IRVINE, Calif. – Eleven tremendous student-athletes across The Big West outlook have been named 2024 recipients of The Big West's annual Service and Leadership Award.   

All eleven honorees earned first-time recognition on the list with the winners spanning across five sponsored sports. Track & Field is represented the most with five Big West student-athletes earning accolades.  

This year's award winners are:   

• Chaselyn Amos, UC Irvine women's track & field  
• Ella Connor, Cal Poly beach volleyball 
• Sabrina Hardisty, Hawai'i beach volleyball 
• Mary Heffelfinger, UC Santa Barbara women's water polo 
• Monea Jennings, UC Riverside women's track & field     
• Miranda Miller, Cal State Bakersfield women's track & field    
• Linley Ooi, Cal State Fullerton women's golf  
• Keeley Rasmussen, Long Beach State women's track & field  
• Tatiana Smeltzer, CSUN women's water polo 
• Kerrington Smith, UC Davis women's track & field  
• Katie Springs, UC San Diego women's basketball  

The Big West has celebrated student-athletes for the Service and Leadership Award annually, since the 2017-18 academic year. The award winners are selected at the discretion of each member-institution with criteria encompassing service, leadership, and academics.

Each member-institution may submit one honoree per academic year who participates in a Big West sponsored sport and who engages consistently in service and leadership activities that impact the campus, community or regional levels. The awardee makes the most of the opportunities presented to them by taking on key roles and is innovative in seeking out meaningful service and leadership opportunities, while keeping their academic eligibility on their respective team. 
 

