Cross Country

2023 Fall Scholar-Athletes of the Year Announced

Irving, Texas - The Big 12 Conference has announced its 2023 Fall Scholar-Athletes of the Year. The following student-athletes have been selected as award winners for their respective sports based on a vote of each sport’s head coaching group.

Big 12 Men’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Alex Maier, Oklahoma State, Graduate Student, Flower Mound, Texas
  • Holds a 3.78 GPA as an electrical engineering technology major.
  • Helped the Cowboys to the program’s fifth national title with a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Championship.
  • Was the second-place individual finisher at the Big 12 Championship, as OSU took its fourth consecutive team title.
  • Five-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection and two-time Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Big 12 Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Taylor Roe, Oklahoma State, Graduate Student, Lake Stevens, Washington
  • Statistics and data science major with a 3.58 grade point average.
  • Was the Big 12 individual champion, the first Cowgirl to finish first at the conference meet since 1989.
  • Helped the Cowgirls to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships, the program’s best. 
  • Four-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection.

Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State, Senior, Kansas City, Kansas
  • Working on a master’s of business administration with a 3.97 GPA and played in every game this season.
  • Became the first player to earn back-to-back Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year Awards.
  • Was a consensus All-American and a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
  • Four-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection and two-time CSC Academic All-District selection.

Big 12 Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Hannah Anderson, Texas Tech, Graduate Student, Plano, Texas
  • Holds a 4.00 GPA while pursuing a master’s degree in mass communication and appearing in every Texas Tech match.
  • Scored five goals and added two assists from the back line, helping Texas Tech to the Big 12 regular season title.
  • Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-American.
  • Two-time Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a 2023 CSC Academic All-American.

Big 12 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Mackenzie Morris, Kansas State, Senior, Dallas, Texas
  • Majoring in accounting with a 4.00 GPA and competed in all 27 of K-State’s matches.
  • Led the Big 12 with 4.82 digs per set, adding in 107 assists, 22 service aces and a .964 reception percentage.
  • Second Team All-Big 12 and an AVCA Midwest All-Region selection.
  • Two-time Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a four-time Academic All-Big 12 selection.

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.