Around The Big Ten – November 6

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More on this week’s edition of “Big Ten Whip Around” — start listening to SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372) on the SiriusXM app now. Iowa, Minnesota, UCLA and Washington Earn Weekly Football Honors Hawkeyes’ Johnson, Gophers’ Kesich, Bruins’ Gilmer … Continued

More on this week’s edition of “Big Ten Whip Around” — start listening to SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372) on the SiriusXM app now.

Hawkeyes’ Johnson, Gophers’ Kesich, Bruins’ Gilmer and Huskies’ Bruener garner accolades

Offensive Player of the Week

Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

RB – Jr. – Hamilton, Ohio – Hamilton

Tallied his seventh 100-yard game, rushing for 135 yards on 24 attempts and three touchdowns in Iowa’s 42-10 victory against Wisconsin
Found the end zone for the ninth straight game, the longest streak in school history
Has three games with three rushing touchdowns and 20 total touchdowns, tying Shonn Greene’s school record, while his 120 points are also tied for the school record
Last Iowa Offensive Player of the Week honoree: Kaleb Johnson (Sept. 29, 2024)

Defensive Player of the Week

Carson Bruener, Washington

LB – Sr. – Woodinville, Wash. – Redmond

Led the Huskies to a vital, 26-21, win over longtime rival USC, with two pass breakups and leading both teams with 12 total tackles (five more than any other UW or USC player)
Notched two interceptions in the game with the first coming early in the opening quarter and led to a UW field goal to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead
His second interception was in the third quarter, leading to Washington scoring the game’s final touchdown to move in front 26-21
Earns Washington’s first Defensive Player of the Week award

Special Teams Player of the Week

Dragan Kesich, Minnesota

K – Sr. – Oak Creek, Wis. – Oak Creek

Went 4-of-4 on field goals, converting from 20, 45, 38, and 46 yards in Minnesota’s 25-17 win against Illinois
Becomes the fifth kicker in Gopher history with multiple games of four-plus made field goals, while his four made field goals ties a career high and ties for third most in Gopher history
His 13 points (4 field goals, 1 extra point) at Illinois were a career high, bringing his career total to 36 made field goals, passing Brent Berglund (35) for eighth in program history
Last Minnesota Special Teams Players of the Week: Dragan Kesich (Oct. 23, 2023)

Freshman of the Week

Kwazi Gilmer, UCLA

WR – Los Angeles, Calif. – Sierra Canyon

Posted a career-high 88 receiving yards on three catches as UCLA defeated Nebraska on the road, 27-20
Reeled in his first career touchdown in the second half on a 48-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Garbers
His 48-yard reception also marked a career best
Earns UCLA’s first Freshman of the Week honor

VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Player of the Week
Ally Batenhorst, USC
Gr. – OH– Houston, Texas – Master’s: Digital Media Management

Produced her 6^th and 7^th double-doubles of the season (8^th and 9^th of her career)

Powered the USC offense with 16 kills and .536 hitting in a sweep of UCLA to go with 10 digs and two blocks for 17.5 points

Added 10 kills, 10 digs and three blocks in a four-set win over Washington

Ended the week with a combined .344 hitting percentage (26 kills, 61 attempts)

Received serve 35 times for the Trojans and had a .914 reception percentage

Batenhorst is the first USC player to be named Big Ten Player of the Week

Defensive Player of the Week
Ali Hornung, Purdue
Sr. – L – New Albany, Ind. – Major: Hospitality & Tourism Management

Helped Purdue to a 2-0 week with sweeps over Maryland and Rutgers, averaging 5.71 digs per set with 31 digs in six sets of action

Helped guide Purdue to a conference-leading 17.67 digs per set, posting 17 digs at Maryland and 14 at Rutgers

Hornung made zero reception errors in both matches, seeing 21 at Maryland and 20 at Rutgers

Helped the Boilermaker defense hold opponents to a .159 average opponent hitting percentage

Also tallied one ace in each of the wins

Last Purdue Defensive Player of the Week: Ali Hornung (Oct. 7, 2024)

Setter of the Week
Mia Tuaniga, USC
Sr. – S – Long Beach, Calif. – Major: Communication

Put up 40 and 37 assists, averaging 11.00 assists per set, guiding USC to its fifth and sixth matches over .300 hitting this season in a pair of wins over UCLA and Washington

Had eight digs against UCLA and 11 against Washington for her seventh double-double of the season

Served five aces against Washington for her 19^th career match with three or more aces and her fifth with five or more in the same match

Moved into 4^th place at USC in career service aces (146) and third overall in career assists (4,158)

Last USC Setter of the Week: Mia Tuaniga (Sept. 23, 2024)

