Big Ten – Page 11 – North Platte Post Archive

Big Ten Recognizes Winter Academic All-Big Ten Honorees

Posted on March 26, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. — The Big Ten Conference on Wednesday recognized a total of 678 winter sports student-athletes who have been named to the Academic All-Conference team. The list of honored student-athletes features 34 men’s and 49 women’s basketball players, 51 men’s and 52 women’s gymnasts, 69 hockey players, 143 men’s and 183 women’s swimmers and divers and 97 wrestlers. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners who are in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

At least nine of these student-athletes have maintained unblemished cumulative GPAs:

Nicholas Caldwell, Wisconsin men’s swimming & diving (Jr., Chemistry)

Michaela Cunningham, Nebraska women’s swimming & diving (Jr., Biological Sciences/Mathematics)

Nathan Fortunato, Minnesota men’s gymnastics (Sr., Recreation Resource Management)

Mike Gesell, Iowa men’s basketball (So., Finance)

Justin Glanda, Michigan men’s swimming & diving (Jr., Business Administration)

Hayden Hamby, Purdue women’s basketball (So., Movement and Sport Sciences)

Adam Marsh, Michigan State men’s swimming & diving (So., Chemical Engineering)

Jessica Plant, Minnesota women’s swimming & diving (Jr., Classical Civilization)

David Zoltowski, Michigan State men’s swimming & diving (Jr., Electrical Engineering)

The conference office also awards Academic All-Big Ten distinction in the fall and spring seasons and will present the Distinguished Scholar Award at the end of the academic year. Student-athletes eligible for the Distinguished Scholar Award must be letterwinners in at least their second year in residence at their institution. Qualifying student-athletes must have earned a GPA of 3.7 or higher for the current academic year, excluding summer school. The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award was established by conference Faculty Representatives as an addition to the conference’s Academic All-Big Ten program.

BTN Announces 2014 Baseball & Softball Coverage

Posted on March 19, 2014

CHICAGO – BTN will offer its most extensive baseball and softball coverage ever, with over 240 events airing on BTN, BTN2Go and the Big Ten Digital Network (BTDN) for the 2014 season.

BTN’s television coverage of Big Ten baseball begins with the third game of a three-game series between Indiana and Michigan. Coverage begins at 1 PM ET on Sunday from Bloomington. Last season, Indiana won both the Big Ten Championship and Tournament, and advanced to the College World Series, becoming the first Big Ten squad to reach Omaha since Michigan in 1984.

BTN’s television coverage of Big Ten softball begins with Nebraska hosting Creighton on Wednesday, April 2. Coverage begins at 7 PM ET from Lincoln. Last season, Michigan captured a conference-record sixth-straight Big Ten Championship, its 16^th in the last 22 seasons. Four Big Ten teams participated in the NCAA Softball Championship,with the Wolverines and Huskers advancing to the Women’s College World Series, marking the first time since 2001 that two Big Ten teams appeared in the event.

Highlights and coverage of Big Ten baseball and softball will be featured on This Week in the Big Ten, a new studio show which airs Sunday nights beginning Sunday, April 6. Hosts Rick Pizzo, Mike Hall and various analysts will discuss Big Ten matchups and breakout performances from the weekend’s games. The Diamond Report will return with nightly airings during the baseball and softball tournaments.

Below is a preliminary schedule. Additional games will be added at a later date. The BTDN streaming schedule can be viewed at video.btn.com

BTN & BTN2Go BASEBALL SCHEDULE: (All times Eastern)

