Female Finalists | Male Finalists | Award History
Champaign, Ill. – The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) announced Thursday that wrestling's Isaiah Martinez (Lemoore, Calif.) and volleyball's Jocelynn Birks (Willow Springs, Ill.) are recipients of the 2015-16 Dike Eddleman Awards, which are presented annually to the top Fighting Illini male and female athlete. The recipients were selected by vote of Illinois head coaches and the DIA athletics awards committee.
Martinez continued his domination at 157 pounds during the 2015-16 season, repeating as NCAA and Big Ten champion one year after claiming both titles as a freshman. He compiled an overall record of 32-1 as a sophomore, including 10-1 against ranked opponents. Martinez was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships after winning the 157 crown, and led the entire nation in wins by technical fall with 14. Just the fourth Illini wrestler to win back-to-back NCAA titles, Martinez will next represent team USA at the University World Championships in Turkey in October, competing at 74kg.
Birks finished her brilliant UI career as the program's all-time leader in kills with 1,972. She earned All-America honors for the third straight season, garnering honorable mention accolades as a senior while leading the Illini to a third-straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. A first-team All-Big Ten and All-Region selection, Birks led the Illini and ranked third in the conference in kills per set (3.95), led by a season-high 26 kills on .426 hitting in an NCAA Tournament second-round victory over Louisville.
As Fighting Illini Athletes of the Year, Martinez and Birks become Illinois' nominees for Big Ten Athlete of the Year honors, which will be announced next week.
The Eddleman Awards are the final major individual honors announced by the DIA this year. Charlie Danielson (golf) and Allie Bauch (softball) were recipients of the Big Ten Medal of Honor and Joe Spencer (football) and Taylore Peterson (soccer) took home the Spirit Awards at the All-Sports Celebration in April. Alex Diab (gymnastics) and Jordyn Poulter (volleyball) won Newcomer of the Year, announced Wednesday. The 2015-16 Team and Coach of the Year awards will be revealed on Friday.
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 in 1973. Since 1983, the University of Illinois has recognized both a Male and Female Athlete of the Year. In 1993, the awards were named in honor of the 11-time UI letterman and former Olympian Dwight "Dike" Eddleman.
Martinez and Birks join the list of all-time Fighting Illini greats who have been bestowed the Eddleman Award, including names like Dike Eddleman himself (football, basketball and 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, 1987-89), Kendall Gill (basketball, 1990), Renee Slone (Heiken) (golf, 1991 & '92), Tonya Williams (track, 1995-96), Ashley Berggren (basketball, 1997 & '98), Perdita Felicien (track, 2001-03), Justin Spring (gymnastics, 2004 & '06), Deron Williams (basketball, 2005), Kevin Anderson (tennis, 2007), Angela Bizzarri (track and cross country, 2008-10), Paul Ruggeri (gymnastics, 2009), Scott Langley (golf, 2010), Andrew Riley (track, 2011 & '12), Janelle Flaws (soccer, 2014), Jesse Delgado (wresting, 2014) and last year's winners, Tyler Jay (baseball) and Stephanie Richartz (track & field).
Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year History
