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 morning’s featured candidates are K-State's Shaylee Myers and Tah Chikomba.
K-State Female Athlete of the Year Candidate
Shaylee Myers, Volleyball
Sr., Lincoln, Neb.
Accomplishments
- Named the 2025 AVCA Central Region Player of the Year, AVCA All-America Honorable Mention and AVCA First Team All-Region.
- Selected First Team All-Big 12.
- Earned three Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors throughout the 2025 season.
- Selected to the K-State Invitational All-Tournament Team and named MVP.
K-State Male Athlete of the Year Candidate
Tah Chikomba, Track and Field
Jr., Zimbabwe
Accomplishments
- Named a 2026 Semifinalist for The Bowerman.
- Named the 2026 USTFCCCA Outdoor National Men’s Track Athlete of the Year and USTFCCCA Midwest Men’s Track Athlete of the Year.
- Won the NCAA Outdoor Championship in Long Jump.
- Earned First Team All-American honors for Indoor and Outdoor in Long Jump.
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
K-State - Shaylee Myers and Tah Chikomba