Big Ten – Page 12 – North Platte Post Archive

Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket Announced

Posted on March 9, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. – Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nebraska are the top four seeds in the 2014 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, the conference office announced on Sunday night. The 17th annual event will be contested fromMarch 13-16 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

After winning the outright Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1986 with a 15-3 conference record, Michigan is the tournament’s top seed and will open play at Noon ET on Friday. Wisconsin and Michigan State finished the year with matching 12-6 marks, but the Badgers’ head-to-head win over the Spartans on Feb. 9 gave them the No. 2 seed. Wisconsin opens play at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and earns a first-round bye for the 14th straight season, the longest streak in conference history. Michigan State is the No. 3 seed and begins tournament play at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, while Nebraska knocked off the Badgers tonight to earn the No. 4 seed with an 11-7 conference record. The Cornhuskers begin postseason play at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

The opening session of the 2014 event begins at Noon on Thursday when No. 8 Indiana faces No. 9 Illinois and No. 5 Ohio State takes on No. 12 Purdue, with both games airing on BTN. Thursday’s second session commences at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 when No. 7 Minnesota squares off against No. 10 Penn State and No. 6 Iowa takes on No. 11 Northwestern. Indiana and Illinois each finished with 7-11 conference marks, but the Hoosiers’ win over Michigan on Feb. 2 secured the higher seed. Penn State and Northwestern completed Big Ten play at 6-12, but the Nittany Lions’ head-to-head victory over the Wildcats on March 6 gave Penn State the tiebreaker.

Friday’s sessions also begin at Noon and 6:30 p.m., with the afternoon contests televised by ESPN or ESPN2, while the evening games will be carried by BTN. No. 1 Michigan takes on the Indiana-Illinois winner at Noon and No. 4 Nebraska takes on the winner of Ohio State and Purdue. No. 2 Wisconsin faces the Minnesota-Penn State victor, while No. 3 Michigan State will play the winner of Iowa-Northwestern.

Big Ten Tournament semifinal games will be played on Saturday, beginning at 1:40 p.m. ET on CBS Sports. The championship game tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday and will also be broadcast by CBS Sports.

Six different programs have won the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State has claimed four official titles, including three of the last four years. Michigan State has won the tournament on three occasions, including the last time the event was held in Indianapolis in 2012. Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin have each won the championship twice, and Purdue has won the tournament once.

For the second straight year, the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament is sold out, but fans can still reserve a face-value, premium ticket to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game through the TeamTix reservation system atbigten.teamtix.com.

The 2014 event includes a number of fan events surrounding the games. These events include the Big Ten Hoops Day 5K, Big Ten Career Expo, pep rally in advance of the championship game, restaurant pairings, youth initiatives and much more. Visit www.bigten.org or www.IndianaSportsCorp.org for more information.

Freshmen are Making Their Mark Among Big Ten Women

Posted on March 6, 2014

The Big Ten women’s basketball tournament starts Thursday in Indianapolis with four games.

Regular-season co-champions Penn State (22-6) and Michigan State (21-8), along with Nebraska (22-6) and Purdue (21-7), have earned the top four seeds for the second straight year.

Purdue, which has won six straight games, is the two-time defending champion. The Boilermakers have put together their longest win streak of the season, and the longest current streak in the Big Ten, without injured point guard KK Houser.

Northwestern (15-14) plays Ohio State (15-17) in the tournament opener. Other games Thursday match Iowa (23-7) against Illinois (9-20), Michigan (17-12) against Indiana (18-11), and Minnesota (19-11) against Wisconsin (10-18).

Big Ten Wrestling Championships Preview

Posted on March 6, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The 100th Big Ten Wrestling Championships are set for this Saturday and Sunday, March 8-9, at the Kohl Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.

The event gets underway at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday, with the preliminary and quarterfinal matches taking place in Session I. Session II begins at 5 p.m., as semifinals and the opening rounds of wrestlebacks conclude the day’s action. Consolation semifinals and seventh-place matches get underway at 11 a.m. on Sunday, while first-, third- and fifth-place matches begin at 1 p.m.

