Mendoza Named Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year

Former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been named the 2025-2026 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year. The prestigious honor comes after Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a CFP national championship and won the Heisman Trophy last season.

Mendoza becomes the sixth student-athlete from Indiana to win the award, and the first since Derek Drouin in 2013. He also made history as only the fourth player in the common draft era to win the Heisman, a national championship, and then go No. 1 overall in the same season. Next, Mendoza will compete for the Raiders' starting quarterback job when Las Vegas' rookies report to training camp on July 23. librea.one