SAN JOSE, Calif. – For the second consecutive year, the readers of the Mercury News have named San José State Athletics the Best College Sports Team. This prestigious honor comes after a year filled with historic achievements and standout performances across a variety of sports.
“We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff for the dedication and hard work they put into making this an unforgettable accomplishment for Spartan Athletics,” said SJSU Director of Athletics Jeff Konya. “Being named the Best College Sports Team for the second year in a row is a testament to the commitment and excellence that defines our program. We look forward to building on this success and continuing to represent SJSU with pride on the national stage.”
San José State football made headlines with a thrilling 34-31 victory over Stanford inside CEFCU Stadium to close out the regular season to make its third consecutive bowl game appearance, marking a major milestone in the program’s history. Additionally, the Spartans took home the highly coveted NACDA Community Service Award, presented by the Fiesta Bowl, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the community.
The track and field program also shone brightly in 2024. Emilia Sjostrand earned multiple All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing third in the triple jump and tallied multiple All-America honors at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships in both the long and triple jump events. Her teammate Simone Johnson garnered first-team All-American accolades at the indoor meet with her eighth-place finish in the triple jump.
San José State’s men’s basketball team also made waves this year, recording their second-ever victory at the Mountain West tournament by defeating No. 9 seed Wyoming to advance to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the baseball team made its third straight appearance in the Mountain West Championship game last season and recently picked up its first Power 4 conference series win over Utah last weekend.
The Spartans' success was also reflected in their performance in the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings. San José State recorded a program-best 256.00 points, and for the first time in school history, the Spartans finished second among Mountain West schools and led all other California State University institutions.
The women’s golf team earned its third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance after a strong fifth-place finish at the NCAA Cle Elum Regional, while the men’s golf team made their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2019, competing in the NCAA Austin Regional.
The women's gymnastics team had a tremendous first year of competition in the Mountain West in 2024, earning a spot in the NCAA Berkeley Regional. The Spartans were selected as one of the 36 teams in the field with a national qualifying score (NQS) of 196.555.
San José State Athletics continues to build momentum and set new benchmarks for excellence in college sports for the Bay Area.
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