Wagler, Beckmon Named Eddleman Athlete of the Year Award Winners
June 24, 2026 | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Track & Field
News
Eddleman Athlete of the Year History
CHAMPAIGN Ill. – The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) announced Wednesday that basketball consensus All-American Keaton Wagler and track & field national champion Sophia Beckmon are winners of the 2025-26 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.
Wagler Highlights
• No. 5 Overall Pick in 2026 NBA Draft
• Consensus Second-Team All-American (first freshman in Illinois history to earn consensus All-America honors)
• NCAA South Regional Most Outstanding Player
• Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten
Wagler is the fifth men's basketball recipient of the Eddleman Award in head coach Brad Underwood's tenure, joining Ayo Dosunmu (back-to-back winner in 2020 and 2021), Kofi Cockburn (2022) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (2024). Wagler is the 22nd men's basketball player overall to win, dating back to 1940 when Illinois began selecting its Athlete of the Year.
Beckmon Highlights
• NCAA Indoor Long Jump Champion (first indoor field event national title in program history)
• Big Ten Indoor Long Jump Champion and 60m Bronze Medalist
• National Long Jump Leader for the Entire Indoor Season
• All-American in Long Jump at NCAA Outdoor Championships, Placing Fourth
• Scored in two events at Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Finishing Fourth in the Long Jump and 100m
Beckmon is the sixth consecutive winner of the Eddleman Award from women's track & field, including the fourth of head coach Petros Kyprianou's four-year tenure. Beckmon is the 24th winner overall from track & field since the Illinois Female Athlete of the Year award was first handed out in 1977. Track & Field has the most selections among Illini women's sports programs.
As Fighting Illini Athletes of the Year, Wagler and Beckmon become Illinois' nominees for Big Ten Athlete of the Year honors.
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 Athletes of the Year. In 1993, the awards were named in honor of the 11-time UI letterman and 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), Kevin Hardy (football, 1996), 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), Jordyn Poulter (volleyball, 2018 & '19), Ayo Dosunmu (basketball, 2020 & '21), Devon Witherspoon (football, 2023), and last year's winners, Lucas Byrd (wrestling) and Tacoria Humphrey (track & field).
