By: CCAA
Cal Poly Pomona's women's track & field student-athlete Ayana Fields has earned the distinguished 2023-24 CCAA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
The award is voted on and selected by the Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) from the Conference's 12-member institutions. It focuses on student-athletes' work in the classroom, the community, and their respective sports.
Fields graduated Magna Cum Laude with an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology in the spring of 2022 and is currently pursuing her Master's in the same field. Fields is the first Bronco to receive this prestigious honor since Ariel Marsh (women's basketball) in 2014-15.
The Los Angeles native closed out one of the most decorated track & field athletes in the history of the CCAA by winning three All-American honors at the 2024 NCAA Track & Field Championships. She placed eighth in the 200-meter and the 400-meter and ran anchor on the 4x100-meter relay team.
Fields has also helped lead the Cal Poly Pomona women's track & field team to its best stretch in program history. The Broncos captured their third consecutive CCAA team championship this season after not winning the conference since 1998. Fields helped bring that first of three titles to Pomona in 2022 when she earned 35 team points, won five medals, and was named the High Point Award winner. She leaves Cal Poly Pomona as the school's record holder in the 60m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, and 4x400m.
"I am so proud of Ayana and happy for her to receive this award," said Cal Poly Pomona head men's & women's track & field coach Chris Bradford. "She is everything you look for in a student-athlete, and this award is another one on a long list that proves that point. Her hard work and dedication in both the classroom and on the track is something that all our students should aspire to and it is wonderful to see her receive this well-deserved recognition."
She has balanced these incredible accomplishments on the track with outstanding success in the classroom. Fields was named to the CCAA Honor Roll for the fourth time in her career and was a four-time recipient of the D2 Athletic Directors Association (ADA) Academic Achievement Award. She was twice named to the prestigious CSC Academic All-America Team and was a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic selection.
Fields also made time to give back to her campus and community. She volunteered over 120 hours at Walnut Physical Therapy and Performance, helping with patient care and fostering a positive environment. She participated in the annual CCAA Basic Needs Drive and helped lead PE classes at local elementary schools.
This was Cal Poly Pomona's seventh CCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the fourth Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She joins Rocio Real (women's soccer, 2004-05), Katrina Holmberg (women's tennis, 2005-06), and Ariel Marsh (women's basketball, 2014-15) as past Broncos to win the award. Click here for the complete list of past CCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year Winners.
To be nominated for the CCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, individuals must have a 3.5 grade-point average or higher at a conference institution, complete their final season of eligibility, and participate in a CCAA-sponsored sport.
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