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ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced its 2022 football preseason honors on Monday ahead of the start of Big Ten Football Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium. A media panel selected the 10-member preseason list, with five representatives each from the East and West Divisions.
Ohio State placed a trio of honorees on the East Division list highlighted by the unanimous selection of quarterback C.J. Stroud, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last season. Stroud was joined on this year’s preseason East Division squad by a pair of Buckeye offensive standouts in running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as well as Michigan running back Blake Corum and Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed.
Four different schools placed students on the West Division preseason list, led by two representatives from Wisconsin in running back Braelon Allen and linebacker Nick Herbig. They were joined on the list by Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell, Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski and Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
Last season, Stroud was named the Big Ten Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year, Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year and Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year. He was also a first-team All-Big Ten selection alongside Campbell and Skoronski, joining second-team selections Henderson, O’Connell and Allen, as well as third-team honorees Corum, Reed and Smith-Njigba.
Seven of this year’s Big Ten preseason honorees — Campbell, Reed, Skoronski, Smith-Njigba, Stroud, O’Connell and Herbig — are scheduled to attend Big Ten Media Days this week in Indianapolis.
The full list of Big Ten football preseason honorees is as follows:
EAST
Blake Corum, RB, MICH
Jayden Reed, WR, MSU
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, OSU
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, OSU

C.J. STROUD, QB, OSU
WEST
Jack Campbell, LB, IOWA

Peter Skoronski, OT, NU
Aidan O’Connell, QB, PUR
Braelon Allen, RB, WIS

Nick Herbig, OLB, WIS
Unanimous selection in ALL CAPS



Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan State Earn Weekly Men’s Basketball Honors Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell and Purdue’s Trevion Williams named Co-Players of the Week

Co-Player of the Week
E.J. Liddell, Ohio State
F – Jr. – 6-7 – Belleville, Ill. – West
  • Averaged 21.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.5 steals per game while shooting 14-of-22 from the floor in two Ohio State victories last week, including a 73-55 win over No. 22 Wisconsin
  • Scored 28 points with nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal in the home victory over Wisconsin
  • Posted 15 points and added seven rebounds, three assists and a block in an 85-74 win over Towson
  • Earns the first Player of the Week accolade of his career
  • Last Ohio State Player of the Week: Duane Washington Jr (Feb. 22, 2021)
Co-Player of the Week
Trevion Williams, Purdue
F – Sr. – 6-10 – Chicago, Ill. – Henry Ford Academy (Mich.)
  • Averaged 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game and went 19-of-31 from the floor in Purdue’s two games last week
  • Narrowly missed Purdue's first triple-double since 1977 with 22 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists to go along with four blocks and two steals in an 82-72 overtime victory against NC State in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational
  • Recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds, in addition to an assist and a steal, in a 70-68 road loss to Rutgers
  • Earns the second Player of the Week accolade of the season, and fourth of his career
  • Last Purdue Player of the Week: Trevion Williams (Nov. 22, 2021)
Freshman of the Week
Max Christie, Michigan State
G – 6-6 – Arlington Heights, Ill. – Rolling Meadows
  • Averaged 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in two Michigan State conference victories
  • Scored nine points with five rebounds, three assists and a career-high three blocks while playing a key defensive effort in a 75-67 road win over Minnesota
  • Added seven points and two rebounds in an 80-64 home victory over Penn State
  • Earns his second career Freshman of the Week honor
  • Last Michigan State Freshman of the Week: Max Christie (Dec. 6, 2021)
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Eight MAC Teams accept bowl bids

MAC Record Eight Programs Accept Bowl Bids
 
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today a MAC-record eight programs have accepted bowl invitations for the 2021 bowl season. The eight bowl invitations tops the Conference mark of seven set in 2012 and 2015. 
 
Toledo (Bahamas Bowl), Northern Illinois (Tailgreeter Cure Bowl), Eastern Michigan (Lending Tree Bowl), Kent State (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl), Miami (Frisco Football Classic), Ball State (Camellia Bowl), Western Michigan (Quick Lane Bowl), and Central Michigan (Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl) will represent the MAC in bowl games this season.
 
This marks the sixth time in MAC history that six or more programs have received a bowl invitation (2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021) in a single season. This also marks the 13th time in MAC history to have five or more programs receive a bowl invitation (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) in a single-season.

 
2021 MAC Bowl Schedule:
Toledo vs. Middle Tennessee State (C-USA), Bahamas Bowl, Dec. 17, Noon ET (ESPN)
Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt), Tailgreeter Cure Bowl, Dec. 17, 6 PM ET/5 PM CT (ESPN2)
Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty (Ind.), Lending Tree Bowl, Dec. 18, 5:45 PM ET (ESPN)
Kent State vs. Wyoming (Mountain West), Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 21, 3:30 PM ET (ESPN)
Miami vs. North Texas (C-USA), Frisco Football Classic, Dec. 23, Time TBA (ESPN)
Ball State vs. Georgia State (Sun Belt), Camellia Bowl, Dec. 25, 2:30 PM ET (ESPN)
Western Michigan vs. Nevada (Mountain West), Quick Lane Bowl, Dec. 27, 11 AM ET (ESPN)
Central Michigan vs. Boise State (Mountain West), Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl, Dec. 31, 4:30 PM ET (Barstool Sports)

"I could not be happier for our students, coaches and fans selected to play in a Conference record eight bowl games," said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. "The matchups are exciting and present opportunities for memorable experiences for those involved. I appreciate our bowl partners who work all year to facilitate unique experiences for game participants and fans."

