Tag: Big Ten Player of the Year

Wisconsin volleyball superstar earns second straight Big Ten Player of the Year award

Wisconsin volleyball superstar earns second straight Big Ten Player of the Year award

Wisconsin Badgers superstar outside hitter Sarah Franklin earned a second consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year award on Wednesday.

Franklin, arguably the best college volleyball player in the United States, boasts one of the greatest collegiate resumes of all time. In her tenure with Wisconsin, she has been named the 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year, a 2023 AVCA First-Team All-American member and and was nominated for the ‘Best Female Collegiate Athlete’ ESPY in 2023.

In 29 matches as a starter this season, Franklin posted 470 kills, 39 assists and 28 service aces. Franklin also leads Wisconsin with 4.48 kills per set, recorded a program-best 33 kills against Marquette earlier this season and noticed double-digit kills in 27 matches in 2024.

Franklin has been the No. 1 option for Wisconsin during its 23-6 output this year. Wisconsin will compete as one of four No. 2-seeded teams in the 2024 NCAA Volleyball Tournament with a match against Fairfield slated for Dec. 5.

A season ago, Franklin was a member of Wisconsin’s 2023 team that finished the season 30-6. That crew made it to the semifinal round of the 2023 Tournament and lost to No. 1 Texas.

Wisconsin will look to capture its second title in program history this season. To do so, it will need to overcome No. 1 Nebraska in the fourth round to clinch a berth to the Final Four.

Former Badger big man ties the knot

After a legendary career at Wisconsin, current NBA player Frank Kaminsky and his bride Ashley Brewer tied the knot this week.

After a legendary career at Wisconsin, current NBA player Frank Kaminsky and his bride Ashley Brewer tied the knot this week. Kaminsky was a member of the Badgers from 2011-2015, leading Wisconsin men’s basketball to heights they had never reached.

Kaminsky really stepped into his own in his junior season in 2014 averaging 13.9 points per game and 6.3 rebounds, helping lead the Badgers to a Final Four birth, losing to Kentucky. Additionally, in November of that 2013-2014 campaign, he set the program record with 43 points against North Dakota.

The next season he went on to win Big Ten Player of the Year as well as the Naismith Award, averaging 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds. The Badgers went on to defeat the unbeaten Kentucky Wildcats in the Final Four and ultimately lose to Duke 68-63 in the 2015 National Championship.

Kaminsky was selected ninth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets and he currently plays for the Houston Rockets.

Congratulations Frank the Tank!

Michigan State Basketball has the most Big Ten Player of the Year winners in conference history

Michigan State players have brought home the Big Ten Player of the Year nine times, more than any other Big Ten school

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The Big Ten Conference started awarding a Player of the Year for basketball back in 1984-85. Since then, a litany of Spartans have received the honor, which has led to Michigan State having the most winners of the award in conference history.

The first Spartan to win the award was Scott Skiles in 1986 and the latest was Cassius Winston in 2019.

Here is the full awards breakdown by team:

  1. Michigan State – 9
  2. Ohio State – 7
  3. Indiana – 6
  4. Michigan – 5
  5. Purdue – 4
  6. Illinois – 3
  7. Wisconsin – 3
  8. Iowa – 1

This list excludes Clem Haskins, who won the award with Minnesota back in 1997 but was forced to vacate the honor. In 1999 and 2000 a Spartan shared the award both years, first with Mateen Cleaves and then with Morris Peterson. Cleaves shared it with Scoonie Penn of Ohio State and Peterson with A.J. Guyton of Indiana.

Mateen Cleaves is one of only two players to have won the award twice.

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Locked On Spartans Podcast: Big Ten Awards, Big Ten Tournament

Recapping the Big Ten awards and looking ahead to the Big Ten Tournament

Wil and Matt talk about the Big Ten Awards and if there were any major gripes for MSU players. Then they talk about how fun the Big Ten Tournament is going to be this year.

You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

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