OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University Athletics is mourning the passing of UVU Hall of Famer and former women's basketball standout Tricia Ferrin, who wore the Wolverines uniform from 1994 to 1996 when the school was Utah Valley State College (UVSC). Ferrin died on June 8, 2026, after a life filled with love, friendship, and laughter.

"It was an honor and privilege to coach Tricia during her time at UVU (UVSC)," said Cathy Nixon, former UVU women's basketball coach and now deputy athletic director and senior woman administrator. "She was an exceptional player and one of the best leaders I had in my entire coaching career. Her teammates would tell you it was hard to go astray when Tricia was around."

Ferrin came to Utah Valley from Layton High School and enjoyed a standout career. In 1996, she earned the Betty Jo Graber Award, which honors the nation's top female student-athlete, after leading the Wolverines to a program-record 29 wins and a fourth-place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament.

That season, Utah Valley captured the Scenic West Athletic Conference and Region 18 championships. Ferrin was named Region 18 Most Valuable Player and earned NJCAA All-America honors. She averaged 16.2 points per game and ranked second on the team in rebounding at 6.5 per contest.

During her two seasons at UVSC, Ferrin appeared in 67 games and helped the Wolverines to a 57-10 overall record. She finished her career ranked fifth in program history in scoring and third in steals. Ferrin also set a single-season scoring record with 568 points, highlighted by a career-high 29-point performance against Ricks College.

Ferrin was inducted into the Utah Valley Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005 and remains one of 29 members of the distinguished group. Away from competition, she was a two-time NJCAA Academic All-American, received a Presidential Scholarship, and was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1996.

She was also inducted into the Weber State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 after earning All-Big Sky first-team honors in 1997 and 1998 and being named Big Sky defensive MVP in 1998 during the Wildcats' early varsity seasons in women's soccer.

Ferrin later graduated Phi Sigma Alpha from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri. She completed her family medicine residency at McKay-Dee
Hospital in Ogden and went on to a long and successful career in medicine.

"She lived life beautifully, staying true to her faith and her values," Nixon said. "It is inspiring how much one person served so many. She impacted my life and the lives of so many others as a teammate, coach, physician and friend. Our thoughts are with her twin sister, Tara, and the Ferrin family."

Ferrin is survived by her parents, Lee and Kathy; siblings Tara and Jeff; and nine nieces and nephews.

A memory book is available online through Lindquist Mortuary and the link above in the story