HAMMOCK NAMED MAC COACH OF THE YEAR; DUCKER IS LEAGUE’S TOP FRESHMAN
Ten Huskies Honored on All-MAC Teams, Led by First Team DB C.J. Brown
 DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University head coach Thomas Hammock has been named the 2021 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year and freshman running back Jay Ducker (Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue HS) was selected as the league’s Freshman of the Year, as the MAC released its 2021 Postseason Awards and All-Conference teams, as selected by MAC head coaches, Wednesday.
 Freshman safety C.J. Brown (Canton, Mich./Walled Lake Western HS) led a contingent of 10 Huskies named to one of the conference’s three All-MAC teams by earning first team honors. Fellow freshman Trayvon Rudolph (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee HS) earned MAC second team honors at wide receiver and kickoff returner; he was joined on the second team by offensive linemen Nolan Potter (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington HS) and Brayden Patton (Elletsville, Ind./Edgewood HS).
 A third offensive lineman, redshirt freshman Logan Zschernitz (Spencer, Wis./Spencer HS), was named to the All-MAC third team along with running back Clint Ratkovich (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee HS/Western Illinois), and three Huskie defenders: defensive tackle James Ester (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech), linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr. (Pompano Beach, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) and cornerback Jordan Gandy (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb HS/South Dakota State).
Hammock led the Huskies, the second-youngest team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), to the MAC West Division title and eight wins in 2021, including seven by one score or less. NIU opened the 2021 season with a 22-21 “Boneyard” win at Georgia Tech after scoring a touchdown and two-point conversion with 38 seconds to play. In all, NIU won four games by two points or less and another in overtime en route to an 8-4 record. The Huskies’ third-year mentor is the fourth NIU head coach to be named MAC Coach of the Year, joining a list that includes Bill Mallory (1983), Joe Novak (2002) and Rod Carey (2013).

 “I view this recognition as a tremendous honor for our program,” Hammock said. “It’s a reflection of our players, it’s a reflection of our coaches, and the tremendous job that those groups have done to have the type of success we’ve had this year.”
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No. 1 Georgia is followed by Oklahoma after Iowa tumbles in USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll
Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY
Sun, October 17, 2021, 12:50 PM
Another upset in college football's top five and a few more ranked teams tasting defeat caused plenty of scrambling in this week's USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches poll. The change didn’t quite reach the top, however, as Georgia solidified its grip on the No. 1 spot.
The Bulldogs dispatched previously unbeaten Kentucky and received all 65 first-place votes, achieving the first unanimous No. 1 ranking of the season.
Oklahoma vaulted into the No. 2 spot following its most impressive offensive performance of the campaign - a 21-point defeat of TCU. Cincinnati rolled past Central Florida and improves one place to No. 3, just 11 poll points behind the Sooners. Alabama, a big winner at Mississippi State following its first loss of the year, moves up to No. 4.
Oklahoma running back Eric Gray (0) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half against TCU in Norman, Okla.A quartet from the Big Ten East holds down the next slots. Ohio State leads the group at No. 5, just six points ahead of Michigan. Michigan State remained unscathed with a close win at Indiana and nudges into the No. 7 slot ahead of Penn State. Oklahoma State vaults to No. 9 after its comeback win at Texas. Oregon stays put at No. 10.

Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue Capture Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards

Player of the Week
Jonni Parker, Penn State
Sr. – RS – Casstown, Ohio – Miami East – Major: Education
• Named the Most Valuable Player at the Penn State Classic after averaging 3.89 kills, 2.44 digs and 1.22 blocks per set in sweeps over Iowa State, Oregon State and LSU
• Recorded her 1,000th career kill in the first set against Iowa State on Sept. 3
• Twice selected for Academic All-Big Ten honors (2019, 2020)
• Earns her first career Player of the Week honor
• Last Penn State Player of the Week: Kaitlyn Hord (Sept. 9, 2019)


Defensive Player of the Week
Kayla Caffey, Nebraska
Sr. – MB – Chicago, Ill. – Mother McAuley – Graduate Major: Teaching, Learning and Teacher’s Education
• Averaged a team-high 1.56 blocks per set in helping Nebraska to wins over Omaha, Georgia and Arizona State at the Huskers’ Ameritas Players Challenge last week
• Also registered 2.44 kills per set and hit .405 for the weekend, including six kills without an error on 10 swings and seven blocks while coming off the bench in the final two sets against Omaha
• Earned a place on the all-tournament team
• Garners her first career Defensive Player of the Week accolade
• Last Nebraska Defensive Player of the Week: Kenzie Knuckles (Nov. 4, 2019)


Setter of the Week
Hayley Bush, Purdue
Grad. – S – Union, Ky. – Ryle – Graduate Major: Finance
• Earned MVP honors at the Rebel Challenge in Las Vegas after registering 12.67 assists per set in leading Purdue to three-set wins over No. 25 Washington State and UNLV last weekend
• Dished out 45 assists in a sweep of WSU, the most by a Big Ten student-athlete in a three-set match since Nov. 2019
• Named an Academic All-Big Ten selection last season
• Collects her fourth career Setter of the Week plaudit
• Last Purdue Setter of the Week: Hayley Bush (March 29, 2021)


Co-Freshman of the Week
Milan Gomillion, Maryland
L – Bowie, Md. – Annapolis Area Christian School – Major: Undeclared
• Averaged 4.91 digs per set in helping Maryland to the Cherry & White Challenge title in Philadelphia with wins over Long Island, Temple and Iona
• Recorded 22 digs in the tournament opener against LIU and added 18 digs in a five-set win over Temple, both on Sept. 3
• Named to the all-tournament team as the Terrapins are off to their best start (6-0) since 2017
• Receives her first career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Maryland Freshman of the Week: Erika Pritchard (Nov. 27, 2017)


Co-Freshman of the Week
Arica Davis, Ohio State
MB – Raleigh, N.C. – North Raleigh Christian Academy – Major: Biology
• Tallied 1.9 kills and 1.5 blocks per set last weekend with a .517 attack percentage as Ohio State defeated Rhode Island, Texas State and Texas Tech at the Red Raider Classic in Lubbock, Texas
• Had eight blocks and six kills in the win over Texas State on Sept. 4
• Added a season-high seven kills and hit .778 with four blocks in the tournament opener against Rhode Island on Sept. 3
• Receives her second career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Arica Davis (Aug. 30, 2021)

MAC Announces 2021 Football Preseason Media Poll

DETROIT, Mich.  The poll was announced at the conference's annual MAC Football Media Day at Ford Field and was determined by the league's media members.
 
The Eagles received 44 points, finishing ahead of Northern Illinois (29). Ball State was selected to repeat as West Division champions with 114 total points, followed by Toledo (104), Western Michigan (112), Central Michigan (68), then EMU.
 
In the East Division, Kent State was selected first with 112 total points ahead of Ohio with 96 total points. Miami finished third with 94 points, followed by defending East Division Champion Buffalo with 93 points, then Akron (39) and Bowling Green (28).
 
Six teams received votes to win the annual Rocket Mortgage MAC Football Championship Game between the winners of the West and East Divisions. The Cardinals garnered seven votes, while Toledo (5), Kent State (4), Western Michigan (3), Buffalo (2), and Miami (1) were each featured on ballots.


