CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois’ best and brightest student-athletes were honored in person at The Oskees on Monday night from State Farm Center.
The Oskees is an annual all-sports celebration recognizing first-year letter jacket recipients, graduating student-athletes, and all Fighting Illini who have excelled both athletically and academically.
Jackson Buchanan of golf and Raina Terry of volleyball took home the night’s highest honor, the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor. Established in 1915, the Big Ten Medal of Honor is awarded annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each member institution who has demonstrated excellence on and off the field throughout their college career. The conference’s most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence.
In his four seasons at Illinois, Buchanan has grown to become one of nation’s top competitors. His on-course résumé includes four collegiate victories and an individual runner-up at the 2023 NCAA Championship, plus program records for lowest individual round (62) and 54-hole tournament score (194). He helped lead the Fighting Illini to two Big Ten team titles (2022 and 2023), and two top-five national finishes at the NCAA Championship (2023 and 2024) with the opportunity for another on the horizon this postseason. Now, the two-time GCAA All-American and reigning Big Ten Player of the Year becomes the sixth Illini men’s golfer to be recognized with the Big Ten Medal of Honor – the fifth under head coach Mike Small. Currently No. 15 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Buchanan is also on pace for the second-lowest career stroke average in Illinois program history (71.33).
Off the course, Buchanan is one of five finalists for the 2025 Byron Nelson Award, presented annually to collegiate golf’s top student-athlete for accomplishments on the course, in the classroom, and in the community. He has been honored as a GCAA All-America Scholar, CSC Academic All-District, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and Academic All-Big Ten, and will graduate with a degree in Operations Management from the prestigious Gies College of Business. In addition to his academic success, Buchanan has continued to give back to the community. At home in Georgia, he has supported families…
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