Ryggs Johnston is PAC-12 Scholar Athlete of Year

Arizona State senior Ryggs Johnston, the former Libby standout, has continually proven to be much more than just a standout on the links.

Johnston, who won four Montana State individual championships for the Loggers, recently became the second Sun Devil men's golfer in program history to earn Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

According to information from Arizona State, Johnston is the first Sun Devil of the 2022-23 athletic year to earn a Scholar-Athlete of the Year in a specific sport. He also is the first men's golfer at ASU honored since 2009-10, when Knut Borsheim was recognized. Johnston's recognition is also the third straight season a Sun Devil male or female golfer has been honored, with Olivia Mehaffey (2020-21) and Alexandra Forsterling (2022) gaining recognition.

Across all sports, Johnston is the 40th Sun Devil to earn Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The total is the second-most among Pac-12 institutions.

"We are so happy for Ryggs, he has been a model student-athlete during his time at ASU with perfect grades and success on the golf course since freshman year," said Associate Head Coach Thomas Sutton. "He has not only taken his school seriously but he has also been a tutor and a positive influence on his teammates with their studies. He has shown that you can be an elite college golfer and also excel at school, which makes him the perfect candidate for Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year!”

A senior, Johnston has a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in business management. He will graduate in May with his management degree and a certificate in sports business.

Johnston is a two-time Golf Coaches Association of America All-America Scholar (2021-22) and twice has been a member of the Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll (2021, 2022).

On the course, Johnston has played in every tournament this season for the Sun Devils and placed in the top 15 three times. For his career, he holds a 71.5 scoring average with 19 top 20 results and 10 top 10 finishes, highlighted by a pair of top 5s at the 2021 Pac-12 (T-4th) and NCAA (3rd) Championships. For his efforts, he was named to the GCAA Third Team All-America team.

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum one year in residence at the institution.

Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport's regular season. The athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.

Johnston, one of two seniors on the Sun Devils roster, also earned Pac-12 All-Conference honors for the third time in his career. Johnston has 16 rounds under par or better this season. He recorded back-to-back top-five finishes at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate and the Fighting Illini Invite in September. 

Johnston finished tied for 15th in the PAC-12 Championships at Stanford, helping the Sun Devils to a second-place team finish. Arizona State is ranked fourth in the Bushnell Golf/Golfweek Coaches’ Poll. They’ll compete in the NCAA Regional on May 15-17 at Bear’s Best Golf Course in Las Vegas.

Arizona State is hoping for a repeat of 2022 when it won the regional in Stockton, California by 10 strokes and placed second at the NCAA Championships.

The Sun Devils will host the NCAA championships on May 26-31 at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Johnston is also still in the running for a berth at the U.S. Open next month at the Los Angeles Country Club.

Johnston was second with a 68 in the AK-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Arizona, on May 2 earning him a place in the final round of qualifying. He is among 530 remaining golfers vying for 156 spots in the Open. The final rounds will be played on May 22 and June 5 at 10 sites throughout the country.