The 2025-26 Big 12 Athlete of the Year nominees will be featured in alphabetical order by school starting Monday, July 13, through Wednesday, July 22, at 11 a.m. CT and 2 p.m. CT.
Each institution nominated one male and one female athlete of any classification who competed for their institution during the 2025-26 school year. Student-athletes were required to be in good academic standing and must have participated in a league-sponsored sport.
The 16 full-member institutions that competed during the 2025-26 academic year are eligible.
The winners will be announced Thursday, July 23. Stay tuned to Big12Sports.com and the league’s social media platforms to see the remaining candidates.
This afternoon’s featured candidates are Kansas’ Shiyun Lai and Tyson LeBlanc.
Kansas Female Athlete of the Year Candidate
Shiyun Lai, Swimming & Diving
Jr., Guangdong Province, China
Accomplishments
- CSCAA First Team All-American and Big 12 Diver of the Year who finished fifth nationally in the 3-meter dive and eighth in the 1-meter dive at the NCAA Championships.
- Earned 25 points at the NCAA Championships.
- Became the first Kansas diver since Jennifer Wagstaff in 1983 and 1984 to earn First Team All-America honors in consecutive seasons.
- Third Team CSC Academic All-American, All-Big 12 First Team selection and Big 12 Women’s Diver of the Week honoree three times during the 2025-26 season.
Kansas Male Athlete of the Year Candidate
Tyson LeBlanc, Baseball
Jr., Maurice, La.
Accomplishments
- Earned All-America recognition from Perfect Game, D1Baseball, NCBWA, Baseball America and ABCA/Rawlings, while also being named to the ABCA/Rawlings Central All-Region First Team.
- NCBWA District 6 Co-Player of the Year, Big 12 Baseball Tournament Most Outstanding Player and Lawrence Regional Most Outstanding Player.
- All-Big 12 First Team selection, Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist and NCBWA Hitter of the Month for May.
- CSC Second Team Academic All-American and CSC Academic All-District selection who was a member of Team IMPACT and a two-time KU AD Honor Roll honoree.
The full list of nominees for each school can be found below.
2025-26 Big 12 Athletes of the Year Nominees
Arizona - Sydney Stewart and Jay Friend
Arizona State - Kenzie Brown and Jonny Kulow
Baylor - Tyler Isgrig and Devin Badenhorst
BYU - Jane Hedengren and AJ Dybantsa
UCF - Sierra Humphreys and Themus Fulks
Cincinnati - Juliette Laracuente-Huebner and Quinton Coats
Colorado - Maddie Shoup and Hunter Swanson
Houston - Michelle McLeod and Kingston Flemings
Iowa State - Mercyline Kirwa and Joshua Jefferson
Kansas - Shiyun Lai and Tyson LeBlanc