TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil alums Lawrence Guy (Football) and Briann January (Women's Basketball) have been tabbed to the inaugural Big 12 Alumni Council, aimed at leveraging the experience and expertise of some of the conference's most notable student-athlete alumni as it enters a new era.
Comprised of 32 former student-athletes from men's and women's programs across each Big 12 institution, these alumni will provide guidance and insights surrounding a variety of topics, including brand building, athlete relations, storytelling, digital content and much more.
Full release on Big12Sports.com
"The Big 12 Conference is home to thousands of student-athlete alumni who have had great success on and off the field following their time on campus," said Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. "As we enter into a new chapter as a 16-team league, the insights and perspectives of the Big 12 Alumni Council will be an incredible resource."
Guy and January are joined alongside Council members like Steve Young (BYU), Jennie Finch (Arizona), Robert Griffin III (Baylor) and Lynette Woodard (Kansas), among others.
In three seasons with the Sun Devils, Guy established himself as an excellent pass-rusher on the defensive line, finishing his career with 122 tackles (48 solo), 23 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. A staple on the Sun Devil defense, he appeared in 35 games and made 31 starts, starting 11 games at defensive tackle in 2009 and playing in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2008.
New England Patriots' defensive lineman Lawrence Guy is the Week 13 NFLPA Community MVP for donating 40 strollers to new moms experiencing hardship at Mass General Brigham health centers across Boston. pic.twitter.com/fIvAMbY4M4
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 1, 2023
Drafted in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, Guy has since carved out a highly productive professional career across 12 seasons, making stops with the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots. Across 177 career games, Guy has totaled 438 tackles, 17 sacks and has appeared in two Super Bowls with the Patriots, winning his first ring in 2019.
Thank you New England you welcomed my family and I for the past seven years and always made us feel at home,the community we build the people we met and the communities we impacted thank you for always welcoming us with open arms. I'm excited to see where this journey takes me. pic.twitter.com/c6Fxf9xPaq
— Lawrence Guy (@thatLGUY) February 19, 2024
Off the field, Guy and his wife, Andrea, launched The Lawrence Guy Family Foundation in 2019, aimed at providing resources and opportunities for financially disadvantaged families. In December 2023, Guy was named the Week 13 NFLPA Community MVP after donating 40 baby strollers to Black and indigenous mothers experiencing hardship in Boston.
One of the most iconic student-athletes in the history of Sun Devil Women's Basketball and one of the WNBA's most consistent high-level performers in the past decade, January twice earned honorable mention All-America honors from the AP (2008, 2009) and from the WBCA in 2009. She was a two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year for the Sun Devils and was named First-Team All-Pac-10 in 2009.
January remains immersed in ASU's record books in multiple career statistical categories following her Sun Devil career, including assists (538/second), steals (265/second), free throws (401/second), 3-point field goal percentage (.399/fourth), 3-point field goals (132/sixth) and points (1,317/ninth).
Her No. 20 jersey was retired into the rafters of Desert Financial Arena in November 2021.
We had a blast welcoming back Connecticut Sun and Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Famer Briann January as the Sun practiced in the Sun Devil's Facility. #ForksUp /// #SunDevil4Life pic.twitter.com/RhSadScB1x
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) June 30, 2024
Each Council member will receive a variety of resources and amenities, including networking access to the Big 12's Business Advisory Board for professional networking, league support of council member's community initiatives, media opportunities on behalf of the league and VIP access to all Big 12 Championships and Conference events.
The Council will be overseen by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and VP of Communications & Strategy Clark Williams. The Council will kick off in August 2024, as the Big 12 officially becomes a 16-team league.