TEMPE, Ariz. – Men's swimmer Grant House and Triathlon standout Audrey Ernst were named the Kajikawa Award winners for the 2022-23 school year, given annually to one male and one female graduating senior student-athlete in recognition for his and her contributions at Arizona State University in honor of legendary Sun Devil Bill Kajikawa.
Sun Devil Athletics selects the Kajikawa Award recipients based on demonstrated academic excellence, athletic accomplishment, leadership and service in the community.
This past weekend, ASU honored a legend at the Kajikawa Classic. Check out the story of the events namesake, Bill Kajikawa ?? pic.twitter.com/q6lZ3VyfYS
— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 14, 2018
Grant House, Men's Swim
The first building block to the current national success of Sun Devil Men's Swim & Dive, Grant House has cemented himself as one of the most decorated swimmers in team history.
He helped the Sun Devil Men place second at the NCAA Championships in 2022-23 for the first time in program history when he was second in the 800 free relay, third in both the 200 free and 400 free relay, fifth in the 200 free relay, ninth in the 200 IM and 12th in the 100 free. A 16-time All-American in his career, House is also a five-time Pac-12 Champion. In March 2023, he won the 200 free, 800 free relay, 400 medley relay at the Pac-12 Championships, guiding the Sun Devils to the first conference title in program history.
He owns school records in the 100 free, 200 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 800 free relay.
Currently studying for his Master's degree in ASU's Sports Law & Business program, House was named a CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American last spring, becoming the first in Men's team history since 1992 to do so.
GRANT HOUSE PAC-12 CHAMPION ??
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) March 4, 2023
He wins the 200 free at 1:30.67, as the Sun Devils go 1-2-3 ??
?? House
?? Sammon
?? Hill
?? @Pac12Network | #Pac12Swim pic.twitter.com/ylWVsHsJcK
Audrey Ernst, Triathlon
Since arriving to Tempe in 2018, Ernst was an integral part of the program's run of five national championship titles, plus the individual runner-up effort in the National Championship her sophomore year, good for the highest finish of her career. The Illinois native competed in numerous races for the Sun Devils, while competing at the national level. Recently, she placed fourth for ASU Oktoberfest race in October. She was named an honorable mention at the 2021 National Championship, where she finished 15th with a time of 1:08:14.5.
Ernst shined in her sophomore year with three runner-up finishes, including the 2019 National Championship held in Tempe to secure victory for the Sun Devils. Ernst managed to finish in third place in her first ever collegiate race at the East Regional Qualifer in Huddleston, Virginia, and finished fifth in that 2018 National Championships.
Coming into college, Ernst was a finalist for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award. Paired with a phenomenal Sun Devil career, Ernst is earning her degree in Nursing.
EmpowHER, Powered by @sproutsfm, was established to foster an environment for female student-athletes to communicate with peers across all sports about topics and provide nutritional tools.
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) January 23, 2023
First spotlight features Audrey Ernst, recent graduate, former Triathlon student-athlete! pic.twitter.com/uGncBXaGd8
RECENT BILL KAJIKAWA AWARD WINNERS
2022: Jackson He (football) and Emma Nordin (women's swimming)
2021: Remy Martin (men's basketball)/Olivia Mehaffey (women's golf) and Cairo Leonard-Baker (gymnastics)
2020: Kyle Williams (football)/Silja Kansakoski (women's swimming)
2019: Zylan Cheatham (men's basketball)/Heather Udowitch (gymnastics)
2018: Mason Ford (men's track)/Maggie Ewen (women's track)
2017: Hunter Atha (men's diving)/Alexandra Osborne (women's tennis)
2016: Mike Bercovici (football)/Elisha Davis (women's basketball)