93 Illinois Student-Athletes Earn Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Honors
July 13, 2026 | Baseball, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Gymnastics, Men's Tennis, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Gymnastics, Soccer, Swimming & Diving, Women's Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling, Men's Golf, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field, Academic Services
News
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference announced the 2025-26 Distinguished Scholar list on Monday, July 13, with 93 Fighting Illini student-athletes recognized for their academic excellence.
The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award, established in 2008 by the conference's Faculty Representatives, honors student-athletes who have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition during the previous academic year, been enrolled full time for the entire academic year, and achieved a minimum grade-point average of 3.70 or higher, excluding summer term grades. This award builds upon the Academic All-Big Ten recognition, which honors student-athletes who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher.
* Indicates a student-athlete who earned a 4.0 GPA during the 2025-26 academic year.
Baseball
| Baseball - Distinguished Scholar (7) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Reed Gannon | Sr. | Strategic Leadership & Management |
| Nick Groves | Sr. | Financial Planning |
| Will Johannes | Sr. | Agribusiness, Markets & Management |
| Aden O'Donnell | Jr. | Double Major: Accountancy, Finance |
| Sam Reed* | Sr. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism: Sport Management |
| Kyle Schupmann | Sr. | Agribusiness, Markets & Management |
| Luke Weber | So. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism: Sport Management |
Women's Basketball
| Women's Basketball - Distinguished Scholar (6) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Gretchen Dolan | Jr. | Advertising |
| Erica Finney | So. | Psychology |
| Irene Noya Catoira* | So. | Kinesiology |
| Cearah Parchment | So. | Undeclared |
| Hayven Smith | So. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Lety Vasconcelos | Jr. | Communication |
Football
| Football - Distinguished Scholar (4) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Ben Clawson | Grad Student | MS: Management |
| Tanner Heckel | So. | Accountancy |
| Patrick Mahoney III* | Jr. | Journalism |
| Carter Smith | So. | Mechanical Engineering |
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country
| Men's Track & Field/Cross Country - Distinguished Scholar (6) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Jackson Barrett | So. | Undeclared |
| Reece Ihenacho | So. | Marketing |
| Viktor Morozov | Jr. | Kinesiology |
| Tadeas Placek* | Grad Student | MS: Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Trey Sato | So. | Business Undeclared |
| Alex Sohn | Jr. | Agribusiness, Markets and Management |
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country
| Women's Track & Field/Cross Country - Distinguished Scholar (8) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Kristine Blazevica | Grad Student | MS: Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Lucie Kienast | So. | Undeclared |
| Mia Morello | Sr. | Human Development & Family Studies |
| Elizabeth Ndudi | So. | Marketing |
| Ashley Oliver | Sr. | Bioengineering |
| Anastasia Retsa* | Grad Student | MS: Management |
| Nora Wollen | Grad Student | MS: Management |
| Rose Yeboah | Grad Student | MS: Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
Men's Golf
| Men's Golf - Distinguished Scholar (2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Ryan Voois | Sr. | Finance |
| Trey Marrion* | So. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
Women's Golf
| Women's Golf - Distinguished Scholar (5) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Kylie Eaton* | So. | Kinesiology |
| Erica Lee | Jr. | Advertising |
| Brielle Mapanao* | Sr. | Kinesiology |
| Anna Ritter | Jr. | Communication |
| Victoria Zheng* | Sr. | Finance |
Men's Gymnastics
| Men's Gymnastics - Distinguished Scholar (6) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Tate Costa | Grad Student | MS: Business Analytics |
| Sam Phillips | Grad Student | MS: Management |
| Nathan Whitaker | So. | Financial Planning |
| Connor Micklos | Sr. | Advertising |
| Jax Washburn* | So. | Community Health |
| Ryan Vanichtheeranont | Jr. | Biochemistry |
Women's Gymnastics
| Women's Gymnastics - Distinguished Scholar (7) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Alea Byrne | Sr. | Kinesiology |
| Kennedy Brown | So. | Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| Chloe Cho* | So. | Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| Olivia Coppola | Jr. | Human Development & Family Studies |
| Tali Joelson | Sr. | Dietetics & Nutrition |
| Eden King | So. | Business + Data Science |
| Lyden Saltness | Jr. | Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
Soccer
| Soccer - Distinguished Scholar (3) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Peyton Rhodes | So. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Ellen Persson | Sr. | Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences |
| Ashley Stellon | Sr. | Industrial Design |
Softball
| Softball - Distinguished Scholar (13) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Keirys Click | So. | Communication |
| Adisyn Caryl* | Jr. | Elementary Education |
| Christina Crawford* | Grad Student | MVS: Livestock Systems |
| Ella Cushing | So. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Gabrielle Debevec | Sr. | Accountancy |
| Eileen Donahue | Jr. | Communication |
| Ellie Haggard | So. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Reese Hunkins | Sr. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Alaina Miller | Sr. | Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| Ava Moore | So. | Accountancy |
| Megan Nuechterlein | Jr. | Kinesiology |
| Taylor Porter | So. | Community Health |
| Karley Yergler | Sr. | Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
Swimming & Diving
| Swimming & Diving - Distinguished Scholar (14) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Elleka Boeres | Jr. | Psychology |
| Martina Cibulkova | Jr. | Kinesiology |
| Elle Crisostomo | Jr. | Information Sciences |
| Liv Dorshorst* | Sr. | Social Work |
| Kayla Duran | So. | Sociology |
| Sara Jass | Sr. | Kinesiology |
| Stephanie Kirova | So. | Computer Science |
| Bethany Mercer | Jr. | Community Health |
| Kalina Nikolaeva | Jr. | Recreation, Sport & Tourism |
| Sophia Paduano | So. | Psychology |
| Carlie Rose* | So. | Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| Sophia Szymanski | So. | Psychology |
| Alexis Wendel* | Sr. | Finance |
| Sophia Yousuf | So. | Accountancy |
Men's Tennis
| Men's Tennis - Distinguished Scholar (2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Kenta Miyoshi | Sr. | Strategy, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship |
| Jeremy Zhang* | Jr. | Finance |
Women's Tennis
| Women's Tennis - Distinguished Scholar (2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| McKenna Schaefbauer* | Sr. | Political Science |
| Rosie Seccia | Jr. | Advertising |
Volleyball
| Volleyball - Distinguished Scholar (4) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Vivian Campbell | Jr. | Political Science |
| Cari Bohm | Jr. | Management |
| Kenzie Cogan* | So. | Elementary Education |
| Bianca May* | Sr. | Accountancy & Information Systems |
Wrestling
| Wrestling - Distinguished Scholar (5) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Academic Year | Major |
| Will Baysingar* | Jr. | Finance + Data Science |
| Dylan Connell | Grad Student | MS: Management |
| Charlie Fifield* | Grad Student | Political Science |
| Peter Marinopoulos | Jr. | Kinesiology |
| Luke Luffman | Grad Student | Health Communication Graduate Certificate |
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Men's Track & Field
141/149
/ Wrestling
Heptathlon
/ Women's Track & Field
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
MB
/ Volleyball
AA
/ Women's Gymnastics
/ Women's Gymnastics
DS
/ Volleyball
IF
/ Softball
/ Women's Gymnastics
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
DB
/ Football
IF
/ Softball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
197
/ Wrestling
/ Women's Gymnastics
AA
/ Men's Gymnastics
RHP
/ Softball
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
G
/ Women's Basketball
IF
/ Softball
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast
/ Swimming & Diving
/ Women's Golf
157
/ Wrestling
G
/ Women's Basketball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
UT
/ Softball
DB
/ Football
IF
/ Softball
Throws
/ Men's Track & Field
Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
FX, BB, VT
/ Women's Gymnastics
C/1B
/ Baseball
Jumps/Hept.
/ Women's Track & Field
/ Women's Gymnastics
Free/Breast
/ Swimming & Diving
/ Women's Golf
285
/ Wrestling
LS
/ Football
/ Women's Golf
285
/ Wrestling
/ Men's Golf
S/DS
/ Volleyball
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
AA
/ Men's Gymnastics
OF
/ Softball
/ Men's Tennis
IF
/ Softball
Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
IM/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
F
/ Women's Basketball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Baseball
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Back/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
F
/ Women's Basketball
D
/ Soccer
AA
/ Men's Gymnastics
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
OF
/ Softball
LHP
/ Baseball
Pole Vault
/ Women's Track & Field
GK
/ Soccer
/ Women's Golf
Diving
/ Swimming & Diving
/ Women's Gymnastics
Distance
/ Men's Track & Field
/ Women's Tennis
INF
/ Baseball
/ Women's Tennis
LB
/ Football
C
/ Women's Basketball
Throws
/ Men's Track & FieldM
/ Soccer
Free/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
AA
/ Men's Gymnastics
C
/ Women's Basketball
/ Men's Golf
AA
/ Men's Gymnastics
RHP
/ Baseball
Fly/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
AA
/ Men's Gymnastics
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
RHP
/ Softball
IM/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
/ Men's Tennis
/ Women's Golf
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