DATE	TIME	MATCH-UP	LOCATION
Sunday, March 23	1 PM	Michigan @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Sunday, March 30	2 PM	UNLV @ Nebraska	Lincoln, NE
Thursday, April 3	7 PM	Michigan State @ Lansing Lugnuts	Lansing, MI
Friday, April 4	6:30 PM	Penn State @ Purdue	West Lafayette, IN
Sunday, April 6	NOON	Penn State @ Purdue	West Lafayette, IN
Sunday, April 6	3 PM	Illinois @ Northwestern	Evanston, IL
Sunday, April 13	3:00 PM	Nebraska @ Minnesota	Minneapolis, MN
Tuesday, April 15	7:30 PM	Kansas State @ Nebraska	Lincoln, NE
Friday, April 18	8 PM	Northwestern @ Nebraska	Lincoln, NE
Sunday, April 20	NOON	Illinois @ Penn State	University Park, PA
Saturday, May 3	2:00 PM	Purdue @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Sunday, May 4	NOON	Purdue @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Sunday, May 4	3:00 PM	Iowa @ Ohio State	Columbus, OH
Monday, May 5	7 PM	Iowa @ Ohio State	Columbus, OH
Sunday, May 11	NOON	Ohio State @ Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI
Sunday, May 11	3 PM	Nebraska @ Michigan State	East Lansing, MI
Monday, May 12	1 PM	Nebraska @ Michigan State	East Lansing, MI
Thursday, May 15	5 PM	Northwestern @ Ohio State	Columbus, OH
Thursday, May 15	8 PM	Minnesota @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Friday, May 16	5 PM	Northwestern @ Ohio State	Columbus, IN
Friday, May 16	8 PM	Minnesota @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Saturday, May 17	NOON	Northwestern @ Ohio State	Columbus, OH
Saturday, May 17	3 PM	Minnesota @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Wednesday, May 21	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Seed 1 vs. Seed 8	Omaha, NE
Wednesday, May 21	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Seed 4 vs. Seed 5	Omaha, NE
Thursday, May 22	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner	Omaha, NE
Thursday, May 22	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner	Omaha, NE
Friday, May 23	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 5 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser	Omaha, NE
Friday, May 23	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 6 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser	Omaha, NE
Saturday, May 24	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 7 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner	Omaha, NE
Saturday, May 24	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner	Omaha, NE
Saturday, May 24	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 13 (if necessary)	Omaha, NE
Saturday, May 24	TBD	Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Game 14 (if necessary)	Omaha, NE
Sunday, May 25	TBD	Big Ten Tournament Championship Game	Omaha, NE

BTN & BTN2Go SOFTBALL SCHEDULE: (All times Eastern)

DATE	TIME	MATCH-UP	LOCATION
Wednesday, April 2	7 PM	Creighton @ Nebraska	Lincoln, NE
Tuesday, April 8	4 PM	Minnesota @ Iowa	Iowa City, IA
Tuesday, April 8	6:30 PM	Minnesota @ Iowa	Iowa City, IA
Wednesday, April 9	4 PM	Michigan State @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Wednesday, April 9	6:30 PM	Michigan State @ Indiana	Bloomington, IN
Sunday, April 13	Noon	Michigan @ Michigan State	East Lansing, MI
Saturday, April 19	Noon	Wisconsin @ Penn State	University Park, PA
Saturday, April 19	2:30 PM	Wisconsin @ Penn State	University Park, PA
Saturday, April 19	TBD	Illinois @ Purdue	West Lafayette, IN
Saturday, April 19	7 PM	Minnesota @ Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI
Sunday, April 20	3 PM	Minnesota @ Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI
Tuesday, April 22	5 PM	Northwestern @ Illinois	Champaign, IL
Tuesday, April 22	7:30 PM	Northwestern @ Illinois	Champaign, IL
Wednesday, April 23	4 PM	Penn State @ Ohio State	Columbus, OH
Wednesday, April 23	6:30 PM	Penn State @ Ohio State	Columbus, OH
Friday, April 25	8 PM	Michigan @ Illinois	Champaign, IL
Sunday, April 27	NOON	Nebraska @ Michigan State	East Lansing, MI
Wednesday, April 30	4 PM	Nebraska @ Wisconsin	Madison, WI
Wednesday, April 30	6:30 PM	Nebraska @ Wisconsin	Madison, WI
Saturday, May 3	TBD	Wildcard @ Wildcard	TBD
Friday, May 9	TBD	Big Ten Softball Tournament, Seed 4 vs. Game 1 Winner	Evanston, IL
Friday, May 9	TBD	Big Ten Softball Tournament, Seed 1 vs. Game 2 Winner	Evanston, IL
Friday, May 9	TBD	Big Ten Softball Tournament, Seed 3 vs. Game 3 Winner	Evanston, IL
Friday, May 9	TBD	Big Ten Softball Tournament, Seed 2 vs. Game 4 Winner	Evanston, IL
Saturday, May 10	TBD	Big Ten Softball Tournament, Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner	Evanston, IL
Saturday, May 10	TBD	Big Ten Softball Tournament, Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner	Evanston, IL
Saturday, May 10	TBD	Big Ten Tournament Championship Game	Evanston, IL

Former Storm Goaltender Adam Wilcox Named B1G Player of the Year

Posted on March 18, 2014

Former Tri-City Storm goaltender and current sophomore at the University of Minnesota Adam Wilcox was named the first ever Big Ten Player of the Year on Monday afternoon.

