The Big Ten Athlete of the Year award is given annually to the top male and female collegiate athletes in the Big Ten Conference. It was first awarded in 1982, with winners being selected by a panel of conference media members from nominations submitted by each school.
In 1982, the Big Ten Conference established their athlete of the year award, with the winners being selected by a panel of conference media members from nominations submitted by each school.[1] The award for male winners is named after Ohio State track star Jesse Owens. The woman's award was previously known as the Suzy Favor Athlete of the Year before it was revealed in 2012 that Favor had worked as a prostitute for a Las Vegas escort service. The Big Ten removed her name from the women's award in July 2013 as a result.[2]
Officially known as the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year award
Year | Athlete(s) | School | Sport(s) |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Judi Brown | Michigan State | Track and field |
1984 | Lisa Ishikawa | Northwestern | Softball |
1985 | Cathy Branta | Wisconsin | Track and field / Cross country |
1986 | Stephanie Herbst | ||
1987 | Jennifer Averill | Northwestern | Field hockey / Lacrosse |
1988 | Suzy Favor | Wisconsin | Track and field / Cross country |
1989 | |||
1990 | |||
1991 | Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse | Michigan State | Swimming and diving |
Joy Holmes | Purdue | Basketball | |
1992 | MaChelle Joseph | ||
1993 | Lara Hooiveld | Michigan | Swimming and diving |
1994 | Kristy Gleason | Iowa | Field hockey |
1995 | Laura Davis | Ohio State | Volleyball |
1996 | Olga Kalinovskaya | Penn State | Fencing |
1997 | Gretchen Hegener | Minnesota | Swimming and diving |
Kathy Butler | Wisconsin | Track and field | |
1998 | Sara Griffin | Michigan | Softball |
1999 | Stephanie White-McCarty | Purdue | Basketball |
2000 | Lauren Cacciamani | Penn State | Volleyball |
2001 | Katie Douglas | Purdue | Basketball |
2002 | Christie Welsh | Penn State | Soccer |
2003 | Perdita Felicien | Illinois | Track and field |
2004 | Kelly Mazzante | Penn State | Basketball |
2005 | Jennie Ritter | Michigan | Softball |
2006 | Tiffany Weimer | Penn State | Soccer |
2007 | Jessica Davenport | Ohio State | Basketball |
2008 | Hannah Nielsen | Northwestern | Lacrosse |
2009 | María Hernández | Purdue | Golf |
2010 | Megan Hodge | Penn State | Volleyball |
2011 | Shannon Smith | Northwestern | Lacrosse |
2012 | Christina Manning | Ohio State | Track and field |
2013 | Amanda Kessel | Minnesota | Ice hockey |
2014 | Dani Bunch[9] | Purdue | Track and field |
2015 | Taylor Cummings[10] | Maryland | Lacrosse |
2016 | Rachel Banham[11] | Minnesota | Basketball |
2017 | Lilly King[12][13] | Indiana | Swimming and diving |
2018 | |||
2019 | Megan Gustafson[14] | Iowa | Basketball |
2020 | Dana Rettke[15] | Wisconsin | Volleyball |
2021 | Sarah Bacon[16] | Minnesota | Swimming and diving |
2022 | Dana Rettke[17] | Wisconsin | Volleyball |
2023 | Caitlin Clark[18][19] | Iowa | Basketball |
2024 |
Current members | ||
---|---|---|
Future members (August 2, 2024) | ||
Associate members |
| |
Former members | ||
Championships & awards | ||
Sports |
| |
Media |