MAC East Division
1. Kent State (11) – 112 points
2. Ohio (2) – 96 points
3. Miami (5) – 94 points
4. Buffalo (4) – 93 points
5. Akron – 39 points
6. Bowling Green – 28 points
 
MAC West Division
1. Ball State (11) – 114 points
2. Toledo (7) – 104 points
3. Western Michigan (4) – 103 points
4. Central Michigan – 68 points
5. Eastern Michigan – 44 points
6. Northern Illinois – 29 points

2021 Rocket Mortgage MAC Football Championship Game Winner: Ball State (7), Toledo (5), Kent State (4), Western Michigan (3), Buffalo (2), Miami (1)

Big Ten Announces Baseball All-Big Ten Honors and Individual Award Winners

Nebraska’s Spencer Schwellenbach earns Big Ten Player of the Year plaudits


ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The Big Ten on Sunday announced the 2021 baseball individual award winners and All-Big Ten teams, as selected by the conference coaches. Nebraska’s Spencer Schwellenbach was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, Iowa’s Trenton Wallace earned Pitcher of the Year honors, Nebraska’s Max Anderson claimed Freshman of the Year recognition and Huskers head coach Will Bolt was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
 
Schwellenbach becomes the first Nebraska standout to claim Big Ten Player of the Year honors. A shortstop and reliever for the Huskers, Schwellenbach ranks thrid overall in saves (8), fourth in assists (109), third in runs (41), sixth in walks (27) and seventh in RBI (35). The team captain has pitched 25.1 innings with a 0.71 ERA and 29 strikeouts.
 
Wallace becomes the first Iowa hurler to earn Big Ten Pitcher of the Year accolades. In 73.0 innings pitched, the left-handed starter currently paces the Big Ten in wins (7), strikeouts (106) and ERA (2.34). Wallace is the second Hawkeye pitcher to strike out more than 100 batters in a single season, joining Jim Magrane, who struck out 110 during the 1999 season.



Anderson becomes the second Nebraska player to capture Big Ten Freshman of the Year plaudits and the first since 2016. The third baseman leads the conference in hits (60) and is eighth in the league with a .337 average.
 
Bolt was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year, becoming the second Nebraska head coach to earn the honor. Bolt guided the Huskers to their second Big Ten Championship and first since 2017.
 
The Big Ten also announced the Sportsmanship Award honorees from each institution. The students chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These students must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
 
The complete list of All-Big Ten teams and award winners can be found below.
 
Player of the Year: 
Spencer Schwellenbach, Nebraska
Pitcher of the Year: Trenton Wallace, Iowa
Freshman of the Year: Max Anderson, Nebraska
Coach of the Year: Will Bolt, Nebraska

 
All-Big Ten First Team

C – Luke Roskam, Nebraska
1B – Anthony Calarco, Northwestern
2B – Ted Burton, Michigan
SS – Benjamin Cowles, Maryland
3B – Jackson Raper, Illinois

OF – Grant Richardson, Indiana
OF – Ben Norman, Iowa
OF – Jaxon Hallmark, Nebraska
SP – Trenton Wallace, Iowa

SP – Steven Hajjar, Michigan
SP – Cade Povich, Nebraska
RP – Spencer Schwellenbach, Nebraska
DH – Justin Janas, Illinois
At-Large – Shawn Goosenberg, Northwestern

 
All-Big Ten Second Team

C – Griffin Mazur, Michigan
1B – Conner Pohl, Ohio State
2B – Zack Raabe, Minnesota
SS – Benjamin Sems, Michigan
3B – Max Anderson, Nebraska
OF – Chris Alleyne, Maryland

OF – Tito Flores, Michigan
OF – Kade Kern, Ohio State
SP – Gabe Bierman, Indiana
SP – McCade Brown, Indiana
SP – Cameron Weston, Michigan
RP – Ryan Ramsey, Maryland
DH – Matt Wood, Penn State
At-Large – Michael Trautwein, Northwestern

 
All-Big Ten Third Team*

C – Ryan Hampe, Illinois
1B – Jimmy Obertop, Michigan
2B – Izaya Fullard, Iowa
SS – Branden Comia, Illinois
3B – Chris Brito, Rutgers
OF – Zaid Walker, Michigan State

OF – Ben Nisle, Purdue
OF – Miles Simington, Purdue
SP – Andrew Hoffmann, Illinois

SP – Garrett Burhenn, Ohio State
SP – Seth Lonsway, Ohio State
RP – Willie Weiss, Michigan

RP – TJ Brock, Ohio State
DH – Mike Bolton, Purdue
At-Large – Cole Barr, Indiana

 
All-Big Ten Freshman Team

C – Luke Shliger, Maryland
2B – Paul Toetz, Indiana
SS – Mitch Jebb, Michigan State
3B – Max Anderson, Nebraska

OF – Morgan Colopy, Indiana
OF – Kade Kern, Ohio State
OF – Ryan Lasko, Rutgers
SP – Riley Gowens, Illinois

SP – Jason Savacool, Maryland
SP – Nick Powers, Michigan State
RP – John Modugno, Indiana
DH – Ethan O'Donnell, Northwestern
At-Large – Matthew Shaw, Maryland

At-Large – Brice Matthews, Nebraska

Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Nate Lavender, Illinois

Collin Hopkins, Indiana
Grant Leonard, Iowa
Elliot Zoellner, Maryland
Joe Pace, Michigan
Andrew Morrow, Michigan State
Jack Wassel, Minnesota
Joe Acker, Nebraska
Charlie Bourbon, Northwestern
Joe Gahm, Ohio State
Conor Larkin, Penn State
Trent Johnson, Purdue
Kyle Muller, Rutgers
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Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin Earn Three Stars Honors Badgers’ 

Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin Earn Three Stars Honors
Badgers’ Caufield earns First Star accolades after recording his second hat trick of the season

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First Star
Cole Caufield, Wisconsin
F – So. – Stevens Point, Wis.

Posted three goals and a pair of assists last week to help the Badgers sweep Ohio State
  • Recorded a pair of helpers in Friday’s 2-1 overtime victory for his third-straight multi-point game
  • Registered his second hat trick of the season and the third of his career on Saturday to become the first Badger since Jason Zent in 1993 to record three career hat tricks
  • Earns his fifth career weekly award and his fourth of the season
  • Last Wisconsin honorees: Ty Pelton-Byce (First Star) and Linus Weissbach (Third Star) on Feb. 23, 2021


Second Star
Dylan St. Cyr, Notre Dame
G – Sr. – Northville, Mich.
 
  • Posted back-to-back shutouts at Michigan State last weekend
  • Stopped all 56 shots faced on the weekend and left the series with an active shutout streak of 125:27, dating back to game two at Wisconsin (Feb. 20)
  • Posted his second consecutive shutout, his third of the season and the fifth of his career on Saturday, stopping 29 shots in the 2-0 victory
  • Claims his first career weekly honor 
  • Last Notre Dame honoree: Alex Steeves (Second Star) on Feb. 23, 2021
 


Third Star
Matty Beniers, Michigan
F – Fr. – Hingham, Mass.


  • Recorded a trio of goals to lead Michigan to a 1-0-1 mark against Arizona State last weekend 
  • Notched his first career hat trick to lead the Wolverines to a 4-1 win over the Sun Devils on Friday night
  • Took five shots on goal and scored on three, finished with a +3 rating and won 57.1 percent of his faceoffs
  • Claims his first career weekly honor 
  • Last Michigan honoree: Cam York (Second Star) on Feb. 16, 2021
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This week in the B1G

Player of the Week
Luka Garza, Iowa
C – Jr. – 6-11 – Washington, D.C. – Maret School – Major: Business
  • Averaged 30 points, five rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in a pair of victories over Northwestern and No. 19 Michigan
  • Connected on 10 field goals in both games averaging .625 from the field and shot .667 from the three-point line for the week
  • Poured in 33 points, bolstered by a career-high 11 free-throws made, in a seven-point triumph over the Wolverines on Friday
  • Posted 77 points in two games versus Michigan this season, the most points by any Big Ten player versus a single opponent in regular season conference play over the last 20 seasons
  • Now has four 30+ scoring games this year, the most by a Hawkeye since Peter Jok (5) in 2017 and ranks fourth nationally and most by any player from a Power 5 conference this year
  • In Iowa's win at Northwestern, led all scorers with 27 points and scored Iowa's first 10 points of the game as well as posted 14 straight points in the second half
  • Earns the second Player of the Week accolade of his career; was a two-time Freshman of the Week honoree in 2017-18
  • Last Iowa Player of the Week: Luka Garza (Dec. 9, 2019)
Freshman of the Week
CJ Fredrick, Iowa
G – 6-3 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Covington Catholic – Major: Sport and Recreation Management
  • Scored in double figures in a pair of Iowa wins, posting 11 points at Northwestern and 21 points versus No. 19 Michigan averaging 16 points per game for the week
  • Shot .750 from the three-point line versus the Wolverines and .667 from the field
  • Tied personal bests in assists (5) and steals (2) in the win at Northwestern
  • Also tied a personal best with 21 points in a home win versus the Wolverines
  • Helped Iowa win its seventh game of the last nine outings, including the Hawkeyes’ third win over a ranked team this season
  • Earns his first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor of his career
  • Last Iowa Freshman of the Week: Joe Toussaint (Jan. 6, 2020)

Anders Named to the Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University inside linebacker Darren Anders been named to the 2022 Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List, announced the Maxwell Club on Monday (Aug. 1). He is one of five players from the MAC on the list of 90 college football players. The Maxwell Club presents the award annually to the nation's best defensive player.


The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to be a full-time player on both offense and defense.
Anders (North Olmsted, Ohio), who has also been named on the Butkus Award and Nagurski Trophy Watch Lists, was a 2021 first-team All-MAC linebacker, finishing last season No. 1 in the MAC and No. 8 in the nation with 10.3 tackles per game.  Anders was one of three players in all of FBS over the last two seasons to rank in the top-15 nationally in tackles and is the only one who returns to CFB in 2022. He was also one of three FBS players in 2021 with 120+ tackles, 3.0+ sacks, 1+ fumbles recovered and 1+ interceptions (one of two through the regular season) and the only one returning to CFB in 2022. Anders has been named a preseason first-team All-MAC honoree by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele.
 
Anders is the first Falcon since Austin Valdez in 2016 to be named to the Bednarik Watch List. CJ Brown (NIU), Jamal Hines (Toledo), James Patterson (Buffalo) and Jose Ramirez (Eastern Michigan) are the other MAC players that join Anders on the preseason watch list.
 
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 1, 2022, while the three finalists for the award will be unveiled Nov. 22, 2022. The winners of the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 8, 2022. The formal presentation of the Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards live from Atlantic City, N.J. on March 10, 2023.

MSU's Mel Tucker (B1G) and NIU's Thomas Hammock (MAC) Coaches of the year

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Mel Tucker named Big Ten Coach of the Year•
Jim Harbaugh and Michigan might’ve ended Ohio State’s streak of consecutive Big Ten titles by coming out on top of this past weekend’s matchup, but the head coach of the Wolverines’ in-state rival will be the one walking away from 2021 with the conference’s highest honor.
Michigan State’s Mel Tucker has officially won Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 2021 season, according to an announcement from the conference. The second-year program leader swept both the coaches’ and the media votes to become the first Spartans head coach to win the honor since Mark Dantonio in 2013.
Tucker is more than deserving of the award, as he completely changed the trajectory of Michigan State in less than two years at the helm. After the Spartans went 2-5 in 2020, the former Colorado head coach turned things around in 2021 and went 10-2 in the regular season.
Michigan State was in the conversation for a College Football Playoff berth for most of the year until losses to Purdue and Ohio State brought an end to that dream. However, the Spartans beat Michigan for the second straight season and reached as high as fifth in the AP Poll for the first time since 2015.
The award caps off a fantastic week for Tucker, who also signed a massive contract extension to remain with Michigan State for the next decade. The 10-year deal will earn him a base salary of $9.5 million per year, making him one of the highest paid coaches in all of college sports.
“Every day I wake up feeling humbled to be the head football coach at Michigan State,” Tucker wrote in a letter to Spartans fans last week. “It is my privilege to work alongside our student-athletes, coaches and staff who embody our culture of hard work, discipline, and excellent – on and off the field.”
The 2021 season isn’t quite over for Tucker and the Spartans just yet. Michigan State should be on its way to a New Year’s Six bowl game, depending on how the conference championships play out this upcoming weekend.

