IRVING, Texas – Iowa State running back/kickoff returner Kene Nwangwu was named the 2020 Big 12 Football Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year, announced today by the league office.

Nwangwu is the first Cyclone football player to pick up the award.

The redshirt senior from Frisco, Texas had a fantastic final season as a Cyclone, ranking seventh nationally (minimum 10 returns) in kickoff return average at 29.1. He has five returns of 30+ yards on the year, including two over 65 yards that aided ISU comeback victories over Oklahoma and Baylor.

Nwangwu’s career 26.85 kickoff return average is No. 1 in Iowa State history and is ninth nationally among active FBS players.

The senior has also been a terrific backup to the nation’s leading rusher Breece Hall. Nwangwu has rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

Nwangwu is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection. He earned his degree from Iowa State, maintaining a 3.76 GPA in Mechanical Engineering.

Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year
The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Every Big 12 institution nominates one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes. Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (athletic and academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team’s scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.