Chaselyn Amos
Chaselyn Amos serves the community at UC Irvine through many activities, including volunteering during Skee Week by providing providing resources for the campus community including preparation, mental health awareness, cultural appreciation, community engagement, feeding the homeless and helping out at the Orange County Food Pantry.  Captain of UCI women's track & field while also serving leadership roles as the student president of UCI SAAC, Treasurer/Secretary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and also the Co-Founder/Secretary of the Black Student-Athlete Alliance on campus. Named the UCI Leadership Award Winner for 2023-24 season. Amos earned a bachelor's degree in medical anthropology from UC Irvine. Amos is a Four-time UCI Scholar-Athlete, three-time Big West All-Academic selection, two-time MPSF All-Academic selection Big West Scholar-Athlete Established a personal record 4,375 points at the 2023 Big West Championships and ranks 10th in indoor program history in the pentathlon with a lifetime best 2,745 points.
Ella Connor
Ella Connor graduated Cal Poly with a degree in recreation, parks and tourism administration.  Raised funds for organizations around San Luis Obispo County including San Luis Obispo Food Bank and Jack's Helping Hand, a non-profit that aids children with cancer and special needs.  Along with being an advocate for mental health awareness on campus, Connor contributed to multiple events centered around beach volleyball where attendees donated funds and food supplies.   Athletically, Connor was selected as an AVCA First Team All-American, Big West Pair of the Year winner with partner Izzy Martinez, First Team All-Big West, and AVCA Top Flight Award winner.  Named to the USA Collegiate Beach National Team. Made way on Cal Poly's Spring 2024 Dean's List.
Sabrina Hardisty
Sabrina Hardisty graduated from Hawai'i with a master's degree in public health (3.74 GPA), Cum Laude undergradute degree in molecular biosciences & biotechnology (3.91 GPA).  Held leadership positions with Big West Undivided: Student-Athlete representative for UH Athletics while also being active as a UH SAAC member, UH Symphony Orchestra Cello Section Leader, UH Immunology Laboratory, UH Cell and Molecular Biology, Beach Volleyball Coach, Spike and ServeUH Beach Volleyball Keiki Camp.  Named Most Inspirational Player, Beach Volleyball for 2024 season. Academically, Hardisty has earned honors as UH Top Team Scholar Athlete (beach volleyball) four-time Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll with Highest Honors, UH Exemplary Scholar-Athlete, Gold Honors (first year of award in 2023) Student-Athlete Academic Services and Learning Emporium Calculus Tutor on campus.
Mary Beth Heffelfinger
Graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a 3.14 GPA in Biology.  Representative for UCSB SAAC while acting as a peer resource for all athletes with mental health questions/concerns, promoted safety and harm reduction through social media and talks with athletic teams, helps run a sports psychology meeting for athletes.  Volunteered as a research coordinator with John Muir Health and presented a case study UCSF FCM Rodnick Colloquium on the impact of climate change on rising incidence of coccidioidomycosis in nonendemic areas of the United States. Also spent time with "Raise the Bar" which promoted downtown safety in Santa Barbara.
Monea Jennings
Graduated from UC Riverside with a degree in political science and will be attending law school during the Fall of 2024.  Held leadership positions as the SAAC president on campus and was also selected by The Big West to attend its annual leadership conference in 2024 as an active member of Big West Unidived.  Organized UCR Mental Health awareness campaign for UCR athletics. Athletically, Jennings has been the lone Heptathlete on UCR and took home the 100 hurdles this season at 2024 The Big West Championship.
Miranda Miller
Graduated from Cal State Bakersfield with a master's degree in kinesiology (4.0 GPA) and garnered the 2024 President's Award (CSUB's highest honor for a CSUB athlete).  Volunteered with multiple organizations including Special Olympics, Reading Across America, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Bakersfield Marathon, and Hofman Hospice Named the 2022 Big West Female Scholar Athlete of the Year.  Holds the pole vault record in the Big West Conference Championship and regular season.
Linley Ooi
Graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in marketing and advertising.  Served as the CSUF SAAC student president for three years while working in the athletics department as a media intern. Advocated and gave feedback for The Student-Athlete Bill of Rights on campus. Three-year active participant at the LGBTQ Resource Center.  Recipient of the Sports Excellence Scholarship Fund (SESF) which provides financial scholarships, mentoring, and education to support talented young athletes facing financial barriers.
Keeley Rasmussen
Graduated from Long Beach State with a degree in elementary education.  Selected as the student president for Big West SAAC and while serving on the Division I SAAC committee in addition to being the student president on campus.  Attended every LBSU Community Service event held within student athlete development. 2024 LBSU Pyramid Leadership Award Recipient, an honor that exemplifies one from a men's and one from a women's program, who best exemplifies leadership and advocates on behalf of athletics and student-athletes. The honor recognizes students who stand out in the department and on campus as student leaders.
Tatiana Smeltzer
Graduated from CSUN with a double major in management and marketing with Cum Laude honors.  Active in CSUN SAAC as a member, vice president, and president over the course of three years.  Volunteered at an array of CSUN community service events including National Athletic Training Month, Women's History Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month, organized Red Rally Games (all athletes come and support different sports) The Mattys (organized and planned the first annual Mattys, end of the year awards ceremony for athletes and administration) 2024 Canned Food Drive to Hope of the Valley and Path Partners Blood Drive, Volunteer Coaching for Youth WP South Coast, Reading to Granada Hills Elementaryorganizing teams to go to reading through SAAC.
Kerrington Smith
Graduated from UC Davis with a degree in human development with a 3.5 GPA. Served as the student president of the Coalition for African Diaspora Student Athletes (CADSA), developing initiatives and effectively collaborating with campus colleagues to elevate the experience of black athletes. Honored on the 2023 Big West All-Academic team and earned 2022 MPSF All-Academic Scholar Athlete accolades.
Katie Springs
Graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in political science/public law with a 3.77 GPA.  Co-founder and president of the Black Triton Association Applied and received the Triton Advocacy Grant for $2000 on behalf of the Black Triton Association to assist the organization in bringing additional scholar-athletes to the annual Black Student Athlete Summit.  Received the 2024 Triton Changemaker for Inclusion Award, Marshall College Scholar Cordt Member of the National Political Science Honors and Society Marshall College Provost Honors.  Made way on the CSC Academic All-District Team and Big West All-Academic Team.