Athletics Impact Report FY24-25

San Diego State University

Athletics

Fiscal Year 2024-2025

Dear Donor,

Thank you for your unwavering support of our student-athletes. As we refect on the past year, your generosity has been vital to the success of SDSU Athletics—both on the feld and in the classroom.

Aztec teams captured six Mountain West titles, and fve programs—Men’s Golf, Softball, Women’s Tennis, and Men’s and Women’s Basketball—earned NCAA Tournament bids. We also proudly celebrate fve Conference Players/Athletes of the Year. Academically, 404 student-athletes earned either a 3.2 semester GPA or a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The department’s 3.31 GPA in the fall was our second-highest since 1999.

Everything we do is grounded in our mission to support SDSU student-athletes in every aspect of their development. Their success—on campus and beyond—is made possible by the incredible Aztec Nation. Your philanthropic investment ensures our student-athletes have every opportunity to thrive and grow into the leaders of tomorrow.

As we look to the future, your belief in our mission continues to inspire us. It’s an honor to lead this department—and a privilege to have you with us on this journey.

John David Wicker Director of Intercollegiate Athletics

Propelling the SDSU Community Forward

Changing Lives through Aztec Club Support

In FY24–25, over 4,000 donors contributed more than $13 million to the Aztec Club in support of student-athlete excellence.

An additional $9.96 million was raised through programs, endowments, and estate gifts, bringing the total amount generated to beneft SDSU student-athletes to $22.96 million.

Thriving in the Aztec Experience

Cara Braun, Class of 2026

Class Level: Undergraduate Student

Division: Arts and Letters

Major: Economics

A standout member of the SDSU Volleyball team and a dedicated economics major with career aspirations in education and business, Cara Braun exemplifes the power of athletics to shape confdent, capable leaders.

This year, Cara took center stage at the annual SDSU Athletics Women’s Fund Luncheon, where she delivered a powerful message about the transformative role of sports in developing identity, resilience, and leadership in women.

Balancing her academic journey with the demands of Division I athletics, Cara uses every opportunity to grow as a studentathlete and a voice for the future of women’s sports.

Cara’s journey refects the values of SDSU Athletics— excellence, growth, and community. With women’s sports gaining national momentum, she represents a bold and bright future for Aztec Athletics.

“Athletics are the training ground for life. They’re where strong identities are built, confdence is earned, and the next generation of women leaders is shaped. – Cara

Xavier Hamlett, Class of 2026

Class Level: Undergraduate Student Division: College of Arts & Letters

Major: Sociology, Minor in Sport & Society

A dedicated Aztec Football student-athlete, Xavier Hamlett stands out not just for his talent on the feld, but for his commitment to civic engagement and community leadership.

Earlier this year, Xavier launched a GoFundMe campaign to support San Diego’s unhoused community. With encouragement from his coach, he raised $3,000 and organized a donation event downtown, providing food, clothing, haircuts, and sleeping bags in partnership with local businesses.

Xavier’s impact continues of the feld—he has spoken in schools, guest lectured in Aztecs Going Pro classes, and mentored student-athletes through the Athlete Academy. His service earned him a spot on the All-Community Service Team, and he’s already planning a back-to-school drive this fall.

Xavier exemplifes the pillars of Aztecs Going Pro: personal growth, career development, and civic engagement. Through sport, he’s creating change far beyond the game.

“

It’s bigger than football. I want to use my platform to create real change in my community. – Xavier

Celebrating Shared Success

Statistics of Interest

The 2024–25 academic year saw the highest GPA since 1999 at 3.29, with 3.31 in Fall 2024 and 3.28 in Spring 2025.

404 Scholar-Athletes earned a semester or cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, including 51 Malik Award Winners who achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Aztecs Going Pro held its 3rd annual summer internship program, ofering 35 student-athletes paid, fexible internships.

Recent Highlights

Five players earned Conference Player of the Year honors: Magoon Gwath and Quinn Waiki were named MWC Defensive Players of the Year, Djibril Doumbia was honored as WAC Goalkeeper of the Year, Justin Hastings received the MWC Golfer of the Year award, and Valentina Lopez Arevalo was recognized as MWC Diver of the Year.

Three players were honored as Freshman or Newcomer of the Year: Magoon Gwath and Harry Takis were named MWC Freshmen of the Year, while Shea Rubright earned the title of MWC Newcomer of the Year.

Three athletes were recognized as Mountain West Conference Tournament MVPs: Shaquena Foote as the MWC Indoor Track Performer of the Meet, and both Cece Cellura and Veronica Shefey as MWC Tournament MVPs.

