AJ Dybantsa of BYU and Olivia Miles of TCU have been named the 2025-26 Big 12 Athletes of the Year, marking the first time in the history of the award that both recipients are basketball players. The dual honors, announced by the Big 12 Conference, celebrate historic individual seasons for both the BYU standout and the TCU guard.
Dybantsa Makes BYU History
Dybantsa, a consensus First Team All-American, became the first athlete from BYU to receive the Big 12 Athlete of the Year distinction. During the 2025-26 season, the BYU standout led NCAA Division I in scoring with an average of 25.5 points per game, totaling 894 points—the third-highest single-season total by a freshman in Division I history.
Beyond the scoring title, Dybantsa earned several other prestigious individual accolades, including being named the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team selection. He was also recognized as The Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year. His dominance on the court led to him being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.
Miles Sets Record Milestones
TCU's Olivia Miles joined Dybantsa as the 2025-26 honoree, becoming the first female Horned Frog to capture the award and only the second TCU athlete to do so. Miles' season was characterized by historic statistical milestones, including recording six triple-doubles—the most in a single season and career by any Big 12 player.
Miles also became one of only four players in NCAA history to record at least 2,000 career points, 800 rebounds, and 800 assists. Her leadership helped guide TCU back to the Elite Eight. In addition to the Athlete of the Year honor, Miles was named the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Player and Newcomer of the Year, receiving unanimous All-Big 12 First Team honors and consensus All-America recognition.
Professional Success and Recognition
The selection process for the Big 12 Athletes of the Year involved a 16-member media panel, with one voter representing each of the 16 full-member institutions. To be eligible, student-athletes were required to be in good academic standing and have participated in a league-sponsored sport. Each institution nominated one male and one female athlete from the 2025-26 academic year.
Miles' impact extended into the professional ranks, where she was selected No. 2 overall in the WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx. She has since become the only rookie WNBA All-Star starter this season and holds the record as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 350 points and 100 assists. She was also awarded the Conference’s 2026 Bob Bowlsby Award, which recognizes student-athletes for leadership and achievement on and off the field.
Conference Outlook
While the awards focused on basketball, the Big 12 also highlighted other regional athletic developments. In a July 23 episode of BYU Sports Nation, the program discussed the conference landscape, including the football outlook for Iowa State and the upcoming challenges facing the BYU athletic programs in the Big 12.
League-Wide Recognition
The 2025-26 awards cycle highlighted a high-scoring year for the conference, with nominees from across the league representing a wide range of disciplines. Other notable nominees included Jane Hedengren from BYU, Joshua Jefferson from Iowa State, and Mercyline Kirwa from Iowa State.
Legacy of Excellence
The recognition of Dybantsa and Miles underscores a period of significant talent within the Big 12, as both players transitioned from collegiate dominance to top-tier professional roles in the NBA and WNBA.
