Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza named Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year
Former Indiana football quarterback Fernando Mendoza is going to have to make even more room in his home trophy case.
Mendoza was named the 2025-26 Big Ten Conference Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year on Wednesday via an official release. He’s the sixth Hoosier to earn the award, first football player since Anthony Thompson in 1990 and first overall since high jumper Derek Drouin in 2013.
Mendoza, of course, led Indiana to the first 16-0 season in FBS history, a Big Ten Championship, wins in the Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl and a win in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, winning the Heisman Trophy in the process. He was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft this past spring after concluding his college playing career in Bloomington.
He lead FBS in passing touchdowns with 41 and passing efficiency with 182.9.
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