From the Big Ten release:

The Big Ten Conference announced the hockey All-Conference teams and individual award winners on Monday as selected by the conference’s coaches and a media panel. Minnesota’s Adam Wilcox was named Big Ten Player and Goaltender of the Year. Fellow Gopher Mike Reilly earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, awarded to a defenseman or forward, while Minnesota head coach Don Lucia was tabbed Coach of the Year. Michigan’s JT Compher collected Freshman of the Year laurels.

Wilcox led the conference in every goaltending category en route to Big Ten Player and Goaltender of the Year honors. The sophomore allowed just 30 goals in 18 conference games, for a goals-against average of 1.64. No other Big Ten goaltender posted a goals against average of less than 2.00. Wilcox recorded 479 saves and a .941 save percentage en route to a 13-2-3 conference record.

While with Tri-City during the 2011-12 season, Wilcox played in 34 games and had an overall record of 16-17-1. The goaltender finished with a goals against average of 2.77 and a save percentage of .916. Wilcox’s play down the stretch helped Tri-City secure a playoff berth, finishing in sixth place in the USHL’s Western Conference with 53 points.

The Storm are back in action this weekend when they host the Green Bay Gamblers for a weekend series.Friday night’s game gets underway at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday’s action starts at 7:05.

Big Ten Wrestling Set to Compete in NCAA Championships

Posted on March 18, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Wrestlers from all 12 Big Ten schools will head to the Chesapeake Energy Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., this weekend to compete in the 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championships. The championships begin Thursday morning and conclude with championship bouts on Saturday evening. The Big Ten leads the nation with 82 competing wrestlers, including 59 seeded grapplers and five No. 1 seeds across the 10 weight classes.

The ESPN family of networks will provide coverage for the entire event. All six sessions will be streamed on ESPN3.com, which will provide live mat-by-mat coverage of the championships. Both of Thursday’s and Friday’s sessions and Saturday’s first session will be broadcast live on ESPNU, while Saturday’s second session, featuring the championship bouts, will be shown on ESPN.

Seventy-four Big Ten wrestlers earned spots in the NCAA Championships field by virtue of their Big Ten Championships finish, while eight others received at-large bids to nationals. The conference sends at least seven wrestlers in each weight class, including 10 grapplers in the 184- and 285-pound brackets.

Five Big Ten wrestlers hold the top seeds in their weight classes, with Illinois’ Jesse Delgado (125 pounds), Minnesota’s Tony Nelson (285), Nebraska’s James Green (157), Ohio State’s Nick Heflin (197) and Penn State’s David Taylor (165) entering the championships at No. 1. Nelson, Ohio State’s Logan Stieber (141) and Penn State’s Ed Ruth (184) look for their third consecutive national titles, while Delgado and Iowa’s Derek St. John (157) won NCAA crowns a season ago. Taylor aims for his second national title, taking home the crown in 2012.

Five Big Ten schools have claimed NCAA Championships, led by Iowa with 23. Penn State enters this year’s event as the three-time defending champion. Minnesota boasts three championships, while Indiana and Michigan State have each earned one. A Big Ten school has taken home the team title in each of the past seven years.

The three-day, six-session event will begin with preliminary matches at Noon ET on Thursday and will continue into the evening session beginning at 7 p.m. The third session will begin Friday at 11 a.m. with quarterfinal action and wrestlebacks highlighting the schedule. The championships’ fourth session begins at 8 p.m. and will feature semifinal action. Saturday morning brings the conclusion of the consolation bracket as third-, fifth- and seventh-place winners will be decided beginning at 11 a.m. The sixth and final session is scheduled for Saturday evening at 8 p.m., where NCAA weight class champions will be crowned.

