Katie Springs
UC San Diego women’s basketball player Katie Springs holding two basketballs. Photo courtesy of UC San Diego website

UC San Diego women’s basketball center Katie Springs received a 2023-24 Big West Service and Leadership Award, the conference announced Wednesday.

Springs, one of 11 scholar-athletes chosen for the academic year, is the third Triton to be recognized since UC San Diego joined the conference in 2020-21. All three have been members of the women’s basketball team. All eleven honorees were first-time winners, spanned across five different sports.

The San Jose native is a co-founder and president of the Black Triton Association, and received the 2024 Triton Changemaker for Inclusion Award. She also received the Triton Advocacy Grant of $2000 from the Black Triton Association, helping bring scholar-athletes to the first Black Student Athlete Summit.

Springs made her way onto the College Sports Communications Academic All-District Team, as well as the Big-West All-Academic Team.

Over the course of her athletic career, Springs appeared in 64 games over three seasons, making 16 starts this previous season. She set UC San Diego’s Division 1 single game record with 20 rebounds against Cal State Fullerton in January. 

Springs graduated this past spring with a 3.77 grade point average, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science/public law in three years.