In a year that will go down as one of the most dominant in collegiate athletics history, Arizona State University (ASU) has etched its name into the record books. The Sun Devils were officially named the Best Athletic Program in the Country for 2025, a title earned through a jaw-dropping display of excellence across every major sport.
From a national championship victory to appearances in the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), the Final Four in men’s and women’s college basketball, a bowl game in football, and a deep run in the NCAA baseball tournament, ASU stood alone as the only university in America to achieve all of these accolades in the 2024–25 academic year.
Let’s take a deep dive into this unforgettable season that made Tempe the capital of college sports.
A National Title to Start It All
The dominoes began to fall in January when ASU’s women’s track & field team brought home the first national title of the academic year. In a dramatic finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, the Sun Devils edged out perennial powerhouse Oregon by a razor-thin margin, thanks to a meet-clinching 4x400m relay performance.
The championship was ASU’s first national title since the wrestling team’s triumph in 2011 and sent a clear message: the Sun Devils were on a mission in 2025.
Football Returns to Prominence
Under second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham, ASU football shook off years of mediocrity and emerged as a legitimate contender in the Big 12. After a surprise win over Texas in October, the Sun Devils surged into the national conversation.
ASU closed the regular season with a 9–3 record and earned a berth in the Alamo Bowl, where they defeated Notre Dame in thrilling fashion, 31–28. Quarterback Jaden Rashada threw for 305 yards and 3 touchdowns, earning MVP honors.
The bowl win marked ASU’s first 10-win season since 2014 and proved that football was back in Tempe.
Final Four Fever Sweeps the Desert
March Madness saw not one but two Sun Devil basketball teams crash the Final Four. It was the men’s team, however, that stole headlines.
Led by the dynamic guard-forward duo of Zane Meeks and Alonzo Gentry, ASU stormed through the tournament as a No. 5 seed, knocking off Kansas, Michigan State, and Duke en route to their first Final Four since 1975.
Head coach Bobby Hurley, who had faced criticism in previous seasons, was finally vindicated as his up-tempo system and defensive tenacity paid dividends. Though ASU ultimately fell to UConn in the semifinals, the run rejuvenated Sun Devil hoops and electrified fans across the nation.
Not to be outdone, the women’s team also reached the Final Four under head coach Natasha Adair, riding the hot hand of All-American guard Kiara Webb, who averaged 23.1 points during the tournament. The Sun Devils took down Tennessee and Baylor before falling to South Carolina in the national semifinals.
For a university once considered an afterthought in basketball, 2025 was a renaissance year.
WCWS Bound: Softball Reignites Its Legacy
It had been over a decade since Arizona State’s softball program reached the Women’s College World Series, but 2025 changed all that.
Under the fiery leadership of head coach Megan Bartlett, the Sun Devils compiled a 49–9 record, swept through the Pac-12 (in its final season before ASU’s full Big 12 integration), and blazed through regional and super regional play.
At the WCWS in Oklahoma City, ASU made waves by defeating top-seeded Oklahoma in a historic upset that ended the Sooners’ 44-game win streak. Senior ace Camryn Wynn pitched a no-hitter in the win—an instant classic.
Though ASU fell in the semifinals to UCLA, their WCWS appearance reasserted the program’s position among the nation’s elite and rekindled the passionate softball culture that defined the school in the early 2010s.
⚾ Diamond Devils Make a Regional Splash
Arizona State baseball entered 2025 with sky-high expectations, and while they didn’t reach Omaha, the team made significant noise in the NCAA Regionals.
Guided by former MLB catcher and second-year manager Willie Bloomquist, the Sun Devils finished the regular season at 40–18, good enough to host a regional for the first time since 2011.
Behind slugger Cade O’Hara and pitcher Luke Leavitt, ASU advanced to the regional final but was eliminated by Texas A&M in a hard-fought series.
Despite falling short of the College World Series, the Sun Devils’ postseason run reinforced the resurgence of a once-storied baseball powerhouse.
️ The Only School to Accomplish the 2025 Grand Slam
When the dust settled, the numbers spoke volumes:
- One national championship (women’s track & field)
- Football bowl victory
- Final Four in both men’s and women’s basketball
- WCWS semifinalist
- ⚾ Baseball regional host and finalist
No other university in the nation achieved all five feats. Not Texas. Not Alabama. Not Florida State. Not Stanford.
Arizona State stood alone.
And that’s not even including honorable mentions like:
- The women’s golf team reaching the NCAA quarterfinals
- The men’s swimming & diving team finishing third nationally
- A top-5 finish in the Director’s Cup standings
Culture, Chemistry, and Community: How It Happened
What fueled this historic success?
According to ASU Athletic Director Ray Anderson, it was a blend of strategic investments, coaching continuity, and a renewed belief in the Sun Devil identity.
“We knew we had to compete with the best, so we built the infrastructure to support elite performance,” Anderson said. “But beyond facilities and budgets, it’s about culture. These athletes believe in ASU. They believe in each other.”
Indeed, a strong emphasis on athlete wellness, academic balance, and NIL education played a key role. ASU’s in-house program, “Sun Devil Built”, offers mentorship in branding, leadership, and financial literacy, attracting top recruits from coast to coast.
The transfer portal was also kind to ASU, with key additions in basketball, football, and softball making immediate impacts.
Fans Ignite the Desert
As the teams won, the fans followed.
Sun Devil Stadium was sold out for the first time in five years during the ASU-Utah football showdown. Desert Financial Arena became a cauldron during March Madness season. Farrington Stadium was standing-room-only during WCWS Super Regionals.
From students to alumni to local community members, the desert heat extended beyond the weather—it was in the veins of every Sun Devil.
Social media exploded with #ForksUp and #FearTheFork as Arizona State turned into a national brand again.
A New National Powerhouse
Arizona State’s 2025 performance isn’t a fluke—it’s the beginning of a potential dynasty.
With most major coaches signed to long-term extensions and top recruits still flooding in, ASU is well-positioned to remain a juggernaut in the Big 12 and beyond.
Expectations are already sky-high for 2025–26:
- Football is a preseason Top 15 team.
- Men’s basketball returns three starters and welcomes a 5-star recruit.
- Softball’s entire pitching staff returns.
- Baseball’s freshman class is ranked No. 3 nationally.
- Women’s basketball will be a top-10 team again.
If 2025 was the breakout, 2026 might be the coronation.
