College FootballSports

Around The Big Ten – November 6

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

by:
Pete Pistone
November 6, 2024

Kaleb Johnson and Iowa beat Wisconsin Photo: Iowa/Big Ten

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 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 6th and 7th double-doubles of the season (8th and 9th 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 19th career match with three or more aces and her fifth with five or more in the same match
  • Moved into 4th 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 10th 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)

Tags:

SiriusXM Big Ten Radio
Share: