Ahmad Hardy’s name has been everywhere this season for a good reason. ULM football had its best start since 1987, and Hardy was at the heart of this success. When asked about his goals for the season earlier, Hardy set the bar high. Aiming for 1,000 rushing yards, he has already recorded 811 yards with no sign of slowing down.
With seven touchdowns in eight games, Hardy has become the go-to player for the critical moments. In the matchup against Marshall, Hardy racked up an impressive 207 rushing yards, including his longest rush of the season at 80 yards. Hardy has consistently delivered for the Warhawks.
He surpassed 100-yard rushing mark in three other games: 103 yards against Jackson state, 106 yards against Troy and 121 yards against Southern Miss. Hardy’s 144 rushing attempts so far have shown just how much the team relied on his ability to deliver in key moments.
“He just continues to practice hard. He continues to do things right way,” ULM football head coach Bryant Vincent said. “Ahmad takes it personally. He comes with purpose and passion.”
ULM women’s soccer captain Mara Grutkamp has been nothing short of phenomenal this season. With six assists in 2024, Grutkamp secured her name in the record books. She has tied for first place in career points (55) and assists (24) in ULM program history. Grutkamp’s stats only tell part of the story.
In the last regular season game against Southern Miss, Grutkamp delivered one of her best performances. ULM had to win to secure a spot in the Sun Belt Tournament. Grutkamp performed under pressure and provided two assists to help ULM qualify. Thanks to her efforts, ULM clinched its tournament spot for the third time during her tenure. She also earned a spot on the Sun Belt First Team this season.
“Mara is arguably the most talented soccer player to come through ULM. She’s fully deserving of the recognition she’s gotten,” ULM women’s soccer head coach Will Roberts said. “Mara has been a joy to work with and is phenomenal captain to this team.”
Sophomore Louis Anceaux has been making waves on the golf course. Anceaux has truly raised his game this season. From sharing the title at the GMAC invitational to being named SBC Men’s Golfer of the Week, he’s been stacking up awards left and right. Anceaux set a new program record this season with an incredible round of 63 (-9), the lowest score in ULM history. He finished that tournament with a total of 202 (-14) across three rounds.
Anceaux’s accomplishments don’t end there. At Argent Financial Classic, he finished in the top 10. He set an even higher standard at the Bayou City Collegiate Classic, finishing fourth with a 10-under-par total of 206. It’s clear that Anceaux is well on his way to become one of the team’s most reliable players.
“Having Anceaux as a teammate is a great thing. He’s a good player and person,” Senior Javier Balbastre said. “Someone that good on a team is always going to help.”