Five Big Ten Women’s Basketball Teams Selected to NCAA Championship Field

Posted on March 17, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. – Five Big Ten teams were seeded sixth or higher in their respective regionals when the NCAA announced the 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship field on Monday night. Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue earned bids to the field, marking the 15th time in the last 21 years the conference has sent five or more teams to the NCAA Tournament.

Big Ten co-Champion Penn State will make its conference-leading 25th NCAA Championship appearance after earning the No. 3 seed in the Stanford Regional. The Lady Lions will take on No. 14 Wichita State at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the winner facing either Dayton or Florida on Tuesday. Penn State makes its fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and carries the second-most wins in NCAA Tournament play among conference teams with 30. Penn State will host first- and second-round games at Bryce Jordan Center.

Nebraska is the No. 4 seed in the Lincoln Regional and will open NCAA Championship play at 4 p.m. on Saturday against No. 13 Fresno State in Los Angeles. The winner will advance to face the NC State-BYU winner on Monday. The Huskers, who won the Big Ten Tournament championship, are making their 12th appearance in the tournament and have advanced to the NCAA Championship in each of their three years as members of the Big Ten. Nebraska and Pinnacle Bank Arena will serve as regional hosts next weekend.

Purdue is the No. 4 seed in the Notre Dame Regional and opens tournament play against No. 13 Akron at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the winner facing either Oklahoma State or Florida Gulf Coast on Monday. The Boilermakers will make their fourth straight trip to the NCAA Championship and their 24th overall, the second most among Big Ten teams. Purdue, which boasts a Big Ten-leading 45 wins in the NCAA Tournament, and Mackey Arena will serve as hosts during the first and second rounds.

Michigan State is the No. 5 seed in the Stanford Regional and faces No. 12 Hampton at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday in Chapel Hill, N.C. An opening-round win would pit the Spartans against the North Carolina-UT Martin winner in the second round on Tuesday. Michigan State returns to the NCAA Championship field for the sixth straight season and makes its 14th trip overall. The Spartans earned a share of the Big Ten Championship this season, their fourth conference title in program history.

Iowa is the No. 6 seed in the Louisville Regional and will open NCAA Championship play against No. 11 Marist on Sunday at 8 p.m., with the winner taking on either Louisville or Idaho on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes are making their seventh consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship, the longest active streak in the Big Ten. Boasting 23 NCAA tournament berths in program history, the Hawkeyes will host first- and second-round contests at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The 2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four will be contested in Nashville, Tenn., April 6 and 8.

Six Big Ten Teams Selected For NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

Posted on March 16, 2014

INDIANAPOLIS — Six Big Ten teams were selected to participate in the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Wisconsin will represent the conference in this year’s tournament.

Michigan, the Big Ten Champion, is the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region and will travel to the Milwaukee second and third round site. Up first for the Wolverines is No. 15 Wofford, with the winner facing either No. 7 Texas or No. 10 Arizona State. Michigan is making its 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament and fourth consecutive trip. The Wolverines boast a 41-20 record in the tournament. Michigan has made five appearances in the Final Four, including last year, and won the 1989 National Championship.

Wisconsin is the No. 2 seed in the West Region and will travel to the Milwaukee second and third round site. The Badgers will take on No. 15 American with the victor facing the winner of No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 10 BYU. Wisconsin will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time and making its 16th straight appearance. The Badgers are 25-18 in their previous trips and have made two Final Four appearances, including winning the 1941 title.

Michigan State is the No. 4 seed in the East Region and will visit the Spokane, Wash., second and third round site. The Spartans will face No. 13 Delaware in the second round with the winner facing either No. 5 Cincinnati or No. 12 Harvard. Michigan State is making its 28th NCAA Tournament appearance and 16th consecutive. Michigan State boasts a 56-26 mark in the NCAA Tournament with eight Final Four appearances, including the 1979 and 2000 national championships.

Ohio State is the No. 6 seed in the South Region and will start at the Buffalo, N.Y., second and third round site. The Buckeyes will face No. 11 Dayton with the victor taking on the winner of No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 14 Western Michigan. Ohio State is making its 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and sixth consecutive. The Buckeyes have a 43-23 record in the tournament and nine appearances in the Final Four, including a national championship in 1960.

