Iowa State Media Relations
AMES, Iowa – Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel were arguably the nation’s best wide receiving duo. Then they were drafted by the same team, the Houston Texans, in the 2025 NFL Draft. On Wednesday, they became the first teammates to share the Gary Thompson Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year award.
It marks just the fifth time in school history that Iowa State has had co-athlete of the year award winners and the first since Edward Kemboi (Track & Field/Cross Country) and Kyven Gadson (Wrestling) shared the honor in 2015.
Individually, both senior wideouts put together what ranks among the best single seasons in the 133-year history of the program.
They were one of just two pairs nationally to each notch 1,000 receiving yards during the 2024 season, as they led the Cyclones to the winningest season in school history with an 11-3 record which culminated with a Pop-Tarts Bowl championship.
Higgins earned Associated Press Third-Team All-America honors after finishing the season with 87 receptions (second-most in school history), 1,183 yards (third) and nine touchdowns (tied for second). He was the sixth wide receiver in school history to earn All-America honors. The South Miami, Florida, native also earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors.
Nationally, Higgins was 10th nationally in receiving yards, 14th in receptions per game (6.7) and 20th in receiving touchdowns.
Higgins, who played two seasons at ISU after transferring from Eastern Kentucky, caught a pass in all 26 games he played as a Cyclone and broke the school record with a touchdown reception in seven-straight games.
In 2024 he topped 100 receiving yards in five games, including a season-best 155 yards on nine catches at Utah.
Noel, a two-time co-captain, was named Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Year and was First Team All-Big 12 as a return man, while earning honorable mention honors as a receiver.
The Kansas City, Missouri, native made 80 receptions (fifth-most in school history) for 1,194 yards (second) and eight touchdowns (tied for seventh). He was ninth nationally in receiving yards and 18th in receiving yards per game (85.3).
Noel saved his best for some of the season’s biggest moments: a 75-yard touchdown reception against Iowa and 40 receiving yards on the 33 second game-winning drive against the Hawkeyes. Against No. 15 Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Noel notched eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown, including multiple catches on that game-winning drive as well.
Higgins and Noel will be recognized at the football season opener against South Dakota.
Gary Thompson 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
2016 - Georges Niang, Basketball
2017 - Monté Morris, Basketball
2018 - Joel Lanning, Football
2019 - Edwin Kurgat, Track & Field and Cross Country
2020 - Edwin Kurgat, Track & Field and Cross Country
2021 - David Carr, Wrestling
2022 - Breece Hall, Football
2023 - David Carr, Wrestling
2024 - David Carr, Wrestling
2025 – Jayden Higgins, Football
Jaylin Noel, Football
AMES, Iowa – Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel were arguably the nation’s best wide receiving duo. Then they were drafted by the same team, the Houston Texans, in the 2025 NFL Draft. On Wednesday, they became the first teammates to share the Gary Thompson Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year award.
It marks just the fifth time in school history that Iowa State has had co-athlete of the year award winners and the first since Edward Kemboi (Track & Field/Cross Country) and Kyven Gadson (Wrestling) shared the honor in 2015.
Individually, both senior wideouts put together what ranks among the best single seasons in the 133-year history of the program.
They were one of just two pairs nationally to each notch 1,000 receiving yards during the 2024 season, as they led the Cyclones to the winningest season in school history with an 11-3 record which culminated with a Pop-Tarts Bowl championship.
Higgins earned Associated Press Third-Team All-America honors after finishing the season with 87 receptions (second-most in school history), 1,183 yards (third) and nine touchdowns (tied for second). He was the sixth wide receiver in school history to earn All-America honors. The South Miami, Florida, native also earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors.
Nationally, Higgins was 10th nationally in receiving yards, 14th in receptions per game (6.7) and 20th in receiving touchdowns.
Higgins, who played two seasons at ISU after transferring from Eastern Kentucky, caught a pass in all 26 games he played as a Cyclone and broke the school record with a touchdown reception in seven-straight games.
In 2024 he topped 100 receiving yards in five games, including a season-best 155 yards on nine catches at Utah.
Noel, a two-time co-captain, was named Big 12 Co-Special Teams Player of the Year and was First Team All-Big 12 as a return man, while earning honorable mention honors as a receiver.
The Kansas City, Missouri, native made 80 receptions (fifth-most in school history) for 1,194 yards (second) and eight touchdowns (tied for seventh). He was ninth nationally in receiving yards and 18th in receiving yards per game (85.3).
Noel saved his best for some of the season’s biggest moments: a 75-yard touchdown reception against Iowa and 40 receiving yards on the 33 second game-winning drive against the Hawkeyes. Against No. 15 Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Noel notched eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown, including multiple catches on that game-winning drive as well.
Higgins and Noel will be recognized at the football season opener against South Dakota.
Gary Thompson 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
2016 - Georges Niang, Basketball
2017 - Monté Morris, Basketball
2018 - Joel Lanning, Football
2019 - Edwin Kurgat, Track & Field and Cross Country
2020 - Edwin Kurgat, Track & Field and Cross Country
2021 - David Carr, Wrestling
2022 - Breece Hall, Football
2023 - David Carr, Wrestling
2024 - David Carr, Wrestling
2025 – Jayden Higgins, Football
Jaylin Noel, Football
