The Big 12 Conference announced its 2025‑26 Athlete of the Year awards, naming BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and TCU’s Olivia Miles as the conference’s top male and female athletes — a first in the award’s history for both recipients to be basketball players.
A Historic Double
Dybantsa, a freshman forward, led NCAA Division I in scoring with 25.5 points per game and became the first BYU player ever to earn the honor, while also collecting consensus First Team All‑American recognition and the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year award.
Miles, a senior guard, made history as the first female Horned Frog to win the award and the second TCU woman to do so, having captured both the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Year titles and earning unanimous All‑Big 12 First Team and consensus All‑America accolades.
Both athletes were selected by a 16‑member media panel that included one voter from each member institution, underscoring the conference’s commitment to a balanced and transparent decision.
The recognition comes as Miles prepares for a high‑profile WNBA debut, having been drafted second overall by the Minnesota Lynx and already named a rookie All‑Star starter, while Dybantsa is slated to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, projected to join the Washington Wizards.
Their achievements also highlight the growing impact of Big 12 programs on the national stage, with each school nominating one female and one male athlete in good academic standing, reflecting the conference’s emphasis on both athletic and scholarly excellence.