MOSCOW, Idaho - On Thursday, the Big Sky Conference announced its annual Scholar Athletes, recognizing graduating seniors who best exemplify the responsibilities of being a student-athlete, making waves for their teams while taking care of business in the classroom.

Male and female athletes from each full-time institution received the prestigious honor, while one from each affiliate member's sponsored sport earned the nod as well for a total of 17 across the entire conference. Representing Idaho as the 2025-26 scholar athletes are Isaiah Brickner of Men's Basketball and Madu Fontes of Volleyball.

Per the league, to be eligible for consideration, the student-athlete must have exhausted his or her intercollegiate athletic eligibility and/or be a member of the graduating class, earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0) scale, been a participant in a Big Sky-sponsored sport, completed at least two (2) years of intercollegiate competition at the institution, and been a letter winner."

Brickner, a San Diego native, played two seasons in black and gold after transferring in from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. The 6-4 guard played in 68 total games for Idaho, earning Big Sky Player of the Week Honors coming off the bench vs. North Dakota and South Dakota State. He would eventually earn an increased role during his senior season, tallying 13 starts on the year, winning the league's top reserve award, and leading Idaho to its first Big Sky Championship and March Madness appearance since 1990. As a senior, Brickner averaged 11.9 PPG, shooting an even 48% from the field and 41.1% from three-point range.

Off the court, Brickner was a regular Big Sky All-Academic nominee for Idaho, finishing multiple semesters with a perfect 4.0 GPA. He received his degree in Psychology in the spring,
graduating magna cum laude with a 3.8 cumulative mark.

Fontes, originally hailing from Palmas Tocantins, Brazil, transferred to Idaho in time for her junior season after two decorated seasons as Florida Southwestern State, where she won back-to-back JUCO National Championships. She became an immediate impact player on the court for the Vandals, playing in 33 matches and 81 total sets in two seasons. As a junior, she was one of UI's top options at outside hitter, averaging 2.12 kills/set with a career high 14 at Southern Utah. Fontes showcased her versatility and team-first mindset playing in multiple spots as a senior. She picked up three solo blocks vs. Chattanooga at the Tennessee State Invite and racked up 11 kills in the Vandals' win over Eastern Washington in Memorial Gym.

Outside of the gym, Fontes was one of Idaho's top performers for a program that has made waves in the classroom, especially in her two years in Moscow. Her efforts culminated in volleyball announcing a program-record 3.75 team GPA for the spring semester, receiving Idaho Athletics' annual Vandie award for the top women's team mark in the department. She received her degree in Food & Nutrition in the spring and is set to join the revived Northeastern State volleyball program in Oklahoma as a graduate assistant.

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