BTN will provide live streaming coverage of the Big Ten wrestling preliminaries, beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday. Streaming coverage will continue with select matches in Sessions II and III, while the championship rounds will be carried live on the network. Tim Johnson, Jim Gibbons and Shane Sparks will call the action.

Penn State enters the championships looking for its fourth-straight Big Ten title, after earning crowns in 2011, 2012, 2013. The Nittany Lions aim to become just the fifth Big Ten school to win four-straight conference titles and the first since Iowa won 25 consecutive crowns from 1974-1998. Last season, Penn State earned 151 team points, followed by Minnesota and Iowa with 139 and 133.5 points, respectively.

Eight wrestlers that took home Big Ten titles last season return to this year’s championships, with Illinois’ Jesse Delgado (125 pounds), Ohio State’s Logan Stieber (133; wrestling this season at 141) and Hunter Steiber (141; wrestling this season at 149), Minnesota’s Dylan Ness (149; wrestling this season at 157), Penn State’s David Taylor (165), Matt Brown (174) and Ed Ruth (184), Minnesota’s Kevin Steinhaus (184), Illinois’ Mario Gonzalez (197) and Minnesota’s Tony Nelson (285) each earning crowns at last year’s event. Ruth and Taylor each aim to become just the 12th and 13th four-time conference champions in Big Ten history.

The championships’ 10 top seeds are spread across five schools. Penn State holds five No. 1 seeds, with 125-pounder Nico Megaludis, 141-pounder Zain Retherford, 165-pounder David Taylor, 184-pounder Ed Ruth and 197-pounder Morgan McIntosh earning top billing in their weight classes. Nebraska brings two top-seeded grapplers into the championships, while Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin each hold one top-ranked wrestler. The Hawkeyes’ Tony Ramos (133), Wolverines’ Adam Coon (285) and Badgers’ Isaac Jordan (157) have each earned No. 1 seeds, while the Huskers’ Jake Sueflohn (149) and Robert Kokesh (174) round out the group of top-ranked grapplers.

Nine Big Ten teams enter the championships ranked in the USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll, with conference squads claiming the top three spots and five in the top 10. Minnesota tops the poll at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Penn State, No. 3Iowa, No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Nebraska, No. 11 Ohio State, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 19 Northwestern and No. 20 Illinois. Purdue is receiving votes.

Nebraska’s Emily Wong and Spencer Long Selected as 2014 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Recipients

Posted on March 4, 2014

Two student-athletes from the University of Nebraska – Emily Wong and Spencer Long – have been chosen as the 2014 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award recipients by the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership. The award is an annual scholarship recognizing one male and one female Big Ten senior student-athlete pursuing a postgraduate degree for achievements in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities and leadership.

In recognition of the Big Ten’s leadership in fully integrating athletics into the academic mission of its member institutions, the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership initiated the Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award in 2008. Each Big Ten institution was asked to nominate one male and one female student-athlete for 2013, with a $10,000 scholarship awarded to each winner.

The Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award is named for the former Big Ten Conference commissioner who served from 1971-89. While leading the Big Ten, Duke spent much of his time working to improve academic standards and graduation rates for student-athletes. The award is made possible by donations from local corporations and individuals supporting collegiate student-athletes. The Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership is comprised of the State of Indiana, City of Indianapolis, Indiana Sports Corp, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and Visit Indy.

Wong, a women’s gymnastics student-athlete, is completing her nutrition science degree and psychology/child, youth and family studies minor at the University of Nebraska and expects to graduate in December, 2014. With a 3.918 GPA and numerous academic accolades, she intends to continue her education to become a physical therapist.

Wong has been recognized with multiple Academic All-Big Ten accolades and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Awards as well as National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches First Team and Scholastic All-America honors. She is an elected member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

In addition to her commitment to academic excellence, Wong’s passion for helping those in need is shown through her involvement in numerous community service activities. She has participated in multiple cancer awareness walks and has spent numerous hours helping children by reading books, playing games, sharing in Christmas parties, distributing toys and candy, and spreading joy by spending full days of fun-filled activities with them around town. Her passion for helping others came from watching her parents establish relationships at their family-run restaurant at a young age. After the recent passing of her father, she became fully committed to continue his legacy by helping people reach their full potential and to making an impact on their lives.

