Tyler Lillard Wins National Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––– Indiana Wrestling redshirt junior Tyler Lillard was announced as the national male honoree for the 2026 Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover on Tuesday afternoon.
Lillard was presented with the award by Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, Indiana University President Pamela Whitten and Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson. The reveal took place before Tuesday’s practice while surrounded by teammates and coaches.
"Tyler Lillard has been a tremendous representative of our IU Wrestling program and our department throughout his time on campus,” said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson. “He has made a tremendous impact on our wrestling program with his skills on the mat. But his biggest impact on those he’s around has come thanks to his leadership abilities and his selfless character, which make him a most deserving winner of this prestigious honor. Tyler is an inspiration to his teammates, our department, and our university community. We couldn't be more proud to see him recognized for the incredible human being he is. He represents the very best of IU Athletics."
Lillard was chosen as the national recipient from a pool of 18 institutional winners around the Big Ten. His institutional award was announced by the conference in November. The national female winner will be announced later this spring from a group of women’s honorees representing all 18 Big Ten institutions.
As a child, Tyler was diagnosed with epilepsy and, at the age of nine, doctors discovered a brain tumor on his optic nerve that would dramatically reduce his vision. Throughout a decorated high school wrestling career in both Ohio and Pennsylvania, Lillard was subjected to racial harassment as one of the few competitors of color.
As an Indiana student-athlete, Lillard has transformed his own adversity into opportunities and support for others. Along with his mother, Tina, who surprised him during Tuesday’s award presentation in Bloomington, he created the Team Tyler Epilepsy Foundation to aid families with children in the hospital. He is active in mentoring young wrestlers, as well as with organizations such as Read Across America and Recess Buddies.
Lillard, a redshirt junior, is a two-time NCAA Qualifier and is currently ranked No. 16 in the country at 165 lbs. He will be the No. 9 seed at 165 lbs. in the Big Ten Championships this weekend hosted by Penn State.
Now in its second year, the Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award was established in 2025 to recognize student-athletes at Big Ten institutions who strive to have a positive impact not only in their chosen sport, but also within their community.
Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school’s first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, he continues to be recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice.
“It is a great honor to present this award in Jackie Robinson’s name to these extraordinary Big Ten student-athletes,” said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti, “and to express our sincere appreciation for the ongoing support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.”
Honorees were selected based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated Impact: Significant and tangible contributions to community projects or causes, including measurable outcomes or positive changes resulting from their involvement.
- Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others, including peers, organizations, and community members, to achieve common goals and enhance community impact.
- Consistency and Commitment: Ongoing and consistent participation in community service activities over an extended period of time.
- Visibility and Advocacy: Efforts to raise awareness and advocate for important groups or causes, leveraging their platform to promote positive change and engage others.
As part of the program, presenting sponsor Discover delivered custom letterman jackets to all 36 institutional winners of the 2025-26 Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award. Each university’s male and female honoree will receive a customized, one-of-one gift featuring unique school elements and visuals. The first two custom jackets were presented in December at the Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game to 2025 national winners Dillon Fontus, from Maryland football, and Iowa wrestler Nanea Estrella.
In recognition of their achievement and as an expression of the conference’s appreciation, each of the 36 campus winners also receive a medal bearing the likeness of Jackie Robinson and the logo of the Big Ten Conference in addition to their custom jacket.
The Big Ten Conference’s commitment to athletics, academics and service goes back to the conference’s founding. Coupling the academic goals set forth by leaders of the charter members of the conference with their steadfast commitment to athletics, the conference instituted the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1915, the first award to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on intercollegiate athletics. It is awarded annually by each member institution to one male and one female student of the graduating class who has attained the greatest proficiency in scholarship and athletics.