(Tempe, AZ) Sun Devil senior and 2024 U.S.Amateur Champion Josele Ballester has earned PING First-Team All-America honors, announced by the GCAA in partnership with Golf Channel.
Ballester earned honorable mention honors in his first three years, as he joins a strong list of four-time Sun Devil All-Americans that includes Jon Rahm (2013-16), Alejandro Canizares (2003-06), Todd Demsey (1992-95), Phil Mickelson (1989-92) and Billy Mayfair (1985-88). He is just the sixth Sun Devil to earn first-team All-America in the past 18 seasons, joining Wenyi Ding (2024), Preston Summerhays (2023), Chun An Yu (2019), Jon Rahm (2016 and 2015) and Max Rotluff (2015).
2025 Division I PING All-Americans
First Team
Josele Ballester, Arizona State
Daniel Bennett, Texas
Luke Clanton, Florida State
Ethan Fang, Oklahoma State
David Ford, North Carolina
Ben James, Virginia
Jackson Koivun, Auburn
Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss
Preston Stout, Oklahoma State
Brendan Valdes, Auburn
Josele Ballester Career
Ballester posted five top-five finishes in nine events in 2024-25, led by his win at the 2024 Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-220 at Olympia Fields Country Club). He earned honorable mention All-America honors in each of his first three seasons, as in 2023-24 he had a 71.05 stroke average in 12 tournaments (36 rounds) that included four top-10 finishes. In 2022-23, he tied for fifth out of 72 at the Las Vegas Regional with a 15-under 201, tied for seventh out of 80 at the Thunderbird Collegiate and tied for fourth out of 45 at The Calusa Cup.
SENIOR JOSELE BALLESTER 2024-25 /// FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 7-8, 2024/Sahalee Country Club) 69-72-72=213/-3/T2
Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-22, 2024/Olympia Fields Country Club) 64-66-70=200/-10/1
Williams Cup (Oct. 20-22, 2024/Eagle Point Golf Club) 70-72-69=211/-5/T5
Cabo Collegiate (Mar. 2-4, 2025/Twin Dolphin Golf Club) 73-76-70=219/+6/T32
Pauma Valley Invitational (Mar. 17-18, 2025/Pauma Valley Country Club) 69-74-75=218/+5/T45
Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 24-25, 2025(/Flordian Golf Club) 71-70-67=208/-5/T16
Big 12 Championship (Apr. 22-24, 2025/Southern Hills Country Club) 68-71-70-72=281/+1/T5
NCAA Bremerton Regional (May 12-14, 2025/Gold Countain Golf Club) 70-72-71=213/-3/T9
NCAA Championship (May 23-26, 2025/Omni La Costa Resort and Spa) 70-70-74-68=282/-6/T4
9 TOURNAMENTS/29 ROUNDS/70.52 STROKE AVERAGE/2,045 STROKES
8 ROUNDS IN 60s/23 ROUNDS OF PAR OR BETTER
SEASON LOW ROUND: 64/-6 at Fighting Illini Invitational, first round/Sept. 20, 2024
JOSELLE BALLESTER CAREER STATS
42 TOURNAMENTS
129 ROUNDS
70.81 STROKE AVERAGE
9,134 STROKES
40 ROUNDS IN 60S
CAREER LOW ROUNDS:
64/-6 at Fighting Illini Invitational, first round/Sept. 20, 2024
64/-6 at Pac-12 Championships, first round/April 28, 2023
64/-7 at Thunderbird Collegiate, first round/April 14, 2023
64/-6 at Maui Jim Intercollegiate, second round/Sept. 10, 2022
UNDER COACH THURMOND
Ten Sun Devils have earned 18 All-America honors in Matt Thurmond‘s nine seasons, and Ballester is the fourth to earn first-team honors in that span, joining Wenyi Ding (2024), Preston Summerhays (2023) and Chun An Yu (2019).