Long recently graduated in December, 2013, with a biological sciences degree and minors in humanities in medicine andpsychology at the University of Nebraska. Long finished with a 3.792 GPA and a number of academic honors. He intends to continue his education in medical school.

Long, a football student-athlete, is a multiple recipient of Academic All-Big Ten honors, a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Award Recipient, and First Team Academic All-America selection. Prior to Nebraska joining the Big Ten Conference, he was also named to five Big 12 Commissioners Fall and Spring Honor Roll honors, and multiple Academic All-District awards. On the field, Long received the Nebraska Walk-on-of-the-Year Award,was named a Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist and to the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award Watch List, and was elected team captain in his senior year.

Long extends his impact outside of academics and the football field through participating in a variety of community service activities. He gives of his time as a guest speaker, reader, and mentor to local elementary and high schools, and patients at nearby hospitals. Long is also very involved with a student-led, not-for-profit organization that uses the influence of college football student-athletes to raise awareness and provide funding for those with pediatric brain cancer. Long helped the student-led organization plan a summer road race that was attended by more than 700 runners and raised over $15,000 to support research efforts. After the loss of a loved one, Long has been motivated and committed to pursue the prevention of brain cancer and an education in medicine.

Wong and Long will be honored in Indianapolis during the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament quarterfinals on Friday, March 14.

2014 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Nominees:

University of Illinois: Megan Pawloski, soccer
Indiana University: Preston Keiffer, wrestling; Shannon Flower, soccer
University of Iowa: James Morris, football; Elise Borja, swimming and diving
University of Michigan: Conner Jaeger, swimming and diving; Erin Cameron, swimming and diving
Michigan State University: Nicholas Palazeti, football; Kristen Kelsay, volleyball
University of Minnesota: Chris Hawthorne, football; Rachel Drake, cross country and track and field
University of Nebraska: Spencer Long, football; Emily Wong, gymnastics
Northwestern University: Timothy Smith, swimming and diving; Jacqueline Powell, swimming and diving
Penn State University: Matthew Salig, swimming and diving; Lindsay Musgrove, gymnastics
Purdue University: Camden Eppert, wrestling; Hadley Stuart, soccer
University of Wisconsin: Ethan Hemer, football

Previous Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Recipients:

2013: Sean Fisher, Nebraska, football; Katelyn White, Nebraska, cross country and track and field

2012: Miguel Pineda, Penn State, gymnastics; Margaux Farrell, Indiana, swimming and diving

2011: Mike Torchia, Minnesota, cross country and track and field; Allie Smith, Purdue, swimming and diving

2010: Mark Ison, Northwestern, football; Chelsea Davis, Ohio State, swimming and diving
2009: Drew Ratner, Northwestern, soccer; Lauren Mioton, Purdue, basketball
2008: Kevin Trulock, Indiana, football; Molly Crispell, Penn State, swimming and diving

Big Ten Announces Women’s Basketball Postseason Honors, Hooper Player of the Year

Posted on March 3, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the women’s basketball All-Conference teams and individual award winners on Monday. Nebraska’s Jordan Hooper was named Big Ten Player of the Year by the conference coaches, while Penn State’s Maggie Lucas earned the honor from the media. Lady Lions’ teammate Dara Taylor collected Defensive Player of the Year recognition and Purdue’s Whitney Bays was tabbed Sixth Player of the Year. Minnesota’s Amanda Zahui B. was honored with the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award by the coaches and media. Penn State head coach Coquese Washington received the nod from media as conference Coach of the Year, while Nebraska’s Connie Yori was chosen by her peers.

Hooper’s award marks the first time a Husker has been tabbed Player of the Year since Nebraska joined the conference for the 2011-12 season, as she became the fifth player in Big Ten history with 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. She averaged 20.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this season, which both rank third in the conference. She tallied 12 double-doubles this season and was named Big Ten Player of the Week three times. Hooper garners first-team All-Big Ten status for the third time, and was a unanimous selection by the coaches and media this year.

