CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Junior Kenta Miyoshi became the seventh player in program history to be named Big Ten Player of the Year, while redshirt junior William Mroz earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Second Team, the conference office announced on Thursday. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Bowers was named the Illini's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree for the first time in his career.
Miyoshi earned Big Ten Player of the Year recognition after putting together one of the most dominant Big Ten campaigns in program history. Going 8-2 at No. 1 singles, the ITA All-American recorded four of those victories against ranked opposition, while 10 of his 13 opponents during conference play appeared in the April 22 ITA singles rankings.
One of two unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selections, Miyoshi recorded the second-most singles wins at the No. 1 position during Big Ten action, while seven of his eight Big Ten victories came in straight sets. Two of those triumphs came against players currently in the top 20 of the most recent ITA singles rankings: a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ohio State's No. 12 Aidan Kim and a 7-5, 6-3 decision against USC's No. 17 Peter Makk, the latter of whom was also a unanimous inclusion on the All-Big Ten First Team.
Heading into the postseason having already amassed a career-best 28 singles wins as a junior, the Kawasaki, Japan, native has been ranked as high as No. 12, holding a spot in the top 20 since December.
He also posted six Big Ten doubles victories while playing all but one dual at the No. 1 position. Miyoshi tallied a four-match doubles winning streak in conference play with triumphs against Purdue, Indiana, UCLA, and USC from March 14-23.Â
Miyoshi is Illinois' first Big Ten Player of the Year honoree since Aleks Vukic in 2016-17, and he joins an exclusive group of former Illini to achieve the distinction: Oliver Freelove, 1998-99; Brian Wilson, 2003-04; Ryler DeHeart, 2004-05 and 2005-06; Kevin Anderson, 2006-07; Farris Gosea, 2013-14; and Aleks Vukic, 2016-17.
A mainstay at No. 2 singles for the Illini this season, Mroz secured All-Big Ten status for the first time. Going 5-1 during conference play, Mroz went undefeated across the Orange and Blue's first 11 Big Ten duals. After entering the ITA singles rankings for the first time in December, Mroz has remained in the rankings ever since, reaching as high as a career-best mark of No. 30.
The Florida native has also found success on the doubles courts this season, boasting a 7-2 conference record while playing mainly at the No. 2 doubles position.
Earning the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for the first time, Bowers has played at No. 2, 3, and 4 singles this season, registering a 16-9 overall record and a 3-2 mark in conference play. The lifelong Illini has spent the majority of doubles play at the No. 1 position, and he reached a career-high No. 52 ranking in December. His 16 total doubles wins during the 2024-25 campaign are a career-most, and he has also collected a career-high five doubles victories during Big Ten action.
The full list of all-conference award winners can be found HERE.
ILLINOIS BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
1998-99: Oliver Freelove
2003-04: Brian Wilson
2004-05:Â Ryler DeHeart
2005-06:Â Ryler DeHeart
2006-07:Â Kevin Anderson
2013-14:Â Farris Gosea
2016-17:Â Aleks Vukic
2024-25: Kenta Miyoshi
ILLINI ON THE ALL-BIG TEN AWARD LIST
Kenta Miyoshi - Big Ten Player of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team (unanimous selection)
William Mroz - All-Big Ten Second Team
Tyler Bowers - Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
