FRISCO, Texas – Sun Devil Swimming’s Jonny Kulow was named the male winner of the Bob Bowlsby Award by the Big 12 Conference, as announced by Big 12 Conference Commissioner Brett Yormark at Big 12 Football Media Day on Tuesday morning.
Named to honor former commissioner Bob Bowlsby, the award recognizes student-athletes who represent the Big 12 for their leadership and excellence on and off the competition surface. Olivia Miles from TCU Women’s Basketball and Juliette Laracuente-Huebner from Cincinnati Track and Field represent the female honorees.
The honor was voted on by the conference’s athletic directors, and the award was established by the Big 12 Board of Directors for the conference’s highest individual accolade.
Excellence in the classroom and in the pool 🏆
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) March 26, 2026
Jonny Kulow was named the recipient of the Elite Scholar-Athlete Award for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Swim and Diving Championship. 👏
It's the third straight year a Sun Devil swimmer has won the award, joining Patrick Sammon, Tiego Behar… pic.twitter.com/7rPzwICuNJ
The Bob Bowlsby award adds to Kulow’s long list of accolades during his time in Tempe. In his senior year, Kulow won three NCAA championships in the 200 free relay, 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay, helping the Sun Devils to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA’s. Additionally, he was named a 2026 NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete for having the highest GPA among NCAA-qualifying teams.
At the 2026 NCAA Championships, Kulow was part of the 200 free relay that set an NCAA record in 1:12.46, and at the Big 12 Championships in February, he helped set another NCAA record in the 400 free relay in 2:42.15.
Kulow led the team to four consecutive conference championships, including a 2024 team national championship where he won two national titles in the 400 medley and free relay. The four-year Sun Devil is a 22-time All-American, an 8-time Big 12 champion and was named Big 12 Men’s Swimmer of the Meet after his performance at the 2025 Big 12 Championships, taking home five titles.
Academically, Kulow maintained a 4.00 GPA while earning a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and was named CSC Academic All-American for three consecutive years (2023-26).
Additionally, he was named CSC All-America Team Member of the Year for Division I Men’s Swim and Dive. Lastly, he earned Academic All-Big 12 Honors and received the honorable Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award.
Internationally, Kulow has represented USA Swimming at the Pan-American Games in 2023, where he won 6 medals, and at the World Championships in 2025, where he won gold and bronze.
Kulow was named team captain for the Sun Devils for both his junior and senior seasons. While balancing being a student-athlete, Kulow exemplified leadership in the pool and in the classroom and is respectful to all those above him and admired by all those below him.
Kulow is the first Sun Devil student-athlete to receive this award.
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