Anteaters from all departments feted for academic achievement
Several student-athletes who study in the School of Social Ecology were honored in May at the Bren Events Center during UC Irvine Athletics’ second annual Zotspys, which celebrate academic as well as athletic success during the school year.
Female Comeback Player of the Year, which is among the top awards, went to women’s soccer forward and third-year criminology, law & society major Jenika Davis. When Davis subbed into a match against the University of Arizona on Sept. 1, it was her first minutes playing since the middle of her freshman season, when she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Among the six student-athletes presented the Leadership Award, which recognizes dedication to community and efforts to make the athletic space better for everyone, was women’s tennis player and third-year psychological science and criminology, law & society major Haily Huynh.
An athlete from each school is honored for being that unit’s grade point average (GPA) leader, and for the School of Social Ecology the award went to women’s volleyball player and redshirt freshman psychological science major Ally Bolden.
Individual team GPA leaders were recognized, and those from the School of Social Ecology were:
- Haily Huynh (women’s tennis)
- Mary Hassett, second year social ecology major (women’s water polo)
- Akiva McBirney-Griffin, redshirt sophomore majoring in social ecology (men’s basketball)
Each team also had players honored as Scholar-Athletes for their academic achievements, with those who graduated this year receiving special sashes. Teams and their School of Social Ecology Scholar-Athletes were:
Men’s volleyball
Joe Karlous, graduate student, psychological science
Women’s volleyball
Ally Bolden; Jessica Bates, first year, criminology, law & society
Men’s golf
Joshua Lane, fourth year, criminology, law & society
Men’s soccer
Darwin Lopez, first year, social ecology
Women’s soccer
Jenika Davis; Autumn Thompkins, fourth year, criminology, law & society
Men’s basketball
Akiva McBirney-Griffin; Langston Redfield, redshirt senior, urban studies
Women’s basketball
Olivia Williams, third year, social ecology; Nevaeh Dean, graduate student, criminology, law & society
Women’s tennis
Haily Huynh; Maily Huynh, third year, criminology, law & society; Asha Gidwani, third year, criminology, law & society
Women’s track and field
Nyla Baker, third year, criminology, law & society; Zharia Taylor, second year, urban studies; Stella Knobbe, third year, psychological science
Men’s track and field
Logan Peyton, fourth year, social ecology; Matthew Irvine, third year, psychological science; Chimobi Onye, third year, criminology, law & society; Jerry Roberts, third year, criminology, law & society
Baseball
David Utagawa, redshirt senior, psychological science; Brandon Luu, second year, criminology, law & society; Finnegan Wall, redshirt senior, social ecology
; David Utagawa, redshirt senior, psychological science
Women’s water polo
Mary Hassett; Madi O’Hara, redshirt junior, criminology, law & society; Ella Walker, second year, psychological science; Maja Layden, third year, psychological science; Charley Birdsall, redshirt sophomore, social ecology
More 2024-25 honors for School of Social Ecology student-athletes
Will Bermudez: The Anteater baseball team’s infielder won the Heart & Hustle honor at the first OC Sports Awards June 3 at Angel Stadium.
The redshirt senior psychological science major also received the first-ever, end-of-year CalHOPE Courage Award.
Nominees were each month’s two CalHOPE awardees; Bermudez had received the honor for February.
Alonso Reyes: The catcher/infielder and second-year psychological science major was one of four Anteaters named to the Los Angeles Regional All-Tournament Team.
Zharia Taylor: The high jumper and third-year urban studies major, who became the first women's Anteater track and field qualifier for the NCAA Championships since 2009, finished tied for 16th in Eugene, Oregon, June 14, earning second team All-America honors. Taylor was also named to the Academic All-America Team.
Logan Peyton and Nyla Baker: The round before Eugene was the 2025 NCAA D1 West Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Joining Zharia Taylor at Texas A&M in May were javelin thrower and fourth-year social ecology major Peyton and shot putter and third-year criminology, law & society major Baker.
Mario Anaya: Maintaining a 3.62 GPA while helping lead the men’s soccer team to another successful season, the graduate student in criminology, law & society and urban planning & public policy was named a United Soccer First Team Scholar All-American. Anaya was also among five ‘Eaters named to the All-Big West team.
Women's water polo All Big West: Psychological science graduate student Brooke Hourigan won second-team honors, and fourth-year urban studies major Nioka Thomas and redshirt junior criminology, law & society major Madi O'Hara received honorable mention.
Tati Fung: The criminology, law & society major signed in September with Fort Lauderdale United FC to become the first UC Irvine women's soccer Anteater to join the newly formed United Soccer League (USL).
– Matt Coker