Nebraska will be the No. 11 seed in the West region and will play at the San Antonio second and third round site. The Cornhuskers will face No. 6 Baylor in the second round, with the winner of that contest taking on either No. 3 Creighton or No. 14 Louisiana Lafayette. Nebraska is making its sixth NCAA Tournament Appearance and its first since 1998.

Iowa is a No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region and will play Tennessee in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. The winner of that contest will travel to Raleigh, N.C., for its second and third round matchups. They will take on No. 6 Massachusetts with the winner facing either No. 3 Duke or No. 14 Mercer. Iowa’s appearance is the 23rd in school history and its first since 2006. The Hawkeyes have a 27-24 record in NCAA tournament games as well as three Final Four appearances.

Note: records do not include games that were later vacated.

Two Big Ten Quarterfinals to Air on ESPN, Including NU-OSU

Posted on March 13, 2014

INDIANAPOLIS – The Big Ten announced that Friday’s first two quarterfinal games of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will be televised on ESPN. Eighth-seeded Illinois will take on top-seeded Michigan at Noon ET, while fifth-seeded Ohio State will face fourth-seeded Nebraska beginning at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Illinois advanced to the quarterfinals after a 64-54 win over Indiana, while Ohio State defeated Purdue, 63-61, to move onto the quarterfinal round.

Friday’s evening session will feature two games on BTN. Second-seeded Wisconsin will take on either Minnesota or Penn State beginning at 6:30 p.m., while third-seeded Michigan State will face either Iowa or Northwestern at approximately 9 p.m.

Big Ten Conference Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Big Ten Medal of Honor

Posted on March 11, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. – The Big Ten, the nation’s oldest collegiate conference, commemorates the 100^th anniversary of a very unique tradition – the Big Ten Medal of Honor. The conference’s most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. As part of the celebration, the conference is launching a national campaign to pay tribute to the rich tradition established in 1915 and showcase the benefits of the student-athlete experience across its campuses.

Awarded to one male and female student-athlete from the graduating class of each member institution, the Big Ten Medal of Honor recognizes the educational emphasis placed on athletics. The Big Ten Medal of Honor places equal importance on academics and athletics and pre-dates many of the biggest national awards that focus entirely on athletics, including the Heisman Trophy and Naismith Award.

Over the past century, more than 1,300 student-athletes from Big Ten universities have earned this distinction. These individuals have translated their campus experience as student-athletes into success in all walks of life including medicine, science, politics, business and sports.

“The Big Ten Medal of Honor fulfills our promise and commitment to broad-based programs that provide students-athletes the opportunity to earn a degree from a top-tier university and compete at the highest levels athletically,” said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. “In the coming months, we look forward to celebrating these individuals who embody the student-athlete experience and demonstrate excellence in both academics and athletics while preparing for success later in life.”

Since 1896, the Big Ten has provided opportunities for students to earn a first-rate education. Ten member institutions rank in the top 31 of all public universities, and the Big Ten leads all conferences with more than 1,500 Academic All-Americans. Big Ten Medal of Honor winners embody this scholastic tradition and represent continued success following their education.

As part of the Big Ten Medal of Honor’s historic anniversary, the conference is launching a 100-day campaign to help announce this year’s honorees and celebrate the prominent winners of the past 99 years. The integrated effort, which begins this week and extends throughJune 18, includes profiling notable winners and stories each day on social channels and the conference website. Big Ten on-campus celebrations will feature past award recipients, recognition ceremonies and promotion of the award campus-wide.

The Best of the Best

Out of the more than 8,200 student-athletes at the 12 Big Ten institutions, only 24 are recognized each year with the Big Ten Medal of Honor.

