ORLANDO – UCF men’s basketball standout Themus Fulks and softball All-American Sierra Humphreys have been named UCF’s nominees for the 2025-26 Big 12 Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards, recognizing their outstanding athletic performances, academic achievements, leadership and community involvement during the academic year.
The Big 12 Athlete of the Year awards are selected based on athletic performance and good academic standing during the academic year of nomination, and nominees must participate in a Conference-sponsored sport. Male and female honorees are selected by a media panel. Winners will be announced July 23.
Themus Fulks – Men’s Basketball
Fulks delivered one of the most productive seasons by a point guard in UCF history, earning All-Big 12 Third Team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team honors while helping lead the Knights to the NCAA Tournament.
The Winston-Salem native started all 33 games for UCF and averaged 32.8 minutes per contest. He set the program’s single-season assists record with 222, ranking 11th nationally in total assists and 10th nationally with 6.7 assists per game. His assists-per-game average ranked second in the Big 12.
Fulks recorded seven points-assists double-doubles during the season, becoming the first Knight to post three or more in a single season and one of only two Big 12 players to record at least five. He accounted for 37.4% of UCF’s scoring through his 461 points and 538 points generated from assists.
One of Fulks’ most memorable performances came against No. 1 Arizona on Jan. 17, when he scored a career-high 30 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds. He became just the fourth Division I player in the last 30 years to record at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists against the nation’s top-ranked team.
Fulks also recorded 13 assists in a victory over Quinnipiac, the most by a UCF player in more than a decade and one shy of the program’s single-game record. He was named to the Big 12 Starting Five three times during the season.
A business major pursuing his MBA, Fulks owns a 3.36 cumulative grade-point average. He also recorded more than 20 hours of community service in the Orlando area during the past year.
Sierra Humphreys – Softball
Humphreys produced one of the most accomplished offensive seasons in UCF Softball history, earning NFCA Third Team All-America and All-Big 12 First Team honors during her first season as the Knights’ starting second baseman.
The Corona, Calif., native started all 61 games and posted a .379 batting average, .454 on-base percentage and .712 slugging percentage. She recorded 67 hits, 48 runs scored, 15 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 57 RBI, 126 total bases, 26 walks and 10 stolen bases.
Humphreys established single-season career highs in games played, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, doubles, total bases, home runs and RBI. Her season ranked among the best in program history, including fourth in RBI, fifth in batting average, fifth in slugging percentage and sixth in total bases.
She began the season batting .477 with a .538 on-base percentage and .955 slugging percentage through her first 16 games. During that stretch, Humphreys recorded six multi-hit performances, 14 runs, seven doubles, four home runs and 21 RBI.
Humphreys helped power UCF to a three-game sweep of Houston, batting .600 with four home runs, nine RBI, 19 total bases and a 1.900 slugging percentage during the series. In the finale, she tied the program’s single-game record with three home runs. She followed that performance by homering in both of UCF’s victories over Utah, giving her five home runs during a three-game span.
Humphreys was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on April 8 and earned D1Softball National Player of the Week honors on May 5.
Entering her senior season, Humphreys ranks second in program history with a .359 career batting average, third with a .431 on-base percentage and fourth with a .582 slugging percentage. She also ranks among UCF’s career leaders in double plays turned, defensive assists and home runs.
An interdisciplinary studies major with a minor in communications, Humphreys owns a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average. She also completed 38 hours of community service throughout the Orlando area during the past year, volunteering with local schools, youth organizations, school-supply drives and youth softball programs.
About UCF Athletics
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.