2016 Senior

• 2017 Coach Wooden Citizen Cup award winner (most outstanding role model in the nation among athletes)
• Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner
• All-Big Ten honorable mention (media)
• Phil Steele All-Big Ten third team
• Campbell Trophy semifinalist (top student-athlete in college football)
• Team captain
• Started 11 games at center
• 37 career starts
• Missed the opener against Murray State with an injury
• The Illini's all-time leader in rushing yards by a lineman with 17 (records dating back to 1950)
• 14 yards rushing on a fumble recovery against North Carolina
• Working on his MBA after graduated with a degree in finance in May 2016
• Rimington Trophy watch list (nation's best center)
• Wuerffel Trophy watch list (community service award)
• National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Awards nominee
• AFCA Good Works Team nominee
• Helped lead the Illini's "Lift For Life," which raised over $21,000 for charity
• Academic All-Big Ten

2015 Junior

• Nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service”
• Started all 12 games at center
• One of five offensive linemen to start all 12 games
• Played 83.7% of snaps during the regular season
• Helped the Illini allow just 20 sacks against (1.67 per game)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (3.7+ GPA) and Academic All-Big Ten
• Earned a degree in finance in May 2016

2014 Sophomore

• Played in all 13 games, starting 12
• Started 10 games at center and two at right guard (Northwestern, Iowa)
• Played 762 snaps on the season and a season-high 83 in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (3.7+ GPA) and Academic All-Big Ten

2013 Redshirt Freshman

• Played in eight games and started two, the season-opener against SIU and against Ohio State
• Academic All-Big Ten

2012 Freshman

• Redshirted the 2012 season

High School

• Three-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com
• Ranked the No. 14 center in the nation by ESPN
• Named to the Rivals.com Ohio Top 60
• Named an Associated Press Division I second-team All-District selection in 2011
• Earned first-team All-Greater Miami Conference honors in 2011
• Played in Ohio North/South Game and the Big 33 All-Star Game
• High school coach was Brian Castner

Personal

• Son of Kristen and Jeff Spencer
• Born June 13, 1994
• Earned a degree in finance in May 2016
• Serves as president of the Illinois Uplifting Athletes chapter, which raises money for rare disease research and treatment
• Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president
• Illini Leadership Academy
• Freshman Athlete Mentor program
• Organized student-athlete variety show that has raised more than $80,000 for charity in the last five years
• Organized the Illini’s lift for life, which raised nearly $40,000 for charity in the last two years
• “Big” at the local Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Spearheaded the Leadership Summit for local middle school students
• Leads the Illini’s Thanksgiving Basket Program
• Has visited nearly every elementary school in Champaign-Urbana
• Visits to pediatric unit of local hospitals
• Volunteer at the Special Olympics