After a week of voting, the results are in and selected by you, the fans, Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy has won the 2025 STL Sports Central Sports Person of the Year.
During a tumultuous season for the Tigers, Hardy was the steady hand of the Missouri offense. The true sophomore running back rushed for 1,649, which tops the SEC and places him second in the nation.
Hardy transferred to Mizzou after a strong season at Louisiana-Monroe, where he led the Sun Belt Conference with 13 touchdowns and 1,351 rushing yards. He joined a Missouri rushing attack that, before this season, had produced a rusher in the top five of the SEC in four of the last five seasons. Hardy would extend that to five of six and become the third Tiger running back to lead the conference in the same span.
Hardy was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, awarded to the best running back in the country, where he would fall short of CBC product Jeremiyah Love for the award. Hardy has two more seasons; if he doesn’t turn pro after next year, he could enter the conversation once again for the Doak Walker and even the Heisman award.
Hardy was the driving force of the Missouri offense this season, eclipsing 100 yards in all but five games this season, four of those being Missouri losses. It was clear that when he went, the team went.
Hardy beat out St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan in the final round of voting. While both had strong seasons, Hardy was more impactful for the fans in bringing life to the Missouri season. After a season that saw the departure of much of the offense, the Tigers found their workhorse in Hardy and someone who brought a level of excitement to Faurot Field, as the team navigated a period of uncertainty for its future.
Ahmad Hardy is set to return to the Missouri Tigers after re-signing for his junior season and will certainly play a key role in next season's offense under new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who was hired earlier this month.