Lucas was tabbed Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, just the seventh player in Big Ten history to earn the accolade multiple times. Lucas ranks second in the conference in scoring this season, averaging 21.5 points per game. She is currently fourth on the Big Ten’s all-time scoring list, having tallied 2,439 points in her career. Lucas leads the nation in free-throw percentage (.959) and needs one three-point field goal to tie the Big Ten career record. Lucas was named first-team All-Big Ten for the third time, and was a unanimous selection by the coaches and media this year. The honor marks the fifth time a Lady Lion has been tabbed Player of the Year, joining Kelly Mazzante who won back-to-back honors in 2003 and 2004 and Helen Darling in 2000.

Washington earns top billing among media for the third consecutive season. She is just the second coach to win the honor three straight years, joining Ohio State’s Jim Foster, who earned the honors from 2005-07. She guided Penn State to the Big Ten Championship for the third straight year, finishing the season 22-6 overall with a 13-3 conference ledger. The award is the seventh in Penn State history.

Yori was named Big Ten Coach of the Year by her peers for the second year in a row after guiding Nebraska to a 22-6 overall record and 12-4 mark in conference action. The award marks the fourth conference coach of the year honor for Yori. It marks the second year in a row Yori and Washington shared Coach of the Year honors.

Zahui collected Freshman of the Year honors after averaging a double-double this season. The Minnesota newcomer averaged 15.1 points and a conference-best 11.3 rebounds per game. She was also second in the Big Ten in blocked shots, tallying 2.9 blocks per contest. Zahui was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week seven times this season and garners first-team All-Big Ten status. She is the third player in Gopher history to win Freshman of the Year honors and second in the last three years, following Rachel Banham in 2012.

Taylor picks up Defensive Player of the Year laurels after leading the conference in steals this season, averaging 2.9 per game. She was part of a Lady Lion defense that limited opponents to 37 percent shooting, good for second in the Big Ten. Taylor’s award is the fourth in Penn State history and first since Tanisha Wright won three straight from 2003-05.

Bays becomes the third Boilermaker to earn Sixth Player of the Year honors, following Cherelle George in 2006 and Brittany Rayburn in 2009. The junior leads Purdue in rebounding, tallying 7.5 boards per contest, and is the team’s third-leading scorer at 11.4 points per game. In conference games only, Bays upped her rebounding average to 9.2 per game, which ranks fourth among all Big Ten players.

Hooper and Lucas were joined by Banham as unanimous first-team selections by both the coaches and media, while Iowa’s Samantha Logic and Purdue’s Courtney Moses were each unanimous picks by the coaches. This year, the conference’s All-Big Ten teams consists of 10 first-team honorees and 10 second-team selections.

The Big Ten also recognized 12 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Big Ten Wrestling Championships Pre-Seeds Announced

Posted on March 3, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the preliminary seeds for the 2014 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, which are set for March 8-9 on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Five schools boast at least one top-seeded wrestler, with Penn State leading the way with five. Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State will bring a seeded wrestler in each of the 10 weight classes, while Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin each boast a seeded grappler in nine classes.

The pre-seeds, as voted on by the conference’s coaches, rank the top eight wrestlers in five weight classes, along with all 12 starters in five weight classes due to the Big Ten receiving eight or more NCAA Championships qualifier allocations in those classes. Each team enters the championships with a seeded wrestler in the 133-, 157-, 165-, 197- and 285-pound weight classes.

Penn State holds five No. 1 seeds, with 125-pounder Nico Megaludis, 141-pounder Zain Retherford, 165-pounder David Taylor, 184-pounder Ed Ruth and 197-pounder Morgan McIntosh earning top billing in their weight classes. Nebraska brings two top-seeded grapplers into the championships, while Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin each hold one top-ranked wrestler. The Hawkeyes’ Tony Ramos (133), Wolverines’ Adam Coon (285) and Badgers’ Isaac Jordan (157) have each earned No. 1 seeds, while the Huskers’ Jake Sueflohn (149) and Robert Kokesh (174) round out the group of top-ranked grapplers.

Four of this year’s top seeds advanced to the final of their weight class at last year’s Big Ten Championships, including two who took home titles. Ruth and Taylor each won their third conference crowns a season ago and aim to become just the 12^th and 13^th four-time winners in Big Ten history. Ramos and Sueflohn both advanced to the championship finale in their respective weight classes last year. This season, three freshmen earned No. 1 seeds entering the championships, including Coon, Jordan and Retherford.

