B1G /College

B1G Women's College week of 11.28

ROSEMONT, Ill. (Nov. 25, 2022) -- The third-ranked University of Wisconsin volleyball team clinched the 2022 Big Ten Conference championship Friday with a 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 25-19) victory over No. 5 Nebraska at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Neb. The Badgers claimed their fourth consecutive Big Ten title and their ninth overall, as well as the conference’s automatic qualification into the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Wisconsin (24-3, 18-1 Big Ten) is the second school in Big Ten volleyball history to win four consecutive Big Ten titles (all of which have been outright championships) and the first since Penn State won eight in a row from 2003-10. PSU also had a string of four Big Ten titles in a row from 1996-99.
Wisconsin junior middle blocker/right side Devyn Robinson had a match-high 16 kills in Friday’s clinching win at Nebraska, leading a balanced attack for the Badgers, who had five players finish with at least eight kills and extend their current winning streak to 17 matches. The Huskers (24-4, 16-3) were led by senior middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord, who recorded 13 kills and .500 for the match.
The final matches of the 2022 Big Ten Conference volleyball regular season schedule will be played Saturday, including a nationally televised doubleheader on the Big Ten Network as Wisconsin travels to No. 6 Ohio State (7 p.m. ET) and ninth-ranked Minnesota visits Nebraska (9 p.m. ET). Both matches can also be seen on the FOX Sports app.
The 64-team field for the 2022 NCAA Tournament will be announced at 7:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday live on ESPNU. At least one Big Ten program has reached the NCAA national semifinals (Final Four) each year since 2007, with at least one member institution advancing to the NCAA national championship match 12 times in that 15-year span. Last year produced an all-Big Ten Conference national title contest, with Wisconsin edging Nebraska 3-2 to win its first NCAA national championship before a record-setting crowd of 18,755 fans at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

B1G Women's Basketball

Three Big Ten Conference schools will celebrate Thanksgiving on the basketball court, as holiday tournaments tip off Thursday. Wisconsin will take on Georgia in the quarterfinals of the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands (1 p.m. ET on ESPN3), while Purdue tangles with Harvard to open play at the Cancun Challenge (1:30 p.m. ET on FloHoops). In the nightcap, Michigan State gets a top-five test as the Spartans face No. 5/4 Iowa State at the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU). Big Ten programs already have two top-five wins this season, as Ohio State and Indiana each defeated Tennessee during the opening week of the season.
No. 4/6 Ohio State became the eighth different Big Ten Conference school to score 100 points in a game this season, topping Wright State, 105-52 on Wednesday at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes’ performance further illustrates the trend in recent years of an exciting brand of up-tempo Big Ten basketball. This season, eight Big Ten schools are averaging more than 80 points per game (with a ninth - Penn State - knocking on the door at 79.8 ppg.), and seven of the nation’s top 20 scoring offenses (including four of the top 10) reside in the Big Ten, led by Ohio State (4th - 91.8 ppg.), Michigan State (6th - 91.0 ppg.), Iowa (9th - 90.0 ppg.) and Indiana (10th - 89.2 ppg.).
Ohio State also nabbed 19 steals on Wednesday against Wright State, the fifth consecutive game the Buckeyes have posted double-digit steals (OSU’s longest such streak since December 2009). Ohio State currently is No. 1 in the country in turnovers forced (31.8 per game) and second in both steals (19.6 spg.) and turnover margin (+18.20 per game). Buckeye senior guard Jacy Sheldon is tops in the nation with 6.75 steals per game and has recorded at least five steals in three games this season, including a career-high 11 thefts on Nov. 13 at Boston College (the most steals by a Big Ten player in a single game since Nov. 14, 2014 (11 by Northwestern’s Ashley Deary at Chicago State).
It’s called “sharing the sugar”, and so far this season, no conference has been sweeter when it comes to the assist game than the Big Ten. Seven conference schools rank among the top 25 in the country in assists, paced by the top three in the land — Michigan (1st - 23.5 apg.), Michigan State and Ohio State (tied for 2nd - 21.8 apg.). Purdue senior guard Jeanae Terry is second in the country in assists (9.0 apg.) and has posted double-digit assist totals in three of the Boilermakers’ four games this year, tying her career high with 12 in Purdue’s most recent win on Sunday against Indiana State.
As of Thursday, the Big Ten leads all conferences in assists (18.2 apg.) and steals (10.8 spg.), while ranking second in the nation in scoring (80.0 ppg.), rebounding (42.0 rpg.) and field-goal percentage (.460).
Nebraska sophomore forward (and reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year) Alexis Markowski piled up 24 points and 18 rebounds Tuesday night in the Huskers’ 71-53 win over Tarleton at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Markowski’s 18 rebounds are the most by a Big Ten player in a single game since Feb. 27, 2022, when Michigan State’s Tamara Farquhar grabbed 22 rebounds against Ohio State.
Penn State tied the second-largest comeback in Big Ten Conference history on Monday night, erasing a 21-point second-half deficit to defeat Syracuse, 82-69 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The only larger Big Ten comeback win occurred almost exactly four years earlier on Nov. 23, 2018, when Iowa rallied from a 24-point first-half deficit to knock off West Virginia, 84-81, at the Junkanoo Jam in Bimini, Bahamas.
With Monday’s victory, Penn State is 5-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 season, when the Lady Lions also opened 5-0. The last time Penn State won six consecutive games to start a season was 1996-97, when it debuted 7-0.
Illinois is also off to a 5-0 start this season (with all five wins by at least 25 points) following its 84-55 victory over Oakland on Monday at the State Farm Center. The last time the Fighting Illini opened 5-0 was 2014-15 — only three times in the program’s 49-year history has Illinois started with six consecutive wins (6-0 in both 1980-81 and 1986-87, as well as a school-record 10-0 start in 1981-82).
For the second time in three seasons, Michigan State has opened with a 6-0 record, thanks to its 84-54 win at Central Michigan on Nov. 19. The Spartans have won all six of their games this season by at least 30 points (three by 40 or more points), a first in program history.
On Sunday, Maryland became the third Big Ten Conference program to capture a non-conference Top 25 win this season, going into Waco, Texas, and toppling No. 17/17 Baylor, 73-68 behind a career-high 32 points and 10 rebounds from senior guard Diamond Miller (who was chosen Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday). The Terrapins join Indiana and Ohio State with ranked wins under their belts this season, while the Big Ten ranks second among all conferences with its three Top 25 victories to date.
The Big Ten Conference remains tied for the national lead among all conferences with three top-10 and five top-25 teams in this week’s Associated Press poll. The Big Ten had three top-10 programs in the AP poll for seven weeks last season, most recently on Jan. 3, 2022. In the latest media survey, Ohio State continues its early season surge, up another four spots to No. 4 (the Buckeyes’ highest ranking since reaching the same No. 4 spot on Jan. 25, 2010), followed by Indiana, which moved up six places to No. 6 this week. Iowa is next at No. 9, with Maryland also on the rise, jumping five notches to No. 14. Michigan is up to No. 22, while Nebraska is also receiving votes this week.
For the second consecutive week, the Big Ten shares the national lead with three top-10 schools and five top-25 teams in the WBCA/USA Today coaches’ poll — No. 5 Indiana, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 8 Iowa, No. 17 Maryland and No. 23 Michigan, with Nebraska receiving votes. The Big Ten had three top-10 teams in the coaches’ poll for nine weeks last year, including the final poll after the NCAA Tournament.
With wins by Ohio State and Indiana over Tennessee on Nov. 8 and 13, respectively, three different Big Ten Conference schools have earned five marquee top-five regular-season non-conference victories in the past four years. On Nov. 28, 2019, Indiana downed No. 5/6 South Carolina, 71-57 at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. A week later on Dec. 5, 2019, Ohio State ousted No. 2/2 Louisville, 67-60 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Value City Arena. More recently on Dec. 19, 2021, Michigan defeated No. 5/5 Baylor, 74-68 in overtime at the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase in Uncasville, Conn., securing the Wolverines’ first-ever top-five win.
Big Ten Conference programs have a 57-13 (.814) combined record this year, prevailing by an average margin of 30.7 points per game, with more than half (31) of those wins by at least 30 points. Highlighting the Big Ten’s success are three Top 25 wins (Ohio State vs. No. 5/4 Tennessee; Indiana at No. 11/4 Tennessee; Maryland at No. 17/17 Baylor). Since the start of the 2019-20 season, Big Ten schools are a combined 325-102 (.761) in non-conference regular-season games, the best stretch in conference history.
Although many of the Big Ten’s wins to date this season have featured large margins, a handful have gone down to the wire and one has gone to overtime, with Iowa prevailing at Drake, 92-86 on Nov. 13. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, Big Ten teams are a combined 16-5 (.762) when going to overtime in non-conference regular season games and have won 11 of their last 13 OT contests against outside opposition.
On Monday, the NCAA announced the host cities for the 2027-31 NCAA Women’s Final Four, with two of those events to be played within the Big Ten Conference footprint. In 2027, the Final Four will be held at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio (site of the 2018 event), and one year later in 2028, the Final Four returns to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (after the city hosted both the 2005 and 2016 Final Fours). Since the NCAA Tournament’s inception in 1982, eight Final Fours have been held in the Big Ten footprint, with conference member institutions serving as the host on three occasions (Minnesota hosted at the Target Center in Minneapolis in 1995 and 2022, while Ohio State did likewise at Nationwide Arena in 2018 and will do so again in 2027). With Monday’s announcement, three of the next six Final Fours will be in Big Ten country, with the 2024 event set for Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
Former Purdue All-American, 1999 Wade Trophy recipient and 1999 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year Stephanie White was named head coach of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun on Monday. This is the second WNBA head coaching stint for White, who led the Indiana Fever for two seasons (2015-16), highlighted by a trip to the 2015 WNBA Finals. White is among 13 coaches with ties to current Big Ten member institutions who have served as head coaches in the WNBA’s 26-year history, including two others who are presently active. Former Penn State standout (and 2003-05 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year) Tanisha Wright is in her third season with the Atlanta Dream, and White’s predecessor in Connecticut, Curt Miller, recently accepted the same role with the Los Angeles Sparks — before moving to the WNBA, Miller has served as head coach at Indiana University from 2012-14.
On Nov. 11, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame unveiled the 12 finalists for the Class of 2023 induction class. Among that group at two Big Ten Conference legends — former Purdue head coach Carolyn Peck, who led the Boilermakers to their first NCAA national championship in 1999, and current Minnesota head coach/former All-America guard Lindsay Whalen, who guided the Golden Gophers to their first NCAA Final Four berth in 2004 and was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame back in September. This year’s Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction class will be announced Sunday (Nov. 27) live on ABC at halftime of the Phil Knight Invitational championship game. There have been 12 enshrinees with Big Ten ties, the most recent being former Ohio State All-America guard Katie Smith in 2018.
The Big Ten Network announced its Nov. 8 broadcast of No. 14/15 Ohio State defeating No. 5/4 Tennessee drew 100,498 viewers, ranking as the second-most watched women’s basketball non-conference game in BTN history. The only higher-drawing game took place on Dec. 21, 2016, when 141,041 viewers tuned in for Nebraska’s matchup with UConn at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

