By Gavin Priest and Jack Footer, Cronkite PR Lab
Choosing a college or university is one of the biggest decisions a high school athlete will ever make. College athletic recruiters search across the country, seeking to bring the best athletes to their respective schools.
However, the Arizona State athletes featured in this piece found their ideal fit right in their own backyard. These local Sun Devils chose to stay home, represent the pitchfork and forge their legacy in the Grand Canyon State.
Kaydon Meyers, Beach Volleyball
A drive-by at a beach volleyball tournament led senior Kaydon Meyers to discover a newfound joy.
Meyers has played ever since her family moved to Scottsdale when she was nine years old. The stop at the tournament led to connections with people in the sport, and the rest is now part of Sun Devil Beach Volleyball history.
Meyers was drawn to the sport because it let her combine her love of sports with her love of the outdoors.
She added that because fewer people play, it allows for deeper, more meaningful relationships, which she also felt at ASU Preparatory Academy.
“I feel like beach volleyball is really unique, and the fact that you have one other person on the court with you that you can develop that relationship and connection with while you're playing,” Meyers said.
“Then, as you move into high school, and of course into college, you have a full team of girls that feel like your family. That mixture of competitiveness when you're on the court, but also that family aspect just drew me in, and I've been in love with it ever since.”
Meyers was drawn to stay close to home and play for Arizona State because it has all the elements of a real beach. She loves having the words “Sun Devils” on her jersey because it makes her feel like she’s playing for more than just one person.
“When I compete, I have that extra fire in me and that love for the game,” Meyers said. “That logo on my jersey means I get to represent the people here, not just myself. Having that support from the people here who I know has helped me throughout my career, and really given me that extra passion for the game.”
Over the years, beach volleyball has gained more attention, whether from playing in front of the Eiffel Tower during the 2024 Summer Olympics or through the AVP League, and Meyers added that being part of it, even at the college level, is inspiring.
“I feel honored to know that I'm a part of the growth of this sport, and something that's really special to me,” Meyers said. “Growing up, I never thought of beach volleyball first. You hear of volleyball, and you think of indoors, so knowing that I get to be a part of growing the next generation and pouring into the people coming after me has been something special.”
She also added that no matter your position or grade, you can always make an impact on shaping the next generation.
When she is not in the sand, Meyers loves to keep herself moving, especially outdoors, by hiking, camping, climbing, or kayaking. She also emphasized that she enjoys the quieter parts of life, where she can unwind by baking or reading.
Bryce Ford, Men’s Basketball
Basketball is in Bryce Ford’s DNA. His dad, Rodney, played collegiately at San Diego State.
Growing up in Phoenix, Ford knew from a young age he would end up playing a sport, whether it was basketball or something else. He loves how fast-paced basketball is, with something always happening at every position.
He knew ASU was the school for him because he’d seen how electric the fans can be and how far the team could go if it built the right culture.
For the first time since the 2015-2016 season, ASU is starting its season with a new head coach, Randy Bennett, who came over from Saint Mary’s. He is the winningest coach in Gaels history, and Ford said that the impact of a coach of Bennett’s caliber is felt immediately.
“You can just see how detailed everything is, especially on defense, because everything starts on the defensive end. You can just tell by how things have changed in the weight room, and how things have also changed with our eating and hydrating habits,” Ford said. “It's all just a formula for winning, and I can say for myself, it's helped me a lot.”
When he’s not playing basketball, Ford loves spending time fishing with his friends and family. Basketball can be an emotional game, so Ford loves that he doesn’t have to worry too much out on the water and can focus on the natural sounds around him. He says it is one of his calming practices, and he tries to bring those aspects of fishing into his style of play on the hardwood.
“Slow my heart rate down and just remind myself that it's just basketball at the end of the day,” Ford said.
Ford added that whether you're coming into the season healthy or coming off an injury (he had offseason surgery to correct a labral tear in his hip), Coach Bennett’s staff has been incredibly helpful. They even reassured Ford that he still has a lot to show and that his most important moments on the court are still to come.
Emilio Ysaguirre Jr., Wrestling
Wrestling is much more than a sport for Eloy native and fifth-year Sun Devil wrestler Emilio Ysaguirre Jr. It’s a family tradition, as both Ysaguirre’s father and grandfather wrestled, with his father even competing in the amateur MMA event Rage in the Cage in 2003, leaving behind a family legacy that Ysaguirre wanted to continue.
“Wrestling kind of just stuck with me,” Ysaguirre said. “It was just a legacy that needed to be carried on, and I am.”
His family connection to wrestling allowed him to train and compete at the highest levels throughout his athletic career, where he became a top-three recruit in the country coming out of Valiant Prep High School.
Collegiate programs did not overlook Ysaguirre's success. By the time Ysaguirre was ready to pursue wrestling at that level, he had multiple offers from schools across the country. During the recruiting process, however, Ysaguirre got caught up in the different programs' offers, which were meant to convince him to choose their schools.
This caused Ysaguirre to briefly forget his childhood dream of becoming a Sun Devil wrestler.
“Coming from high school, it was a big change and shock,” Ysaguirre said. “I kind of forgot my dream and my goal of always wanting to wrestle and be at Arizona State.”
At the beginning of the recruiting process, Ysaguirre left Arizona State off his radar. After taking some time to reflect on himself and his priorities, Ysaguirre remembered his childhood dream and what being a Sun Devil would mean to him and his family.
“As a young kid growing up, I’ve always wanted to be a Sun Devil and come to Arizona State,” Ysaguirre said. “I’ve said that since the beginning; I knew that I wanted to be where the pitchfork was, and that was Arizona State.”
