SACRAMENTO – Stanford women’s gymnastics redshirt freshman Levi Jung-Ruivivar has been selected as a February 2026 recipient of the CalHOPE Courage Award.
Jung-Ruivivar is joined by Xander Sielken, a member of the California State University (CSU) Monterey Bay baseball team, as the two honorees for February.
Presented monthly since February 2022, the CalHOPE Courage Award honors student-athletes at California colleges and universities who have overcome stress, anxiety, and mental trauma associated with personal hardships and adversity. Each honoree is also recognized with a donation made on their behalf to support mental health services.
Here’s a closer look at the inspiring personal stories of these two student-athletes.
Levi Jung-Ruivivar, Gymnastics, Stanford
Levi built her reputation on pristine form and balletic precision, representing the Philippines at the 2024 Paris Olympics before beginning her highly anticipated NCAA career at Stanford.
But in January 2025, she made a far more personal decision: to redshirt her freshman season and step away from gymnastics to seek treatment for an eating disorder. The struggle had followed her for years, even as she trained toward the Olympics. She pushed through in silence for years, determined not to let it derail her goals.
Once she arrived at Stanford, she found joy in school, teammates, and campus life, but her mental health began overshadowing everything. “It was really tainting my love for the sport,” she said, realizing that without help, she couldn’t continue to excel. She committed fully to recovery, stepping away from school and training for five months of intensive treatment.
Recovery took longer than she expected, but it reshaped her life. She returned stronger mentally, gradually easing back into training with support from coaches and medical staff. Sharing her story publicly was vulnerable, but purposeful; she hopes to reduce stigma around eating disorders in aesthetic sports and encourage other athletes to seek help. “It’s part of my story,” she said, “but it’s not my whole identity.”
Now a redshirt freshman, she is thriving as a Cardinal, competing on all four events and stunning the NCAA gymnastics world with her unique style. She was named Atlantic Coast Conference Newcomer of the Week on February 10 and holds season-best scores of 9.950 on bars and floor and a 9.925 on beam.
Xander Sielken, Baseball, CSU Monterey Bay
When Xander Sielken left Hawaii for California in 2023 to pursue college baseball at West Valley College, he expected challenges, but not to suddenly support himself entirely.
During his redshirt freshman year, he was unexpectedly cut off financially and became responsible for rent, food, and daily expenses with no safety net. Determined to stay in school and on the field, he balanced full-time academics and baseball while working multiple jobs, including valet parking, cutting hair, and baking and selling homemade banana bread.
The pressure intensified in spring 2025 when he broke his hamate bone during one of his best seasons. Surgery forced him home to Hawaii for two months of recovery, where isolation and financial stress mounted. During this time, his four-year relationship also ended.
When it was time to return to California, he couldn’t afford the flight. In a powerful show of support, his teammates pooled funds to bring him back. Still recovering, he returned for the playoffs and delivered with a 3-for-4 performance in a key elimination game, helping West Valley finish second in the state.
“Those moments tested me in ways I never expected,” he said. “There were times when the stress, injuries, and uncertainty felt overwhelming. But I leaned on my faith, stayed focused on my purpose, and reminded myself why I started playing this game. The support from my teammates, coaches, and friends meant everything to me. They showed me I wasn’t alone. That experience changed my perspective and helped me become a stronger person and teammate.”
Now at CSU Monterey Bay, he has continued his rise, starting all 22 games at third base and batting second while hitting .337 with 27 runs scored for the 21-5 Otters (as of 3/25).
About the CalHOPE Courage Award
The monthly CalHOPE Courage Award is presented by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), in association with The Associated Press; CalHOPE, a Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) crisis counseling and support resource; and the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being.
“CalHOPE is honored to continue recognizing student-athletes statewide who have overcome challenges to perform their best as both scholars and athletes,” said Autumn Boylan, Deputy Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships at DHCS, which oversees CalHOPE. “CalHOPE’s purpose is to build community resilience and help people recover from disasters and public health emergencies through free outreach, crisis counseling, and support services. We hope that by sharing these stories of courage, all will be inspired.”
The stories of CalHOPE Courage Award recipients reflect the spirit of Governor Newsom's Path and Purposes Executive Order, which calls for a statewide response to improve mental health outcomes, reduce stigma, and reconnect young people, especially men and boys, with education, work, and mentorship opportunities.
Levi and Xander join this year’s previous honorees; Josie Wolitzky (soccer, Cal Poly Humboldt), Dorian Darghali (soccer, Cal Lutheran University), Carly Hendrickson (volleyball, UCLA), Kirk Lord (track, Pomona-Pitzer College), Sophie Scott (volleyball, University of California, Berkeley), Gianna Bomarito (cross country, Stanislaus State), Andrea Kitahata (soccer, Stanford), and Jackson Giacone (baseball, Mt. San Antonio College). Two student-athletes will be selected as the 2026 CalHOPE Courage Award winners at the end of the school year.
The previous winners were: 2025 - Mya Wang (lacrosse, University of California, Berkeley) and Will Bermudez (baseball, University of California, Irvine); 2024 – Cameron Nelsen (volleyball, Antelope Valley College) and Myron “MJ” Amey (basketball, San Jose State); 2023 - Anysa and Amaya Gray (soccer, University of California, Berkeley) and Nigel Wilson (basketball, Pasadena City College); and 2022 - Julia Schwayder (lacrosse, Occidental College) and Breyon Jackson (basketball, San Francisco State).
Stories about all CalHOPE Courage Award honorees are available at CalHOPECourageAward.org and @CalHOPE_Courage on social media.
Sports information directors at all colleges and universities in California are encouraged to nominate deserving student-athletes at CalHOPECourageAward.org. Honorees are selected by a panel of writers and editors from The Associated Press and College Sports Communicators.
ABOUT CalHOPE
CalHOPE is a multi-level campaign run by DHCS to connect Californians with mental health and wellness resources during times of crisis. CalHOPE offers behavioral health crisis counseling and uses a public health approach centered on strength-based strategies that build resilience. CalHOPE partners with the California Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being to promote the CalHOPE Courage Award. Resources are available at https://www.calhope.org/ or via the warm line at (833) 317 HOPE (4673).
College Sports Communicators (CSC): CSC is the premier association for strategic, creative, and digital professionals working in intercollegiate athletics across the United States and Canada. CSC provides year-round leadership, community, professional development/education, recognition and advocacy for its 4,700 members. To learn more, visit CollegeSportsCommunicators.com.
The Associated Press (AP): The AP is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news worldwide since 1846. For more information, visit www.ap.org.