BIG TEN HOCKEY WEEKLY RELEASE

• The Thanksgiving Holiday brings a break in conference action as six Big Ten teams engage in nonconference action. Penn State led off the week by hosting Alaska Fairbanks Tuesday evening in a series that continues tonight. Notre Dame and Ohio State travel to the east coast with the Irish taking on Boston University and Boston College and the Buckeyes meeting Long Island. Michigan will host Harvard, the lone undefeated team in college hockey, while Michigan State faces Miami (Ohio) in Oxford. Minnesota heads to the desert to encounter Arizona State at the brand new Mullett Arena. Wisconsin, winners of four-straight, is idle this week.
• The Big Ten owns a .766 winning percentage (35-10-2) against other conferences (and independent teams), the best percentage among all leagues. Penn State is undefeated against nonconference opponents with a 7-0 mark after defeating Alaska Fairbanks, 3-2, last night in University Park.
• Minnesota moved into first place in the Big Ten standings with a road sweep at Michigan on Nov. 17-18. Head Coach Bob Motzko’s squad has won six of seven games, all against ranked teams. Michigan skated without five players in the series due to illness while Minnesota was also missing some key players. The Big Ten features three teams among the NCAA’s top-five in scoring offense, with Michigan (1st, 4.14 goals per game) and Minnesota (5th, 3.86) in that group along with Penn State (4th, 3.93).
• With a quarter of the Big Ten schedule completed, Minnesota features the top three scorers in conference play. Jimmy Snuggerud owns a league-best 10 points in eight games for a 1.25 points per game average, just head of Jaxon Nelson (1.13) and Bryce Brodzinski (1.13). Michigan’s Mackie Samoskevich sports a 1.33 average having played two fewer games. Minnesota last produced a Big Ten scoring champion in 2016-17 when Tyler Sheehy shared honors with Ohio State’s Mason Jobst.
• Special teams often decide games and the Big Ten has some of the best units in the land. Michigan ranks second among NCAA schools in power play percentage, operating at a 31.7 percent clip (20-for-63). On the flip side, Ohio State’s penalty killing units have gone 50-for-54 for a 92.6 percentage that stands second-best nationally. The Buckeyes also lead the nation with six short-handed goals, resulting in the rare feat of having outscored their opponents this season, 6-4, when skating with one fewer player.
• Three Big Ten schools rank in the top four nationally in home attendance: Minnesota (2nd, 8,176 average), Wisconsin (3rd, 7,012) and Penn State (4th, 5,989). The Nittany Lions are playing to 105 percent capacity at Pegula Ice Arena. Michigan (5,633), which ranks eighth on the list, has filled Yost Ice Arena to 97.1 percent capacity. Michigan State also ranks in the top 10 (9th, 5,066) in home attendance.