Freshman of the Week
Izzy Starck, Penn State
S – Viera, Fla. – Major: Undeclared

Averaged 10.71 assists per set while leading Penn State to .313 hitting and added 3.00 digs per set as the Nittany Lions improved to 12-0 in the Big Ten with wins over Michigan and Iowa at Rec Hall

Recorded her 10^th double-double of the season in a sweep of Michigan on Wednesday, finishing with 26 assists and 14 digs while helping the team hit .300

Piled up 49 assists and added seven digs and four blocks while guiding Penn State to .321 hitting in a four-set win over the Hawkeyes

Earns her sixth Freshman of the Week honor this season

Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Izzy Starck (Oct. 28, 2024)

BIG TEN HOCKEY THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

First Star
Evan Werner, Michigan
So. – F – Flower Mound, Texas — Colorado College (NCAA)

Compiled four points (three goals, assist) in Michigan’s road sweep of No. 5/5 Boston U.
Scored the game-winning goal in a 5-1 win Friday, finishing with a career-best three points (two goals, assist)
Finished with a plus-four rating, seven shots and a block as No. 11/11 Michigan recorded its highest-ranked road sweep in program history
The Colorado College transfer receives his first Big Ten weekly honor
Last Michigan First Star: Jake Barczewski (Feb. 27, 2024)

Second Star
Jackson Hallum, Michigan
Jr. – F – Eagan, Minn. – Dubuque (USHL)

Registered a hat trick in Michigan’s 5-4 overtime win against No. 5/5 Boston U. on Saturday at Agganis Arena
Helped the Wolverines rally twice from a goal down, forcing overtime with a third-period power play goal and scoring the game-winning goal with 1:47 left in overtime
With four goals on the year, has already surpassed his goals total from last season
The third-round draft pick of the Vegas Golden Knights earns his first-ever Star award
Last Michigan Star recipient: Seamus Casey (Third Star, March 5, 2024)

Third Star
Riley Thompson, Ohio State
So. – F – Ottawa, Ontario – Alaska Anchorage (NCAA)

Stockpiled a goal and five assists to spur No. 15/15 Ohio State to a weekend sweep of Lake Superior State in Columbus
Won 25 faceoffs (54.3 percent), finished with a plus-six rating and blocked four shots as Ohio State posted a 9-3 victory on Friday and a 6-2 win on Saturday
Factored in six of OSU’s 15 goals in helping the Buckeyes extend their winning streak to seven games
The Alaska Anchorage transfer takes home his first Star award
Last Ohio State Star selections: Max Montes (First Star) and Logan Terness (Third Star) on Oct. 22, 2024

FIELD HOCKEY PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Hope Rose, Maryland
Sr. – M – Dauphin, Pa. – Central Dauphin

Played a hand in three goals in Maryland’s 4-2 road win over No. 17 Penn State on Sunday
Scored a pair of second-half goals 10 minutes apart to give No. 7 Maryland a lead it did not relinquish
Extended goal-scoring streak to four games with her team-best 11th goal of the year
Earns second career Big Ten Offensive Award, was previously honored on Sept. 6, 2022
Last Maryland Offensive Player of the Week: Dani van Rootselaar (Oct. 3, 2022)

Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Ashley Sessa, Northwestern
So. – F – Schwenksville, Pa. – Episcopal Academy

Scored both of Northwestern’s goals in a 2-1 victory over No. 4 Ohio State, capping the Wildcats’ first undefeated regular season
Provided the game winning goal and launched six shots on goal
Notched her conference-best 20th goal and 53rd point of the season
Collects her third Big Ten Offensive Player Award of 2024
Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Maddie Zimmer (Oct. 28, 2024)

Defensive Player of the Week
Yip van Wonderen, Indiana
Sr. – B – Heemstede, Netherlands – Hout-en Meubilerings College Amsterdam

Buried the game-winning goal with 13 minutes left in regulation in Indiana’s 1-0 win over Michigan State on Nov. 1
The goal propelled Indiana to its first Big Ten Tournament berth since 2021
Helped Indiana to its fifth shutout of the season while locking up a .500 record in conference play
The Academic All-Big Ten selection receives her first Big Ten Defensive Award
Last Indiana Defensive honoree: Sadie Canelli (Oct. 14, 2024)

Freshman of the Week
Ella Gaitan, Maryland
Fr. – F – Belvidere, N.J. – Blair Academy

Scored the game’s opening goal in Maryland’s 4-2 win over No. 17 Penn State at University Park, Pa.
Played 50 minutes in the contest, placing three shots on goal
Netted her eighth goal of the season, which ranks second-best on the Terrapins squad
Honored for the third time this season as Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Last Maryland Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Ella Gaitan (Oct. 7, 2024)