61 University of Idaho Vandals Earn Big Sky Conference Winter All-Academic Recognition
MOSCOW, Idaho — The University of Idaho made a strong showing on the academic front this spring, with the Big Sky Conference announcing that 61 Vandal student-athletes earned spots on the 2025-26 Winter All-Academic Team. The recognition places Idaho fourth among all Big Sky member institutions in total honorees, underscoring the program’s commitment to excellence both on the court and track and in the classroom.
The Big Sky Conference released the full list on Friday, April 25, honoring 545 student-athletes across all member schools for their academic performance during the winter sports season. Idaho’s 61 honorees were drawn from four programs: seven from men’s basketball, nine from women’s basketball, 19 from men’s indoor track and field, and 26 from women’s indoor track and field.
What It Takes to Earn the Honor
Earning a spot on the Big Sky Winter All-Academic Team is not automatic. To qualify, a student-athlete must meet several requirements set by the conference. Athletes must have participated in at least half of their team’s competitions during the season, maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale at the close of the most recently completed academic term, and completed at least one full term at their current Big Sky institution.
For indoor track and field competitors, the participation standard is met either by competing in at least half of regular-season events or by competing at the Conference Championship Meet, acknowledging the different structure of that sport’s competitive calendar.
Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill recognized the honorees in a statement released with the announcement. “Congratulations to the 545 student-athletes that make up our Winter All-Academic Team for the 2025-26 season,” Wistrcill said. “This group of individuals is setting a fantastic example for both their teammates and classmates and truly stand for what the Big Sky Conference is all about as we continue putting an emphasis on every career concluding with a diploma in hand.”
Idaho’s 61 Honorees by Program
The men’s basketball program contributed seven honorees: Brody Rowbury, Biko Johnson, Aidan Sevilla, Isaiah Brickner, Jackson Rasmussen, Kolton Mitchell, and Miles Klapper. On the women’s side, nine Vandals were recognized: Sarah Brans, Ana Pinheiro, Sofia Ekh, Kyra Gardner, Hope Hassmann, Katlin Kangur, Ana Beatriz Passos Alves de Silva, Debora Ries Dos Santos, and Ella Uriarte.
The men’s indoor track and field roster of honorees includes Mason Andulajevic, Sebastjan Bas, Evan Berg, Miles Ferguson, Mateo Ganje, Bradley Giesen, Tyler Graff, Evan Hartt, James Hodgson, Bradley Hottman, Evan Jones, Zac Knapp, Keenan Kuntz, Wyatt Pickering, Myron Rethymniotakis, Ethan Sturdivant, Gioele Tengattini, Conor Thompson, and Jackson Williams — 19 Vandals in total.
The largest contingent came from women’s indoor track and field, with 26 honorees: Maiya Brunoro, Kathryn Burnette, Sara Casebolt, Francesca Cuccu, Cami Cvitkovich, Mara Fuerniss, Belen Garcia Arias, Lara Holzhauer, Tesse Kamps, Rhyan Madden, Beatriz Marciano, Alyssa Marsh, Jada Miller, Amanda Munoz, Lydia Nance, Constanze Paoli, Jesse Redding, MaKenna Ritter, Ivy Smith, Hanna Tait, and Alex Terry, among others listed by the conference.
The achievement reflects the broader academic culture taking shape at the University of Idaho, where student-athletes across multiple sports are maintaining rigorous academic standards while competing at the Division I level. The Vandals’ fourth-place finish among all Big Sky schools in total honorees highlights the depth of that commitment across programs. For more on how the University of Idaho is building on academic and workforce development momentum, see the university’s expansion of nursing and healthcare workforce programs announced earlier this year.
Idaho’s academic success on the gridiron and in the gymnasium has become a consistent story in recent seasons. Earlier this academic year, 21 Vandals were named to the Academic All-MPSF list, further demonstrating the program’s emphasis on student success beyond athletics.
What Comes Next
With the winter sports season now concluded, University of Idaho student-athletes will shift focus to spring competitions and the close of the academic year. The Big Sky Conference is expected to release additional all-academic recognitions tied to spring sports programs in the coming weeks. University of Idaho fans and supporters can follow continued academic and athletic updates through official Vandal athletics channels. For statewide higher education news, visit Idaho News, and for regional coverage across the network, see IdahoNewsNetwork.com.