Minnesota State Claims No. 1 Spot in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll
USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine
2021-22 Men's College Hockey Poll - Week #3

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B1G Football Players of the Week

Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State Earn Weekly Honors Moss (IOWA), Stout (PSU), Stroud (OSU) and Walker III (MSU) garner accolades


​Offensive Player of the Week
Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
RB – Jr. – Arlington, Tenn. – Arlington (Tenn.)
  • Rushed for a career-high 264 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on 23 carries (11.47 avg.) in Michigan State’s 38-21 win at Northwestern. His 264 yards rushing marked the seventh-highest single-game total in Michigan State history and his four rushing touchdowns were the most by a Spartan since Edwin Baker rushed for four touchdowns vs. Minnesota in 2010. Became just the seventh player in the Big Ten since 2000 to register more than 260 yards rushing and four-plus touchdowns and the first player to do so since Melvin Gordon ran for 408 yards and four touchdowns vs. Nebraska in 2014
  • Sprinted for a 75-yard touchdown on the game’s first play from scrimmage to give Michigan State a 7-0 lead. Also added touchdowns of 3, 5 and 6 yards
  • His 264 yards mark the highest single-game rushing yardage total by any player in the FBS through Week 1
  • Earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
  • Last Michigan State Offensive Player of the Week: Felton Davis III (Oct. 2, 2017)
Defensive Player of the Week
Riley Moss, Iowa
DB – Sr. – Ankeny, Iowa – Centennial (Iowa)
  • Returned two interceptions for touchdowns in Iowa’s 31-6 win over Indiana, marking just the second time since 2000 that a Big Ten player has recorded two pick-sixes in a conference game
  • Becomes the third Iowa player since 2000 to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game, joining Joshua Jackson (Nov. 11, 2017 at Wisconsin) and B.J. Lowery (Sept. 21, 2013 vs. Western Michigan)
  • Is just the second FBS player since 2018 to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a single game. The last player to accomplish the feat was Akron’s Alvin Davis at Northwestern on Sept. 15, 2018
  • Earns the second Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career and his first since Oct. 8, 2018
  • Last Iowa Defensive Player of the Week: Zach VanValkenburg (Nov. 16, 2020)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Jordan Stout, Penn State
K/P – Sr. – Cedar Bluff, Va. – Honaker (Va.)
  • In Penn State’s 16-10 road win at Wisconsin, averaged a career-high 53.9 yards per punt on seven punts, marking the second-highest single-game punting average in Penn State history, trailing only Ralph Giacomarro who averaged 54.75 yards per punt at Syracuse in 1981.
  • Registered five punts of 50-plus yards, including a career-long 76-yarder in the third quarter. His 76-yard punt tied for the third-long punt in Nittany Lions history
  • Added a 24-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 10-10
  • Garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
  • Last Penn State Special Teams Player of the Week: Jahan Dotson (Dec. 14, 2020)


Freshman of the Week
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
QB – Empire, Calif. – Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.)
  • Completed 13 of 22 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns in his first career start to help Ohio State defeat Minnesota 45-31. His 294 yards are the second-most by a Buckeye quarterback making the first start of their career since 2000
  • Threw four touchdown passes in the second half to rally Ohio State from a 14-10 halftime deficit. Recorded three touchdown passes of 50-plus yards, connecting on touchdown strikes of 56, 61 and 70 yards
  • Is one of just nine quarterback in the FBS to pass for four-plus touchdowns in a game this season
  • Earns the first Freshman of the Week honor of his career
  • Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Tate Martell (Sept. 10, 2018)

MAC Media Interviews

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Toledo Head Coach  Jason Candle on Offensive football

MAC:BSU Cardinals QB Drew Plitt looks to repeat in 2021

With an outstanding cast around him Ball State Univ. QB Drew Plitt led the Cardinals to the MAC Championship and a bowl win over San Jose State. He is very confident and can beat you with his arm or legs. MAC Media Day

2021 Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics All-Conference Teams Announced Michigan with four first-team honorees, Minnesota with seven overall selections 

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference announced the 2021 women’s gymnastics all-conference teams and Sportsmanship Award recipients on Wednesday. The all-conference teams were determined on the basis of national qualifying scores (NQS) accumulated by student-athletes during the 2021 season.


A total of nine different Big Ten programs are represented on this year’s all-conference teams, including seven schools among the 15 first-team all-conference selections. Michigan leads the way with four first-team honorees, while both Big Ten regular-season champion Iowa and Minnesota have three gymnasts named to the All-Big Ten First Team and Rutgers has two.


Illinois and Minnesota each have four second-team all-conference selections on the 15-person squad, while Penn State features two student-athletes on the All-Big Ten Second Team.


Also on Wednesday, the Big Ten recognized the 10 women’s gymnastics 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.


The 2021 Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Championships will be held Saturday at the University of Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis. The afternoon session (featuring Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers) will start at noon (CT), while the evening session (which includes Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota), will begin at 5:30 p.m. (CT). Both sessions will be televised live on the Big Ten Network and will also be streamed live on the FOX Sports app.


The 2021 women’s gymnastics All-Big Ten teams and Sportsmanship Award recipients can be found below.


2021 WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS


FIRST TEAM
JerQuavia Henderson, IOWA
Clair Kaji, IOWA
Adeline Kenlin, IOWA
Audrey Barber, MD
Sierra Brooks, MICH
Abby Heiskell, MICH
Gabby Wilson, MICH
Natalie Wojcik, MICH
Mya Hooten, MINN
Ona Loper, MINN
Lexy Ramler, MINN
Kynsee Roby, NEB
Cassidy Rushlow, PSU
Belle Huang, RU
Hannah Joyner, RU


SECOND TEAM
Nicole Biondi, ILL
Shaylah Scott, ILL
Mia Takekawa, ILL
Mia Townes, ILL
Lauren Guerin, IOWA
Reese McClure, MD
Naomi Morrison, MICH
Mary Korlin-Downs, MINN
Maddie Quarles, MINN
Tiarre Sales, MINN
Hannah Willmarth, MINN
Anika Dujakovich, NEB
Jenna Swartzentruber, OSU
Alissa Bonsall, PSU
Ava Verdeflor, PSU


