Balanon, Smith Named Cal Poly’s Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year
8/9/2024 11:20:00 AM | Men's Tennis, Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Peja Balanon, a member of the Cal Poly women’s soccer team, and Colter Smith, a member of the Cal Poly men’s tennis team who graduated this past spring, are the university’s 2024 Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year. They were awarded this week alongside 20 other student-athletes from the other 10 members of the conference.
They will each be honored during the Big West Academic Honors Show on Wednesday, August 14 at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
Balanon, a biological sciences major with a 3.93 GPA, has been named to the Big West All-Academic Team twice and has earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors the last two years. The Vacaville, Calif. native played in 20 of 21 matches for the Mustangs last season, earning a start in 10 and playing a season-high 60 minutes in a 1-1 home draw against No. 8 Santa Clara while recording an assist on Cal Poly’s lone goal in the match.
Balanon, who received highest honors on the 2023-24 Big West Commissioner’s Honor Roll, scored the game-winning goal for the Mustangs in their 2-1 victory over Hawai’i in the first round of the Big West Championships last year and has appeared in 54 matches during her Cal Poly career, tallying five goals and three assists.
Smith, who finished his Cal Poly career this past spring, earned both his undergraduate and master’s degree in business while playing for the Mustangs. He graduated having a 3.84 cumulative GPA and was a multiple time member of both the Big West All-Academic Team and ITA All-Academic honors.
Smith was a three-time All-Big West honoree in his three years with the Mustangs after transferring from USC. He was a three time All-Big West honoree in doubles and a one time honoree in singles.
