Utah County names Kalani Sitake 2026 Person of the Year.
Mar 11, 2026, 5:18 PM | Updated: Mar 12, 2026, 10:54 am
BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake has been named the 2026 Utah County Person of the Year. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – Longtime BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake has been named the 2026 Utah Country Person of the Year.
Ten years into his tenure leading the Cougars, Sitake has been a pillar of the community since being named the 14th head coach in program history in 2016.
Presented during the Utah County Commission’s annual State of the County address, Sitake was recognized with the award for the impact of his leadership as BYU’s head football coach on Utah County’s culture, economy, and national recognition stemming from the success of the BYU football program.
Sitake played under legendary BYU head coach LaVell Edwards (1994, 1997-2000) and was a team captain as a senior.
His ability to communicate clearly and consistently while espousing the values of the surrounding community has made him a favorite for Cougar fans and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The 2025 Big 12 Coach of the Year earned a long-term contract extension in December after leading the Cougars to the Big 12 Championship Game before falling to the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Sitake has big shoes to fill, following 2025 honoree Wendy Osborne.
2025 Utah County Person of the Year
Wendy Osborne, the founder of Tabitha’s Way, received the honor in 2025.
Through Tabitha’s Way, Osborne has helped the local community fight food insecurity since 2010.
The operation has expanded across the county and includes a mobile food pantry.
Follow BYU football coverage with KSL Sports
Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect; follow us at @kslsports.
Follow the BYU Cougars with KSL Sports here.
