The Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year Awards began in 2000-01 to annually recognize student-athletes who displayed an extraordinary degree of sportsmanship and/or community service during the academic year. A male and female are honored each year.
The following student-athletes have been nominated for 2015-16 Big 12 Female Sportsperson of the Year. Criteria for the award includes examples of sportsmanship and ethical conduct, citizenship within the campus and community as well as academic achievement. The male nominees will be featured on Wednesday, June 22 and the two winners named on Thursday, June 23.
Cion Hicks, Baylor
Track & Field, Jr., Copperas Cove, Texas
• President of Baylor's Student-Athlete Advisory Council for the 2015-2016 academic year.
• Team captain for the 2016 Track & Field squad and earned All-Big 12 honors in the shot put.
• A three-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
• Volunteers around the community and was a coaching volunteer for the Killeen youth track team.
Tayler Soucie, Kansas
Volleyball, Jr., Osawatomie, Kan.
• Accumulated over 140 community service hours during the 2015-16 academic year while participating in Big Brothers Big Sisters, along with volunteering at the local hospital and visiting local elementary schools.
• Tayler is responsible for creating the Holiday Toy Drive benefiting the local hospital.
• Named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team in both 2015 and 2014 and has found herself on the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll six times.
• Holds the Community Outreach Chair position on KU's SAAC and is the Jayhawk's Female Big 12 SAAC representative.
Kaylon Williams, Oklahoma
Basketball, Sr., Midwest City, Okla.
• Key member of the Sooners for Haiti program, spending a week in Haiti volunteering to build homes for local residents.
• Graduated with a degree in Arts and Sciences Planned Program, being named to the President's Honor Roll once and the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll twice.
• Volunteered with the Sooner Sis program and spent time every week in her adopted Norman elementary school. Also participated in the inaugural Uncommon Service Week.
• Provided leadership both on and off the court starting all 33 games her senior season.
Kierra Miles, Texas Tech
Softball, Jr., Mustang, Okla.
• Named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team in both 2015 and 2016.
• Participates with the Softball team as it provided meals for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest and visited the Children's Home of Lubbock.
• Provides leadership both on and off the field, showing a strong work ethic and showing involvement with many faith-based programs.
• Earned Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll honors in both Spring and Fall of 2015.
Hannah Shreve, West Virginia
Volleyball, Jr., Charleston, W.Va.
• Serves as a member of WVU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
• Completed her degree in Accounting in just three years and was a member of the Big 12 All-Academic Team, Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and received a Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Award.
• Named a WVU Foundation Outstanding Senior for 2016 and held the honor of carrying the College of Business & Economics banner at commencement.
• Spends time volunteering with the Hoss Foundation, which helps meet the needs of children and families facing hardships due to traumatic injury, illness or financial crisis.