UCLA student-athletes Michael Pinckney from men’s track and field and Kiki Rice from women’s basketball have been recognized with the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for the 2024-25 academic year, according to an announcement from the conference office.
The two Bruins were chosen from a pool of 430 students who were honored throughout the year for their positive sportsmanship. Each varsity team at every Big Ten institution selected one athlete as a Sportsmanship Award honoree, with two individuals per school ultimately named as Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners. Recipients are required to be in good academic standing and demonstrate ethical behavior and citizenship beyond athletic competition.
Pinckney recently completed his junior season as one of UCLA’s leading track and field athletes. He earned First Team All-American honors after finishing fifth in men’s discus at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with a throw of 61.39 meters. He also won gold in discus at UCLA’s first appearance at the Outdoor Big Ten Championships, recording a mark of 60.11 meters. Pinckney set a personal record of 64.10 meters at the Oklahoma Throws Series, moving into sixth place all-time in school history for that event. At the USC dual meet, he contributed points in three events—including a win in discus—to help UCLA sweep its rival for the first time since 2013 on both men’s and women’s sides.
Off the field, Pinckney is involved with several organizations at UCLA and within the Big Ten Conference. He co-leads UCLA’s Black Student-Athlete Alliance, focusing on recruitment, programming, and discussions about NIL (Name, Image & Likeness), mental health, and changes within college athletics governance. Additionally, he serves as track & field representative on UCLA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and represents UCLA on the Big Ten SAAC.
Kiki Rice played a key role during her junior season as point guard for UCLA women’s basketball. She helped set new program records including best start to a season (23-0), consecutive wins (23), and consecutive double-digit victories (22). Rice posted career-best shooting percentages—48.5% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range—and was second-leading scorer on her team with an average of 12.8 points per game over 34 appearances. She led her team in assists with a career-high total of 170 for the season; she has recorded more than 100 assists each year since joining UCLA.
Rice received several honors this past season: she was named to both All-Big Ten first team and Associated Press All-America honorable mention lists while also earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first team recognition. Under her leadership, UCLA reached its first-ever No.1 ranking in AP poll history—a position it held for twelve straight weeks—and made its inaugural appearance in the NCAA Women’s Final Four after defeating LSU.
Beyond basketball, Rice is active in community service around Los Angeles by volunteering regularly at Dream Center—which supports those affected by homelessness—and participating with teammates at sessions organized for patients at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. She also helps coordinate campus recycling efforts that raise funds supporting organizations such as Salvation Army, Team Impact, and families connected to Dream Center.
