Illinois Honors 23 Years of Champion Athletes

For 23 consecutive years, The News-Gazette has recognized Illinois' finest male athletes, and the list reads like a who's who of collegiate sports excellence.

The honor roll spans from 2003 to 2026, showcasing champions across nine different sports. Basketball dominates the list with seven honorees, including recent winner Keaton Wagler in 2026 and back-to-back recipient Ayo Dosunmu in 2020 and 2021.

Wrestling has produced its own dynasty of champions. Isaiah Martinez earned the distinction twice in consecutive years (2015 and 2016), proving his dominance on the mat. Matt Lackey, Jesse Delgado, and Lucas Byrd round out the wrestling honorees.

Football stars have left their mark too. Devon Witherspoon took the 2023 honor, while Rashard Mendenhall (2008) and Mikel Leshoure (2011) represented earlier eras of gridiron greatness.

The diversity of sports represented tells a bigger story about athletic excellence. Olympic sports shine through with gymnasts Paul Ruggeri (2009) and Justin Spring (2006), golfer Scott Langley (2010), and track stars Devin Quinn (2019) and Andrew Riley (2012).

Why This Inspires

These athletes didn't just win games or matches. They inspired entire campuses, gave communities reasons to celebrate, and showed young athletes what dedication looks like in action.

Their achievements remind us that excellence comes in many forms, whether sinking a game-winning basket, pinning an opponent, or crossing a finish line first. Each year brings a new champion, but the standard remains the same: be the absolute best at what you do.

Twenty-three years of honoring champions proves that while seasons change and rosters turn over, the pursuit of greatness never goes out of style.