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NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers (Penn State) - Tallied a team-high 16 tackles in the 49ers' 42-13 loss to the Seahawks.

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots (Michigan) - Threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-41 passing in New England's 23-16 win over Jacksonville.

Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints (Purdue) - Threw for 446 yards and three scores on 37-of-53 passing in the Saints' 34-31 overtime win over the Cowboys.

Josh Brown, K, Cincinnati Bengals (Nebraska) - Nailed two of three field goals, including a game-winning 43 yarder, in the Bengals' 13-10 win over the Steelers.

Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos (Minnesota) - Reeled in six receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns in the Broncos' 34-12 victory over the Browns.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets (Iowa) - Ran for 38 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 42 yards in the Jets' 27-17 loss to the Chargers.

A.J. Hawk, LB, Green Bay Packers (Ohio State) - Recorded seven tackles, including three for loss, and two sacks in the Packers' 55-7 win over the Titans.

Lance Kendricks, TE, St. Louis Rams (Wisconsin) - Reeled in four receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' 28-13 win over the Bucs.

Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Washington Redskins (Purdue) - Recorded five tackles, including two for loss, and two sacks in Washington's 27-20 win over Philadelphia.

James Laurinaitis, LB, St. Louis Rams (Ohio State) - Registered a team-high 12 tackles, including 11 solo, and two pass deflections in the Rams' 28-13 win over the Bucs.

Corey Liuget, DE, San Diego Chargers (Illinois) - Recorded five tackles and two sacks in San Diego's 27-17 win over the New York Jets.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, New England Patriots (Illinois) - Pulled in six catches for 62 yards in the Patriots' 23-16 win over the Jaguars.

Shaun Phillips, LB, San Diego Chargers (Purdue) - Recorded four tackles, 2.5 sacks and a fumble recovery in the Chargers' 27-17 win over the Jets.

J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans (Wisconsin) - Registered three tackles, including two for loss, one sack and a forced fumble in the Texans' 23-6 loss to the Vikings.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks (Wisconsin) - Threw for 171 yards and four touchdowns on 15-of-21 passing and ran for 29 yards in the Seahawks' 42-13 victory over the 49ers.

Antoine Winfield, CB, Minnesota Vikings (Ohio State) - Recorded five tackles, including two for loss, one sacks and a pass deflection in the Vikings' 23-6 win over the Texans.

[1] - Hofstra Holiday Tournament - Hempstead, N.Y.

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The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced the names of 15 faculty athletics representatives who will be honored as part of the 2012 NFF Faculty Salute Initiative, sponsored by Fidelity Investments, honoring the significant contributions of faculty athletics representatives across the nation. Included among the group of honorees are Nebraska's Josephine Potuto and Northwestern's Robert Gundlach. Both schools produced a 2012 NFF National Scholar-Athlete - the Cornhuskers' Rex Burkhead and the Wildcats' Patrick Ward.

"For more than 150 years, faculty athletics representatives have played a critical role in the overall educational experience of our country's student-athletes," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We are proud to join with Fidelity to highlight their contributions and pivotal support in ensuring that our nation's student-athletes succeed on and off the field."

Launched in 2011 by Fidelity and the NFF, the initiative is an extension of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Program that provides postgraduate scholarships for college football's elite student-athletes. Fidelity, which is also the presenting sponsor of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, has taken on a leadership role with the initiative as a natural extension of its ongoing support of the scholar-athlete ideal and commitment to higher education nationwide. As part of the initiative, each school with an NFF National Scholar-Athlete receives recognition for their faculty athletics representative, and a $5,000 donation per school ($75,000 total) from Fidelity will be made to support the academic support services for student-athletes at each school.

"Honoring the faculty athletics representatives from the schools with NFF National Scholar-Athletes makes perfect sense," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "There is no group more committed to the well-being of our student-athletes, and the NFF National Scholar-Athlete success stories provide a natural vehicle for emphasizing the important contributions of the faculty athletics representatives in ensuring a strong connection between the academic and athletic experiences of our nation's student-athletes."

For each tournament that is held in Chicago, Athletico will coordinate the medical services for tournament coverage. Athletico will also provide courtside athletic trainers to assist with the sports medicine staff of respective Big Ten schools.

