2025 NWAC Spring Baden Athletes of the Year

VANCOUVER, Wash. - The NWAC congratulates its eight Baden Athletes of the Year for the spring sports season. The award winners were each recognized at the 2025 NWAC Hall of Fame Banquet & Ceremony, receiving a commemorative plaque or engraved athletic equipment from their respective sport.

Tim Tao • Bellevue • Men's Tennis

Tao was named the NWAC Baden Men's Tennis Player of the Year for going undefeated at the tournament, winning both the No. 1 singles and pairing with teammate Ryan Gavino for the No. 1 doubles title. Tao was celebrating his 19th birthday on Saturday. After he dropped the opening set by a 6-4 score, Tao responded by winning the next two sets 6-3 and 6-1 to claim the title. Tao helped lead Bellevue to its seventh-straight NWAC title.



Sophia Crosby • Highline • Women's Tennis

Crosby was named NWAC Baden Women's Tennis Player of the Year as she went undefeated in both singles and doubles at the championship. Crosby defeated TVCC's Elena Henry in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 in the singles championship match. Earlier in the day, Crosby paired with teammate Caley Buchan to win 8-3 in No. 1 doubles. Crosby led the Thunderbirds to its second NWAC title. 



Jesus Castaneda • Columbia Basin • Men's Golf

Columbia Basin's Jesus Castaneda was named the Baden Men's Golfer of the Year after finishing with the lowest average of 73.9 in the four NWAC league matches. Castaneda was a model of consistency as he was the only men's golfer to shoot under 150 in three of four league matches. The freshman was not only consistent, but outright dominant at times with five rounds of shooting 73 or lower including a 69 score at the Centralia league match, which matched the best round by a single golfer all year. He placed tied for sixth at the NWAC Championships, leading CBC to a third place finish. 



Jayda Thomas • Centralia • Women's Golf

Thomas had a dominating sophomore campaign to win Baden Women's Golfer of the Year. Thomas won her second-straight NWAC championship medalist in convincing fashion by seven strokes with a two round score of 150. This came on the heels of her regular season dominance as she averaged a score of 79.6 per round, nearly two strokes better than the next closest competitor. Thomas was one of just four women's golfers to shoot under 80 in any round and she did so three times including both rounds at the Spokane league match. Thomas earned medalist honors at three different regular season matches this year including the Columbia Basin, Skagit Valley and Spokane league matches. She led the Blazers to a fifth-place finish at the NWAC Championships.



Lucas Hoff • Lane • Men's Track & Field

Lane's Lucas Hoff was the men's High Point Athlete of the Meet and the men's Field Athlete of the Meet. Hoff scored 24.5 points for the Titans, taking first place in the decathlon and pole vault while placing fifth in the javelin and eighth in the high jump. He led Lane to a second-place team finish with 168.5 points.



Afton Wood • Spokane • Women's Track & Field

Wood was named Baden Athlete of the Year after earning High Scorer of the Meet with 46 total points at the 2025 Championships. Wood finished first in both the javelin throw and the 400-meter hurdles while also taking second in the heptathlon and 400 meters and third in the pole vault. She was also part of the women's 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams that each finished second. Wood's dominance helped lead the Sasquatch to its second title in a row and 24th all-time with 236.5 points, winning by 62.5.



Lauryn Krick • Columbia Basin • Softball

Krick earned Baden Player of the Year for her incredible two-way play as she was one of the top pitchers and most feared hitters in the league this season. In the circle, Krick led the NWAC in both wins with 23 and strikeouts with 219. She averaged 9.44 strikeouts per seven innings, finishing with a 2.20 earned run averaged with 18 complete games and 162.1 innings pitched. At the plate, she was perhaps even more dominant as she led the NWAC in batting average (.552), home runs (27), and runs batted in (89). Her 1.315 slugging percentage with nearly 200 points higher than any other player in the conference. She led the Hawks to the East Region title with a 24-0 record and third place overall in the NWAC with a 45-4 record.



Terry Hayes Jr. • Bellevue • Baseball

Hayes earned NWAC Baden Player of the Year honors after a dominant season on the mound for the Bulldogs. Hayes posted the second lowest earned run average of 0.82, allowing just six earned runs in 66 innings pitched. He was also one of the premier strikeout artists in the NWAC with the fourth most punchouts with 84, ranking among the best in strikeouts/nine with 11.45. He went 7-2 on the year with a 0.82 WHIP, leading the Bulldogs to second place in the North Region and a tie for fifth at the NWAC Championship. He is signed onto continue playing for NCAA Division I Ole Miss.

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