For more information on the 2014 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, visit the Big Ten Championships Central page on Wisconsin’s website HERE. The complete list of Big Ten Championships pre-seeds can be found below.

125 lbs.

1. Nico Megaludis, PSU

2. Jesse Delgado, ILL

3. Cory Clark, IOWA

4. Bradley Taylor, WIS

4. Conor Youtsey, MICH

6. Tim Lambert, NEB

7. Camden Eppert, PUR

8. Nick Roberts, OSU

133 lbs.

1. Tony Ramos, IOWA

2. Tyler Graff, WIS

3. David Thorn, MINN

4. Cashe Quiroga, PUR

5. Zane Richards, ILL

6. Johnni DiJulius, OSU

7. Jimmy Gulibon, PSU

8. Rossi Bruno, MICH

9. Shawn Nagel, NEB

10. Dom Malone, NU

11. Joe Duca, IND

12. Garth Yenter, MSU

141 lbs.

1. Zain Retherford, PSU

2. Logan Stieber, OSU

3. Chris Dardanes, MINN

4. Stephen Dutton, MICH

5. Josh Dziewa, IOWA

6. Steven Rodrigues, ILL

7. Danny Sabatello, PUR

8. Jessie Thielke, WIS

149 lbs.

1. Jake Sueflohn, NEB

2. Nick Dardanes, MINN

3. Jason Tsirtsis, NU

4. Brody Grothus, IOWA

5. Eric Grajales, MICH

6. Ian Paddock, OSU

7. James English, PSU

8. Brandon Nelsen, PUR

157 lbs.

1. Isaac Jordan, WIS

2. James Green, NEB

3. Dylan Ness, MINN

4. Derek St. John, IOWA

5. Dylan Alton, PSU

6. Taylor Walsh, IND

7. Zac Brunson, ILL

8. Brian Murphy, MICH

9. Alex Griffin, PUR

10. Ben Sullivan, NU

11. Randy Languis, OSU

12. Roger Wildmo, MSU

165 lbs.

1. David Taylor, PSU

2. Nick Moore, IOWA

3. Pierce Harger, NU

4. Dan Yates, MICH

5. Jackson Morse, ILL

6. Danny Zilverberg, MINN

7. Ryan LeBlanc, IND

8. Austin Wilson, NEB

9. Pat Robinson, PUR

10. Joe Grandominico, OSU

11. Bobby Nash, MSU

12. Ben Cox, WIS

174 lbs.

1. Robert Kokesh, NEB

2. Matt Brown, PSU

3. Mike Evans, IOWA

4. Logan Storley, MINN

5. Tony Dallago, ILL

6. Mark Martin, OSU

7. Scott Liegel, WIS

8. Collin Zeerip, MICH

184 lbs.

1. Ed Ruth, PSU

2. Kevin Steinhaus, MINN

3. Ethen Lofthouse, IOWA

4. TJ Dudley, NEB

5. Domenic Abounader, MICH

6. Kenny Courts, OSU

7. Jackson Hein, WIS

8. John Rizqallah, MSU

197 lbs.

1. Morgan McIntosh, PSU

2. Nick Heflin, OSU

3. Scott Schiller, MINN

4. Braden Atwood, PUR

5. Nathan Burak, IOWA

6. Mario Gonzalez, ILL

7. Alex Polizzi, NU

8. Timmy McCall, WIS

9. Nick McDiarmid, MSU

10. Caleb Kolb, NEB

11. Chris Heald, MICH

12. Garret Goldman, IND

285 lbs.

1. Adam Coon, MICH

2. Adam Chalfant, IND

3. Mike McMullan, NU

4. Bobby Telford, IOWA

5. Tony Nelson, MINN

6. Mike McClure, MSU

7. Connor Medbery, WIS

8. Jon Gingrich, PSU

9. Collin Jensen, NEB

10. Nick Tavanello, OSU

11. Alex White, PUR

12. Chris Lopez, ILL

Big Ten Totals 20 Medals at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi

Posted on February 25, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. — Eighteen current and former Big Ten student-athletes, coaches and university students earned 20 Olympic medals at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games held February 7-23 in Sochi, Russia. The conference brought home medals in both men’s and women’s ice hockey, bobsled and ice dancing, including five gold, 11 silver and four bronze. Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin each saw its Olympic competitors bring home medals. Minnesota led all schools with five participants and one coach medaling, while participants from Michigan and Wisconsin took home five medals each.