Two coaches were honored as Conference Coaches of the Year: Roland McDonald received the MWC Dive Coach of the Year award, and Ryan Hopkins was named WAC Coach of the Year. Aztec teams captured six conference titles this year: Men’s Soccer (WAC Regular Season), Women’s Swimming & Diving (MWC), Women’s Basketball (MWC), Softball (MWC), Men’s Tennis (MWC), and Women’s Tennis (MWC).

Staf Achievements

Scott Horvath

Title: Assistant Athletic Director of Information Technology Division: Athletics

Achievement: Scott Horvath joined SDSU in 2000 and the Athletics Department in 2006. As Assistant Athletic Director of Information Technology, Scott leads the department’s eforts in managing tech systems for staf and student-athletes, including system maintenance, budget planning, and access to critical tools and resources.

Scott has led key projects such as installing new lab upgrades, Spiideo camera systems, and performance-tracking equipment like Catapult. Most, if not all, of these upgrades were made possible through donor support.

This year, Scott helped expand the use of Spiideo—an ingame and practice video platform—for softball, baseball, and lacrosse. SDSU is now one of the largest institutions using Spiideo, and its implementation has made the university a model nationwide.

The work is deeply tied to philanthropy, with donors enabling projects like women’s lacrosse webcast equipment, iPads for game-day flm access, basketball data systems, and baseball’s TrackMan analytics. Scott also ensures student-athletes have laptops and learning tools that support their academic success.

Scott has witnessed frsthand the transformative impact donors have on the SDSU Athletics Department. He and his wife, Polly, have chosen to include SDSU Athletics in their estate plans as a lasting commitment to the department’s future. As someone whose own work has been strengthened by donor generosity, Scott is now paying it forward—ensuring the next generation of student-athletes benefts from philanthropic support.

Scott describes SDSU Athletics as success-oriented and resourceful, with a culture that values equitable support across all sports and a strong ability to maximize impact through strategic use of resources. He shares, “Much of the progress we’ve made wouldn’t be possible without donor support. When I frst started, we had outdated equipment and no computer lab. A generous donor, re-outftting their company, helped us build a new lab. That single act made a huge diference—and over the years, many others have done the same. Every little bit helps, and those behind-the-scenes improvements are what move SDSU forward.”

Aztecs Going Pro

The Aztecs Going Pro program continued to ofer personal growth, career development, and civic engagement opportunities for our Student-Athletes in Academic Year 2024-25:

Our Student-Athletes participated in a mock interview event in March, which was an enormous success. This event provided Student-Athletes the opportunity to gain real-world interview skills with San Diego business owners. We hosted the fourth annual A.C.E. (Aztecs Celebrating Excellence) Awards to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our student-athletes both on and of the feld. This year, we proudly honored 404 scholar-athletes who achieved a 3.2 GPA for the semester or maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Athlete of the Year awards went to Justin Hastings, a senior on the Men’s Golf team, and Shaquena Foote, a junior on the Track & Field team.

The Aztecs Going Pro Summer Internship Program has placed 35 Student-Athletes in both internal and external paid internships for the summer. Many of these opportunities are available due to the generosity of our donors and are an invaluable experience for our Student-Athletes.

Fourth annual A.C.E. (Aztecs Celebrating Excellence) Awards

Jerry and Carolyn Davee Aztec Golf Practice Facility

The Jerry and Carolyn Davee Aztec Golf Practice Facility has been named in recognition of a 1954-1958 men's golf athlete, SDSU alumni, and longtime supporters of the program.

The game-changing gift to SDSU Athletics will allow the creation of an on-campus training space located behind the Fowler Athletic Center, including two swing simulator bays available to Aztec golfers aroundthe-clock. Additionally, the funding aims to support the development of a Performance Center at The Farms in Rancho Santa Fe—ushering in a new chapter for both the men’s and women’s golf programs.

These additions will signifcantly enhance the training experience for our talented Student-Athletes, strengthen recruiting eforts for both programs, and ultimately, help SDSU Athletics build top-tier teams capable of clenching national championships.

SDSU Athletics Women's Fund

Driven by a commitment to close the gender gap in college athletics, San Diego State University launched the SDSU Athletics Women’s Fund in October 2022.

This philanthropic initiative was created to enhance opportunities, resources, and engagement for women’s sports at SDSU—fueling both athletic and academic success for more than 220 female studentathletes across 12 NCAA teams.

Entirely supported by private donations, the fund refects SDSU’s belief in the importance of intentional investment in women’s athletics. “If you want women’s sports to thrive, you have to take action,” said Jenny Bramer, Deputy Director of Athletics for People and Culture, who helps oversee the fund’s implementation. “Many of these women are 4.0 students destined to be outstanding leaders and contributors to society. Supporting their athletic journey is an investment in their future.”

