Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year History
Champaign, ILL.– The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) announced Thursday that consensus first-team basketball All-American Ayo Dosunmu and track All-American Olivia Howell are winners of the 2020-21 Dike Eddleman Award, presented annually to the top Fighting Illini male and female athlete. The recipients were selected by vote of Illinois head coaches and DIA executive staff.
Dosunmu captures the Eddleman Award for the second year in a row, becoming just the fourth repeat winner ever from the basketball program and the 19th basketball recipient overall dating back to 1940, when Illinois began selecting its Athlete of the Year. Dosunmu joins Andy Phillip (1942 & '43), award namesake Dike Eddleman (1948 & '49) and Dave Scholz (1968 & '69) as back-to-back winners from men's basketball.
AYO DOSUNMU | 2021 Dike Eddleman Male Athlete of the Year
- USA Today National Player of the Year
- Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year
- NCAA Consensus First-Team All-American
- Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, and Oscar Robertson Trophy Finalist
- Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player
- Only player in the NCAA over the last 11 seasons to average at least 20 points (20.1 ppg), six rebounds (6.3 rpg) and five assists (5.3 apg)
- Led Illinois to its best season in 16 years, including Big Ten Tournament title, NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed, and No. 2 national ranking in final AP poll
Howell, meanwhile, is the first athlete in school history to win both Eddleman and Illini freshman awards in the same season. Howell becomes the 19th recipient from track and field since the Illinois Female Athlete of the Year award was first handed out in 1977, and first for the program since Stephanie Richartz in 2015.
OLIVIA HOWELL | 2021 Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year
- Second Team All-American
- Placed 10th in the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
- Set school record in the 1,500 m during NCAA prelims (4:09.71)
- Big Ten Outdoor Freshman of the Year
- Big Ten Outdoor Champion in the 1500 m
- Big Ten Indoor Champion in the mile
- Illinois Freshman of the Year
As Fighting Illini Athletes of the Year, Dosunmu and Howell become Illinois' nominees for Big Ten Athlete of the Year honors, which will be announced in July.
THE DIKE EDDLEMAN AWARD
The University of Illinois Athlete of the Year was first awarded in 1940. The award was given annually until it was discontinued for a brief period in 1973. Since 1983, the University of Illinois has recognized both a Male and Female Athlete of the Year. In 1993, the awards were named in honor of the 11-time UI letterman and former Olympian Dwight "Dike" Eddleman, who is generally considered the greatest athlete in the history of Illinois athletics. Eddleman participated in basketball, football and track & field in 1943 and 1946-49, earning a combined 11 varsity letters in his career.
The list of all-time Fighting Illini greats who have been selected as Athlete of the Year include names like Dike Eddleman himself (football, basketball, track, 1948 & '49), Dick Butkus (football, 1964 & '65), Nancy Thies (gymnastics, 1977), Craig Virgin (track and cross country, 1977), Tony Eason (football, 1982 & '83), Mary Eggers (volleyball, 1987, '88 & '89), Kendall Gill (basketball, 1990), Renee Slone (Heiken) (golf, 1991 & '92), Tonja Buford-Bailey (track, 1992 & '93), Ashley Berggren (basketball, 1997 & '98), Perdita Felicien (track, 2001, '02 & '03), Justin Spring (gymnastics, 2004 & '06), Deron Williams (basketball, 2005), Kevin Anderson (tennis, 2007), Angela Bizzarri (track and cross country, 2008, '09, & '10), Scott Langley (golf, 2010), Andrew Riley (track, 2011 & '12), Janelle Flaws (soccer, 2014), Tyler Jay (baseball, 2015), Isaiah Martinez (wrestling, 2016 & '17), and Jordyn Poulter (volleyball, 2018 & '19).
2020-21 Illinois Athlete of the Year Nominees
Male Eddleman Nominees
Lucas Byrd // Wrestling
Jon Davis // Cross Country
Ayo Dosunmu // Basketball (winner)
Michael Feagles // Golf
Kendrick Green // Football
Aleks Kovacevic // Tennis
Manning Plater // Track & Field
Jackson Raper // Baseball
Ian Skirkey // Gymnastics
Female Eddleman Nominees
Abigail Cabush // Swim & Dive
Rebecca Craddock // Cross Country
Olivia Howell // Track & Field (winner)
Tristyn Nowlin // Golf
Kendra Pasquale // Soccer
Kailee Powell // Softball
