The 2024-25 Big 12 Athlete of the Year nominees will be featured in alphabetical order by school starting Monday, July 14, through Wednesday, July 23, at 11 a.m. CT and 2 p.m. CT.

Each institution nominated one male and one female athlete of any classification who competed for their institution during the 2024-25 school year. Student-athletes were required to be in good academic standing and must have participated in a league-sponsored sport.

The 16 full-membership schools that competed during the 2024-25 academic year are eligible.

The winners will be announced Thursday, July 24. Stay tuned to Big12Sports.com and the league’s social media platforms to see the rest of the candidates.

This morning’s featured candidates are Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel and Rachel Joseph.

Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year Candidate
Jaylin Noel, Football
Sr., Kansas City, Mo.
Accomplishments

• Named Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Big 12 honors as a kick/punt returner.
• Selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft (No. 79 overall).
• Delivered one of the best receiving seasons in program history, finishing with 80 receptions for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns, helping lead ISU to its best season in the program’s 133-year history.
• Member of the Academic All-Big 12 Team and the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year Candidate
Rachel Joseph, Track and Field
Jr., Richmond, Texas

• Earned three All-America honors, including two First Team selections after placing fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships and sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
• Swept the 2025 USTFCCCA Regional Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year awards.
• Won both the 2025 Indoor and Outdoor Big 12 titles in the 400 meters, becoming the 10th woman in league history to accomplish the sweep.
• Named a CSC Academic All-American and a First Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree. Represented Iowa State in the Big 12 Beyond Borders program for her leadership and character.

2024-25 Big 12 Athletes of the Year Nominees
Arizona – Colton Smith and Devyn Netz
Arizona State – Cam Skattebo and Kenzie Brown
Baylor – Nathaniel Ezekiel and Alexis Brown
BYU – James Corrigan and Lexy Halladay-Lowry
UCF – RJ Harvey and Hannah Lovejoy
Cincinnati – Kerrington Cross and Joleigh Crye
Colorado – Travis Hunter and Jordan Nytes
Houston – J’Wan Roberts and KeAyla Dove
Iowa State – Jaylin Noel and Rachel Joseph