LAS VEGAS — Bella Folino is the first-ever BYU recipient of the Bob Bowlsby award, announced by commissioner Brett Yormark at Big 12 Football Media Day Tuesday morning.
This award is given to the top female and top male athlete in the conference who competed at the highest levels both on and off the field this past year.
“[The recipients] exemplify what it means to be a Big 12 student-athlete, and on behalf of the Big 12 community, I’d like to congratulate them both,” said Yormark.
On the field, Folino finished her soccer career with playing 107 matches, the second-most in school history. She had nine goals, two assists, and 40 shots in her last season and was key to the success in the College Cup.
Off the field, Folino had a 4.0 GPA while getting her undergraduate and MBA. Folino was the first BYU student-athlete admitted to BYU’s MBA program and is a two-time recipient of the CSC Academic All-District honors and a winner of the Elite 90 award, given to the student athlete with the highest GPA at an NCAA championship.
Aside from personal success, Folino actively serves her community. She volunteers as a youth soccer coach and hosts clinics to youth who cannot afford club soccer. She also is a member of the team’s leadership council and also serves as a member of the BYU Student Athlete Advisory Council.
