljurand, Track and Field, Brigham Young
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