"The Big Ten is the most recognized and sought after collegiate conference in the country," says Mark Kaufman, Athletico's president and founder and a graduate of the University of Iowa and Northwestern University. "We are proud to be named the official physical therapy provider of such a great conference that embodies loyalty, integrity, and tradition to its current students and alumni base. Over 25% of our clinical staff have graduated from Big Ten institutions, and we look forward to assisting the conference in providing the highest quality of healthcare service at its' forthcoming tournaments."

This long-term partnership with the Big Ten Conference includes marketing exposure for Athletico at the Big Ten Conference's Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments and Football Championship Game as well as digital media support throughout the Big Ten athletic season. Additionally, Athletico will provide comprehensive services for both the Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments that take place in Chicago.

"Big Ten Sports Properties is excited to begin our relationship with Athletico as the Conference's official physical and occupational therapy provider," says Scott Bailey, General Manager of Big Ten Sports Properties, the group that develops corporate partnerships for the Big Ten Conference. "Athletico has a proven history of producing exceptional patient outcomes, and we look forward to bringing that tradition to the Big Ten's fans and championship events."

ABOUT ATHLETICO
Athletico Physical Therapy provides orthopedic rehabilitation services to communities and organizations throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. To demonstrate our commitment to both our patients and referring physicians, we measure functional patient outcomes and patient satisfaction with national data comparison using a third-party outcomes system.

Our services include physical and occupational/hand therapy, work rehabilitation, performing arts rehabilitation, women's health therapy, pediatric physical therapy, vestibular rehabilitation, and athletic training. Expanded services include performance enhancement, fitness center memberships, golf fitness, endurance, and massage therapy.

Athletico accepts all indemnity, PPO, POS, and WC plans including BC/BS, Humana, Medicare, Aetna (PPO/HMO), PHCS, UHC (PPO.HMO) and many others. As a courtesy to our patients, we verify insurance coverage.

Athletico Toll-Free Injury Hotline 877-ATHLETICO (1-877-284-5384), www.athletico.com

ABOUT THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in student-athletes' lives and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The broad-based athletic programs of the 12 Big Ten institutions sponsor 298 teams competing for championships in 25 official conference sports, 12 for men and 13 for women. Big Ten universities provide in excess of $136 million in athletic scholarship aid to nearly 10,000 men and women student-athletes, the most of any conference. For more information, visit www.bigten.org.

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Penn State's Bill O'Brien was named the Maxwell Football Club (MFC) Collegiate Coach of the Year, the second straight year a Big Ten coach has been honored. Michigan's Brady Hoke was named national coach of the year by the MFC last season. The MFC has honored a national coach of the year since 1989 and Big Ten mentors have now been selected on eight occasions.

O'Brien led the Nittany Lions to victories in eight of their final 10 games, earning an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the conference, with the only losses coming to division winners Nebraska and Ohio State. Penn State reeled off five consecutive victories after an 0-2 start and won its first three Big Ten road games. O'Brien was named the Big Ten's Dave McClain (media) and Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (coaches).

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers (Penn State) - Tallied a team-high 12 tackles, including nine solo and one for loss, in the 49ers' 41-34 win over the Patriots.

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots (Michigan) - Threw for 443 yards and one touchdown on 36-of-65 passing in New England's 41-34 loss to San Francisco.

Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints (Purdue) - Threw for 307 yards and four scores on 26-of-39 passing in the Saints' 41-0 win over the Bucs.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins (Michigan State) - Threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns on 26-of-37 passing in Washington's 38-21 win over Cleveland.

Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos (Minnesota) - Reeled in eight receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos' 34-17 victory over the Ravens.

Larry Foote, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Michigan) - Totaled six tackles in the Steelers' 27-24 overtime loss to the Cowboys.

Brandon Graham, DE, Philadelphia Eagles (Michigan) - Recorded six tackles, including one for loss, and 2.5 sacks in the Eagles' 34-13 loss to the Bengals.

Chad Greenway, LB, Minnesota Vikings (Iowa) - Recorded a team-high 14 tackles, including 13 solo and two for loss, and one sack in the Vikings' 36-22 win over the Rams.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, New England Patriots (Illinois) - Pulled in 10 catches for 190 yards in the Patriots' 41-34 loss to the 49ers.