BIG TEN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Mallory Mizuki, ILL
Allie Gilchrist, IOWA
Sanya Glauber, MD
Abby Brenner, MICH
Baleigh Garcia, MSU
Hannah Willmarth, MINN
Anika Dujakovich, NEB
Jenna Swartzentruber, OSU
Lauren Bridgens, PSU
Belle Huang, RU
By: Michael Marot, AP Sports Writer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Juwan Howard understands the power of patience. It should serve No. 3 Michigan well this week.
Thirty seasons after first arriving in Ann Arbor as part of the famed Fab Five, the second-year coach watched Franz Wagner match his season high with 21 points and Isaiah Livers finish with 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Wolverines pulled away or a 73-57 victory at Indiana — and to the precipice of Howard’s first Big Ten crown.
“There’s a reason I think Michigan is championship good,” Hoosiers coach Archie Miller said. “To me, they’re really complete and they have a great opportunity to go as far as anyone in the country.”
But if Michigan keeps playing this well, it could be just a formality.
The Wolverines have won seven straight and are 5-0 since resuming play following a COVID-19 pause. They’ve also won eight straight over Indiana, three in Bloomington, and it didn’t take Michigan long to break this one open.
Mike Smith started the decisive 10-0 spurt with a 3-pointer midway through the first half and capped it by making two free throws for a 32-21 lead. After the Hoosiers answered with five straight to cut the deficit to six, Michigan went on a 10-3 run for a 42-29 lead.
“Today’s emphasis was energy,” Howard said. “We knew we weren’t going to walk in here and just get a win. I knew Indiana would be prepared and they would come out with great energy. But we emphasized that we had to be ready from the jump ball and they were ready from the jump ball.”
Livers opened the second half with three straight 3s to expand the margin and the Wolverines sealed the victory with an 8-0 spurt that made it 59-42 with 11:23 to play. Now they’ll wait to see if that’s enough to capture their first conference regular-season title since 2014.
Aljami Durham led Indiana (12-12, 7-10) with 15 points while Race Thompson added 11 points and six rebounds. Indiana has lost three straight and four of its last five as they fight for an NCAA Tournament bid.
Michigan: Sure, the Wolverines can score. But they can defend, too. Michigan made Indiana uncomfortable against full-court pressure, stayed in front of the Hoosiers in half-court defense, and challenged shot after shot. It’s no wonder the Wolverines seem destined for a No. 1 seed.
Indiana: The Hoosiers trailed 22-21 with 8:36 left in the first half — and then let another one get away. Indiana has shown promise with a sweep of Iowa and overtime losses to three ranked foes: Wisconsin, Florida State and Illinois. But as the season winds down, Miller’s squad needs to finish strong.
​

Players of the Week

​McBride Earns MAC Player of the Week Honor
This is the juniors first time earning the conference honor

CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University men's basketball student-athlete, junior Bryce McBride (Jackson, Tenn.-Southside (Dyersberg C.C.)), was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Week today, Dec. 13, by the league office. This is McBride's first time earning the honor. 

The junior captain was outstanding for Eastern Michigan in its pair of wins over Niagara, Dec. 8, and Florida International, Dec. 11. With its unblemished week, the Eagles are now in the midst of a season-best three-game win streak. 
 
McBride was critical to EMU's victories in both contests. The Jackson, Tenn. native began the week with a team-best 19 point performance. That effort, his second-best of the season, saw him convert on 63 percent of his shots and hit a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe. 
 
Even better on Saturday, McBride helped lead the Eagles to victory in the program's first-ever 4OT game, a win which came against one of the nation's hottest teams, the Florida International Panthers; FIU entered the contest on a seven-game win streak. McBride chipped in 15 in front of a nearly 4,000-member crowd at the newly-named George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti. The special day featured the return of The Iceman to campus and the surprise renaming announcement. McBride played a whopping 49 minutes off the bench, including every second of the four extra periods that culminated with an EMU victory, 92-88.

Illinois, Ohio State and Wisconsin Earn Weekly Football Honors

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Offensive Player of the Week
Chase Brown, Illinois
RB – So. – London, Ontario – St. Stephens Episcopal (Fla.)
  • Rushed for 223 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries (6.76 avg.) in Illinois’ 20-18 upset win at then-No. 7 Penn State. Marked the most rushing yards ever by a player in a game at Beaver Stadium
  • Has now rushed for more than 200 yards in two games this season, having also eclipsed the 200-yard plateau vs. Charlotte on Oct. 2 (257 yards). Joined Howard Griffith (1990) and Rashard Mendenhall (2007) as the only players in program history with multiple 200-yard rushing performances in a single season
  • Is one of just three FBS players to register multiple 200-yard rushing games this season along with Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III and Missouri’s Tyler Badie
  • Earns the second Offensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
  • Last Illinois Offensive Player of the Week: Chase Brown (Oct. 4, 2021)


Defensive Player of the Week
Leo Chenal, Wisconsin
LB – Jr. – Grantsburg, Wis. – Grantsburg
  • Registered nine tackles and a career-high 3.5 sacks in Wisconsin’s 30-13 win at then-No. 25 Purdue. Also set a career high with 5.5 tackles for loss
  • His 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss marked the highest single-game totals by a Big Ten player this season and are tied for the second-most by an FBS player in a game this year
  • Helped the Badgers defense hold the Boilermakers to -13 yards rushing, which is tied for the second-best performance against the run by a Badgers defense in program history. The only time that the Wisconsin defense has held an opponent to fewer rushing yards was in November 1951 when they held Iowa to -18 rushing yards
  • Earns the first Defensive Player of the Week honor of his career
  • Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week: Chris Orr (Sept. 30, 2019)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Collin Larsh, Wisconsin
K – Sr. – Marshall, Wis. – Monona Grove (Wis.)
  • Connected on all three of his field goal attempts in Wisconsin’s 30-13 win at then-No. 25 Purdue. Also made all three of his extra point attempts to register 12 points for the Badgers
  • Made a pair of field goals in the second quarter (23 and 37 yards) to knot the game at 13-13 heading into halftime
  • Tied his career long with a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter
  • Earns the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
  • Last Wisconsin Special Teams Player of the Week: Rafael Gaglianone (Sept. 5, 2016)