Big Ten Conference Announces Three Stars of the Week
Wolverine defenseman Luke Hughes secures First Star honors
First Star
Luke Hughes, Michigan
D – So. – Canton, Mich. – U.S. National Team Development Program

Scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to spark Michigan’s 6-5 overtime victory at No. 17 Western Michigan (Oct. 29)
Recorded an assist and plus-three rating in Michigan’s 5-4 overtime win over WMU (Oct. 28)
Finished with four points as the Wolverines completed a sweep of the Broncos
Earns First Star accolade for the third time in his career
Last Michigan First Star: Adam Fantilli (Oct. 25, 2022)

Second Star
Liam Souliere, Penn State
G – Jr. – Brampton, Ontario – Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL)

Stopped 63-of-64 shots for a .984 save percentage and allowed one goal in a sweep of Wisconsin (Oct. 28-29)
Turned away 32 shots for his first career shutout in a 4-0 win over the Badgers on Oct. 29
Made 31 saves in a series-opening 2-1 victory in Madison
Receives Second Star honors for the first time
Last Penn State Second Star: Ryan Kirwan (Jan. 26, 2022)

Third Star
Ryan Bischel, Notre Dame
G – Sr. – Medina, Minn. – Fargo Force (USHL)

Saved 71 of 72 shots (.986 save percentage) to help Notre Dame earn four points versus Michigan State
Posted his second-straight home shutout in Notre Dame’s 5-0 win in the series opener (Oct. 28)
Made a career-high 41 saves in a 1-1 overtime tie against the Spartans (Oct. 29)
Receives a weekly Star Award for the second time in his career
Last Notre Dame Third Star: Spencer Stastney (Feb. 1, 2022)

The 10th season of Big Ten Hockey begins in earnest this weekend with three conference series. Michigan State travels to No. 12 Notre Dame, top-ranked Minnesota visits No. 11 Ohio State and No. 16/15 Penn State takes on Wisconsin in Madison. Fourth-ranked Michigan will engage in a home-and-home nonconference set with No. 17/16 Western Michigan.
• The Big Ten standings will be shaped by a points systems that awards three for a win in regulation. If the game is tied following regulation, both teams will receive one point, with a second point being awarded to the team that wins in either the 3-on-3 overtime period or the shootout.
• Big Ten Hockey makes its 2022-23 debut on Big Ten Network on Friday with Minnesota meeting Ohio State. The broadcast marks the first of a minimum of 26 games on BTN, culminating with the semifinals and championship game of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament in March.
• The Big Ten is coming off a strong showing against nonconference opponents. In addition to five series sweeps, Big Ten teams finished a combined 12-2-0 for the week of Oct. 20-22. Big Ten schools outscored their opponents, 59-28, netting five-or-more goals six times while posting two shutouts. Wisconsin won two games at No. 10 Minnesota Duluth for the Badgers’ first road sweep against a top-10 team since February 5-6, 2001 (at No. 2 Minnesota). Senior goaltender Jared Moe earned Big Ten Second Star accolades after stopping 73 of 75 shots against the Bulldogs.
• The Big Ten features two of the highest-scoring freshmen classes in the nation with Michigan’s seven-player group leading the way with 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) and Michigan State’s four newcomers tied for fourth with 21 points (6 goals, 15 assists). Based on strong rookie play, Michigan joins Penn State as the highest scoring team in the country. Both squads have generated 31 goals and average 5.1 goals per game.
• First-year Head Coach Adam Nightingale has guided Michigan State to a 4-2-0 record after three weeks of action, the program’s best start since the 2018-19 campaign. The Spartans play nine of 12 games at Munn Ice Arena to open the season.
• Michigan forward Adam Fantilli leads the NCAA in scoring after compiling a seven-point weekend that earned him Big Ten First Star of the Week honors. A freshman from Nobleton, Ontario, Fantilli has stockpiled 15 points on five goals and 10 assists over six contests. Fantilli’s success takes place as Michigan Hockey celebrates its 100th anniversary.
• The National Hockey League’s new Ironman is a Big Ten alumnus. Phil Kessel, a 17-year NHL veteran now playing for the Vegas Golden Knights, recently appeared in his 990th consecutive game, a streak that dates to Nov. 3, 2009. Kessel, a former Minnesota Golden Gopher, also scored his 400th career goal in that milestone game. Kessel is one of 11 former Big Ten players to have appeared in 1,000 NHL games.

ATHENS, Ohio - Sophomore Dennis Mutai and senior Mathew Chesum finished in fourth and sixth place, respectively, to lead the Toledo men's cross country team to a second-place finish at the 2022 MAC Men's Cross Country Championships at the Ohio University Golf Course on Saturday. The Rockets scored 54 team points, just eight points behind first-place Miami's 46. Eight of the nine Rockets who competed finished with personal-best times.

It was the second consecutive runner-up finish for Toledo, whose previous best mark prior to 2011 was fifth place.

Mutai (23:46.2) and Chesum (23:53.0) both had PRs, as did juniors Benjamin Otis and Geoff Howles, who came in 13the and 14th with identical times of 24:13.2. Sophomore Charles Kipchumba rounded out the scoring with a PR time of 24:24.6 and finished in 17th-place.

Other Rocket finishers were senior Jake Rethman (18th/PR 24:27.5), senior Jonathon Hrivnak (34th/25:08.8), junior Ben Towler (38th/PR25:18.7) and freshman Joshuah Taylor (40th/25:22.3).

"I'm really proud of both of our programs, especially our men," head cross country coach Andrea Grove-McDonough said. "It really couldn't have been a closer meet, right to that last mile. I was really proud of the men for taking some big risks out there on the course and try and see if they could pull off the big upset. It's remarkable how far that men's program has come, and what an incredible job coach Nick Stenuf has done to take them from where they were to knocking on the door of a MAC title."

"If you look at where the other men's-only cross country programs are finishing in these races compared to where we are, I think it's incredible. For a moment there, we thought maybe we would do it. This group of men and coach Nick have really believed in this from the beginning of the year. They started to see the pieces coming together last year. To watch those guys come out here and run as well as they did, I am super proud of them."

Mutai and Chesum were named First-Team All-MAC, while Otis and Howles made Second-Team All-MAC. For Otis, this was his third consecutive all-conference honor, while Chesum made all-conference for the second consecutive season.

Toledo will next attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championship Meet at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Terre Haute, Ind. on Friday, Nov. 11.

2022 MAC Cross Country Championships
Athens, Ohio | Ohio University Golf Course
Saturday, Oct. 29

Men's 8K Team Results
1. Miami - 46 pts.
2. Toledo - 54 pts.
3. Eastern Michigan - 79 pts.
4. Buffalo - 111 pts.
4. Kent State - 111 pts.
6. Ohio - 168 pts.
7. Central Michigan - 175 pts.
8. Bowling Green - 176 pts.

Top-5 Individual Runners
1. Obessa Feda, Miami - 23:39.7
2. Toby Gualter, Eastern Michigan - 23:42.1
3. Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan - 23:45.1
4. Dennis Mutai, Toledo - 23:46.2
5. Ryan Buzby, Buffalo - 23:48.0

Toledo Individual Finishes
4. Dennis Mutai, Toledo - 23:46.2 *PR
6. Mathew Chesum - 23:53.0 *PR
13. Benjamin Otis - 24:13.2 *PR
14. Geoff Howles - 24:13.2 *PR
17. Charles Kipchumba - 24:24.6 *PR
18. Jake Rethman - 24:27.6 *PR
34. Jonathon Hrivnak - 25:08.8 *PR
38. Ben Towler - 25:18.7 *PR
40. Joshuah Taylor - 25:22.3

2022 MAC Men's Cross Country First-Team All-MAC
Obsaa Feda, Miami
Toby Gualter, Eastern Michigan
Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Dennis Mutai, Toledo
Ryan Buzby, Buffalo
Mathew Chesum, Toledo
Baidy Ba, Kent State

2022 MAC Men's Cross Country Second-Team All-MAC
Mhalicki Bronson, Miami
Joe Farley, Kent State
Jake Bertelsen, Miami
Max Polak, Miami
Adam Rzentkowski, Central Michigan
Ben Otis, Toledo
Geoff Howles, Toledo

Ohio State Receives Women’s Golfer of the Week Award
Buckeyes’ McGinty closes fall campaign with 12 birdies and an eagle

Golfer of the Week
Caley McGinty, Ohio State
RS-Jr. – Bristol, England – Oasis Academy Brislington – Major: Communications

