Big 12 Announces 2025‑26 Athlete of the Year Nominees
The conference will reveal its list of candidates for the 2025‑26 Athlete of the Year awards from July 13 through July 22, with the winners set to be announced on July 23.
Each of the 16 full‑member institutions submitted one male and one female nominee who meet the criteria of being in good academic standing.
Among the highlighted candidates is Michelle McLeod from Houston, a standout in swimming and diving who has captured multiple conference titles and was named the 2026 Big 12 Championship Diver of the Meet.
McLeod, a five‑time Big 12 Diver of the Week and current team captain, qualified for the NCAA Championships in all three diving events and holds the platform event championship.
Also among the nominees is Kingston Flemings of Houston, a basketball player who earned consensus Second Team All‑American honors and was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award.
Flemings led the Cougars in scoring, assists and steals, setting a freshman record with 594 points, and was selected eighth overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The complete roster of nominees from each school is available for review as the conference prepares to honor its top student‑athletes.