Pac-12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year

ARIZONA STATE graduate student Lindsay Looney was named the 2023-24 Women’s Swimming/Diving Scholar Athlete of the Year on Saturday. The award, which is presented in each of the 24 sports the Pac-12 sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes who are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline. 

A 5th-year swimmer out of Denison Texas, Looney completed her undergraduate studies in 2023 with a BS in Family and Human Development achieving a cumulative 3.92 GPA. In her postgraduate studies, Looney has worked towards a Masters of Science in the same field, recording a perfect 4.0 GPA. Her academic prowess led her to a CSCAA First-Team Scholar All-American honor (2022-23) and one of eight Sun Devils named High Academic Achievers last year. 

A decorated Pac-12 athlete, Looney won her first pair of titles in 2023, taking home first in the 500 Free (4:38.29) and 200 Fly (1:52.68), becoming the first Sun Devil in history to earn the title in the latter event. The then-senior secured her second career third-place podium finish in the 800 Freestyle earlier in the Championship. On the National Collegiate level, Looney placed a career-high fourth in the 200 Fly (1:52.25) and set a new Sun Devil program record. She went on to take home 13th in the 500 Free securing two CSCAA All-American 2nd Team honors. 

At the 2024 Pac-12s, Looney captured her second 500 Free title with the fastest time in the conference this season (4:35.05) and secured a third-place finish in the 800 free relay. 

Looney is set to graduate in Spring of 2024 with her Master's Degree. 

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 annually 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.