Fowler Twin Brothers Let Positivity Guide Their Path as Student-Athletes

As San Diego State’s men’s basketball team prepares to play in front of a live audience for the first time in nearly two years, fans will notice that some talented hopefuls will be looking to step into the shoes of last years’ stars, Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel.

The Broughton brothers prepare to take the court in a game during the 2020-21 season. Photo from San Diego State Athletics

Two of those hopefuls include twin brothers, Triston and Tyler Broughton, both 6’4” walk-on guards for the Aztecs and both students in SDSU’s Fowler College of Business. The brothers were stars at Tesoro High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, but their route to becoming student-athletes at San Diego State started off on two very different paths. 

Triston, who was the valedictorian of his graduating class said he wanted to attend SDSU “due to the school’s basketball presence, West Coast location, and strong business program.” His application to attend SDSU was accepted and he was enrolled.  

Tyler, who also applied to SDSU, had a different experience. “My route to SDSU was a nightmare and a blessing at the same time,” he said. “I initially did not get accepted into SDSU when I first applied, so I thought my brother and I were going to be parting ways. After looking into different schools that may have gained my interest, I came to the realization that SDSU was where I wanted to spend my college years.” About a month after Tyler submitted an admissions appeal request, he was notified of his acceptance to SDSU. 

Triston (left) and Tyler Broughton are both Fowler students. Photo from San Diego State Athletics

Once both brothers were accepted to SDSU, they enrolled as business students, with Tyler choosing to major in management and Triston choosing to pursue a management degree with a specialization in entrepreneurship. Triston, who says he dreams of becoming a business owner, wants “to have a positive impact on the world and a reason for people to remember and appreciate the Broughton name.” Tyler shares Triston’s altruistic spirit when he said he majored in management because, “I believe I am a great leader and I love to positively affect those around me as I strive to understand others and their cultures.” 

Though they may have inherited their skills on the basketball court from their father, former NBA player, Chris Mills, much of the brothers’ optimism comes from their single mother, Tracy Broughton. Tracy, in spite of being partially paralyzed as the result of an automobile accident, is a successful entrepreneur and was crowned Ms. Black California in 2003 and Ms. America in 2011. Triston said she’s done “amazing work in raising two twin boys all alone.” 

For those student-athletes looking to follow the Broughton brothers to SDSU, they both believe that finding the right balance of academics and athletics offers the best road to a successful experience. “It’s imperative to be equipped with the knowledge and education we need to be successful,” said Tyler. “As coach Dutcher always says ‘The ball will eventually stop bouncing at some point in our lives,’ so we need to be prepared when life rips us athletes off the court or field.” 

Triston Broughton (an SDSU and Mountain West Scholar Athlete) concurred, saying: “There will be rough times along the road and you can’t let the challenges knock you off your focus. Recognize your failures and mistakes and learn from them in order to better yourself and your work.”