BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (June 15, 2020) - The Southeastern Conference has announced each of its 14 member institutions' 2019-20 Roy F. Kramer Athletes of the Year Award nominees, and Kylie Deberg (volleyball) and Danny Kovac (swimming and diving) represent Mizzou's nominees for the awards.
Each institution nominates one male and one female student-athlete for the award.
This past December, junior outside hitter Kylie Deberg became only the sixth Tiger in Mizzou Volleyball history to garner multiple AVCA All-American awards. In 2019, Deberg produced one of the top individual single-seasons in program history. She finished with 524 kills, 49 aces and 612.5 points to pace one of the NCAA's most electric offenses. Deberg's 524 kills and 4.72 kills per set were the most in Tiger single-season history. She became only the second Mizzou player in program history with 600-plus points in a single-season, joining Yvette Buhlig's 626.0 points in 1992. Additionally, Deberg's 5.52 points per set ranked second in Mizzou single-season history, while her 49 aces finished tied for seventh. Earlier in the season, she produced her 1,000th career point and 100th career ace in Mizzou's comeback victory over Alabama.
Kovac claimed the men's 100 fly title at the 2020 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships, becoming only the second Mizzou men's swimmer to ever win an SEC swimming crown. A 2020 College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) All-American, the sophomore earned NCAA Championships invites in both the 200 IM and 100 fly and entered the meet seeded eighth in the 200 IM and 11th in the 100 fly. Kovac also took home a top three finish in the 200 IM at SECs, placing third. Overall, he led the Tigers with 10 event titles on the 2019-20 campaign.
The SEC Athletes of the Year Awards were first presented in 1976 for men and 1984 for women. The award was renamed the Roy F. Kramer Athletes of the Year in 2004 to honor the former Commissioner who served the conference from 1990-2002.
2019-20 Female Roy F. Kramer Athlete of the Year Award Nominees:
- Bailey Hemphill, Softball, Alabama
- Katie Izzo, Cross Country, Arkansas
- Alison Maillard, Swimming & Diving, Auburn
- Trinity Thomas, Gymnastics, Florida
- Sabrina Vega, Gymnastics, Georgia
- Leah Edmond, Volleyball, Kentucky
- Tonea Marshall, Track & Field, LSU
- Julia Johnson, Golf, Ole Miss
- Rickea Jackson, Basketball, Mississippi State
- Kylie Deberg, Volleyball, Missouri
- Tyasha Harris, Basketball, South Carolina
- Erika Brown, Swimming & Diving, Tennessee
- Ally Watt, Soccer, Texas A&M
- Maria Bulanova, Bowling, Vanderbilt
2019-20 Male Roy F. Kramer Athlete of the Year Award Nominees:
- Zane Waddell, Swimming & Diving, Alabama
- Mason Jones, Basketball, Arkansas
- Derrick Brown, Football, Auburn
- Kieran Smith, Swimming & Diving, Florida
- Rodrigo Blankenship, Football, Georgia
- Immanuel Quickley, Basketball, Kentucky
- Joe Burrow, Football, LSU
- Waleed Suliman, Cross Country, Ole Miss
- Reggie Perry, Basketball, Mississippi State
- Danny Kovac, Swimming & Diving, Missouri
- Itay Goldfaden, Swimming & Diving, South Carolina
- Carey McLeod, Track & Field, Tennessee
- Shaine Casas, Swimming & Diving, Texas A&M
- John Augenstein, Golf, Vanderbilt
The Male and Female Athletes of the Year will be announced on Wednesday, June 17.