BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and TCU’s Olivia Miles have been selected as the 2025-26 Big 12 Athletes of the Year. Dybantsa is the first Athlete of the Year winner from BYU, while Miles is the first female Horned Frog to capture the honor and is just the second TCU winner.

This marks the first time in the history of the award that both Big 12 Athletes of the Year are basketball players.

Each Big 12 institution nominated one female and one male athlete of any classification who competed for their institution during the 2025-26 school year. Nominees were required to be in good academic standing and have participated in a league-sponsored sport.

The award was open to student-athletes from all 16 full-member institutions that competed during the academic year. The winners were selected by a 16-member media panel, with each school represented by one voter.

Miles was also named Big 12 Women’s Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Year, earning unanimous All-Big 12 First Team honors and consensus All-America recognition while leading TCU back to the Elite Eight. She also received the Conference’s 2026 Bob Bowlsby Award, given to student-athletes who exemplify leadership and achievement on and off the field.

During the 2025-26 season, Miles recorded six triple-doubles, the most in a season and career by a Big 12 player, and became one of only four players in NCAA history to reach 2,000 career points, 800 rebounds and 800 assists.

Miles was selected No. 2 overall in the WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx and is the only rookie WNBA All-Star starter this season. Miles became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 350+ points and 100+ assists.

Dybantsa was a consensus First Team All-American, earning recognition from AP, CBS Sports, Sporting News, USBWA, NABC and the Wooden Award.

In addition to being named The Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year, he was also honored as the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team selection.

The No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards led NCAA Division I in scoring with 25.5 points per game while totaling 894 points, the third most by a freshman in DI history.

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
Oklahoma State - Billah Jepkirui and Preston Stout
TCU - Olivia Miles and Duncan Chan
Texas Tech - NiJaree Canady and Jacob Rodriguez
Utah - Avery Neff and Spencer Fano
West Virginia - Jordan Harrison and Gavin Kelly