Led the Buckeyes to a seventh-place finish at the Jim West Challenge, held Oct. 23-24 at the Kissing Tree Golf Club in San Marcos, Texas
Finished with a 1-under-par 215 to place 17th overall
Registered below-par rounds of 71 (-1) and 70 (-2) during the first and third rounds, respectively
Earns first Big Ten Golfer of the Week award
Last Ohio State Golfer of the Week: Emily Hummer (April 21, 2022)

2022-23 Big Ten Women’s Golfers of the Week
Sept. 15              Kelli Ann Strand, Fr., NEB
Sept. 21              Leigha Devine, Sr., RU
Sept. 29              Isabel Sy, Jr., ILL | Luisamariana Mesones, Fr., MINN
Oct. 5                  Luisamariana Mesones, Fr., MINN
Oct. 12                Miu Takahashi, So., NEB | Rikke Nordvik, Jr., RU
Oct. 19                Crystal Wang, Gr., ILL
Oct. 26                Caley McGinty, RS-Jr., OSU

B1G Volleyball

As has become custom during the Big Ten Conference season, there will be multiple Top 25 matchups on the conference schedule this week, with three head-to-head contests between ranked opponents. Leading the way is Wednesday’s top-10 showdown, as No. 6 Ohio State travels to No. 10 Minnesota for an 8 p.m. (ET) match on Big Ten Network as part of its Wednesday night #B1GBlockParty.
For the sixth time in eight polls this season, the Big Ten Conference leads the country with a season-high seven schools in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll. Five of those polls have featured five Big Ten teams among the top 10, including this week’s rankings, which saw Minnesota return to that group at No. 10. Northwestern also continues to receive votes in the AVCA poll, the fourth time in the last five weeks the Wildcats have earned mention in the coaches’ poll.
Six Big Ten teams have earned multiple Top 25 wins this season, with four schools having captured at least four ranked victories to date. The two Big Ten programs that will square off Wednesday night on Big Ten Network — No. 6 Ohio State and No. 10 Minnesota — have each played a conference-high nine Top 25 opponents this season (MINN 5-4, OSU 4-5), making up more than 64 percent of their 14 matches to date (both schools are 9-5 this season entering Wednesday’s match).
The current dean of Big Ten Conference volleyball coaches, Michigan’s Mark Rosen will reach a remarkable coaching milestone Friday, when his 24th-ranked Wolverines travel to rival Michigan State (7:30 p.m. ET on B1G+). It will be Rosen’s 1,000th career match as a collegiate head coach — he has a career record of 672-327 (.673) in 31 seasons, including a 463-290 (.615) record in his 24-year run at Michigan.
With a record-setting 55 matches on linear television this season, the Big Ten Conference has the country’s strongest volleyball television package, a fact that will be abundantly clear during the next two weeks. On the next nine nights Big Ten volleyball programs will take the court from Oct. 12-26, at least one of those matches will be televised live by one of the conference’s television partners on evert single night. A total of 12 Big Ten matches will be broadcast (eight on Big Ten Network, four on ESPN networks), highlighted by a tripleheader on Oct. 19 and doubleheaders on Wednesday (Oct. 12) and Oct. 21.
Maryland continues to lead the nation in blocking this season (3.35 per set) while Nebraska remains tops in opponent hitting percentage (.117). Wisconsin is No. 3 in the country in both categories at 3.01 blocks per set while allowing opponents a mere .145 hitting percentage. Michigan’s Jess Robinson maintains her national lead in hitting percentage (.483), while Maryland’s Rainelle Jones has done likewise in blocks (1.76/set), just nosing out current national runner-up Danielle Hart of Wisconsin (1.64).
Another seven Big Ten programs are ranked in the top 25 of the latest NCAA RPI rankings released Monday, highlighted by six in the top 20 (the most of any conference in the country). Northwestern is also not far outside the top 25, currently checking in at No. 34.
The NCAA Division I women’s volleyball committee revealed its first regular-season top 10 rankings on Oct. 2, with the Big Ten leading all conferences by placing four among the top 10 — No. 4 Nebraska, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 9 Purdue and No. 10 Minnesota. The committee will offer a second reveal later this month.
The Big Ten Conference provides its programs with some of the best preparation for postseason play, with four conference schools currently having played schedules that rank among the 10 toughest schedules in the country (based on cumulative opposition winning percentage). Ohio State leads the country with a schedule that has seen its opponents post a combined .726 winning percentage to date, with Minnesota second (.690). Wisconsin has the No. 8 toughest schedule (.650) and Nebraska is currently 10th (.643).
Nearly half (9) of the nation’s top 20 programs in average attendance come from the Big Ten Conference, led by four of the top six — No. 1 Wisconsin (8,597 fans per match), No. 2 Nebraska (8,181), No. 4 Minnesota (4,715) and No. 6 Ohio State (3,815). Michigan State and Illinois are next in a virtual tie at No. 13 (2,414), followed by No. 18 Purdue (2,347), No. 19 Michigan (2,275) and No. 20 Penn State (2,227).
Wisconsin set the NCAA regular-season single-match attendance record on Sept. 16 when 16,833 fans packed the Kohl Center for the Badgers’ five-set thriller against Florida. That mark topped the previous record of 15,797, set nine days earlier for Nebraska’s 3-2 win over Creighton at the CHI Health Center in Omaha (home of the 2022 NCAA Final Four).
The Big Ten has announced the most robust volleyball television package in its history with a record-setting 55 matches scheduled for linear television coverage (47 on Big Ten Network, six on ESPN2/ESPNU, two on FS1), with the possibility of further broadcasts to be announced at a later date. In addition, all non-televised Big Ten volleyball home matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on B1G+, the Big Ten Network’s subscription streaming service (bigtenplus.com).
On Aug. 1, the Big Ten Network announced a groundbreaking, multi-year distribution partnership with Volleyball World that will enhance the promotion and coverage of Big Ten Conference volleyball across the globe. As part of that agreement, 70+ Big Ten volleyball matches will appear worldwide on VolleyballWorld.tv. There will also be live streaming of nearly 50 televised Big Ten Network volleyball matches outside of North America and certain Caribbean islands, as well as worldwide streaming of an additional 28 matches from B1G+ inventory, with those matches airing concurrently on B1G+.
For the 16th consecutive season, Big Ten volleyball honored more than 70 Academic All-Big Ten standouts in 2021, as a record-setting 153 volleyball student-athletes were recognized, including a pair of Academic All-America selections in first-team honoree Sydney Hilley (Wisconsin) and second-team choice Diana Brown (Illinois).

B1G/MAC Athletes of the Week

DENNIS MUTAI NAMED MAC RUNNER OF THE WEEK
9/21/2022 | Men's Cross Country

TOLEDO, Ohio - Toledo sophomore Dennis Mutai was named Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week by the Mid-American Conference for his performance last Saturday at the Indiana State John McNichols Invitational.

Mutai won the men's 8K race with a time of 24:17.7, nearly 10 seconds ahead of the second-place runner from Louisville. He led the Toledo men's team to a runner-up finish in a field of 19 teams.

This was Mutai's first individual win as a Rocket and his first conference weekly honor.