Most honorees have seen tremendous success in careers outside of sports. Below is a small sampling of prominent Big Ten Medal of Honor Winners who have made significant contributions in fields as varied as medicine, science and business since graduating from a Big Ten university:

· Keith D. Nosbusch (Wisconsin, 1973, football), currently Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation
· Tim Gutshall (Iowa, 1979, football), a family physician that is currently Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Wellmark
· Tim Hacker (Wisconsin, 1986, track/cross country), a senior scientist in Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and director of the school’s Cardiovascular Physiology Core Laboratory
· Mike Hopkins (Illinois, 1992, football), a flight engineer for the International Space Station, he’s currently orbiting in space and will land back on earth later this month
- · Uta (Herrmann) Wolfe (Minnesota, 1992, swimming), currently an assistant professor at St. Thomas University where her study of senses and visuo-motor control recently led to her discovery of a new multi-sensory illusion
- · Jennifer Hsia (Indiana, 2001, tennis), an assistant professor and otolaryngologist at Minnesota, cares for patients with obstructive sleep apnea and sleep-disorder breathing

Other honorees feature some of today’s most legendary sports figures including:

· John Wooden (Purdue, 1932, basketball), a three-time All-American as a player, led UCLA to a record 10 NCAA basketball titles as a coach and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
· Jerry Lucas (Ohio State, 1963, basketball), a two-time National Player of the Year, seven-time NBA All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
· Tony Dungy (Minnesota, 1977, football), ended his career as school’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns and became the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl
· Joe Girardi (Northwestern, 1986, baseball), current New York Yankees manager who led them to the 2009 World Series title and three World Series wins as a player in the 1990s
· Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern, 1997, football), a two-time consensus All-American, will begin his ninth season as head coach at his alma mater and has guided Northwestern to five bowl games
· Drew Brees (Purdue, 2001, football), led school to Big Ten title and Rose Bowl Game as senior and the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl victory in 2010

To learn more about the Big Ten Medal of Honor, visit bigten.org. You can also follow the 100th anniversary celebration each day on Facebook.com/bigtenconference and on Twitter at @bigtenconf.

Big Ten Announces 2014 Men’s Basketball Postseason Honors, 3 Huskers Honored

Posted on March 10, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten men’s basketball All-Conference teams and individual award winners were announced on Monday, with Michigan’s Nik Stauskas earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors from the conference’s coaches and a media panel. Michigan head coach John Beilein claimed Coach of the Year laurels from the media while Nebraska head coach Tim Miles was named Coach of the Year by his peers. Indiana’s Noah Vonleh picked up Freshman of the Year accolades from the coaches and media. Ohio State’s Aaron Craft was named the Defensive Player of the Year while Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes was voted the Sixth Man of the Year by the coaches.

Stauskas takes home the Big Ten Player of the Year award after leading the conference with 13 games of 20 or more points. A four-time Big Ten Player of the Week this season, Stauskas ranked among the top five with 17.0 points per game and a .447 shooting percentage from three-point range in Big Ten contests only. The sophomore earns the fifth Player of the Year award in program history and the second in as many years for Michigan, following 2013 recipient Trey Burke.

Beilein led the Wolverines to their first outright Big Ten Championship since 1986. Michigan boasts a 23-7 overall record and a 15-3 mark in Big Ten play this season, marking the fourth consecutive year that Beilein has guided the Wolverines to a top-four finish in the conference standings. He is just four wins shy of his 700^th career victory and five wins away from his 150^th victory at Michigan. He collects his first Big Ten Coach of the Year award and the first for a Michigan coach since 1985.

Under the guidance of Miles, Nebraska posted a record of 11-7 in conference play, giving the Cornhuskers the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament. With an overall record of 19-11, Nebraska is one victory shy of its first 20-win season since 2008. Miles claims his first Big Ten Coach of the Year award.

Vonleh is Indiana’s 10th Big Ten Freshman of the Year selection after becoming the first freshman to lead the conference in rebounding since Ohio State’s Greg Oden in 2006-07. Vonleh is the second Hoosier in the last three seasons to be named Freshman of the Year along with Cody Zeller in 2012. Vonleh averaged 11.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in Big Ten contests.

Craft collects Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year laurels after setting the conference record with 328 career steals. The 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Craft becomes the sixth conference player to win the award twice and gives the Buckeyes their fifth individual defensive honor. Craft led the conference with 2.7 steals and 4.6 assists per game this season in Big Ten play.

Hayes is averaging 8.0 points per game off the bench for Wisconsin and shooting 53 percent in all contests. He becomes Wisconsin’s second Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and first since Jason Bohannon in 2008.

Stauskas was a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and the media. He was joined on the first team for both the coaches and media by Iowa’s Roy Devyn Marble, Michigan State’s Gary Harris, Nebraska’s Terran Petteway and Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky.