SUN DEVIL MEN’S GOLF ALL-AMERICANS UNDER MATT THURMOND
2025: Josele Ballester (first)
2024: Wenyi Ding (first), Ryggs Johnston (third), Preston Summerhays (third), Josele Ballester (hm)
2023: Preston Summerhays (first)
2022: Mason Andersen (third), Josele Ballester (hm), David Puig (hm), Cameron Sisk (hm)
2021: David Puig (second), Chun An Yu (third), Ryggs Johnston (third), Cameron Sisk (hm)
2020: Cameron Sisk (third)
2019: Chun An Yu (first)
2017: Jared du Toit (second)
SUN DEVIL MEN’S GOLF FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
2025: Josele Ballester
2024: Wenyi Ding
2023: Preston Summerhays
2019: Chun An Yu
2016: Jon Rahm
2015: Jon Rahm, Max Rottluff
2007: Niklas Lemke
2006: Alejandro Canizares
2003: Alejandro Canizares
2001: Matt Jones
2000: Paul Casey
1997: Chris Hanell, Scott Johnson
1994: Todd Demsey
1993: Todd Demsey
1992: Phil Mickelson
1991: Phil Mickelson
1990: Phil Mickelson
1989: Phil Mickelson
1988: Billy Mayfair
1987: Billy Mayfair
1983: Jim Carter
1979: Scott Watkins
1977: Lee Mikles
1972: Howard Twitty
1970: Howard Twitty
1968: Mike Morley
1966: George Boutell
SUN DEVIL MEN’S GOLF ALL-AMERICANS
2025: Josele Ballester (first)
2024: Wenyi Ding (first), Ryggs Johnston (third), Preston Summerhays (third), Josele Ballester (hm)
2023: Preston Summerhays (first), Josele Ballester (hm), Michael Mjaaseth (hm)
2022: Mason Andersen (third), Josele Ballester (hm), David Puig (hm), Cameron Sisk (hm)
2021: David Puig (second), Chun An Yu (third), Ryggs Johnston (third), Cameron Sisk (hm)
2020: Cameron Sisk (third)
2019: Chun An Yu (first)
2017: Jared du Toit (second)
2016: Jon Rahm (first), Jared du Toit (hm)
2015: Jon Rahm (first), Max Rottluff (first)
2014: Jon Rahm (hm)
2013: Jon Rahm (hm)
2010: Jesper Kennegard (third)
2009: Knut Borsheim (hm), Stephan Gross (hm), Jesper Kennegard (hm), Scott Pinckney (hm)
2008: Jesper Kennegard (hm)
2007: Niklas Lemke (first), Benjamin Alvarado Holley (second)
2006: Alejandro Canizares (first), Niklas Lemke (third), Benjamin Alvarado Holley (hm)
2005: Alejandro Canizares (third), Niklas Lemke (hm)
2004: Chez Reavie (second), Alejandro Canizares (third)
2003: Alejandro Canizares (first), Chez Reavie (hm)
2001: Matt Jones (first), Jeff Quinney (second), Chez Reavie (hm)
2000: Paul Casey (first), Matt Jones (hm)
1999: Paul Casey (second), Jeff Quinney (second)
1998: Paul Casey (second), Darren Angel (hm), Jeff Quinney (hm)
1997: Chris Hanell (first), Scott Johnson (first)
1996: Joey Snyder (hm), Darren Angel (hm)
1995: Todd Demsey (third), Chris Hanell (hm), Scott Johnson (hm), Joey Snyder (hm)
1994: Todd Demsey (first), Chris Stutts (second), Chris Hanell (hm)
1993: Todd Demsey (first), Cade Stone (hm)
1992: Phil Mickelson (first), Todd Demsey (second), Brett Dean (third)
1991: Phil Mickelson (first), Brett Dean (third), Jim Lemon (hm)
1990: Phil Mickelson (first), Per Johansson (second), Jim Lemon (third), Scott Frisch (hm)
1989: Phil Mickelson (first), Per Johansson (third), Jim Strickland (hm), Scott Frisch (hm)
1988: Billy Mayfair (first), Tom Stankowski (hm), Jim Strickland (hm)
1987: Billy Mayfair (first), Greg Cesario (hm), Tom Stankowski (hm)
1986: Billy Mayfair (second), Rich Bietz (second), Greg Cesario (hm)
1985: Billy Mayfair (hm)
1984: Jim Carter (second), Rich Beitz (hm), Barry Conser (hm)
1983: Jim Carter (first)
1982: Tony Grimes (third), Scott Harris (hm)
1981: Dan Forsman (second), Tony Grimes (hm)
1980: Jim Bertoncino (second), Dan Forsman (third)
1979: Scott Watkins (first), Dan Croonquist (second)
1978: Scott Watkins (second), Dan Croonquist (second), Tom Gray (hm)
1977: Lee Mikles (first), Bill Loeffler (second)
1976: Jeff Thomsen (third), Tom Evans (hm)
1975: Gary Jacobson (third), Jeff Thomsen (hm)
1974: Charlie Gibson (second), Gary Jacobson (hm), Rocky Waitt (hm)
1973: Tom Purtzer (second), Bob Gilder (hm), Charlie Gibson (hm)
1972: Howard Twitty (first)
1971: Howard Twitty (third), Dave Sheff (hm)
1970: Howard Twitty (first), Donny Powers (second)
1969: Donny Powers (second), Paul Purtzer (third), John Jackson (hm)
1968: Mike Morley (first), Paul Purtzer (third)
1967: Mike Morley (second), Joe Porter (third)
1966: George Boutell (first), Wayne Vollmer (hm)
1957: Duff Lawrence
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Doug Tammaro
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