CHENEY, Wash. — The Big Sky Conference announced its 2025-26 Scholar-Athletes today, with Eastern Washington University's
Riley Arribas and
Marcus Lemon representing the Eagles with the prestigious academic honor.
Arribas graduated this past June with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, while Lemon graduated with his Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education.
Riley Arribas | Women's Soccer
Arribas arrived at Eastern in the fall of 2022 and made an instant impact for the Eagles on the pitch. She started 16 games as a freshman, embarking on a stellar career in which she played in 72 games and made 69 starts. Over her four years, she tallied three goals, 11 assists, and 17 points, while racking up an impressive 5,388 minutes of action.
An exceptional student-athlete, Arribas was named to the Big Sky All-Academic team in all four of her seasons. She also earned Big Sky All-Conference Second Team honors in 2024 and an Honorable Mention nod in 2025.
Marcus Lemon | Men's Track & Field / Cross Country
Lemon, a Spokane, Washington native, joined the Eagles in the fall of 2021. He quickly became a key contributor for Eastern, particularly during the indoor track season where he regularly competed at the Big Sky Track and Field Championships. Over his career, Lemon collected nine Big Sky All-Academic honors across the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
During this past cross country season, Lemon etched his name into the EWU record books, running a 24:08.2 in the 8,000 meters to claim the fourth-fastest time in program history. On the track, he ranks fifth all-time in school history in the indoor 3,000 meters (8:18.14, set in 2024) and ninth all-time in the outdoor 5,000 meters (14:24.17, set in 2025).
"Putting together an entire career that would qualify you to be a Scholar-Athlete in the Big Sky Conference is an incredibly impressive feat, and all 23 individuals being honored today should be very proud of themselves for what they've accomplished," said Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill. "This is a group that has compiled a long list of accolades for their respective sports and is now putting a bow on their stellar careers with a diploma in hand, which is truly what collegiate athletics is all about."
2026 EWU football season tickets are now on sale! Join Spokane County's team for six home games at Roos Field in Cheney starting as low as $99. For more info, visit goeags.com/fbtickets or contact the EWU Ticket Office at 509-359-6059 or tickets@ewu.edu.
Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season tickets and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access, and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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