You Encourage Aztec Excellence

Sean Lewis, Head Coach, Football

As we begin our second year at San Diego State, my family and I are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue building on Aztec Football’s proud tradition. The pride, passion, and unwavering support from the Aztec Nation continues to inspire us every day.

What makes this program truly special isn’t just what happens on the field—it’s the people behind it. Donors like you drive our mission forward, creating opportunities for our student-athletes to grow, compete, and succeed.

Whether you’re investing in training resources, supporting academic achievement, or filling Snapdragon Stadium on game day, your belief in Aztec Football gives our players the confidence to push harder and aim higher. We never take that for granted.

Our team is hungry, focused, and ready. As we bring Aztec Fast Football back to Snapdragon this fall, know that your support powers everything we do.

We’re proud to represent you, and we’re committed to making this season one to remember. Thank you for standing with us.

Brian Dutcher, Head Coach, Men’s Basketball

Our players, coaches, and staff are proud to carry on the tradition that makes this program so special. Sure, we love to win—but more importantly, we take the greatest pride in helping our student-athletes grow, graduate, and succeed in life.

The support from awesome Aztecs like you make all of this possible. Packed crowds at Viejas Arena keep us competitive, energized, and ready for any challenge we face.

Thank you for being such a meaningful part of our Aztec family.

Supporting Aztecs in Perpetuity

New Endowments

Athletics Scholarships (General)

William G. Tong Scholarship Endowment for Athletics

Basketball

[Anonymous] Scholarship for Men’s Basketball Endowment

Walter A. and Marian K. Turner Basketball Scholarship Endowment

Endowments (Active)

General Athletics

Del Beekley SDSU Crew Endowment

Aztec Excellence Endowment

Athletics Scholarships (General)

Aztec Club Endowment-George Logan

Breitbard Endowed Athletic Scholarship Championship Endowment

Clifford and Ruth Dietz Endowed Scholarship

Clifford and Ruth Dietz Recognition Award Endowment

Geppert Athletic Endowed Scholarship

Gerdau Family Endowed Scholarship

Harold and June Grant Memorial Athletics Endowed

Scholarship

James Diehl Memorial Endowment

Jessie Klicka Foundation Athletic Endowment

Jim G. Malik Endowment

Joe & Betty Suozzo Athletics Endowed Scholarship

John & Mary Sue Pedicini Athletic Endowed Scholarship

Kelley Athletic Endowment

Patti Roscoe Student-Athlete Endowed Scholarship

Sharon Burgreen Endowment

Athletic Training

Robert W. Straumfjord Endowed Scholarship

Aztecs Going Pro

James Silberrad Brown Foundation Endowment

Baseball

Art Flaming Baseball Endowment

Bill Ruzich Endowed Scholarship

Michael Anaya Memorial Endowment

Football

Alan and Debbie Gold Endowed Scholarship

Coryell Endowed Scholarship

Marshall Faulk Athletic Endowed Scholarship

Vince and Betsey Biondo Endowed Football Scholarship

Walter Gutjahr Football Scholarship Endowment

Men’s Basketball

[Anonymous] Family Scholarship Endowment

Bill and Elaine Hartleb Endowed Athletic Scholarship

Bill and Judy Garrett Basketball Endowment

Coach Fisher Basketball Endowment

Dr. Samuel M. Ciccati Men’s Basketball Endowed Scholarship

Glenn and Lynne Rossman Athletic Endowed Scholarship

Goodall Men’s Basketball Endowed Scholarship

Harry Hodgetts Endowed Scholarship

Hutcheson Family Basketball Endowment

Joseph C. “Sef” Torres Endowed Scholarship

Vince and Betsey Biondo Endowed Basketball Scholarship

Men’s Golf

Frank Scott Golf Endowed Scholarship

Manchester Golf Endowment

Ron and Jan Junkin Endowed Scholarship

Men’s Soccer

Brad Walsh Endowed Soccer Scholarship

Eric Wynalda Endowment

George Logan Endowment

Men’s Tennis

Kevin Anthony Keenan, Esquire Men’s Tennis Endowed Scholarship

Softball

Campbell/Cartier Endowment

Swimming

Kathleen Fox Athletic Endowed Scholarship

Women’s Basketball

Hutcheson Family Basketball Endowment

Women’s Fund

President Adela de la Torre and Stephen Bartlett Women’s Athletics Endowment

SDSU Women’s Athletics Endowment

To learn more, please contact Nick DiPaola at ndipaola@sdsu.edu