The Big Ten was well represented in the women’s ice hockey final, as the United States challenged Canada in the gold-medal game. The Canadians came out on top, 3-2, in an overtime contest for the gold behind the play of former Ohio State forward Natalie Spooner and former Wisconsin defenseman Meaghan Mikkelson. Fellow Badgers Brianna Decker, Meghan Duggan, Hilary Knight and Jessie Vetter and former Gophers Megan Bozek, Gigi Marvin and Anne Schleper took home the silver skating for the United States. Current student-athletes Amanda Kessel and Lee Stecklein and assistant coach Robb Stauber, all from Minnesota, also earned silver as members of Team USA.

On the men’s side, two Big Ten representatives took part in the final, with Canada defeating Sweden, 3-0. Former Michigan State student-athlete Duncan Keith helped Team Canada to the gold medal, while former Michigan standout Carl Hagelin took home the silver skating for Sweden.

In ice dancing, Meryl Davis and Charlie White added four medals to the Wolverines’ lot. The pair became the first American ice dancing duo to capture Olympic gold. They also helped Team USA to a bronze medal in the inaugural team figure skating competition.

Former Illinois track & field athlete Aja Evans and Nebraska football player Curtis Tomasevicz each earned bronze medals in bobsled. Evans placed third in the USA-2 sled, helping Team USA to two medals in women’s bobsledding for the first time. Tomasevicz was part of the USA-1 team that snagged the bronze medal in four-man bobsled with a time of 3:40.99, beating Russia-2 by 0.03 seconds.

Big Ten student-athletes and coaches have been a part of the Olympic experience on more than 1,370 occasions, including many taking multiple trips to the international event. That list of conference standouts has accumulated at least 480 medals, including 248 gold.

Big Ten Announces Sellout for 2014 Men’s Basketball Tournament

Posted on February 24, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. – For the second consecutive year, the conference office announced that the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament is officially sold out. The 2014 event is scheduled for March 13-16 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The City of Indianapolis and Bankers Life Fieldhouse play host to the 2014 Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. Indianapolis was the first city to host both tournaments in the same year, with 2014 marking the ninth occurrence of this feat. The 2014 edition serves as the 18th time the women’s tournament will be held in Indianapolis, while the men tip off in Indy for the ninth time. The Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments will also be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in 2016.

The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament features 11 games over four days, beginning with four contests on Thursday, and the top four teams will receive byes into the quarterfinal round on Friday. Six different programs have won the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State has claimed the title four times, including three of the last four years. Michigan State has won the tournament on three occasions, including the last time the event was held in Indianapolis in 2012. Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin have each won the championship twice, and Purdue has won the tournament once.

The 2014 Big Ten Basketball Tournaments include a number of fan events surrounding the 22 tournament games. These events include the Big Ten Hoops Day 5K, Big Ten Career Expo, Big Ten Thinks Pink, pep rallies in advance of both championship games, restaurant pairings, youth initiatives, and much more. Visit www.bigten.org or www.IndianaSportsCorp.org for more information.

Notice to Secondary Market Ticket Buyers: The Big Ten Conference and Bankers Life Fieldhouse can only guarantee the validity of Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets purchased from university ticket offices, Ticketmaster, Indiana Sports Corp, or the Bankers Life Fieldhouse ticket office. Fans who obtain tickets from unauthorized dealers or from other fans run the risk of buying lost, stolen or counterfeit tickets which will not be honored for admission, and will not be eligible for any type of refund or exchange.

About the Big Ten Conference: The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in student-athletes’ lives and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The broad-based athletic programs of the 12 Big Ten institutions provide in excess of $141 million in direct financial aid to more than 8,200 student-athletes playing on more than 300 teams in 43 different sports. The Big Ten sponsors 26 official conference sports, 13 for men and 13 for women, and will add men’s and women’s lacrosse as the 27^th and 28^th official sports for the 2014-15 academic year. For more information, visitwww.bigten.org.

