By: Pac-12 Conference
SAN RAMON, CA – Washington State linebacker Kyle Thornton was named the Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2024 season, the conference announced today. The award, which is presented in each of the sports sponsored by the Pac-12, was established to honor student-athletes who are standouts both academically and in their respective sport. In addition, the Pac-12 also announced its Fall Academic Honor Roll which included 41 football student-athletes from Oregon State and Washington State.
Thornton is a graduate student currently pursuing his MBA at Washington State after obtaining his undergraduate degree in Economics with a cumulative GPA of 3.84. The Upland, Calif., native has been named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll four times and is a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honoree.
The redshirt senior was a team captain in 2024 and ranked second on Washington State with 71.0 total tackles this past season, including a game-saving, goal-line stop against Washington to seal the Apple Cup victory (Sept. 14). He led the Cougars’ defense with a career-high 7.5 tackles for loss and added a sack, an interception, and four quarterback hits to his tally. He was also a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy in 2023, given to college football’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on.
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. The award was established during the 2007-08 academic year and is named in each of the Pac-12 sponsored sports.
ALSO NOMINATED: Jermaine Terry II, Oregon State – earned a spot on the 2024 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll as he graduates with his degree in Sociology with a 3.43 cumulative GPA. The tight end totaled 23 catches for 375 yards in his senior season, including a 43-yard touchdown grab in the Beavers’ victory over Washington State on Nov. 23.
2024 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll
To be eligible for the Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must be on their respective roster with a cumulative GPA of at 3.3 and have served at least one year in residence at the institution.
Listed below by institution are the 2024 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll honorees:
Oregon State (20)
| First Name |
Last Name |
Major |
| Jacob |
Anderson |
Ecological Engineering |
| Dylan |
Black |
Graduate |
| Jhae |
Drummer |
Kinesiology |
| Josh |
Green |
Sociology |
| Ben |
Hartman |
Speech Communication |
| Everett |
Hayes |
Business |
| Ty |
May |
Civil Engineering |
| Tyler |
Morano |
Business |
| Dyontae |
Navarrete |
Sociology |
| Austin |
Ratliff |
Finance |
| Jacob |
Reichle |
Construction Engineering Management |
| Kord |
Shaw |
Public Health |
| Nikko |
Taylor |
Pyschology |
| Jermaine |
Terry II |
Sociology |
| Skyler |
Thomas |
Business Administration |
| Luka |
Vincic |
Finance |
| Tyler |
Voltin |
Kinesiology |
| Trent |
Walker |
Marketing |
| DJ |
Wesolak |
Sociology |
| AJ |
Winsor |
History |
Washington State (21)
| First Name |
Last Name |
Major |
| Sean |
Bures |
Kinesiology |
| Hudson |
Cedarland |
Management |
| Andrew |
Edson |
Computer Science |
| Van |
Fessler |
Electrical Engineering |
| Aslan |
Fraser |
Finance |
| Gavin |
Fugate |
Sport Management |
| Nick |
Haberer |
Public Relations |
| Lane |
Heeringa |
Construction Management |
| Dean |
Janikowski |
MBA |
| Jack |
Janikowski |
Business |
| Mason |
Juergens |
Finance |
| Luke |
Leighton |
Business |
| Gauge |
Machado |
Earth Science |
| John |
Mateer |
Business |
| Zack |
Miller |
Accounting/Finance |
| Cole |
Norah |
Political Science |
| Jaxon |
Potter |
Business |
| Jalen |
Ridgeway |
Biology |
| Leyton |
Smithson |
Fine Arts |
| Isaac |
Terrell |
Business |
| Kyle |
Thornton |
MBA |