Joining Vonleh and Hayes on the coaches’ All-Freshman Team were Illinois’ Kendrick Nunn, Michigan’s Derrick Walton Jr., and Purdue’s Kendall Stephens. Craft was joined on the All-Defensive Team by his teammate Shannon Scott, Harris, Purdue’s A.J. Hammons and Wisconsin’s Josh Gasser.

The Big Ten also announced 12 Sportsmanship Award Honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. This season’s honorees are Illinois’ Joseph Bertrand, Indiana’s Will Sheehey, Iowa’s Mike Gesell, Michigan’s Jon Horford, Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine, Minnesota’s Austin Hollins, Nebraska’s Shavon Shields, Northwestern’s Drew Crawford, Ohio State’s Lenzelle Smith Jr., Penn State’s Tim Frazier, Purdue’s Travis Carroll and Wisconsin’s Ben Brust.

2013-14 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team

FIRST TEAM

Roy Devyn Marble, Iowa
NIK STAUSKAS, MICHIGAN
Gary Harris, Michigan State
Terran Petteway, Nebraska
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

SECOND TEAM

Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Caris LeVert, Michigan
Adreian Payne, Michigan State
D.J. Newbill, Penn State
Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

THIRD TEAM

Noah Vonleh, Indiana
Aaron White, Iowa
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
LaQuinton Ross, Ohio State
Tim Frazier, Penn State

As selected by Big Ten coaches

HONORABLE MENTION

Rayvonte Rice, Illinois
Glenn Robinson III, Michigan
Keith Appling, Michigan State
Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Andre Hollins, Minnesota
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
Drew Crawford, Northwestern
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Ben Brust, Wisconsin

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

Kendrick Nunn, Illinois
Noah Vonleh, Indiana
Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
Kendall Stephens, Purdue
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Gary Harris, Michigan State
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
Shannon Scott, Ohio State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Josh Gasser, Wisconsin

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Nik Stauskas, Michigan

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Aaron Craft, Ohio State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:

Noah Vonleh, Indiana

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR:

Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Tim Miles, Nebraska

UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS

As selected by Media Voting Panel

FIRST TEAM

Roy Devyn Marble, Iowa
NIK STAUSKAS, MICHIGAN
Gary Harris, Michigan State
Terran Petteway, Nebraska
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

SECOND TEAM

Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Caris LeVert, Michigan
Adreian Payne, Michigan State
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
D.J. Newbill, Penn State

THIRD TEAM

Noah Vonleh, Indiana
Aaron White, Iowa
Drew Crawford, Northwestern
Tim Frazier, Penn State
Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

HONORABLE MENTION

Rayvonte Rice, Illinois
Will Sheehey, Indiana
Glenn Robinson III, Michigan
Keith Appling, Michigan State
Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Andre Hollins, Minnesota
DeAndre Mathieu, Minnesota
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
LaQuinton Ross, Ohio State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Ben Brust, Wisconsin
Josh Gasser, Wisconsin
Traevon Jackson, Wisconsin

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Nik Stauskas, Michigan

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:

Noah Vonleh, Indiana

COACH OF THE YEAR:

John Beilein, Michigan

UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees

Joseph Bertrand, Illinois; Will Sheehey, Indiana; Mike Gesell, Iowa; Jon Horford, Michigan; Denzel Valentine, Michigan State; Austin Hollins, Minnesota; Shavon Shields, Nebraska; Drew Crawford, Northwestern; Lenzelle Smith Jr., Ohio State; Tim Frazier, Penn State; Travis Carroll, Purdue; Ben Brust, Wisconsin

Big Ten Experience Touts Athletic, Academics

Posted on March 10, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — In a room on the ground floor of the conference’s sparkling new headquarters, the Big Ten is putting the final touches on its version of Cooperstown or Canton.

Fans will be able to relive some of their favorite moments through a series of interactive exhibits at the Big Ten Experience touting the conference’s successes on the field and away from it. The museum opens in the spring or summer, and Commissioner Jim Delany says it will allow “us to create a zone for capturing the past and telling our story.”

It’s a story that dates to January 11, 1895, when leaders from Purdue, the University of Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Wisconsin gathered at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago to outline a blueprint for administering athletics.