LA JOLLA, Calif. – The Big West has announced the 22 recipients of the 2025-26 Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, recognizing two scholar-athletes from each member institution for their achievements in competition, academics, and service to their communities.

Representing UC San Diego this year are women's cross country and track & field's Sylvana Northrop and men's water polo's Bennett Axline.

The Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year represent the more than 2,700 scholar-athletes across the conference who earned a spot on the Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll, which requires a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Nearly half of those scholar-athletes achieved a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Northrop capped a historic 2025-26 year by capturing two Big West individual championships. The Cupertino, Calif., native won the 2025 Big West women's cross-country title before earning the 2026 Big West women's 5000-meter championship in track & field.

Her cross-country performance also earned her Big West Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year honors. Northrop became UC San Diego's first Division I cross country conference champion and just the second woman in program history to win a conference championship.

A redshirt senior majoring in cognitive science with a double minor in computer science and Chinese studies, Northrop has excelled throughout her Triton career. She plans to pursue a career as a software engineer following graduation.

"Sylvana Northrop is the type of scholar-athlete that any coach would feel fortunate to work with," said UC San Diego Head Cross Country Coach Nate Garcia. "She is the complete package, a serious academic with incredible competitive athletic drive who never lost her connection to the team-first concept. Many coaches go whole careers without the opportunity to coach someone like Sylvana and I feel extremely lucky to have been a part of her collegiate career."

Garcia continued, "She spent her time in our program consistently dedicated to doing what it takes to become a better person, academically, athletically, and socially. I am extremely proud of what she has been able to accomplish so far and can't wait to see what is next for her."

Throughout her career, Northrop has collected numerous academic and athletic accolades, including Big West Athlete of the Year, All-Big West honors, All-Region recognition, CSC Academic All-District honors, and multiple appearances on the Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Axline has been a key contributor for the UC San Diego men's water polo program, combining athletic success, academic achievement, and leadership throughout his Triton career.

During the 2025 season, Axline played in all 31 games and recorded 43 goals while leading the team with 73 drawn exclusions. His performance helped him earn ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention and All-Big West First Team honors.

The Rancho Bernardo, Calif., native is a three-time All-Big West selection and three-time ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention honoree. He has also earned multiple academic honors, including three Big West Fall All-Academic Team selections, two Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll recognitions, and two ACWPC All-Academic awards.

"Bennett Axline has been a consistent performer in the pool, a dedicated student in the classroom and a leader within his community," said UC San Diego Head Men's Water Polo Coach Matt Ustaszewski. "He has been a vital part of our program since the moment he first stepped foot on our campus."

Ustaszewski added, "We are so honored that he represented UC San Diego Athletics with tremendous integrity and demonstrated to all his peers what it truly means to be a scholar-athlete. His success in the pool was just a minor reflection of the incredible impact he had on our program."

A business economics major in Sixth College, Axline plans to pursue an MBA and build a career in corporate finance following graduation.

The Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor highlights the dedication of scholar-athletes who excel across all areas of the college experience. Northrop and Axline continue to represent the Triton standard of achievement in academics, athletics, and leadership.

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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social.