Toledo's strong finish moved it up to a No. 9 ranking in the NCAA DI Great Lakes Region

Illinois Earns Men’s Golfer of the Week Honor
Illini’s Adrien Dumont de Chassart claims weekly accolades after recording runner-up finish at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invite
Golfer of the Week
Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Illinois
Sr. – Villers la Ville, Belgium – College Du Christ Roi

Recorded a runner-up finish at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational with a score of 204 (-6), leading the Illini to a runner-up team finish in a field that featured 11 teams ranked or receiving votes in the GCAA coaches poll
Opened with rounds of 65 and 67, tying Stanford's Maverick McNealy (2015) for the tournament record through 36 holes, to finish nearly five strokes below the course average of 72.68 for the week
Recorded 48 of 54 holes at or below par, highlighted 12 birdies, en route to his 14th-career top-five finish
The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree collects his fourth career Golfer of the Week honor
Last Illinois Golfer of the Week: Adrien Dumont de Chassart (April 21, 2022)

B1G Volleyball 9.21.22

To say this week’s Big Ten Conference volleyball schedule is loaded would be a significant understatement. Big Ten teams will compete in no fewer than nine head-to-head Top 25 matches through next Tuesday, including three top-10 contests and two others involving No. 11 Stanford. The Big Ten also will participate in two conference challenges this weekend, taking on the Pac-12 at Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion, and facing the ACC in Chapel Hill and Durham, N.C.
During the next two weeks, a pair of Big Ten programs will take the floor in matches that could challenge the NCAA regular-season single-match attendance record. No. 2 Nebraska travels to Omaha on Wednesday night (6 p.m. ET on FS1) to take on No. 17 Creighton at the 17,000-seat CHI Health Center, which is not only the site of this year’s NCAA Final Four, but also where the current NCAA attendance record was set in a match between the same two schools (14,022 on Sept. 6, 2018). On Sept. 16, No. 6 Wisconsin will take a swing at the record when it plays host to No. 16 Florida at the Kohl Center (which also seats approximately 17,000). The Badgers can not only top the overall NCAA regular season single-match attendance record, but also the mark for a campus facility (13,870 - UCLA at Nebraska on Sept. 13, 2009).
Two Big Ten student-athletes could reach personal milestones this weekend. Nebraska senior outside hitter Madi Kubik is 18 kills shy of becoming the fourth active Big Ten player with 1,000 career kills. Also, Northwestern fifth-year libero Megan Miller needs eight digs to be the fifth active Big Ten player with 1,000 career digs. Coincidentally, Kubik and Miller were teammates at Nebraska in 2019 (helping the Huskers reach the NCAA Elite Eight) before Miller transferred to Northwestern the following year.
Ohio State etched a spot in program history last Sunday with its 3-1 victory at then-No. 3 Louisville. Not only did it snap the Cardinals’ 24-match home winning streak, but it was also the highest-ranked non-conference opponent the Buckeyes have ever defeated. OSU is in the midst of a remarkably difficult non-conference schedule that has seen the Buckeyes already play four top-15 opponents (No. 2 Texas twice, No. 3 Louisville and No. 15 San Diego), with matches against No. 10 BYU and at No. 5 Georgia Tech on tap this weekend (followed by a trip to Pittsburgh next weekend to meet Tennessee and the host/seventh-ranked Panthers).
The Big Ten continues to lead the nation with a cumulative .770 non-conference winning percentage (57-17 record) this season. Michigan State and Northwestern are off to 6-0 starts, their best debuts since both opened similarly in 2012. Meanwhile, Michigan and Purdue are also 6-0 for the first time since they did likewise in 2018.
Through the opening two weeks of the season, Maryland leads the nation in blocks (3.52/set), while Nebraska is tops in opponent hitting percentage (.077) and Northwestern in second nationally with a .332 hitting percentage. Individually, Michigan’s Jess Robinson is No. 1 in the land with a .568 hitting percentage, while Maryland’s Rainelle Jones is first in the nation with 2.21 blocks/set (the only player in the country averaging better than two blocks per set).
Michigan State fired 17 service aces in its 3-1 win at Navy on Sept. 2. It was the most aces by a Big Ten squad since April 3, 2021, when Rutgers also recorded 17 aces on the road at MSU.
For the third consecutive week, the Big Ten leads all conferences with exactly half (7) of its teams ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll. Nebraska is currently ranked No. 2 (earning six first-place votes), with Minnesota up to No. 3 and Wisconsin steady at No. 6. Ohio State is holding at No. 8, with Purdue rising to No. 9, Penn State jumping to No. 20 and Illinois at No. 25. Once more, Michigan is receiving votes in the coaches’ poll.
The Big Ten has announced the most robust volleyball television package in its history with a record-setting 55 matches scheduled for linear television coverage (47 on Big Ten Network, six on ESPN2/ESPNU, two on FS1), with the possibility of further broadcasts to be announced at a later date. In addition, all non-televised Big Ten volleyball home matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on B1G+, the Big Ten Network’s subscription streaming service (bigtenplus.com).
On Aug. 1, the Big Ten Network announced a groundbreaking, multi-year distribution partnership with Volleyball World that will enhance the promotion and coverage of Big Ten Conference volleyball across the globe. As part of that agreement, 70+ Big Ten volleyball matches will appear worldwide on VolleyballWorld.tv. There will also be live streaming of nearly 50 televised Big Ten Network volleyball matches outside of North America and certain Caribbean islands, as well as worldwide streaming of an additional 28 matches from B1G+ inventory, with those matches airing concurrently on B1G+.
For the 16th consecutive season, Big Ten volleyball honored more than 70 Academic All-Big Ten standouts in 2021, as a record-setting 153 volleyball student-athletes were recognized, including a pair of Academic All-America selections in first-team honoree Sydney Hilley (Wisconsin) and second-team choice Diana Brown (Illinois).