Freshman of the Week
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
QB – Empire, Calif. – Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.)
  • Completed 21 of 28 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns in three quarters of action during Ohio State’s 54-7 win at Indiana
  • Threw three touchdown passes in the first half to help the Buckeyes build a 44-7 halftime lead
  • Has now thrown 14 touchdown passes with zero interceptions in Ohio State’s last three games. Ranks second nationally in passer efficiency (192.8) and is tied for sixth in the country this season with 22 touchdown passes
  • Earns the fifth Freshman of the Week honor of his career; was also named Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 11
  • Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: C.J. Stroud (Oct. 11, 2021)

• For the first time in the history of the Associated Press college football poll (established in 1936), the Big Ten has five teams ranked in the top 10. Iowa leads the conference at No. 2, followed by No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Michigan, and No. 10 Michigan State. 
• Three Big Ten teams remain undefeated on the season, as Iowa, Michigan and Michigan State are all 6-0. Additionally, Ohio State is 3-0 in conference play and 2-0 in the East Division. 
• No. 2 Iowa defeated then-No. 4 Penn State, 23-20, to earn its first win over a top-5 opponent since the Hawkeyes defeated No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 4, 2017. The Hawkeyes have now won six straight games against ranked opponents dating back to 2019, marking Iowa’s longest streak since a six-game stretch in 1960. The Iowa defense has now held 28 straight opponents to fewer than 25 points and ranks in the top-5 nationally in the following defensive categories: scoring defense (4th, 13.0 ppg), turnover margin (1st, 2.50 per game) and team defensive passing efficiency (3rd, 89.65).
• Iowa has won 12 consecutive games dating back to last season and has outscored its opponents, 403-161, during the winning streak.
• Michigan State defeated Rutgers, 31-13, and is now 6-0 for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2015. The Spartans offense exploded in the win for 588 total yards and became just the fifth team in FBS history to have a 300-yard passer (Payton Thorne, 339), 200-yard rusher (Kenneth Walker III, 233) and 200-yard receiver (Jalen Nailor, 221) in the same game. The last team to accomplish the feat was Oklahoma State in 2008. 
• In 2021, the Spartans have received top-5 single-game FBS performances from Kenneth Walker III (2nd, 264 rushing yards at Northwestern on Sept. 3), Jalen Nailor (4th, 221 receiving yards at Rutgers on Oct. 9), Jayden Reed (4th, 285 all-purpose yards vs. Western Kentucky on Oct. 2) and Jayden Reed (5th, 88 punt return yards vs. Western Kentucky on Oct. 2).
• Ohio State topped Maryland, 66-17, marking the fifth time in six games that the Buckeyes have scored more than 40 points. The Ohio State offense has now scored more than 50 points in each of its last three games and leads the nation in total offense (563.2 ypg), while ranking third in scoring offense (48.5 ppg.) and third in team passing efficiency (187.76). The Buckeyes offense also ranks second in the country in third-down conversation percentage (.565 pct.).
• Ohio State freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 406 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Maryland and has now registered two 400-yard passing games this season (484 vs. Oregon on Sept. 11) and five passing touchdowns in back-to-back games. Stroud ranks third in the country with a passer efficiency of 191.2 and is sixth in the FBS in passing yards per game (339.8).
• Michigan defeated Nebraska, 32-19, to remain unbeaten and is 6-0 for the first time since 2016. The Wolverines currently rank among the top 20 nationally in both scoring offense (15th, 38.5 ppg) and scoring defense (9th, 15.5 ppg). 
• Wisconsin secured its first conference win of the season with a 24-0 victory over Illinois. The shutout marked the Badgers’ first since a 38-0 win over Michigan State on Oct. 12, 2019 and the school’s first road shutout of a Big Ten team since a 31-0 win at Minnesota on Nov. 25, 2017. Wisconsin outgained Illinois 391 yards to 26 yards on the ground, marking the fourth time in five games that the Badgers have held their opponent to 50 rushing yards or less. This season, the Badgers rank second in the nation in total defense (217.8 ypg), first in rushing defense (41.4 ypg) and third in defensive third-down conversion percentage (.239).     
• Thirteen Big Ten Conference students are among the 176 semifinalists for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy. Now in its 32nd year, the Campbell Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete. Representing the Big Ten as this year’s Campbell Trophy semifinalists are Illinois’ Doug Kramer, Indiana’s Jack Tuttle, Iowa’s Zach VanValkenburg, Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan State’s AJ Arcuri, Minnesota’s Conner Olson, Nebraska’s Ben Stille, Northwestern’s Sam Gerak, Ohio State’s Jeremy Ruckert, Penn State’s Sean Clifford, Purdue’s Zander Horvath, Rutgers’ Noah Vedral and Wisconsin’s Matt Henningsen. 
• All six of the New Year’s Six bowl games have had a chance to host a semifinal game twice with the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl doing so three times. This year, the Cotton and Orange Bowls will serve as semifinal games. Last year, Alabama became the second-straight No. 1 seed to win the playoff. The No. 1 seed didn’t win a title in the first five years. The No. 2 seed has won it three times and the No. 4 seed has won it twice. The No. 3 seed has won just three playoff games in seven years with Ohio State winning one of those last season.

MAC Commissioner ​DR. JON STEINBRECHER
​on the state of college athletics/MAC
 

Kent State Grad Players give the Flashes a chance for a great 2021

Miami Wins 25th Reese Trophy

Cleveland, Ohio – For a Mid-American Conference record 25th time, Miami University has captured the Reese Trophy as the top men’s athletic program during the 2020-21 academic year. The RedHawks have seized back-to-back honors as the top men’s athletic program, marking the first time Miami has won consecutive Reese Trophies since 2004-05 when it won three straight.
Miami competes in seven men’s sports and won two Mid-American Conference Championships during the 2020-21 academic year. The RedHawks programs won the Conference title in men’s track and field for the first time in 1993 and captured the men’s swimming and diving championship for the first time since 2019 with 932 team points and the program’s ninth overall MAC championship.
 In cross country, Miami finished as the runner-up at the Conference meet with 64 team points, while the football program finished tied for third in the MAC East Division with a 2-1 league record in a shortened season.
 Miami finished the baseball season ranked eighth in the league with a 18-22 MAC record, ending 25-31 overall.  In golf, Miami finished with a team score of 929 for a fourth-place finish at the MAC Championship at Sycamore Hills Golf Club.  In basketball, the RedHawks finished the season seventh with a 9-8 MAC record.
​For the Reese Trophy, points are awarded based on each school’s finish, with the overall total divided by the number of sports sponsored by each school. The men’s trophy is named for former MAC Commissioner David E. Reese.  Reese was the first-ever MAC Commissioner and served the Conference from its inception in 1946 until 1964.
 2020-21 Reese (Men’s) Final Standings
1. Miami
2. Western Michigan
3. Ball State
4. Kent State
5. Central Michigan
6. Buffalo
7. Toledo
8. Eastern Michigan
9. Akron
10. Ohio
11. Northern Illinois
12. Bowling Green

SCHRUM NAMED NIKE® HORIZON LEAGUE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

INDIANAPOLIS – Oakland men's soccer forward Dawsun Schrum was named Nike® Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week, announced by the league office on Friday.
 
