TEMPE – Arizona State selected running back Cam Skattebo and senior pitcher Kenzie Brown as its official nominees for Big 12 Athlete of the Year, representing two of the most extraordinary individual seasons in Sun Devil athletics history. Skattebo’s electric playmaking ability lit up the gridiron, while Brown’s precision and power in the circle left opponents reeling. Together, the pair defined excellence through leadership, tenacity, and All-American performance.
A two-year starter from Rio Linda, Calif., Skattebo’s 2024 season cemented his legacy as a Sun Devil icon. He was named a First-Team Associated Press All-American and earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors, punctuating a campaign loaded with record-breaking performances and clutch moments on college football’s biggest stages.
Skattebo set multiple ASU single-season records in 2024:
- 1,711 rushing yards and 2,316 yards from scrimmage, both ranking second nationally in the FBS
- 21 rushing touchdowns, the sixth-most in the FBS
- Averaged 178.2 scrimmage yards per game, also second in the FBS
In the Big 12 Championship, he earned Most Outstanding Player honors after leading the Sun Devils to victory. His electrifying performance in the Peach Bowl—despite the narrow loss—earned him Offensive MVP recognition. He delivered 143 rushing, 99 receiving, and 42 passing yards in the game.
Skattebo became the first FBS player since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 to eclipse 1,700 rushing and 500 receiving yards in a season. He was also one of only two FBS players in 2024 to record 1,000+ rushing and 600+ receiving yards, finishing fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.
Beyond the gridiron, Skattebo graduated from ASU with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in December 2024 and served as a member of the Pat Tillman Leadership Council, reflecting his commitment to academic excellence and community leadership.
Brown, a native of Lake City, Ill., put together one of the most dominant pitching seasons in Sun Devil Softball history, earning NFCA First Team All-American honors and a host of accolades recognizing both athletic and academic excellence.
Brown finished the season with a 19-8 record, four saves, and a minuscule 1.28 ERA, anchoring ASU's staff with 289 strikeouts, second-most in NCAA Division I and tops among Power 4 pitchers. Her strikeout total ranks 10th in ASU history for a single season, and she landed in the Big 12’s top five across 11 statistical categories.
A unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First Team, Brown recorded double-digit strikeouts in 12 games, including nine with 12-plus. She tied the school record with 18 punchouts in a seven-inning, 1-0 win over BYU – an exclamation point on a season defined by power, precision, and poise.
In addition, Brown was named Second Team All-American by D1 Softball and Softball America, along with NFCA First Team All-Region.
Brown’s dominance extended beyond the diamond as she was honored for her achievements in the classroom by being named CSC Academic All-District and a finalist for CSC Academic All-America. She was also selected as an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and to the Big 12 Spring Academic Honor Roll.
The Big 12 will announce the nominees from each conference institution over the next eight days, and the award winner will be unveiled on July 24.