To say this week’s Big Ten Conference volleyball schedule is loaded would be a significant understatement. Big Ten teams will compete in no fewer than nine head-to-head Top 25 matches through next Tuesday, including three top-10 contests and two others involving No. 11 Stanford. The Big Ten also will participate in two conference challenges this weekend, taking on the Pac-12 at Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion, and facing the ACC in Chapel Hill and Durham, N.C. During the next two weeks, a pair of Big Ten programs will take the floor in matches that could challenge the NCAA regular-season single-match attendance record. No. 2 Nebraska travels to Omaha on Wednesday night (6 p.m. ET on FS1) to take on No. 17 Creighton at the 17,000-seat CHI Health Center, which is not only the site of this year’s NCAA Final Four, but also where the current NCAA attendance record was set in a match between the same two schools (14,022 on Sept. 6, 2018). On Sept. 16, No. 6 Wisconsin will take a swing at the record when it plays host to No. 16 Florida at the Kohl Center (which also seats approximately 17,000). The Badgers can not only top the overall NCAA regular season single-match attendance record, but also the mark for a campus facility (13,870 - UCLA at Nebraska on Sept. 13, 2009). Two Big Ten student-athletes could reach personal milestones this weekend. Nebraska senior outside hitter Madi Kubik is 18 kills shy of becoming the fourth active Big Ten player with 1,000 career kills. Also, Northwestern fifth-year libero Megan Miller needs eight digs to be the fifth active Big Ten player with 1,000 career digs. Coincidentally, Kubik and Miller were teammates at Nebraska in 2019 (helping the Huskers reach the NCAA Elite Eight) before Miller transferred to Northwestern the following year. Ohio State etched a spot in program history last Sunday with its 3-1 victory at then-No. 3 Louisville. Not only did it snap the Cardinals’ 24-match home winning streak, but it was also the highest-ranked non-conference opponent the Buckeyes have ever defeated. OSU is in the midst of a remarkably difficult non-conference schedule that has seen the Buckeyes already play four top-15 opponents (No. 2 Texas twice, No. 3 Louisville and No. 15 San Diego), with matches against No. 10 BYU and at No. 5 Georgia Tech on tap this weekend (followed by a trip to Pittsburgh next weekend to meet Tennessee and the host/seventh-ranked Panthers). The Big Ten continues to lead the nation with a cumulative .770 non-conference winning percentage (57-17 record) this season. Michigan State and Northwestern are off to 6-0 starts, their best debuts since both opened similarly in 2012. Meanwhile, Michigan and Purdue are also 6-0 for the first time since they did likewise in 2018. Through the opening two weeks of the season, Maryland leads the nation in blocks (3.52/set), while Nebraska is tops in opponent hitting percentage (.077) and Northwestern in second nationally with a .332 hitting percentage. Individually, Michigan’s Jess Robinson is No. 1 in the land with a .568 hitting percentage, while Maryland’s Rainelle Jones is first in the nation with 2.21 blocks/set (the only player in the country averaging better than two blocks per set). Michigan State fired 17 service aces in its 3-1 win at Navy on Sept. 2. It was the most aces by a Big Ten squad since April 3, 2021, when Rutgers also recorded 17 aces on the road at MSU. For the third consecutive week, the Big Ten leads all conferences with exactly half (7) of its teams ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll. Nebraska is currently ranked No. 2 (earning six first-place votes), with Minnesota up to No. 3 and Wisconsin steady at No. 6. Ohio State is holding at No. 8, with Purdue rising to No. 9, Penn State jumping to No. 20 and Illinois at No. 25. Once more, Michigan is receiving votes in the coaches’ poll. The Big Ten has announced the most robust volleyball television package in its history with a record-setting 55 matches scheduled for linear television coverage (47 on Big Ten Network, six on ESPN2/ESPNU, two on FS1), with the possibility of further broadcasts to be announced at a later date. In addition, all non-televised Big Ten volleyball home matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on B1G+, the Big Ten Network’s subscription streaming service (bigtenplus.com). On Aug. 1, the Big Ten Network announced a groundbreaking, multi-year distribution partnership with Volleyball World that will enhance the promotion and coverage of Big Ten Conference volleyball across the globe. As part of that agreement, 70+ Big Ten volleyball matches will appear worldwide on VolleyballWorld.tv. There will also be live streaming of nearly 50 televised Big Ten Network volleyball matches outside of North America and certain Caribbean islands, as well as worldwide streaming of an additional 28 matches from B1G+ inventory, with those matches airing concurrently on B1G+. For the 16th consecutive season, Big Ten volleyball honored more than 70 Academic All-Big Ten standouts in 2021, as a record-setting 153 volleyball student-athletes were recognized, including a pair of Academic All-America selections in first-team honoree Sydney Hilley (Wisconsin) and second-team choice Diana Brown (Illinois).

Big Ten Announces Women’s Basketball Conference Schedule Ohio State begins its conference season on Sunday, Dec. 4 at Rutgers.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Big Ten Conference announced the 2022-23 conference schedule for women’s basketball on Wednesday. The Buckeyes open conference play on Sunday, Dec. 4 at Rutgers. View the full 2022 schedule HERE.

Ohio State’s home opener for Big Ten play is against Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 11. Other December Big Ten games include at Northwestern (Dec. 28) and home against Michigan on New Year’s Eve.

The Buckeyes open 2023 at Minnesota on Thursday, Jan. 5. Other road games include Nebraska (Jan. 14), Indiana (Jan. 26), Wisconsin (Feb. 1), Maryland (Feb. 5), Penn State (Feb. 16) and Michigan (Feb. 20).

Ohio State hosts Illinois (Jan. 8), Northwestern (Jan. 19), Iowa (Jan. 23), Purdue (Jan. 29), Minnesota (Feb. 8), Indiana (Feb. 13) and Maryland in the regular-season finale on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Tip times and the television schedule will be announced by the Big Ten Conference on a later date.

Illinois and Northwestern Earn First Weekly Honors of the Season
Illini’s Brown, along with Wildcats’ Akers, Hilinski and Mitchell garner accolades

Co-Offensive Players of the Week
Chase Brown, Illinois
RB – Jr. – London, Ontario – St. Stephens Episcopal (Fla.)

Led the Illinois offense to a 38-6 win over Wyoming in Week 0, rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to three receptions (on three targets) for 16 yards and a touchdown
Brown's 151 yards pushed him past the 2,000-yard milestone for his collegiate career, while his rushing yards are the most in a season-opener by an Illinois rusher since at least 1945
Recorded the first receiving touchdown of his career with a 14-yard TD reception from Tommy DeVito on the game's opening drive
Earns his third career Offensive Player of the Week award
Last Illinois Offensive Player of the Week: Chase Brown (Oct. 25, 2021)

Ryan Hilinski, Northwestern
QB – Jr. – Orange, Calif. – Orange Lutheran

Completed 27-of-38 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s win over Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland, becoming the first Northwestern quarterback to throw for 300+ yards and two or more touchdowns without an interception since Brett Basanez against Michigan State in 2005
Finished the first half completing 20-of-23 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, while his 20 completions are more than Northwestern had in all but three games last season
Hillinski is the first Northwestern quarterback to complete over 70 percent (71.1) of his passes and throw for 300+ yards since Clayton Thorson against Bowling Green (76.7, 370) in 2017
Earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Evan Hull (Sept. 27, 2021)

Defensive Player of the Week
Cameron Mitchell, Northwestern
CB – Jr. – Bolingbrook, Ill. – Bolingbrook

Recorded his second-career interception in the fourth quarter and returned it 42 yards into Nebraska territory, setting up the eventual game-winning touchdown for Northwestern
Also tallied two pass breakups, tying his career-high
Finished with six total tackles, tied for third-most on the Wildcats
The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
Last Northwestern Defensive Player of the Week: Blake Gallagher (Nov. 23, 2021)

Special Teams Player of the Week
Luke Akers, Northwestern
P – Jr. – Nashville, Tenn. – Ravenwood

Downed four punts inside the 20, including three punts pinned inside the 10-yard line on six attempts in Northwestern's 31-28 win over Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland at the 2022 Aer Lingus Classic
Averaged 40.83 yards per punt and downed Nebraska on the 1-yard line on his first-ever punt with the Wildcats
On his final punt of the game, pinned the Cornhuskers on their own 4-yard line with 2:12 remaining in the game, setting up the game-sealing interception
Garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
Last Northwestern Special Teams Player of the Week: Charlie Kuhbander (Oct. 26, 2020)

MAC Media Interviews

Toledo Head Coach Jason Candle on Offensive football

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

Toledo Rockets Tennis Finishes with a Win

TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo women's tennis team collected nine wins in the final day of its Indoor Rocket Invite vs. Youngstown State and Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon. The Rockets swept all eight matches vs. the Penguins and split their doubles matches against the Falcons.

The Rockets compiled a 21-2 record during the two days of competition and only lost one singles and one doubles match.

"I am pleased with our performance which wraps up our fall competition," head coach Tracy Mauntler said. "Only losing two matches the entire weekend speaks to the competitiveness of the squad. They really are relentless."

Toledo started the day with a three-match sweep against Youngstown State in doubles play . Against Bowling Green, junior Cassie Alcala and senior Sloane Teske dropped a close match to Ioanna Tsardi and Eloise Saraty, while seniors Laura Morera and Mariona Perez picked up a win over Lucy Furness and Maru Poppe.

The Rockets took off in singles play against the Penguins, picking up two-set victories from Alcala, Teske, junior Shalini Tallamraju, and Perez. Morera won her first set, fell behind in the second set, but finished the match strong with a 10-7 decision for the match.

Toledo will open the spring portion of its season on Friday, Jan. 14 vs. Army West Point at Twos Athletic Club.