Schrum, a junior from Sterling Heights, Mich., posted three goals with two assists totaling 11 points helping Oakland to a pair of wins over Milwaukee and Cleveland State.
 
Schrum had a hand in all of Oakland's four goals scoring two while assisting on the other two accounting for six total points in the Golden Grizzlies' thrilling 4-3 win over Milwaukee. For his efforts, he was one of 12 student-athletes named to the College Soccer News Men's National Team of the Week (ending Mar. 14) and was a TopDrawerSoccer.com Men's DI Team of the Week Honorable Mention (Mar. 15).
 
Schrum also recorded a goal for the second consecutive game in Oakland's 3-2 win over CSU helping the Golden Grizzlies finish the regular season home league schedule a perfect 5-0 at the Grizz Dome.
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Iowa and Rutgers Earn Big Ten Weekly Women’s Basketball Awards
Hawkeyes’ Clark and Scarlet Knights’ Guirantes share latest conference honors
Co-Player AND Freshman of the Week
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Fr. – G – West Des Moines, Iowa – Dowling Catholic – Major: Undeclared
• Recorded her first career triple-double on Dec. 22 with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the Hawkeyes’ win over Western Illinois
• Posted the 10th triple-double in program history (tying for the second-most by one school in NCAA Division I history) and the first by an Iowa student-athlete since March 27, 2015 (Samantha Logic vs. Baylor in NCAA Sweet Sixteen at Oklahoma City)
• Had the first triple-double by a Big Ten freshman since Dec. 19, 2017, when Nebraska’s Kate Cain (22 points/14 rebounds/11 blocks) did so against Florida Atlantic
• Earns the third Big Ten Player of the Week award of her career
• Last Iowa Player of the Week: Caitlin Clark (Dec. 14, 2020)
• Collects the fourth Freshman of the Week award of her career
• Last Iowa Player of the Week: Caitlin Clark (Dec. 14, 2020)


Co-Player of the Week
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers
Sr. – G – Bellport, N.Y. – Bellport – Major: Global Sports Business (Master’s)
• Registered her first career triple-double on Dec. 23 with 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists in a win over Manhattan
• Tallied the third triple-double in program history and first by a Scarlet Knight since Feb. 8, 2011, when Khadijah Rushdan (13 points/10 rebounds/10 assists) pulled off the feat against Pittsburgh
• Joined Clark in posting the first triple-doubles on consecutive days in Big Ten women’s basketball history; the Big Ten also has three of the five triple-doubles recorded by NCAA Division I student-athletes this season (Indiana’s Grace Berger had one on Nov. 25 against Eastern Kentucky)
• Earns the fourth Big Ten Player of the Week award of her career, and the second this season
• Last Rutgers Player of the Week: Arella Guirantes (Dec. 21, 2020)
​Big Ten Women’s Basketball Weekly Honor Roll
Jaelynn Penn, Sr., G, IND: Collected a season-high 19 points, five rebounds, team-best four steals and three assists in the Hoosiers’ win at Big Ten foe Minnesota on Dec. 23
Julia Ayrault, So., G, MSU: Finished just shy of a double-double in Michigan State’s Dec. 22 win over Oakland, logging 14 points (6-8 FG) and nine rebounds in only 20 minutes of action
Kayana Traylor, Jr., G, PUR: Registered her second consecutive 20-point game on Dec. 23 in a conference win over Nebraska, winding up with 21 points and seven assists 
​
IAMI, Fla. - Jalisha Terry reached double figures for the fifth consecutive game scoring a season second-best 19 points going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line with four assists and three steals leading Oakland to a 61-55 win over Jacksonville State to close out FIU Thanksgiving Classic play with a undefeated 2-0 mark on Sunday afternoon. Chloe Guingrich added 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting while Kayla Luchenbach chipped in with 10 points.

Guingrich and Luchenbach also lead the way on the glass with six rebounds each while Sydney Gouard and Brianna Breedy each grabbed five boards.       

Defensively, Oakland posted 12 points off 14 turnovers while holding JSU to just 3-for-21 from 3-point range. In Classic play, the Golden Grizzlies held both opponents for a combined 7-for-36 (19.4%) from behind the arc. 

Each team scored 13 points as Oakland led at the half, 30-24. The third and fourth quarters turned out the be mirror opposites as the Gamecocks outscored the Golden Grizzlies 21-10 to take 45-40 lead at the end of the frame. 

Oakland returned the favor in the fourth quarter outscoring JSU 21-10 highlighted by a 11-1 run to take the lead, 51-46, at the 6:36 minute mark.

After JSU cut the lead to one at 51-50, Luchenbach added a pair of free throws and a layup followed by a pair of free throws from Terry, a jumper from Guingrich and another pair of free throws from Kahlaijah Dean to close out the game for good.

Oakland travels to Michigan on Sunday, Dec, 8 at 2 p.m.
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PEORIA, Ill. -- Sept. 8- Mackenzie Schneider recorded eight kills, hitting .318, plus seven digs and seven service aces, tying the school record, as the Oakland volleyball team completed a five-set, come-from-behind win over Belmont Saturday at the CEFCU Bradley Invite.

Brittany Welch led all players with 18 kills, and added nine digs and three blocks.

Abby Neidinger recorded a career high 16 kills and a .406 hitting percentage. Also registering double digit kills was Jamie Walling with 13.

Lindsay Wightman (16), Madison Ross (14) and Katelyn Johnson (10) each recorded double digit digs, while Megan Hobler and Jessica Reidl each led Oakland with five blocks. Hobler was named to the all-tournament team after a stellar defensive outing on the weekend, recording 18 total blocks, good for 1.38 blocks per set, in the three matches. 

The Golden Grizzlies (4-2) will return to action on Sept. 10 with a home match against Bowling Green.
 
 
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