Illinois Freshman of the Year History
Champaign, ILL. – The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) announced Wednesday its 2020-21 Freshmen of the Year. Olivia Howell (track & field) and Andre Curbelo (basketball) have been named winners of the annual award, presented to the top female and male freshman competing for the Fighting Illini. The recipients were selected by vote of Illinois head coaches and DIA executive staff.
Olivia Howell had a stellar rookie outdoor track campaign, earning second-team All-America honors after finishing 10th in the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA Championships. She set the Illinois school record in the 1,500 m during NCAA prelims, clocking a time of 4:09.71. Howell was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the 2021 outdoor season. She won a gold medal in the 1,500 m at the Big Ten Championships, becoming the first Illini to win a conference title in the 1,500 m since 2010.
Howell is the ninth track & field athlete to be voted Illinois Female Freshman of the Year since the award began in 1990, joining Tisha Ponder (1997), Aleisha Latimer (1998), Susanna Kallur (2001), Cassie Hunt (2004), Angela Bizzarri (2007), Ashley Spencer (2012), Morolake Akinosun (2013) and Kandie Bloch-Jones (2014).
Andre Curbelo was a key factor in one of the best basketball seasons in school history, helping the Fighting Illini to a Big Ten Tournament title, NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed, and No. 2 ranking in the final AP poll. Curbelo was selected Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. He was fourth on the Illini in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 9.1 points and 4.0 rebounds, with those numbers increasing to 12.7 ppg and and 4.6 rpg over the final 10 games. He also was third in the conference in assists during league play at 4.6 apg, recording the fifth-best assist average ever by a UI freshman.
Curbelo becomes the third straight basketball player to win Illinois Male Freshman of the Year, and sixth overall, joining Kofi Cockburn (2020), Ayo Dosunmu (2019), D.J. Richardson (2010), Cory Bradford (1999) and Deon Thomas (1991).
2020-21 Illinois Freshman of the Year Nominees
Female Nominees
Cara Bognar // Swim & Dive
Kate Duong // Tennis
Olivia Howell // Track & Field (winner)
Aaliyah Nye // Basketball
Raina Terry // Volleyball
Joanna Verzosa-Dolezal // Soccer
Jaelyn Vickery // Softball
Male Nominees
Lucas Byrd // Wrestling
Andre Curbelo // Basketball (winner)
Tyler Cushing // Cross Country
Hunter Heck // Tennis
Justin Janas // Baseball
Logan Myers // Gymnastics
Tyler Sudduth // Track & Field
Isaiah Williams // Football