Ysaguirre’s reflection made his decision easy. Stay home and become a Sun Devil student-athlete. Choosing Arizona State meant more to Ysaguirre than picking the right wrestling program. It meant staying in his home state, wrestling in front of family and friends, and turning his childhood dream into reality.
“I’ve always dreamed of and pictured myself here as a kid and throughout high school,” Ysaguirre said. “It’s always good being able to do it right here at home.”
During his career as a Sun Devil, Ysaguirre has traveled across the country for competitions and made many memories along the way, both on and off the mat.
One of Ysaguirre’s favorite memories as a Sun Devil came during his freshman season, when he traveled to Nebraska and defeated the fourth-ranked wrestler in the country at the time, Brock Hardy.
That same season, Ysaguirre competed at the Pac-12 Championships, where he finished runner-up and won an electric overtime match in the semifinals with a last-second takedown.
However, Ysaguirre’s memories go beyond his individual accomplishments. He is extremely grateful for the opportunity to travel, see the country, and compete with his teammates, who work together every day.
“I'm grateful for the life that I have been given,” Ysaguirre said. “Being around the team and having the opportunity to travel with the people I work with. Not everyone gets to live that type of life. So in general, I am creating memories all the time.”
When Ysaguirre is not on the mat, you can find him on the golf course, hunting, or fishing.
After ASU, Ysaguirre plans to pursue a career in construction management and technology. His goal is to become a project engineer and work his way up to become a project manager.
After growing up dreaming of “being where the pitchfork was,” Ysaguirre is living that dream and enjoying every second of it right here at home.
Kennedy Zorn, Soccer
Speed and a passion for running have driven Arizona State sophomore goalie and Peoria native Kennedy Zorn’s love for the game.
Growing up, she loved being faster than the boys and toe-poking in many of her goals.
Zorn is routine-oriented, and during her freshman year at Michigan State, she began to miss that routine and her family, as they had become her norm over the years.
She said that no matter how many other schools reached out to her, she knew ASU was calling her name.
“I love that my family's here,” Zorn said. “They moved from Kansas down to Arizona when I was little, and I love being around them and having their support. It's awesome to represent Arizona, and being born here, it's a great feeling.”
Zorn’s favorite memory so far at ASU was the team trip to Manhattan, Kansas, for the game against Kansas State.
“All my family was there, and they all came out in my merch, all matching,” Zorn said. It was really cool to see them be there for me.
Back on August 26, Zorn was recognized as the Big 12 Goalie of the Week. At the time, she hadn't realized she'd received the award, but once she found out, the recognition motivated her to take on a new challenge and to keep forcing herself to practice and play at her best.
“That feeling is so great, and I thought, ‘Why make that a one-time thing?’” Zorn said. “I try to keep working hard. I'm not going for the reward. I just keep working hard, keeping my head down, and stuff like that comes naturally when you're performing well.”
When Zorn isn't on the pitch, she loves to run, since it's not a big part of being a goalie, a position she also played in at Sunrise Mountain High School. She also loves going to HOTWORX for Hot Cycle, where you ride a recumbent bicycle in a sauna.
No matter what sport you play, factors can stress a person out, but Zoran says the best way to keep her game sharp is to focus on the present.
“Just work hard, and things are going to come, even if it's not right away,” Zoran said. “Not everything's going to go as planned, and that's life. You have the skills you've been taught. You're going to be able to handle it and anything life throws at you. So just be present, take advantage of opportunities, and put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to be yourself around other people, especially when it's a whole new environment.”
Tristan Bacon, Football 
Football is in sophomore linebacker Tristan Bacon’s blood. Growing up in Glendale, Bacon was always surrounded by the sport through his father, Barry Bacon, who played for the Sun Devils in the early 1990s.
However, early in his athletic career, Bacon didn't even consider playing football. Instead, he wanted to pave his own path, competing in mixed martial arts growing up, including jujitsu and wrestling, and earning a state championship title for Raymond S. Kellis High School.
Bacon began playing football as a freshman in high school. He used his MMA experience to his advantage on the football field.
“That’s the thing with Coach Coop [A.J. Cooper]. He does a great job helping to translate my wrestling background to football,” Bacon said. “It’s just a great combination. I feel like wrestling helps anybody who wants to play football.”
While his family connection to Arizona State made becoming a Sun Devil feel familiar, Bacon’s decision to stay close to home largely came from his love of Arizona.
“I lived here my whole life. My dad played here. I love it here,” Bacon said. “I’ve been to games here, so why not come here and play football? Tempe’s a great place to be.”
Off the field, Bacon enjoys spending time with his friends, often relaxing with activities like painting. Faith also plays a critical role in Bacon’s life. He and his brother regularly attend church together, create gospel music, and give back to the community through donations and charity events.
Inspired by his father, who is a former firefighter, Bacon initially wanted to study fire science. However, during his time at Arizona State, he discovered a new career path in health science.
“I was thinking of going into fire science, but then I moved away from that,” Bacon said. “I’m already playing football and already have the best strength and conditioning staff, so why not learn from them, go to school for it, and then try and become a strength and conditioning coach?”
Looking back at his younger self, Bacon said he would tell himself not to be so comfortable and not to put up walls.
“Just have everybody come and talk to you and try to talk to people,” Bacon said. “Try to meet new people. When you go to college, of course you’re going to be a little nervous to talk to people, so I would just tell myself to let loose, go talk to your coaches, go hang out with teammates, as Coach Dillingham says, ‘have fun!’”
Sun Devils for Life
From the football field to the sand, to the mat and to the court, these collegiate athletes are demonstrating that staying home doesn't mean sacrificing their passion and drive for their respective sports. By staying in-state and playing for the Sun Devils, they've competed at the elite level while staying connected to their communities, families, and the state that shaped who they are today.
By wearing the pitchfork, they are building their own legacy, etching their name into the next chapter of ASU athletics.