By: Justin Walker | WV Sports Chat via the Big 12 Conference
Each year, the Big 12 Conference names both a male and female Athlete of the Year. Today, West Virginia’s two nominees were officially announced. They are women’s basketball point guard Jordan Harrison and baseball player Gavin Kelly.
Each institution nominated one male and one female athlete of any classification who competed for their institution during the 2025-26 school year. Student-athletes were required to be in good academic standing and must have participated in a league-sponsored sport.
West Virginia Female Athlete of the Year
Jordan Harrison, Women’s Basketball
Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla.
Accomplishments
- Was a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist, earned unanimous Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, First Team All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors.
- Led the Mountaineers to a 28-win season, the third-most wins in program history, and the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament Title.
- Two-time Dean’s List honoree, two-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection and two-time WVU Garrett Ford Academic Excellence Honor Roll selection.
- Helped lead youth and team camps during the summer, mentoring the next generation of basketball players in West Virginia.
West Virginia Male Athlete of the Year
Gavin Kelly, Baseball
So., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Accomplishments
- Named to the All-Big 12 First Team and earned five All-America honors in 2026, including First Team recognition from the College Baseball Foundation and D1Baseball and Second Team honors from the NCBWA, Perfect Game and Baseball America.
- Helped lead the Mountaineers to the program’s first College World Series appearance and a program-record 47 wins.
- Led the Mountaineers in batting average (.382), home runs (19), RBIs (63), runs scored (70) and OPS (1.202).
- Named the NCAA Morgantown Regional Most Outstanding Player and NCBWA District 2 Player of the Year before earning an invitation to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
The full list of nominees for each school can be found below.
2025-26 Big 12 Athletes of the Year Nominees
Arizona – Sydney Stewart and Jay Friend
Arizona State – Kenzie Brown and Jonny Kulow
Baylor – Tyler Isgrig and Devin Badenhorst
BYU – Jane Hedengren and AJ Dybantsa
UCF – Sierra Humphreys and Themus Fulks
Cincinnati – Juliette Laracuente-Huebner and Quinton Coats
Colorado – Maddie Shoup and Hunter Swanson
Houston – Michelle McLeod and Kingston Flemings
Iowa State – Mercyline Kirwa and Joshua Jefferson
Kansas – Shiyun Lai and Tyson LeBlanc
K-State – Shaylee Myers and Tah Chikomba
Oklahoma State – Billah Jepkirui and Preston Stout
TCU – Olivia Miles and Duncan Chan
Texas Tech – NiJaree Canady and Jacob Rodriguez
Utah – Avery Neff and Spencer Fano
West Virginia – Jordan Harrison and Gavin Kelly
The winners will be announced Thursday, July 23.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