Toledo Rocket Invite
Toledo, Ohio | Twos Athletic Club
Oct. 28-29

Saturday, Oct. 29 Results
Doubles
TOL vs. YSU
Cassie Alcala/ Sloane Teske (TOL) def. Cecilia Rosas/ Julia Marko (YSU) 6-2
Sanjana Tallamraju/ Mariona Perez (TOL) def. Eliska Marasikova/ Lili Minich (YSU) 6-3
Shalini Tallamraju/ Laura Morera (TOL) def. Jessica Stanmore/ Maria Oliveira (YSU) 6-4

TOL vs. BGSU
Ioanna Tsardi/ Eloise Saraty (BGSU) def Cassie Alcala/ Sloane Teske (TOL) 6-4
Laura Morera/ Mariona Perez (TOL) def. Lucy Furness/ Maru Poppe (BGSU) 6-3

Singles
TOL vs. YSU
Cassie Alcala (TOL) def. Lili Minich (YSU) 6-2, 6-0
Sloane Teske (TOL) def. Julia Marko (YSU) 6-2, 6-1
Shalini Tallamraju (TOL) def. Cecelia Rosas (YSU) 6-1, 6-3

TOL vs. YSU
Mariona Perez (TOL) def. Jessica Stanmore (YSU) 6-4, 6-3
Laura Morera (TOL) def. Maria Oliveira (YSU) 6-3, 5-7, 10-7

• All seven Big Ten Conference hockey teams are in action this week in the final tune-up before full-fledged league play begins next week.

• All seven Big Ten Conference hockey teams are in action this week in the final tune-up before full-fledged league play begins next week. Consensus No. 1 Minnesota will host seventh-ranked North Dakota in a showdown between two long-time rivals. No. 13/12 Notre Dame takes on No. 17 Western Michigan in a home-and-home series while No. 5 Michigan travels to the Upper Peninsula to meet Lake Superior State. Two Big Ten Conference teams are in action Thursday evening with No. 16 Ohio State starting a series against St. Thomas at the Schottenstein Center and No. 18 Penn State entertaining St. Thomas in University Park. Wisconsin hits the road to take on Minnesota Duluth and Michigan State plays host to Long Island in a pair of nonconference series.
• Coming off a bye week, Minnesota took over the No. 1 position in both the DCU/USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls. Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State also moved up in the polls as five Big Ten Conference teams reside in the Top 20.
• Penn State remains the lone undefeated team in the conference, sporting a 4-0-0 overall record. Coach Guy Gadowky’s squad has doubled-up its opponents in scoring (22 goals for, 11 goals against) and stands as the NCAA’s highest scoring team, averaging 5.5 goals per game. Michigan (5.2) is the only other team in the country averaging over five goals a game.
• Big Ten Conference Hockey teams are drawing large crowds at home and on the road according to the latest NCAA attendance figures. Big Ten Conference schools occupy five of the top six spots in total attendance. In terms of home attendance, three Big Ten Conference teams rate in the Top 5. Wisconsin ranks second (8,462 average), Minnesota stands third (7,108) and Penn State fifth (6,188).
• Big Ten Hockey will receive extensive television coverage in 2022-23 with 57 games carried by national and regional networks. Big Ten Network will broadcast 23 games beginning October 28 and ESPNU will telecast a pair of games, starting February 11. The Bally Sports Regional Networks will air an additional 32 contests.
• The National Hockey League’s 2022-23 season commenced on October 7 and featured 71 Big Ten players on opening night rosters. Michigan had 21 alumni on NHL rosters followed by Minnesota with 18 and Wisconsin with 15. Notre Dame (10), Michigan State (4) and Ohio State (3) have former players playing at the highest level of professional hockey. Big Ten Conference players also have also achieved longevity in The Show. According to College Hockey Inc., 10 former Big Ten standouts have played 1,000 games in the NHL with former Gopher Alex Goligoski of the Minnesota Wild approaching the milestone at 999 games played.

Iowa Tops Big Ten Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Rankings

Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark chosen as Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The University of Iowa was voted as the 2022-23 preseason Big Ten Conference women’s basketball favorite by both the conference’s 14 head coaches and a select media panel, the conference office announced Wednesday. The coaches and media also named Iowa junior guard Caitlin Clark as the 2022-23 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, with Clark chosen by the coaches as the preseason honoree for the second consecutive year.

Ohio State was voted second in the coaches’ preseason poll, while Indiana was third in that balloting. The order was reversed in the media survey, with Indiana No. 2, followed by Ohio State. Maryland was fourth in both the coaches and media polls, while the two groups diverged on their No. 5 selections — the coaches voted for Michigan, while the media selected Nebraska.

Each of the schools selected in the Big Ten preseason coaches or media polls also appeared in the 2022-23 “Way Too Early” rankings released by espnW and The Athletic. According to espnW’s latest rankings on June 14, Iowa was No. 6, Indiana No. 12, Ohio State No. 15, Maryland No. 18 and Nebraska No. 22 The Big Ten’s five Top 25 programs tied for the most from any major conference.

The April 5 rankings from The Athletic listed Iowa at No. 4, followed by No. 9 Maryland, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 20 Indiana and No. 23 Michigan. Once again, the Big Ten’s five schools in the Top 25 tied for the most among major conferences.

The Big Ten Conference is coming off another successful season that saw six programs selected for the 2022 NCAA Tournament and another two invited to the WNIT. For the second consecutive year, the Big Ten tied a conference record by sending four teams to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and saw one of its member institutions advance to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in school history (Indiana in 2021; Michigan in 2022).

Along with her Player of the Year selection, Clark was one of two student-athletes, along with Ohio State’s Jacy Sheldon, to be unanimously voted to the coaches and media Preseason All-Big Ten teams. Three other student-athletes were unanimous selections to the coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team — Indiana’s Grace Berger, Iowa’s Monika Czinano and Ohio State’s Taylor Mikesell.

Both preseason all-conference teams featured the same 10 Big Ten standouts, with the following five joining the quintet of Clark, Sheldon, Berger, Czinano and Mikesell: Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes, Maryland’s Diamond Miller, Michigan’s Leigha Brown, Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski and Penn State’s Makenna Marisa.

All 10 of Wednesday’s Preseason All-Big Ten selections were all-conference honorees last season, including six first-team selections, and seven who went on to be named All-Americans (Berger, Holmes, Clark, Czinano, Brown, Mikesell and Sheldon). Two of the Big Ten’s four individual award recipients from last year are also among Wednesday’s Preseason All-Big Ten teams, in Clark (Player of the Year) and Markowski (Freshman of the Year).

Preseason practices are underway for all 14 Big Ten member institutions, with all Big Ten head coaches and selected student-athletes from each school preparing to make their way to Minneapolis for the 2022 Big Ten Basketball Media Days Oct. 11-12 at the Target Center (more details at bigten.org/22BBMD). The 2022-23 regular season tips off Nov. 7, while the 30th Big Ten Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 1-5, also at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four is scheduled for March 31 and April 2 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas.

