Baseball

2022 Spring Scholar-Athletes of the Year Announced

Irving, Texas - The Big 12 Conference has announced its 2022 Spring Scholar-Athletes of the Year. The following student-athletes have been selected as award winners for their respective sports based on the votes of each sport’s respective head coaches.

2022 Big 12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Dylan Phillips, Kansas State, Jr., Omaha, Neb.
  • Finance major with a 3.57 GPA who participated in every contest this season. 
  • Hit .283 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI, earning All-Big 12 Second Team honors and a spot on the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team as a relief pitcher.
  • Four-time Academic All-Big 12 selection and a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.

2022 Big 12 Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Johnny Keefer, Baylor, Jr., San Antonio, Texas
  • Major in Accounting with a 3.76 GPA and participated in every tournament this season. 
  • Averaged 71.34 strokes per round as he posted five top-10 finishes and qualified as an individual to the NCAA Regionals.
  • Three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree (2020, 2021 and 2022).

2022 Big 12 Women’s Golf Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Gurleen Kaur, Baylor, Sr., Houston, Texas
  • Health, kinesiology and leisure studies major with a 3.27 GPA and participated in every competition this season.
  • Won the Rainbow Wahine Invitational, highlighting a season where she averaged 72.03 strokes per round.
  • Named to Academic All-Big 12 teams five times (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022).

2022 Big 12 Women’s Golf Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Sara Kouskova, Texas, Sr., Prague, Czech Republic 
  • Maintained a 3.79 GPA as a studio art major and participated in every event this season.
  • All-American selection by the WGCA who registered three top-10 finishes.
  • Four-time WGCA All-America Scholar and four-time Academic All-Big 12 selection (2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022).

2022 Big 12 Women’s Golf Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Amy Taylor, Texas Tech, Sr., Norwich, England
  • Psychology major with a 3.76 GPA and participated in 100 percent of tournaments in 2021-22.
  • Averaged 71.94 strokes per round, while posting a trio of top-five finishes.
  • Four-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022).

2022 Big 12 Rowing Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Darcy Jennings, Alabama, Gr., London, England
  • Graduate in sport administration with a 3.88 GPA and 100 percent participation. 
  • Helped Alabama to a second-place finish at the 2022 Big 12 Rowing Championship.
  • Three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection (2020, 2021, 2022).

2022 Big 12 Rowing Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Jadyn Greisen, Kansas State, Jr., Lincoln, Neb.
  • Majoring in mechanical engineering with a 3.99 GPA and participated in every event.
  • Competed on the Second Varsity Eight at the Big 12 Championship.
  • A two-time member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2021 and 2022).

2022 Big 12 Rowing Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Cameron Guild, Oklahoma, Gr., Newport Beach, Calif.
  • Pursuing a masters degree in organizational leadership with a 4.00 GPA and 83 percent participation.
  • Helped Oklahoma to a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 Rowing Championship.
  • Three-time CRCA Scholar-Athlete Award winner (2020, 2021, 2022).

2022 Big 12 Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Carli Spelhaug, Iowa State, Jr., Bettendorf, Iowa
  • Kinesiology and health major that holds a 3.91 GPA and 93 percent participation this season.
  • Hit .313 with six home runs and 19 RBI, earning All-Big 12 Second Team honors as a left fielder. 
  • Selected to the 2022 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree (2021 and 2022).

2022 Big 12 Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Mason Beiler, Oklahoma, Sr., New Port Richey, Fla.
  • Majoring in supply chain management with a 3.91 GPA and competed in every match this season.
  • Posted a 24-14 singles record and a 17-8 doubles record, qualifying for the NCAA Championships as an individual. 
  • Named an ITA Scholar-Athlete and finished the 2021-22 academic year with a 4.0 GPA.

2022 Big 12 Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Maria Linares, Kansas State, Sr., Maracay, Venezuela
  • Maintained a 3.70 GPA as an organizational management major with 100 percent participation in contests this season. 
  • Posted a 14-4 record in the 2021-22 season and was named All-Big 12 Second Team in singles.
  • Four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022) and five-time Academic All-Big 12 selection.

2022 Big 12 Men’s Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Tripp Piperi, Texas, Gr., The Woodlands, Texas
  • Holds a 3.87 GPA while pursuing a graduate certificate in strategic communications with 100 percent participation.
  • Was the NCAA Champion in the outdoor shot put with a throw of 70 feet, 7.25 inches and helped UT to the team NCAA Indoor National Title.
  • Selected as the USTFCCCA Men’s Outdoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year and to the 2022 Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

2022 Big 12 Women’s Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Kassidy Johnson, Kansas State, Jr., Wichita, Kan.
  • Triple-major in dietetics, nutrition and health, and Spanish with a 4.00 GPA and 60 percent participation this season.
  • Set the school record in the indoor women’s 800-meter run, earning All-America honors in the event. 
  • Named a CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American in 2022.

The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Every Big 12 institution nominates one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes. Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (athletic and academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team’s scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.