UCLA's Silva named Pac-12 Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year

PAC-12 SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

UCLA's Tommy Silva has been named the Pac-12 Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2023, the league announced on Friday. The award is presented in each of the 24 sports sponsored by the Pac-12 and was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.

The Tucson, Ariz., native is the fourth Bruin to receive the honor and first since Michael Amick in 2016.

The senior Academic All-American carries a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in communication while also being consistent producer on the pitch for the Pac-12 champion Bruins.

Silva has so far started 67-of-68 matches at left back during his four seasons at UCLA, totaling 41 points on nine goals and 23 assists. His eight assists in 2023 currently lead the team, equal his career high from 2022, and are second-most in the Pac-12.

He has been a linchpin of the Bruins' resurgence from a three-win 2020 campaign, leading UCLA to a 32-17-7 record, this year's Pac-12 title with an unbeaten 6-0-4 mark, and three NCAA Tournament berths the past three seasons, earning Second Team All-Conference accolades each year.

Off the pitch, Silva was named a 2022 First Team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators and has earned every eligible UCLA Director's Honor Roll (nine quarters) and Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll (2021, 2022 Fall) distinction during his enrollment. He has twice been named to the UCLA All-Academic Team, which honors the student-athlete from each program with the highest cumulative GPA.

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility), on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year is named in each of the Pac-12’s 24 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, beach volleyball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s lacrosse, men’s rowing, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling. The award was first established during the 2007-08 academic year.

ALSO NOMINATED: Evan Davila, CALIFORNIA; Ellis Spikner, OREGON STATE; Mark Fisher, STANFORD; Christian Soto, WASHINGTON.

Pac-12 Men's Soccer Scholar-Athletes of the Year 
2023 - Tommy Silva, UCLA 
2022 - Lucas Meek, Washington 
2021 - Dylan Teves, Washington 
2020 - Joel Walker, Oregon State 
2019 - Simon Lekressner, California 
2018 - Adam Mosharrafa, Stanford 
2017 - Aravind Sivakumar, California 
2016 - Michael Amick, UCLA 
2015 - Brandon Vincent, Stanford 
2014 - Omid Jalali, California 
2013 - Joe Sofia, UCLA 
2012 - Ryan Hollingshead, UCLA 
2011 - Brent Richards, Washington 
2010 - Bobby Warshaw, Stanford 
2009 - Rylan Hawkins, Washington 
2008 - George John, Washington 
2007 - Kevin Forrest, Washington