Brilliant Athletics
NBA star Damian Lillard named GM OF MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
Weber State graduate and NBA star Damian Lillard recently became general manager of the men’s basketball program. In this role, he will be a key advisor and mentor to the team.
“Success doesn’t come overnight, especially in today’s ever-changing basketball landscape,” Lillard said. “College athletics is constantly evolving, and building a strong program requires time, trust, and commitment. I believe in what this program represents and the culture that continues to grow at Weber State. The support of our community is vital to the program’s success, and I am committed to playing a greater role in that effort. This opportunity allows me to be even more involved in shaping the future of Weber State basketball.”
Lillard played at Weber State from 2009–2012, leading the Wildcats to two Big Sky Championships. He was an All-American in 2012 and was a two-time Big Sky MVP. After being selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft, Lillard was named 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year. He is a nine-time NBA All-Star, an eight-time All-NBA selection, and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. His number 1 jersey was retired at WSU in 2017, and he is in the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame.
“I believe in what this program represents and the culture that continues to grow at Weber State. The support of our community is vital to the program’s success, and I am committed to playing a greater role in that effort.” — Damian Lillard
Spirit Squad leaves Florida with
FOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Weber State’s cheer and dance teams won a combined four national championships for the second straight year at April’s NCA/NDA National Championships in Florida.
WSU’s Large Coed cheer team won its eighth straight national title with a score of 97.8542 and then won its third straight Grand National title — beating the top teams in each division — the next day with a score of 97.6333, ahead of Texas Tech’s 97.55.
The Small Coed team won the national championship with a score of 96.1542, then followed up with a score of 97.0833 to secure the Grand National title. Hailey Smith and Josh Hill repeated as champions in the Coed Partner Stunt division.
It’s the ninth national championship and fourth Grand National title for cheer team head coach Summer Willis.
The dance team scored a 98 to win the Division I Jazz championship, then won a Grand National title in Jazz with a score of 97.6571.
WSU then scored 92.3429 to repeat as Division I Hip Hop champions, the fifth such title for Hip Hop and third in the last five years. It’s the fifth national title and second Grand National for dance coach Erica Jordan.
In the lab and on the field, STUDENT-ATHLETE FINDS HIS BRILLIANCE
Weber State gave former student-athlete Ryan Johnson a wide range of opportunities, from studying the human nervous system to throwing a discus nearly 143 feet.
After enrolling at WSU in 2021, Johnson joined WSU’s track and field team and competed in the 55-meter, shot put, discus, hammer throw, and weight throw. As a captain, he led the team in numerous meets, including the 2025 Big Sky Indoor Championships.
Johnson came to WSU with a scholarship and played oboe in the Symphonic Band. He switched majors a few times before becoming enamored with how humans can adapt, change, and retain information. “It’s one of the coolest things there is to learn in science,” he said.
He graduated in spring 2025 with a degree in psychological science and a neuroscience minor.
As a student, Johnson researched whether mindfulness or physical exercise benefited students in their classes more.
He has also worked with Neuroscience Program Director Aminda O’Hare in the lab to study attentional biases to negative information and cognitive processing in individuals with anxious apprehension and anxious arousal.
Johnson said one of his favorite things about WSU was the approachable faculty, including O’Hare, who helped him plan for the future. “She’s my favorite professor I’ve ever had,” he said.
As he graduated, he proudly followed in his wife, Amanda’s footsteps. She played on Weber State’s softball team and earned her bachelor’s degree in health administration in 2023. She is now a registered nurse and is earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Women’s basketball ties record for improvement
The Weber State women’s basketball team found better fortunes in 2024–25, finishing with a 13-16 overall record and a 10-8 mark in the Big Sky Conference. The Wildcats tied for third place in the conference standings and improved upon their 2023–24 conference record (4-14) by six games, tied for the best year-over-year improvement in school history.
Sophomore forward Taylor Smith was named to the Big Sky All-Conference First Team, and senior guard Kendra Parra was named to the All-Conference Second Team.
The softball team celebrates winning the 2025 Big Sky Tournament.
Photo by Greg Merrill
Softball celebrates Big Sky Title, NCAA REGIONALS WIN
The Weber State softball team had a strong finish to the 2025 season, winning the Big Sky Tournament and advancing to NCAA Regionals in Eugene, Oregon, where they earned their second-ever win in the NCAA Tournament.
“Each member of our roster, from players to coaches, were committed to getting better every day,” said first-year head coach Kristin Delahoussaye. “We went through our ups and downs, but we found ways to improve and learn lessons from both our adversities and our successes.”
Senior Olivia Birkinshaw was the Big Sky Tournament MVP, and four Wildcats were named to the All-Tournament Team. WSU has won the softball tournament title five times since it began in 2013. Three players were also named first team All-Big Sky for the season, including Co-Freshman of the Year, Sadie Kirk.
