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BYU guard Sydney Benally has been recognized by the 25th  Navajo Nation Council on Monday for her contributions to the Navajo Nation and her achievements on-and-off that basketball court.

Courtesy BYU Athletics

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BYU's Sydney Benally goes up for a shot against Idaho State in a women's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — BYU guard Sydney Benally was recognized by the 25th  Navajo Nation Council on Monday for her contributions to the Navajo Nation and her achievements on-and-off that basketball court.

During the recognition ceremony held on the opening day of the 2026 Summer Council Session, Speaker Crystalyne Curley expressed the Council’s appreciation for Benally’s leadership and example to Navajo children throughout the American Southwest.

“Sydney represents the very best of the Navajo Nation — hard work, humility, leadership, resilience, and perseverance,” Speaker Curley said. “She is an incredible role model who is inspiring the next generation of Diné youth to dream big, work hard, and believe that no obstacle is too great to overcome.”

Benally is serving as the first female ambassador for the Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI), at which she hosted meet-and-greets, participated in question-and-answer sessions and presented the NABI Tournament MVP trophy, which is named in her honor.

This summer, Benally has also hosted multiple basketball camps for native youth, with a two-day camp in Grants, New Mexico, drawing 382 campers in two sessions. She also spoke at the Los Angeles Native Youth Conference, as well as to a group of Shoshone Tribe youth in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

“Representing the Navajo Nation and NABI is incredibly motivating,” Benally said. “Interacting with Native youth helps me know that I am not alone on this journey. Not only do I have my faith in Jesus Christ and my family to lean on, but I also have the support of the entire Native community. It motivates me to do things the right way and strive to lead by example. I am grateful for the opportunity to pave the way for future Native athletes and to show them what they are capable of.”

Benally was one of 15 Native American women who played Division I women’s basketball last season and just one of three Navajo women, joined by Alyssa Harris of Northern Arizona and Lanae Billy of Weber State.

During her first season with the Cougars, Benally set 14 freshman records, including program freshman marks for assists (148), games played (38) and games started (38). The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week on Dec. 1, 2025, after scoring 18 points, grabbing two rebounds, dishing seven assists and recording two steals in BYU’s win over Virginia Tech at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam.

The freshman played a pivotal role for the Cougars, providing timely performances–none more so than scoring 10 second-half points with three triples in a WBIT semifinal win over Kansas. She also dished a career-high 11 assists in her first collegiate game, a 91-57 win over Coastal Carolina.

Benally helped the Cougars win 26 games — the second-most in a single season in program history — and achieve a 9-9 league record, BYU’s best in the Big 12 since joining the conference.

Davies announces retirement

After a 14-year professional basketball career, former Provo High and BYU standout Brandon Davies is hanging up his sneakers.

Davies wrote, “This is a very sudden announcement, but after much thought, I have decided to retire from professional basketball. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved with Alvark Tokyo: the coaches, staff, and fans for the time I spent at this club. I will always cherish the memories we created together. Thank you very much.”

Davies began his career as a standout at Provo High School under the legendary Craig Drury, then moved on to play for Dave Rose at BYU from 2009 to 2013. He was part of the 2011 Cougar team that advanced to the Sweet 16 with Jimmer Fredette and as a senior in 2013 was first team All-West Coast Conference, averaging 17.7 points and eight rebounds per game. He finished his Cougar career second in offensive rebounds (246), third in games played (135) and fifth in blocks (123).

He went undrafted by the NBA but played with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets. He played professionally in Europe for several clubs, including Euro League power FC Barcelona. Most recently Davies was playing with Alvark Tokyo in Japan’s B League, averaging 13.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

BYU, UVU renew women’s soccer series

The BYU-UVU women’s soccer match scheduled for Aug. 31 in Provo has disappeared from both program’s websites.

But the Cougars and Wolverines will play each other in time.

BYU and UVU have agreed to a four-year series contract, beginning fall 2027. The Cougars and Wolverines have met 10 times previously, with BYU leading the overall series 9-1. The Cougars have now won three straight regular season matches against the Wolverines, including a 2-0 shutout victory on South Field last season.

BYU opens the 2026 season with a Blue-White Scrimmage on Aug. 1 and a matchup with Idaho State at South Field on Aug. 8.

This will be the final season with Jennifer Rockwood at the helm. The long-time head coach has announced she will retire at the end of the 2026 campaign.