Hometown Heroes: Arizona Athletes Thriving at ASU

At the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, over 181,000 students enrolled at Arizona State University. Making up those 181,000, were 17,000 freshmen with 9,700 of them being in-state.

Through 26 intercollegiate sports teams, only a little over 600 will ever get the chance to represent the Sun Devils on gameday. Boiling down the statistics even more, only a minority group of student-athletes will ever get the chance to proudly wear the jersey of the state they were raised in and its new Big 12 patch.

Here are a few profiles of some Arizona athletes who have made the leap to playing at the D-I level for their home school.

“Once I decided I was going to be a Sun Devil, they were over the moon.” - Amayah Wiley

From gymnastics to diving, Amayah Wiley’s athletic journey began with cannonballs and has since led her to new heights, diving off platforms at a championship level.

Wiley’s athletic career didn’t start in the pool but on the balance beam. Wiley competed in gymnastics until her freshman year of high school, when she realized she was getting too tall for the sport. Following her revelation, her parents encouraged her to dive headfirst into different endeavors.

“They didn’t think it was going to go as far as it has, but they wanted me to learn how to go headfirst, because all I knew how to do was cannonball into the pool,” Wiley said.

After committing her time to diving, Wiley won the Arizona high school state championship in 2021 and has competed in the Pac-12 Championships for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. She achieved a career-best during the 2024 Pac-12 Championship, receiving a score of 195.75 for the 10-meter dive.

Though they may not have been able to predict her success in diving, Wiley says her family has always given her unwavering support. Growing up, she was encouraged to participate in multiple sports besides gymnastics and diving, including softball and basketball which she played through school and programs like the Sun Devil Kids’ Camp.

For Wiley, choosing a sport to dedicate all her time proved to be a difficult decision, especially when it came time to decide between basketball or diving. Her love for basketball was instilled in her by her mother, father, and brother, all of whom played basketball. Ultimately, Wiley decided to go against the grain and pursue an athletic career unlike anyone else in her family.

“My parents have supported me 100 percent, no matter what sport I chose to do. They were there. They would take me to practices, pay for my sports, and then academics the same thing. If I needed help, they would make sure I'm getting the help that I needed,” Wiley said.

While choosing a sport to commit to may have been a difficult decision to make, her school choice was not. With Sun Devil Kids’ Camps and an emphasis on athletics growing up, it’s clear she was raised to be a Sun Devil.

“Once I decided I was going to be a Sun Devil, they were over the moon,” Wiley said.

Wiley says her family has a long history with ASU. Growing up, her parents were “die hard” Sun Devil fans, something that is still evident in their unwavering support for their daughter.

“They come to all my meets, even if they’re out of state.  Even if they’re not in Arizona, they try to be there,” Wiley said.

This support is echoed not just by her parents but by her fellow team members as well. According to Wiley, the support within the swim and dive program sets ASU apart from other schools.

“From my perspective, the swimming and diving are much closer than other teams. Usually, swimming and diving are very separated in other colleges, whereas here, I feel like we have the support of the swimmers. They’re always cheering for someone and helping us if we need help,” Wiley said.

With both her teammates' and her parents' undying support, Wiley continues to strive for greatness, hoping that one day her name will be etched in the foundation of ASU like many of the great athletes before her.

"Playing in front of my family again, I just can't beat that. It's something I really wanted to do, and fortunately enough, I was able to do it." -  David Hymovitch

It is well known that the heat in Arizona is unlike any other. As most kids jumped into pools, David Hymovitch stepped onto the ice, and with so little competition in the state, he stood out immediately.

"Obviously, the heat's a big factor,” Hymovitch said. “The biggest difference I saw is just the number of teams, the amount of hockey. I mean, whenever we'd go to a tournament on the east coast in youth hockey, there'd be so many rinks, so many teams. At the AAA level in Arizona, while I was growing up, it was probably only two AAA teams."

As big as hockey is on the East Coast, it was even more significant in his family. With a parent being born above the border in Canada, there was only one path for him to take, and it began with lacing up his skates.

"My dad is actually from Montreal. So hockey, basically, he was born into it." Hymovitch stated. "From a young age, I was in skates. From as early as I can remember, always in skates."

Learning the basics from his father and advancing with help from NHL stars, Hymovitch skated on ASU ice well before his debut with the Sun Devils.   

"One of my first youth teams was based out of Oceanside, and every summer, I was practicing," David said.

Practicing and playing in ASU's ice hockey's former home, Oceanside Arena, led to Hymovitch eventually getting his shot. This time, representing Arizona on a different rink with the Phoenix Junior Coyotes team at 13 years old.

"It was awesome on the Junior Coyotes,” he said. “We had ex-NHLers coaching all the time, and being able to play on the same ice was just surreal.”

Hymovitch eventually graduated to the United States Hockey League (USHL), being drafted by the Sioux City Musketeers, before being traded to the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

With a new city came new opportunities and uniforms. As the back of his jersey reminded him of his family, the front displayed a title foreign to his Arizona roots.

