UCF will have two familiar names in the mix for Big 12 Athlete of the Year honors.
Men’s basketball point guard Themus Fulks and softball second baseman Sierra Humphreys were named the Knights’ nominees for the 2025-2026 awards, a recognition that reflects what both did on the field - and in the classroom - over standout seasons.
Fulks made the most of his lone year in Orlando. The Milwaukee transfer earned Third Team All-Big 12 honors and landed on the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team after helping push UCF to its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2019. The Knights entered the bracket as a No. 10 seed, finished 21-12, and then fell to UCLA in the opening round.
His numbers were as eye-catching as the accolades. Fulks set the program’s single-season assists record with 222, which also placed him 11th nationally in total assists and 10th nationally with 6.7 assists per game. He was responsible for 37.4% of UCF’s scoring this season, directly scoring 461 points and creating 538 more through assists.
UCF also noted that Fulks posted a 3.36 cumulative grade-point average and logged more than 20 hours of community service. He signed with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2026 NBA Summer League this month.
Humphreys put together a big junior season in 2026, adding another strong chapter to her UCF career. The California native was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and earned NFCA Third Team All-American honors after starting at second base in every game the Knights played.
She helped lead UCF to a 41-19-1 record, with the season ending two wins shy of the Women’s College World Series. The Knights were eliminated by UCLA in the Los Angeles Super Regional of the NCAA Tournament.
Humphreys also delivered off the field. UCF said she carried a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average and completed 38 hours of community service over the past year.
Her place in the program record book keeps growing, too. Humphreys is already one of the most prolific hitters in UCF history, ranking second with a career batting average of .359, third with an on-base percentage of .431 and fourth with a .582 slugging percentage. She still has her senior season ahead of her.
The Big 12 Athlete of the Year awards are based on athletic performance and good academic standing during the academic year of nomination, with nominees coming from Conference-sponsored sports. A media panel selects the male and female winners, who will be announced July 23.
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