Olympic Champion Billy Mills Honored with Prestigious CSC Dick Enberg Award

Billy Mills (Photo/Courtesy)

Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills, 87, has been named the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Dick Enberg Award winner. Mills will attend the CSC Unite convention to accept the honor during the June 8 CSC All-Star Night of Honors, presented by ESPN.

Named for the late sports broadcaster Dick Enberg, the award is presented annually to an individual who has distinguished themselves nationally through career achievement and meaningful contributions to society while promoting the values of education and academics.

“On behalf of CSC, we are proud to congratulate Billy Mills on being selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dick Enberg Award,” said CSC Executive Director Jason Yaman. “While his remarkable Olympic achievements are forever etched in American sports history, his impact extends far beyond the track. Through decades of leadership, advocacy, and service, he has inspired countless people by using sport as a platform for hope, perseverance, and opportunity. We are honored to recognize Billy Mills and celebrate all he has accomplished.”

Mills rose to international prominence during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he won gold in the 10,000-meter race in what is widely considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history. He remains the only American to win the event.

Following his Olympic victory, Mills dedicated his life to serving others. He is the co-founder of Running Strong for American Indian Youth, a U.S. Olympic champion and Hall of Famer, and a three-time All-American cross-country runner at the University of Kansas.

A citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Mills grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He attended Haskell Indian Nations University before enrolling at Kansas on an athletic scholarship, where he earned All-American honors in cross country three times.

Mills’ extensive list of honors reflects not only his historic Olympic victory but also a lifetime dedicated to advancing global unity. He has been inducted into five halls of fame, including the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame in 1984.

In 2012, Mills received the Presidential Citizens Medal from Barack Obama. The following year, he was honored with the NCAA’s Theodore Roosevelt Award, which recognizes a former varsity athlete who has gone on to become a distinguished citizen.

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