"Every jersey I put on is the best, obviously, but I think what makes the Sun Devil logo or Arizona State logo mean so much is I got to choose it. The USHL, I got drafted into it. Actually, I got traded to Muskegon. But, Arizona State, I chose this program. I chose to represent it, and they obviously chose me too," David said.

As the Sun Devil Hockey season begins, Hymovitch is surrounded by family and still finds safety from the heat in his shelter at the rink.

"Playing in front of my family again - I just can't beat that. It's something I really wanted to do, and fortunately enough, I was able to do it," said David.

In a new conference this season, ASU hopes to explore David's talents while expanding on his triumphant strides towards excellence. 

“There was no point in going halfway across the country. Everything was right here." - Jayden Davis

Speed is a gift given to many. Whether it's speed in work, speed in decision-making, or speed in banter with friends, everyone has the ability to be quick at something. But few are given the gift of speed on the track, especially at a world-class level.

For Jayden Davis, a sophomore on Arizona State's track and field team, it was a gift handed down by generations. With parents hailing from different Division I programs, Davis knew he only had one lane.

"My mom was my coach from when I was little until a senior high school, so she coached me all the way through. She was a big, big help for me," Davis said. "She got me to where colleges started looking at me. On the support side, having two parents that ran professionally, they have gone through what I've been going through. So it's easy to relate, it's easy to talk to them. And there are ups and downs, so I can always just go to them."

Given the coaching assistance from a young age made Davis’ transition to the big stage that much easier, allowing him to be a natural when his time finally came.

With his parents by his side from the starting gun to the finish line, keeping them close to his commitment to his graduation was essential.

"I definitely wanted to be close to my family because I'm a big family guy," Davis said. "It was definitely, definitely a big factor. I wanted to stay close to them, and so ASU was a great school and had everything I wanted. So, there was no point in going halfway across the country. Everything was right here."

As Davis came to realize being close to home kept him in the counsel of his family while providing him with great opportunities. Although it might seem obvious now, it wasn't always the case.

Understandably, Davis focused more on his improving abilities than on beginning his next phase of life on a Division I track.

"I was never an ASU fan. I'm gonna be honest,” Davis said. “I really didn't care at all, until probably my first home visit with ASU. And then that's when they kind of put themselves on the map. I didn’t even think I'd ever go to ASU. It was completely foreign. I didn't know what ASU was about."

Previously, Jayden's big question was Arizona or out of state. Now that he has found what the state of Arizona and, specifically ASU, is all about, he is making sure he is the best in it.   

In a video posted from his own YouTube channel (@??jaydendavis9397) in March 2023, Davis stated those exact words: "Next season, I'm training so hard that people will know I'm the best in my event in the state. Leave no doubt."

Even over a year later, Davis provides himself with fuel for perseverance, hosting his “something to prove” moniker as a motivational medal worn on both podiums of success and failure.

"I definitely don't think I've proved myself yet. I think I have so much more to offer to not just ASU, but to the whole nation, and to be able to run on Team USA," Davis said. "It's kind of a mindset that I still have something to prove, and I have some unfinished business from freshman year."

With Davis’ goals now stretching beyond borders, he had the honor of representing Team USA at the U-20 World Athletic Championship. The honor took him to Lima, Peru, where he medaled in two events, with gold in the 4x400m and silver in the 400m.

Although Davis still has three years left of racing at ASU, he is ready to turn his jersey inside out to mean something different.

"I think one time I was looking at ASU in the mirror, and then it was flipped for USA," Davis stated. "I'd probably say ASU is flipped (to mean) for USA because I feel like it's ASU, then the next school is USA."

After wrapping up his summer with Team USA, Davus will again take to the track for ASU. In the heat of the desert and the pressure on himself, only time will tell if this season ends with something left to prove.

 “It was always just a university I had my eye on for sure.” - Kayla Lee

In the heart of Arizona, and the scorching heat of the Sonoran Desert, Kayla Lee paved her way to success on a balance beam. Influenced by her family’s love for sport and the gymnastics culture in Arizona, Lee has gone from a rising star to one of ASU’s most formidable Sun Devils.

Following in the footsteps of her mother and sister, Jenna Lee, who would later become a Sun Devil in her own right, Kayla Lee was introduced to gymnastics at a young age.

“My mom was a gymnast growing up, so she was a big advocate of putting my older sister and me into gymnastics. It started with my older sister, and then I would go to the practices with my mom. She was like, ‘Oh, it's a good time and we should put you in as well.’ So it started that way, and I kind of just grew with the sport and flourished from there,” Lee said.

Most athletes who come to Arizona aren’t necessarily raised to be Sun Devils, but that wasn’t the case for Lee. Lee had been a Sun Devil long before making her dismount onto the ASU campus.