Indiana Sports Corp’s mission is to create positive impact by hosting world-class sporting events that enhance vibrancy in the community, build civic pride, drive economic impact and media exposure, and encourage opportunities for youth. A not-for-profit organization, Indiana Sports Corp was founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission. Our recent and upcoming schedule of events includes NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, Big Ten Football Championship Games through 2015, Big Ten Basketball Tournaments, and much more. For more information, visit www.IndianaSportsCorp.org.

BTN to Air Seven Big Ten Winter Championships

Posted on February 18, 2014

CHICAGO – For the seventh consecutive year, BTN will televise seven winter Big Ten Championships, including wrestling, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field and men’s and women’s gymnastics.

Among BTN’s expert analysts for the upcoming Big Ten winter championships are three former Olympians, including gymnasts Shawn Johnson and John Roethlisberger, diver David Boudia and Rowdy Gaines, a World Champion swimmer.

Coverage begins at 10:30 AM ET on Sunday, Feb. 23, with the Big Ten Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships from Minnesota. The Big Ten Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships will air at 10:30 AM ET on Sunday, March 2, from Michigan.

Coverage continues at 10:30 AM ET on Saturday, March 8, with the Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships. Both the men’s and women’s events will take place at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH.

BTN’s coverage of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships will be carried live at 2 PM ET on Sunday, March 9, from Wisconsin.

On Saturday, March 22, BTN will televise the first session of the Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Championships live atNoon ET, followed by the second session live at 5 PM ET. Penn State will host the women’s event. The network will also have live coverage of the Big Ten Men’s Gymnastics Championships at 7 PM ET on Friday, March 28, and at 5 PM ET on Saturday, March 29. The men’s event will take place at Nebraska.

The Big Ten currently has 43 teams ranked in the top 25 nationally in Olympic sports programs for the winter season, including in men’s gymnastics (No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 6 Illinois, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Iowa, No. 11 Nebraska), women’s gymnastics (No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Nebraska, No. 14 Illinois, No. 15 Minnesota, No. 20 Penn State, No. 23 Penn State), men’s swimming & diving (No. 2 Michigan, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 7 Indiana, No. 11 Minnesota, No. 23 Purdue, No. 24 Penn State), women’s swimming & diving (No. 11 Indiana, No 13. Minnesota, No. 16 Ohio State, No. 18 Purdue, No. 19 Penn State, No. 20 Michigan, No. 25 Wisconsin), men’s indoor track & field (No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 6 Penn State, No. 21 Nebraska, No. 23 Ohio State), women’s indoor track & field (No. 10 Penn State, No. 15 Purdue, No. 25 Michigan) and wrestling (No. 1 Minnesota No. 2 Penn State, No. 3 Iowa, No. 8 Michigan, No. 9 Nebraska, No. 13 Ohio State, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 18 Illinois, No. 23 Northwestern, No. 24 Purdue).

The complete television schedule for the Big Ten Winter Championships appears below. For more information, go towww.btn.com or www.bigten.org.

2014 BTN Winter Championships Schedule:

Sport	Dates	Site	Air Date and Time (ET)
Women’s Swimming & Diving	February 19 – 22	Minnesota	Sunday, Feb. 23 at 10:30 AM
Men’s Swimming & Diving	February 26 – March 1	Michigan	Sunday, March 2 at 10:30 AM
Indoor Track & Field	February 28- March 1	Geneva, OH	Saturday March 8 at 10:30 AM
Wrestling	March 8 – 9	Wisconsin	Sunday, March 9 at 2 PM (LIVE)
Women’s Gymnastics	March 22	Penn State	Saturday, March 22 at Noon(LIVE)
Women’s Gymnastics	March 22	Penn State	Saturday, March 22 at 5 PM (LIVE)
Men’s Gymnastics	March 28 – 29	Nebraska	Friday, March 28 at 7 PM (LIVE)
Men’s Gymnastics	March 28 – 29	Nebraska	Saturday, March 29 at 5 PM (LIVE)

Indiana Voted Big Ten Baseball Preseason Favorite, Nebraska Second

Posted on February 12, 2014

Rosemont, Ill. – Indiana was the unanimous choice by the conference coaches as the preseason favorite to claim the Big Ten Championship, it was announced on Wednesday. The conference’s coaches voted on the top six teams and also selected three players from their own squads to a Players to Watch list. The Hoosiers were followed in the preseason poll by No. 2 Nebraska, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Michigan State, with Illinois and Michigan tied for fifth.

