Madisen Skinner, Leo Neugebauer Among Big 12 Athlete of the Year Nominees

The Big 12 Conference has revealed the two Texas athletes nominated for Athlete of the Year

Dec 17, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, US; Texas Longhorns middle blocker Kayla Caffey (28) and outside hitter Madisen Skinner (6) celebrate during a match against the Louisville Cardinals at CHI Health Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Texas Longhorns volleyball’s Madisen Skinner and Texas men’s track and field’s Leo Neugebauer were announced as nominees for the prestigious Big 12 Athlete of the Year award on June 24.

Three-time national champion Skinner finished the season ranked fifth in the nation in points per set and sixth nationally in kills per set and led the team with 46 service aces. The outside hitter was also named Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading Texas to its second consecutive national title, as well as the annual CWSA Honda Sport Award for Volleyball.

Neugebauer, who participates in combined events for the Longhorns, won both Big 12 and National Athlete of the Week in early April. The German native won his third-straight Texas Relays decathlon title with the No. 3 performance in NCAA history. Neugebauer now holds the national record, world lead, and NCAA record.

The nominees started to be released on June 17, alphabetically by school, with West Virginia and Texas Tech waiting for their June 25 releases. Each program is represented by two athletes, one from a men’s and one from a women’s team. The winners will be announced on June 26.

Skinner is one of two volleyball player featured on the list, alongside Kansas’ Camryn Turner, and Neugebauer is one of three in men’s track and field with Kansas’ Clayton Simms and BYU’s Kenneth Rooks.

While Team USA Volleyball has already released its Olympic roster, in which Skinner’s sister Avery is included, the spots on Germany’s track and field team are still open.

The winners for each category will be announced on June 26.