The following is a press release courtesy of Iowa State athletics communications.
AMES, Iowa – Two of Iowa State’s most decorated competitors were honored today by the Iowa State Athletics Department, as national champion runner Edward Kemboi and national champion wrestler Kyven Gadson were named Iowa State’s Co-Male Athletes of the Year.
Kemboi, a senior from Eldoret, Kenya, will go down as one of the greatest middle distance runners in Iowa State history, winning a pair of national titles during the season.
Kemboi claimed the 800m national title at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and later earned the sweep by winning the 800m crown at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in June. His outdoor national title was the first by a Cyclone since Dmitry Drozdov won the steeplechase in 1996.
The seven-time All-American also won three Big 12 championships in 2015. He was the 800m outdoor Big 12 champion and won the 800m and 1,000m titles at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. It marked the second consecutive season where Kemboi was the 800m and 1,000m champion indoors, the only athlete in Big 12 history to win both events at the conference indoor meet.
A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Gadson capped off an incredible senior season by winning the 197-pound national title at the 2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Gadson was dominant at the national tournament, outscoring his opponents 38-11 while not surrendering a takedown.
Gadson’s national title was highlighted by a pin in the championship match over Ohio State’s Kyle Snyder, the first fall recorded in a NCAA title bout since 2011.
The three-time All-American won his third Big 12 title and finished the season with a 30-1 record, including a 13-0 dual mark.
Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year Winners
1947 Ron Norman Basketball
1948 Glen Brand Wrestling
1949 Bob Peterson Basketball
1950 Bill Weeks Football
1951 Jim Doran Football
1952 Mal Schmidt Football & Swimming
1953 Jack Erickson Football & Wrestling
1954 Max Burkett Football
1955 Chuck Duncan Basketball
1956 Gary Thompson Baseball & Basketball
1957 Gary Thompson Baseball & Basketball
1958 Frank Powell Football & Wrestling
1959 Ron Gray Wrestling
1960 Dwight Nichols Football
1961 Tom Watkins Football
1962 Dave Hoppman Football
1963 Marv Straw Basketball
1964 Gordon Hassman Wrestling
1965 Tom Vaughn Football
1966 Tom Peckham Wrestling
1967 Don Smith Basketball
1968 Don Smith Basketball
1969 Dan Gable Wrestling
1970 Dan Gable Wrestling
1971 Otto Stowe Football
1972 George Amundson Football
1973 Chris Taylor Wrestling
1974 Doug Fitzjarrell Gymnastics
1975 Al Nacin Wrestling
1976 Pete Galea Wrestling
1977 Wayne Stanley Football
1978 Mark Trippel Gymnastics
1979 Mike Land Wrestling
1980 Mike Schwartz Football
1981 Ron Galimore Gymnastics
1982 John Quinn Football
1983 Nate Carr Wrestling
1984 Bob Verbeeck Track & Field
1985 Barry Stevens Basketball
1986 Mark Diab Gymnastics
1987 Stewart Carter Wrestling
1988 Eric Hansen Swimming
Jeff Grayer Basketball
1989 Tim Krieger Wrestling
1990 Mike Busch Baseball & Football
1991 John Nuttall Cross Country and Track & Field
1992 Obinna Eregbu Track & Field
1993 Jonah Koech Track & Field
1994 Eric Akin Wrestling
1995 Fred Hoiberg Basketball
1996 Dmitry Drozdov Track & Field and Cross Country
1997 Chris Bono Wrestling
1998 Dwight Hinson Wrestling
1999 Cael Sanderson Wrestling
2000 Marcus Fizer Basketball
2001 Jamaal Tinsley Basketball
Cael Sanderson Wrestling
2002 Cael Sanderson Wrestling
2003 Seneca Wallace Football
2004 Zach Roberson Wrestling
Jake Sullivan Basketball
2005 Ellis Hobbs Football
2006 Nate Gallick Wrestling
2007 Trent Paulson Wrestling
2008 Chris Baker Golf
2009 Jake Varner Wrestling
2010 Jake Varner Wrestling
2011 Jon Reader Wrestling
2012 Nate McCoy Golf
2013 Scott Fernandez Golf
2014 Melvin Ejim Basketball
2015 Edward Kemboi Track & Field and Cross Country
Kyven Gadson Wrestling