The Hoosiers return seven of their nine All-Big Ten honorees from last year’s College World Series squad, including third baseman Dustin DeMuth, catcher Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Sam Travis, who were named Big Ten Players to Watch. The trio each earned Preseason All-America accolades from various outlets, with Schwarber being a unanimous pick from Baseball America, College Baseball Newspaper and the National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

Nebraska was picked to finish second after advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game last season. Starting pitcher Aaron Bummer, second baseman Pat Kelly and outfielder/designated hitter Michael Pritchard were named Big Ten Players to Watch. Kelly was a 2013 All-Big Ten first-team pick and Pritchard was a second-team choice.

Ohio State welcomes back 13 letterwinners from last season, while also getting back Big Ten Player to Watch choice Josh Dezse, who missed last season due to injury. Other Players to Watch for the Buckeyes include Preseason All-America reliever Trace Dempsey, who was named to the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List, and outfielder Patrick Porter.

Michigan State is coming off its fourth straight 30-win season after earning 33 victories last season. Outfielder Jimmy Pickens, who was a second-team All-Conference choice a year ago, outfielder Cam Gibson, who earned a spot on the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team, and pitcher Justin Alleman were tabbed Big Ten Players to Watch.

Illinois advanced to NCAA Tournament play a season ago, finishing the year with 35 victories. Starting pitcher Kevin Duchene, a 2013 All-Conference second-team pick, and reliever Ronnie Muck are two of the Illini’s 15 returning pitchers, while first baseman David Kerian was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2013. The three were named Players to Watch.

Michigan was part of the Big Ten Tournament field in 2013 and returns six of its eight position players from last year’s team. Each of the Wolverines three Big Ten Players to Watch this season, infielder/reliever Jacob Cronenworth, starting pitcher Evan Hill and shortstop Travis Maezes, were named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team a season ago.

The top-six preseason poll and complete Players to Watch list can be found below.

2014 BIG TEN BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL (top six teams)

1. INDIANA

2. Nebraska

3. Ohio State

4. Michigan State

T-5. Illinois

T-5. Michigan

CAPS denote a unanimous selection

2014 BIG TEN BASEBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kevin Duchene, So., SP, Illinois

David Kerian, Jr., 1B, Illinois

Ronnie Muck, Sr., RP, Illinois

Dustin DeMuth, Sr., 3B, Indiana

Kyle Schwarber, Jr., C, Indiana

Sam Travis, Jr., 1B, Indiana

Sasha Kuebel, Jr., SP, Iowa

Eric Toole, Jr., CF, Iowa

Jake Yacinich, Jr., SS, Iowa

Jacob Cronenworth, So., IF/RP, Michigan

Evan Hill, So., SP, Michigan

Travis Maezes, So., SS, Michigan

Justin Alleman, So., SP, Michigan State

Cam Gibson, So., OF, Michigan State

Jimmy Pickens, Jr., OF, Michigan State

Alec Crawford, Sr., SP, Minnesota

Matt Halloran, Sr., C, Minnesota

Ben Meyer, Jr., SP, Minnesota

Aaron Bummer, Jr., SP, Nebraska

Pat Kelly, Jr., 2B, Nebraska

Michael Pritchard, Sr., OF/DH, Nebraska

Brandon Magallones, Jr., SP, Northwestern

Matt Portland, So., SP, Northwestern

Kyle Ruchim, Sr., IF, Northwestern

Trace Dempsey, Jr., RP, Ohio State

Josh Dezse, Jr., P/DH, Ohio State

Patrick Porter, Jr., OF, Ohio State

James Coates, So., OF, Penn State

Alex Farkes, Sr., C, Penn State

Greg Guers, So., OF, Penn State

Sean McHugh, Sr., 3B/C, Purdue

Jordan Minch, So., SP, Purdue

Kyle Wood, So., SP/1B, Purdue