“I grew up going to the Sun Devil gymnastics camps, and I would go to the football games and everything. It was always just a university I had my eye on for sure,” Lee said.

Though it may seem like Lee was handed the key to the gates of the Sun Devil kingdom, it was something that was earned through hard work and a passion for the sport.

Lee achieved extraordinary success in 2019, 2021 and again in 2022, becoming a state champion all three years. In 2019, Lee earned first place on beam. She continued to perform on an extraordinary level in 2021 when she placed second on beam. Finally, in 2022, she received first place again at the high school state championship, this time for the floor.

With so much success, Lee’s future seemed full of possibilities. However, she continued to remain loyal to her home state.

“I think with already having so much representation in Arizona, that love for the state and the sport just grew, and I think there's something really special about still being able to represent Arizona and doing it through my whole life,” Lee said.

While Lee’s decision to stay in Arizona was fueled by the influence of her family and mentors, her passion and dedication to representing the Grand Canyon State come from the thriving gymnastics community here.

“We have so much representation from the younger girls that'll come to our competitions. It feels really cool to see. We cater to the younger kids because we know that's our main audience. And I noticed that a lot more compared to other states we've been to for competitions where they do have an older crowd. But I think that's special about Arizona that we have that younger crowd,” Lee said.

Lee says the sense of community found in the state can also be found in the heart of ASU’s gymnastics. Looking forward, with her leotard embellished with the pitchfork and feet firmly placed on the ground, Kayla hopes to grow with her gymnastics family.

“You know, since I've been here as a freshman, we've been on an upward trend, and I think there's just so much more left for us and our team,” Lee said.

“I want to do it for my family, and the culture that Arizona State has, and for what Arizona is known for."  - Tanya Windle

ASU softball can be broken down into three Ps: practice, play, and passion. There is no better embodiment of these traits than junior Tanya Windle, but for her, you might have to add one more “P.”

Peoria is the town that Windle called home, leaving her deeply rooted in Arizona since first stepping onto the field.

"ASU was my first ever softball camp," Windle said. "At the time, I was 10 years old, and I knew. I was like, yep, this is where I want to go. Granted, I did go to the school 'down south' for a couple of camps here and there, but I knew I loved Arizona, the state itself, so I knew I wanted to stay home."

With a love for the landscape and fanatic family in the stands, Windle originally intended to stay local, confirming that intent on the very first day of her commitment eligibility.

With her pen in hand and hat on the table, Windle scribbled her name onto a piece of paper, confirming her intent to attend Grand Canyon University for softball.

From dreams of representing the state of Arizona as a child to fulfilling them as an adult, Windle’s life couldn't have seemed more on track.

Sadly, the same person who brought her to the school would, in fact, be exiting before her enrollment, leaving Windle with only a decision to make: stay home or take a shot at something bigger.

"I was committed to Grand Canyon on September 1 when I could commit, and that was when Ann Pierson was there," Windle said. "Then the coaching change happened, and I opened my recruiting up. I knew I still wanted to stay closer to home, but I did go to Utah Tech for my freshman year."

Thus, a master plan was born beyond the borders of desert sunshine, but with the end goal in mind and a short vacation in between, Windle remained steadfast on a return stay.

"I knew my potential going there and what I could do there in order to come home. I knew that going into that program, I could do a lot of damage, do many great things, and leave a legacy there."

Brushing off the dirt from 16 stolen bases after 76 hits and a .432 batting average, Windle turned in her red and blue Utah Tech jersey. After just one year, she returned home to ASU to fulfill a dream she had been picturing since she was 10 years old.

"I don't think of just wearing ‘Arizona State,’" Windle said. "I think of carrying the state of Arizona with me and just being known as a hometown kid. There are hometown hero songs I always listen to, and I wanted to do that so bad. I want to do it for my family, and the culture that Arizona State has, and for what Arizona is known for."

While Windle’s return means a chance to represent her family, it also means someone could step in and try to help her. Anyone who has attended a game or has seen a Windle at bat knows exactly who that is.

"My dad, I told him, during my at-bats because he's the only person that I hear. I try to cancel everything out," Tanya said. "And I told him, ‘Dad, you're the only person I hear,’ so when I'm up, like, just try to be quiet. He’s a big help with all of us girls. He'll have our backs no matter what, and he's always cheering for us."

As mentioned, Arizona State softball's three Ps are practice, play, and passion. It turns out that for the Windle family, these might be hereditary. Windle shows her passion on the field, often cheering on teammates and rallying the crowd after a big play, inspiring not only the college students and parents in attendance but the next generation of Sun Devils as well.

"We bring that passion. Because, like, our coaches say, we show our personality on the field, right? And I'm trying. We are all trying to bring that fire back out there and show kids of Arizona what that's all about," Tanya said.

As practice winds down, fall ball play begins. In 2025, Tanya will enter her junior season looking to replicate her team-high 52 hits, maintaining her passion for the game and her pride in the state she calls home.