From the B1G press office:
BIG TEN RECOGNIZES 24 OUTSTANDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS
Three hundred student-athletes honored throughout the academic year
Park Ridge, Ill. – The Big Ten announced on Wednesday the 24 student-athletes named Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2011-12 academic year. These individuals were chosen from a group of 300 student-athletes honored throughout the academic year who had displayed positive sportsmanship.
One member of each varsity sports team on every campus was chosen by his or her institution as a Sportsmanship Award honoree. From each university’s list, two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected. All of the Sportsmanship Award honorees have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these student-athletes must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The 2012 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners appear below, and the complete list of Sportsmanship Award honorees for all sports from each school is attached as a PDF.
2012 Outstanding Sportsmanship Award Winners
Illinois Nathan Scheelhaase, Football
Rachel Japp-Joyce, Swimming & Diving
Indiana Jordan Hulls, Basketball
Amanda Wagner, Softball
Iowa Matt Gatens, Basketball
Betsy Flood, Track and Field
Michigan Jordan Kovacs, Football
Courtney Boylan, Basketball
Michigan State Kirk Cousins, Football
Jenilee Rathje, Volleyball
Minnesota Taylor Matson, Ice Hockey
Anne Schleper, Ice Hockey
Nebraska Chris Phipps, Track and Field
Kaitlyn Burke, Basketball
Northwestern Sam Chien, Golf
Devynn Patterson, Fencing
Ohio State Andrew Sweat, Football
Liz Sullivan, Soccer
Penn State Scott Rosenthal, Gymnastics
Natalie Ettl, Gymnastics
Purdue Joe Haase, Baseball
Ashley Courtney, Softball
Wisconsin Kyle Jefferson, Track and Field
Anya Covington, Basketball