Award History | DIA Awards
Champaign, Ill. - The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) announced Wednesday its 2017-18 Freshmen of the Year. Tennis star Mia Rabinowitz and track standout Jon Davis have been named winners of the annual award, presented to the top male and female freshmen competing for the Fighting Illini. The recipients were selected by vote of Illinois head coaches, DIA executive staff and the DIA athletics awards committee.
Rabinowitz becomes the third women's tennis athlete and first since 2005 to win Illinois Female Freshman of the Year. She joins Macall Harkins (2005) and Jennifer McGaffigan (2001) as women's tennis recipients.
Davis is the seventh individual from men's track to win Fighting Illini Male Freshman of the Year since the award began in 1990. Davis joins Steve Bridges (1990), Marko Koers (1992), Chris Jones (1997), Jason Van Swol (1999), Gakologelwang Masheto (2007) and Andrew Riley (2009).
MIA RABINOWITZ | Tennis
• Team MVP helping lead Illini to NCAA Tournament Round of 32, playing at No. 3 and No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles
• Led the Illini with 28 wins in singles, ranking 10th on the school's all-time single-season list
• Recorded a 14-match singles winning streak from March 10-May 11
• Named Big Ten Athlete of the Week Feb. 6 after clinching Illinois' win over No. 11 Texas, becoming the first Illini freshman in 14 years to earn conference weekly honors
• Won 17 matches in doubles, clinching six doubles points
JON DAVIS | Indoor Track
• Earned Second Team All-America honors in the 3,000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships, placing 15th
• U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year
• Became the 498th American to run a sub-4 minute mile, clocking 3:58.46 at the Illini Classic to set school and Armory facility records
• Runner-up in the 3,000m at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, earning a silver medal
• Broke the Illinois 3K school record at the Iowa State Classic by 11 seconds, timing 7:49.92
2017-18 Illinois Freshman of the Year Finalists
Female
Nicole Biondi – Gymnastics
Megan Cooney – Volleyball
Rebecca Craddock – Track/Cross Country
Bella Loya – Softball
Michelle McCord – Swimming
Ali Morallos – Golf
Mia Rabinowitz – Tennis
Male
Alex Brown – Tennis
Mike Carr – Wrestling
Jon Davis – Indoor Track
Trent Frazier – Basketball
Ricky Smalling – Football
Fighting Illini Freshman of the Year Award History
