Football's Rodney Hammond, Jr. has been named Sacramento State's Male Student-Athlete of the Year…named second team All-American as all-purpose player…first team all-Big Sky Conference as a running back and second team as an all-purpose player and kick returner…rushed for 1,213 yards which places him ninth in school single-season history…averaged 6.48 yards per carry, the sixth best mark in program history…led the team with 13 rushing touchdowns, also sixth in Sacramento State history…led the Big Sky with 132.3 rushing yards in conference play…rushed for over 100 yards in seven of the final eight games of the season.

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OTHER NOMINEES

Prophet Johnson (Basketball) - Averaged 18.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.6 steals and 35.4 minutes per game…among Big Sky Conference leaders, he ranked first in steals and defensive rebounds (5.7 per game), second in rebounding and minutes, fourth in scoring, and ninth in assists…scored in double figures 24 times, and his 14 games with at least 20 points led the Big Sky…a second team all-Big Sky selection…ranked fifth in the nation with 2.6 steals per game…among players under 6-foot-5, he was the nation's second best rebounder.

Ethan Lay (Baseball) - A first team all-Western Athletic Conference selection and semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation's National Pitcher of the Year award…a two-time WAC Pitcher of the Week selection…finished with nine quality starts, striking out eight or more hitters five times…walked just 16 batters all season…his 93 strikeouts are most by a Hornet since 2021…his 3.78 ERA was fourth best in the league…ranked 20th in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.81), and 25th in WHIP (1.64).

Nathan Rider (Track & Field) - Scored for the team in three events at the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships and two events at the Indoor Championships…tied for fourth in school history after running 46.89 in the 400 to win the Causeway Classic Dual…moved into sixth place in the Hornet record book with a 200 time of 20.98…part of the 4x400 relay team which recorded the two fastest times in school history…set the school indoor record in the 200 (21.02) which had stood since 2009.

Max Thomas (Golf) - Named first team all-Big Sky Conference…led the team with a scoring average of 71.52 which ranks third in program single-season history…set the school single-season record with 11 rounds in the 60s and is tied for fifth with 17 rounds at, or below, par…lowest single round score was 67, and he accomplished that feat twice…averaged 70.0 in the third round to set the school single-season record…one of two Hornets to be in the lineup for all 10 events…lowest 54-hole total was 68-71-68-207 at the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate.

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AWARD TIMELINE

June 12 - Male Freshman of the Year - Jamar Andrews, Jr. (t&f)
June 13 - Female Freshman of the Year - Keonahi'ilani Solaita (vb)
June 14 - Male Newcomer of the Year - Gianni Miles (t&f)
June 15 - Female Newcomer of the Year - Victoria Marthaler (vb)
June 16 - Male Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year - Nathan Rider (t&f)
June 17 - Female Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year - Jamisen Rasmussen (row)
June 18 - Male Individual Performance of the Year - Ryan Ellis (bsb)
June 19 - Female Individual Performance of the Year - Madison Evers-Lyles (sb)
June 20 - Men's Academic Team of the Year - Baseball
June 21 - Women's Academic Team of the Year - Golf
June 22 - SAAC Award - Jamisen Rasmussen (row)
June 23 - Male Team Performance of the Year - Baseball
June 24 - Female Team Performance of the Year - Tennis
June 25 - Team of the Year - Women's Tennis
June 26 - Coach of the Year - Kamden Brakel (mgolf)
June 27 - Male Hornet Award - Lucas Gimenez (soc)
June 28 - Female Hornet Award - Kara Houghton (gym)
June 29 - Male Student-Athlete of the Year
June 30 - Female Student-Athlete of the Year