Houston’s Jamal Shead named Big 12 male athlete of the year

HOUSTON – Coming off a record-breaking 2023-24 season, University of Houston point guard Jamal Shead was honored Wednesday as the Big 12 Conference Male Athlete of the Year.

With Shead leading the way, Houston went 32-5 overall and won the Big 12 regular season championship by two games in the Cougars’ first year in the league.

Under head coach Kelvin Sampson, Houston also competed as the region’s No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive year, the second longest active streak in the country.

Shead was named National Defensive Player of the Year by the Naismith Awards, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Field of 68 and Andy Katz and won the Nolan Richardson Award, given to the student-athlete who best represents the heart and soul of his or her team.

He was also a finalist for the Naismith and John R. Wooden Player of the Year awards.

Off the field, Shead earned her bachelor’s degree in health promotion. He now awaits the first steps of his professional career with the NBA Draft scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Texas volleyball star Madisen Skinner was named Big 12 female athlete of the year.