The 2022-23 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams and rankings are as follows:

2022-23 COACHES BIG TEN PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Iowa
2. Ohio State
3. Indiana
4. Maryland
5. Michigan

2022-23 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
GRACE BERGER, Grad., G, Indiana
Mackenzie Holmes, Sr., F, Indiana
CAITLIN CLARK, Jr., G, Iowa
MONIKA CZINANO, 5th-Yr., F/C, Iowa
Diamond Miller, Sr., G, Maryland
Leigha Brown, 5th-Yr., G, Michigan
Alexis Markowski, So., C/F, Nebraska
TAYLOR MIKESELL, Sr., G, Ohio State
JACY SHELDON, Sr., G, Ohio State
Makenna Marisa, Sr., G, Penn State

2022-23 COACHES BIG TEN PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Caitlin Clark, Jr., G, Iowa

2022-23 MEDIA BIG TEN PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Iowa
2. Indiana
3. Ohio State
4. Maryland
5. Nebraska

2022-23 MEDIA PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Grace Berger, Grad., G, Indiana
Mackenzie Holmes, Sr., F, Indiana
CAITLIN CLARK, Jr., G, Iowa
Monika Czinano, 5th-Yr., F/C, Iowa
Diamond Miller, Sr., G, Maryland
Leigha Brown, 5th-Yr., G, Michigan
Alexis Markowski, So., C/F, Nebraska
Taylor Mikesell, Sr., G, Ohio State
JACY SHELDON, Sr., G, Ohio State
Makenna Marisa, Sr., G, Penn State

Second MAC Player of the Week Honor
The sophomore punter leads the MAC in yards per punt in 2022

CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan University sophomore punter Mitchell Tomasek (Columbus, Ohio-Worthington Kilbourne) collected Mid-American Conference West Division Special Teams Player of the Week honors, the league announced today, Oct. 3. It marks the second time in his career he has garnered the accolade.

Eastern Michigan was forced to punt four times in its win over UMass, Oct. 1. In those punts, Tomasek accrued a total of 184 yards, good for a 46.0 yards per punt average. That moved his season average to 45.6 yards per punt, good for the top spot in the MAC. In addition, Tomasek also tallied one punt of over 50 yards, going for 55 yards. It is his fifth punt of the season of more than 50 yards, second in the MAC.

Eastern Michigan hits the road for the first time in 2022 Mid-American Conference play when it travels to Kalamazoo, Mich. for an in-state date with rival Western Michigan University Saturday, Oct. 8, at noon. The game will be broadcast nationally on the NFL Network. WEMU 89.1 FM will also carry the action as Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick will have the call.

Big Ten Hockey Preseason Honors
Minnesota selected as the preseason favorite by coaches

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Minnesota was tabbed the favorite in the 2022-23 Big Ten hockey preseason coaches’ poll, the conference announced on Wednesday. The coaches also selected Preseason All-Big Ten teams, highlighted by a trio of 2021-22 individual award winners.
Notre Dame was selected second in the preseason poll, with Michigan claiming third, Wisconsin earning fourth, Ohio State taking fifth, Penn State placing sixth and Michigan State rounding out the poll in seventh.
The Preseason All-Big Ten teams are comprised of six players on each team: three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender. Michigan and Minnesota led the way with four honorees apiece, while Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin each had two.
Ten standouts who earned All-Big Ten accolades last season are featured on the preseason teams, including 2022 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Brock Faber from Minnesota and Co-Freshmen of the Year Luke Hughes from Michigan and Jakub Dobeš from Ohio State. Dobeš was also named the 2022 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year.
Both Hughes and Minnesota’s Matthew Knies were unanimous selections on the preseason first team. The list of honorees also includes a pair of freshmen in Michigan’s Adam Fantilli and Minnesota’s Logan Cooley. Cooley was the third overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, while Fantilli is a top prospect in the 2023 NHL Draft class.
The complete Preseason All-Big Ten teams, as well as the preseason poll, can be found below.

2022-23 Preseason All-Big Ten Hockey Team
As selected by Big Ten coaches

FIRST TEAM
Mackie Samoskevich, F, MICH
MATTHEW KNIES, F, MINN
Landon Slaggert, F, ND
LUKE HUGHES, D, MICH
Brock Faber, D, MINN
Erik Portillo, G, MICH

SECOND TEAM
Adam Fantilli, F, MICH
Logan Cooley, F, MINN
Kevin Wall, F, PSU
Jackson LaCombe, D, MINN
Mason Lohrei, D, OSU
Jakub Dobeš, G, OSU
HONORABLE MENTION
Nick Leivermann, D, ND
Connor MacEachern, F, PSU
Corson Ceulemans, D, WIS
Matt De St. Phalle, F, WIS

2022-23 BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
1.         Minnesota
2.         Notre Dame
3.         Michigan
4.         Wisconsin
5.         Ohio State
6.         Penn State
7.         Michigan State

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Toledo women's soccer team closed out its non-conference schedule with a 5-0 loss to Arizona State Sunday evening. The Rockets are now 1-4-2 heading into conference play this week.

Arizona State struck early with a goal at the 10th-minute of play and added one more just before halftime to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room. The Sun Devils added three more goals and the Rockets could not overcome the deficit.

Goals and Key Moments

10'| GOAL Kerri Matthews passed the ball to Ava Wright and her shot put Arizona State on the board first.
20'| Karson Hill stopped a straight-on shot from ASU's lead scorer, Nicole Douglas, to deprive ASU of doubling its lead.
33'| GOAL Olivia Nguyen sent a shot from the top of the box just out of reach from Hill to give ASU a two-goal lead.
54'| Douglas went one-on-one with Hill, but Hill denied her shot to the bottom left corner to prevent the first goal of the second half.
66'| GOAL Douglas shot the ball along the left side of the box to score the first goal of the second half and keep ASU in the lead, 3-0.
78'| GOAL Kennedy Mayo carried the ball along the right sideline and shot it to the bottom right corner for the Sun Devil's fourth goal of the night.
79'| GOAL Alexia Delgado fed Eva van Deursen at the top of the box, and her shot landed in the top right corner to extend ASU's lead to 5-0.

Stats, Notes and Numbers

Sunday's game was the first matchup between Toledo and Arizona State in program records.
Brooke Stonehouse got her first start of the season, just the second start in her career.
Hill made a career-high 16 saves, the third-highest number of saves in a single match by a Toledo goalkeeper. Hill trails Christina Drake who made 17 saves vs. Green Bay in 1997.

Up Next
Toledo will open Mid-American Conference play at I-75 rival Bowling Green on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Ohio (1-0) opened the 2022 season Saturday evening (Sept.3), defeating Florida Atlantic (1-1), 41-38, at Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium. The night also brought new career highs for redshirt junior quarterback Kurtis Rourke, breaking multiple of his personal records. Rourke hit 345 passing yards, surpassing his 308 yard record and threw four touchdown passes, beating his previous record of three.
• Sophomore Dequan Finn threw for 216 yards and ran for 64 yards to lead Toledo (1-0) to a 37-0 victory over Long Island University at the Glass Bowl Thursday night. Toledo’s defense was virtually impenetrable all night, holding LIU to just 113 yards of total offense. • Eastern Michigan used a stellar offensive outing to earn a 42-34 win against Eastern Kentucky University inside “The Factory” at Rynearson Stadium Friday, Sept. 2. Senior quarterback Taylor Powell led Eastern Michigan’s (1-0) passing attack with 271 yards through the air, tossing three touchdowns and one interception. The signal caller also added one touchdown on the ground.
• Northern Illinois (1-0) built a three touchdown lead midway through the third quarter before holding off a late Eastern Illinois comeback attempt to top the Panthers, 34-27, on Thursday night at Huskie Stadium. NIU had a balanced run/pass attack as Rocky Lombardi threw for 192 yards on 14-of-22 passing and the Huskies combined for 187 rushing yards with running backs Mason Blakemore, Antario Brown and Harrison Waylee each accounting for one touchdown.
• The Joe Moorhead era for Akron Zips football opened with a 30-23 overtime win over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Thursday evening at InfoCision Stadium as junior QB DJ Irons threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns.
Sophomore RB Cam Wiley ran for 85 yards on 21 attempts with two touchdowns

Anders Named to the Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List

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.