Bronco Athletics Celebrate Student-Athletes at “Best of the Blue”
4/22/2024 9:08:00 PM | General
BOISE, IDAHO – The second annual Best of the Blue awards were presented at the Egyptian Theatre in downtown Boise, Monday. The Best of the Blue awards were created to celebrate and recognize the commitment to excellence that student-athletes and staff devote to all 18 sport programs at Boise State.
Four of the awards recognized top female and male talent and leadership and two categories celebrated specific team achievements.
The Best of the Blue is a program under the direction of BroncoLife. BroncoLife provides programming to encourage and empower student-athletes to act and behave in accordance with their values, be positive influences in their community and discover their full potential as leaders in both their college careers and lives after Boise State.
Newcomers of the Year
Earned by a female and male student- athlete for outstanding performance, through their individual achievement and/or contribution to their team, while competing in their first year at Boise State.
* Softball's Sophia Knight Sophia Knight
* Men's Basketball's O'Mar Stanley O'Mar Stanley
"Bleed Blue" Leadership Award
Celebrating a female and male student-athlete who has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities like serving others, vision, community service, etc. These student-athletes are not only leaders on their teams, but go above and beyond the call to be pillars of the department and the community.
* Women's tennis Shauna Heffernan Shauna Heffernan
* Men's basketball's Tyson Degenhart Tyson Degenhart
Horse Power Award
Awarded to a female and male student-athlete who epitomize the Bronco spirit through their heart, hustle, relentless dedication, unparalleled work ethic and unwavering determination. Horse Power Award winners are Bronco student-athletes who never says "I can't" or "I'm too tired", is the first person in line for sprints, the example of sheer will in the weight room, and a driving force behind the team to "get it done".
* Gymnastics Emily Lopez Emily Lopez
* Football's Ahmed Hassanein Ahmed Hassanein
BroncoLife's "Blue Collar" Award
Presented to a female and male student-athlete who demonstrates a strong work ethic on the field and in the classroom with a commitment to setting the highest of all standards for a student-athlete at Boise State.
* Volleyball's Paige Bartsch Paige Bartsch
* Football's Ashton Jeanty Ashton Jeanty
Competition of the Year
Honoring the team whose collective performance, in a home or away game, match, meet, etc., resulted in a lasting impression or memorable outcome.
Gymnastics – 2024 Mountain West Championship
After going undefeated against Mountain West competition during the regular season, the Broncos entered the conference championship as the slight favorite. However, the team was battling injuries and was missing key routines. After the first rotation, the Blue and Orange was in third place but battled back to secure the title by .05.
Moment of the Year
This award celebrates the most memorable and impactful moment achieved by a student-athlete or members of a team. The award recognizes extraordinary achievements, remarkable performances, or defining moments that have left a lasting impression on the Boise State community. From game winning shots, record-breaking performances, crazy comebacks, to winning in the face of adversity, this award encapsulates the moment that a player or team left their mark.
Football - 2023 Mountain West Championship
After facing adversity all season long and transitioning through a coaching change, the Broncos capped an unlikely run to a championship with a convincing 44-20 road victory over UNLV.
Team of the Year
Football - 2023 Mountain West Champions
This team responded time and time again. After starting 0-2 and 2-3, Boise State trailed San Jose State 27-7 with less than five minutes left in the first half before ripping off 28-straight points for a 35-27 victory. A stunning loss at Colorado State and a one-score setback at Fresno State were each followed by a victory. At 5-5, the Broncos rallied for three-consecutive wins under interim head coach Spencer Danielson, including a 44-20 rout of UNLV on the road in the Mountain West Championship.
–BroncoSports.com–
Players Mentioned
