All-Time Eddleman Athletes of the Year | Female Finalists | Follow @IlliniAthletics

Meet the eight finalists for the 2017 University of Illinois Dike Eddleman Male Athlete of the Year Award. The group was honored at the annual OSKEE Awards April 24 at State Farm Center. The winner will be voted on by Fighting Illini head coaches and a DIA awards committee and announced on Thursday, June 15, along with this year's female athlete of the year. 

The Illinois Athlete of the Year Award is given annually by the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) to the female and male student-athletes who have distinguished themselves in athletic achievement. In 1993, the award was named after 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 Illinois male and female Newcomer of the Year Award winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 14.

Dike Eddleman Male Athlete of the Year Finalists

Sophomore Alex Diab – Gymnastics    
Senior Malcolm Hill – Basketball
Junior David Kendziera – Track
Senior Dylan Lafond – Cross Country
Junior Isaiah Martinez – Wrestling
Senior Pat McInerney – Baseball
Junior Dylan Meyer – Golf
Junior Aleks Vukic – Tennis

Finalist Bios

ALEX DIAB | Gymnastics • All-American in still rings after finishing in seventh place at the 2017 NCAA Championships • 2017 Big Ten Still Rings Champion • First-ever Illini gymnast to win back-to-back conference rings titles • Came 0.05 points away from claiming the Big Ten Floor Exercise event title, and also made Big Ten event finals on vault and high bar as well • Won 10 event titles on the year, claiming four floor titles and six rings titles • Selected to represent the United States at the 2017 World University Games, Aug. 19-23 in Taiwan

MALCOLM HILL | Basketball • Second-team All-Big Ten • U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District V • Tied for eighth nationally with 14 Game MVPs by KenPom • Third in the Big Ten in scoring with an average of 17.2 points • Scored career-high 40 points vs. Northern Kentucky (Nov. 13), tied for the fifth-best single-game performance in school history • Finished career ranked third on the Illini all-time scoring list with 1,846 points

DAVID KENDZIERA | Track • All-American in two events at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing third in the 110-meter hurdles (13.59 seconds) and seventh in the 400-meter hurdles (50.78 seconds) • Ran the second-fastest time in school history in both events during the semifinal round at NCAAs, clocking 13.39 in the 110m hurdles and 49.00 in the 400m hurdles • 2017 Big Ten Champion in the 400m hurdles while finishing runner-up in the 110m hurdles • Also earned All-America honors in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing fourth at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships • Won silver in the 60m hurdles at Big Ten Indoor Championships, timing 7.69 in the final, the second-fastest time in school history

DYLAN LAFOND | Cross Country • All-Midwest Region selection after placing fifth at NCAA Regionals with a time of 30:27.1 • Helped Illinois qualify for their first NCAA Cross Country Championships in 30 years, with third-place team finish at Regionals • All-Big Ten honors after placing 10th individually at the 2016 Big Ten Cross Country Championships • Finished 56th at the NCAA Championships, timing 30:34.6 • Illinois' top finisher in four of the six meets he competed in during the season

ISAIAH MARTINEZ | Wrestling • Runner-Up at the 2017 NCAA Championships, earning All-America honors for the third straight season • Ranked No. 1 throughout the year, compiling a 31-1 overall record on the season with six pins and 10 technical falls • Big Ten 165-pound Champion, defeating No. 2 Logan Massa, 10-4, in the final • Midlands 165-pound Champion • Holds the school record for career win percentage (.980) and ranks 25th all-time in wins (98) • Competed at USA World Team Trials, finishing third

PAT MCINERNEY | Baseball • Second-Team All-Big Ten first baseman • Ranked third in the Big Ten with 15 home runs, the ninth-most homers in a single-season in Illini history • Second in the conference with a .593 slugging percentage • Hit .309 on the season and had 44 RBIs (10th in Big Ten) • Led Illini with .416 on-base percentage

DYLAN MEYER | Golf • PING First-Team All-American • Tied for sixth individually at the 2017 NCAA Championship • Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Championship Medalist • Ben Hogan Award Finalist and No. 4 ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Rankings • Led Illinois to its third consecutive NCAA Championship Semifinals appearance and third straight Big Ten title • Won three tournament titles and earned nine top-10 finishes on the season, including seven among the top five

ALEKS VUKIC | Tennis • ITA All-American, finishing the season ranked No. 7 in the national singles rankings • Big Ten Player of the Year and unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten selection • 24-3 overall singles record, including perfect 12-0 mark against Big Ten singles opponents • Won 21-straight dual singles matches from Feb. 3-May 18, the second-longest winning streak in school history • Defeated the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players during the regular season, handing both players their first loss of the season • Helped Illinois defeat No. 10 Oklahoma State in the NCAA Second Round to advance to the Round of 16 in Athens, Ga.