Hernon, Aitken Recognized as Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year
June 30, 2026 | General, Men's Volleyball, Women's Indoor Track, Women's Track & Field
IRVINE, Calif. – Women's track & field athlete Aoife Hernon and men's volleyball libero Shane Aitken have been named UC Irvine's 2025-26 Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year The Big West announced Tuesday afternoon.
Two student-athletes from each Big West school – one male and one female – were honored by their institution and the conference for their accomplishments in competition, in the classroom, and in the community.
Aoife Hernon broke the school record in the outdoor 400m three times this season, beginning at the Challenge Cup (April 10) where she crossed the finish line in 54.05 to top Shelly Tochluk's 35-year-old standard. Hernon saw an improvement the following week with a time of 53.88 at the Mt. SAC Relays, before clocking in at 53.61 in a runner-up finish at the Big West Championships. Hernon was also part of the Anteaters' 4x400 relay that broke the program record twice in 2026, running 3:40.83 at the Ben Brown Invitational and then 3:39.01 at the Mt. SAC Relays. An all-conference performer in both the 400m and 4x400, Hernon's contributions helped UCI to a second-straight Big West Women's Track & Field Championship. She went on to compete at the NCAA West First Round in the 4x400.
In March, Hernon was also a champion with the UC Irvine's women's indoor track & field team that won the first MPSF title in program history. She had a podium finish in the 400m at the conference championship. Earlier in the season, Hernon notched a school-record 54.23 at the Battle Born Classic. At the same meet, she ran a 54.08 split to help the 4x400 relay improve its own program-record at 3:42.90. They beat their previous best by nearly three seconds as they initially broke the record with a time of 3:45.77 at the Spokane Indoor Challenge. Hernon, who was recently named to the CSC Academic All-District team, graduated from UC Irvine with her master's degree in innovation and entrepreneurship.
"Aoife has been an exceptional representative of UC Irvine both in the classroom and on the track," UCI head track & field coach Jeff Perkins said. "As our school record holder in the 400 meters, a part of the conference championship team, and one of the top student-athletes in the Big West, she consistently demonstrates the dedication, leadership, and excellence that define the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. We are incredibly proud of all she has accomplished and this recognition is well-deserved."
Shane Aitken had an AVCA First Team All-American season boosting UC Irvine men's volleyball back into the NCAA Tournament and a run to the championship match. In addition to his second career All-American honor, the redshirt sophomore libero was All-Big West as honorable mention with 1.98 digs per set to finish second in the Big West highlighted by a career high 15 in a match vs. UC Santa Barbara this season.
The business economics major is a two-time Big West Spring All-Academic honoree and made the Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll with highest honors in each of the last two seasons. He has also been named Dean's List four times, while garnering CSC Academic All-District recognition in 2026.
"Shane is the exemplar of what remains good about the opportunity of human development through collegiate athletics," UCI men's volleyball head coach David Kniffin said. "A virtually unrecruited, under-the-radar high school student that didn't touch the court his entire freshman year, he attached himself to the most mature and disciplined student-athletes in our program. He committed himself to doing everything well from athletically to academically to personally. Whatever the potential of this award may do for him, I hope that it serves as an aspiration, a decision-making filter, and a compass for future student-athletes and coaches."
Two student-athletes from each Big West school – one male and one female – were honored by their institution and the conference for their accomplishments in competition, in the classroom, and in the community.
Aoife Hernon broke the school record in the outdoor 400m three times this season, beginning at the Challenge Cup (April 10) where she crossed the finish line in 54.05 to top Shelly Tochluk's 35-year-old standard. Hernon saw an improvement the following week with a time of 53.88 at the Mt. SAC Relays, before clocking in at 53.61 in a runner-up finish at the Big West Championships. Hernon was also part of the Anteaters' 4x400 relay that broke the program record twice in 2026, running 3:40.83 at the Ben Brown Invitational and then 3:39.01 at the Mt. SAC Relays. An all-conference performer in both the 400m and 4x400, Hernon's contributions helped UCI to a second-straight Big West Women's Track & Field Championship. She went on to compete at the NCAA West First Round in the 4x400.
In March, Hernon was also a champion with the UC Irvine's women's indoor track & field team that won the first MPSF title in program history. She had a podium finish in the 400m at the conference championship. Earlier in the season, Hernon notched a school-record 54.23 at the Battle Born Classic. At the same meet, she ran a 54.08 split to help the 4x400 relay improve its own program-record at 3:42.90. They beat their previous best by nearly three seconds as they initially broke the record with a time of 3:45.77 at the Spokane Indoor Challenge. Hernon, who was recently named to the CSC Academic All-District team, graduated from UC Irvine with her master's degree in innovation and entrepreneurship.
"Aoife has been an exceptional representative of UC Irvine both in the classroom and on the track," UCI head track & field coach Jeff Perkins said. "As our school record holder in the 400 meters, a part of the conference championship team, and one of the top student-athletes in the Big West, she consistently demonstrates the dedication, leadership, and excellence that define the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. We are incredibly proud of all she has accomplished and this recognition is well-deserved."
Shane Aitken had an AVCA First Team All-American season boosting UC Irvine men's volleyball back into the NCAA Tournament and a run to the championship match. In addition to his second career All-American honor, the redshirt sophomore libero was All-Big West as honorable mention with 1.98 digs per set to finish second in the Big West highlighted by a career high 15 in a match vs. UC Santa Barbara this season.
The business economics major is a two-time Big West Spring All-Academic honoree and made the Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll with highest honors in each of the last two seasons. He has also been named Dean's List four times, while garnering CSC Academic All-District recognition in 2026.
"Shane is the exemplar of what remains good about the opportunity of human development through collegiate athletics," UCI men's volleyball head coach David Kniffin said. "A virtually unrecruited, under-the-radar high school student that didn't touch the court his entire freshman year, he attached himself to the most mature and disciplined student-athletes in our program. He committed himself to doing everything well from athletically to academically to personally. Whatever the potential of this award may do for him, I hope that it serves as an aspiration, a decision-making filter, and a compass for future student-athletes and coaches."
Players Mentioned
L
/ Men's Volleyball
Sprints
/ Women's Indoor TrackTuesday, May 12
Sunday, May 10
Sunday, May 10
Saturday, May 09