Paul Posluszny, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars (Penn State) - Registered a team-high 10 tackles, including nine solo, in the Jaguars' 24-3 loss to the Dolphins.

J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans (Wisconsin) - Totaled a team-high 10 tackles, including six for loss, and three sacks in the Texans' 29-17 win over the Colts.

Beanie Wells, RB, Arizona Cardinals (Ohio State) - Rushed for 67 yards and three touchdowns in the Cardinals' 38-10 win over the Lions.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks (Wisconsin) - Threw for 205 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-23 passing and ran for 92 yards and three scores in the Seahawks' 50-17 victory over the Bills.

Points Per Game
16. Maggie Lucas, PSU, 20.9
25. Rachel Banham, MINN, 19.6

Assists Per Game
7. Karly Roser, NU, 6.9
14. Alexis Smith, ILL, 6.4
18. Samantha Logic, IOWA, 6.2

Blocks Per Game
17. Ashley Adams, OSU, 2.75
25. Karisma Penn, ILL, 2.5

Steals Per Game
20. Alex Bentley, PSU, 3.64

Field Goal Percentage
22. Micaella Riche, MINN, 57.4

Free-Throw Percentage
8. Jaime Printy, IOWA, 94.6

3-Point Field Goal Percentage
6. Maggie Lucas, PSU, 51.5
11. Kate Thompson, MICH, 47.7
23. Aulani Sinclair, IND, 44.3

3-Point Field Goals Per Game
2. Kate Thompson, MICH, 3.73
11. Amber Moore, ILL, 3.2
12. Maggie Lucas, PSU, 3.18

Double-Doubles
17. Karisma Penn, ILL, 17
17. Jordan Hooper, NEB, 17

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Two Big Ten women's soccer players have earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar All-America status, it was announced last week. Illinois' Vanessa DiBernardo was named to the first team, while Ohio State's Megan Fuller garned third team honors. To be named Scholar All-America, a college student must attain a 3.30 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. DiBernardo, a sports administration major, has accumulated a 3.60 GPA, while Fuller, a psychology major, has earned a 3.41 GPA. Both student-athletes were named Academic All-Big Ten earlier this post-season.

DiBernardo, Fuller and the rest of the 2012 Scholar All-America Teams will be recognized Jan. 19, at the All-America Luncheon held during the 2013 NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

For the complete list of NSCAA Scholar All-Americans, click here.  

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Eleven men's soccer players were named to the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Team, it was announced this week. Five of the seven conference squads were represented on the list, including four from Co-Big Ten Champion Northwestern and three from NCAA Champion Indiana. Below is the complete list of Big Ten student-athletes on the All-Great Lakes Region Team.

First Team
Eriq Zavaleta, IND

Second Team
Nikita Kotlov, IND
Kevin Cope, MSU
Nikko Boxall, NU
Tyler Miller, NU
Chris Ritter, NU
John Gallagher, PSU
AJ Cochran, WIS

Third Team
Caleb Konstanski, IND
Adam Montague, MSU
Joey Calistri, NU 

*For the complete All-Great Lakes Region Team, click here.

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Jason Avant, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (Michigan) - Hauled in seven catches for 133 yards in the Eagles' 23-21 win over the Bucs.

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers (Penn State) - Tallied a team-high eight tackles, including six solo, in the 49ers' 27-13 win over the Dolphins.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins (Michigan State) - Threw the game-tying touchdown and scored on a two-point conversion run with 29 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, helping Washington to a 31-28 overtime victory over Baltimore.

Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Nebraska) - Tied for a team-high with nine tackles and recorded a sack in the Bucs' 23-21 loss to the Eagles.

Vontae Davis, CB, Indianapolis Colts (Illinois) - Recorded eight tackles, including three for loss, one sack and a pass deflection in the Colts' 27-23 win over the Titans.

Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos (Minnesota) - Reeled in eight receptions for 88 yards in the Broncos' 26-13 victory over the Raiders.

Larry Foote, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Michigan) - Totaled seven tackles in the Steelers' 34-24 loss to the Chargers.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets (Iowa) - Ran for 77 yards and a touchdown in the Jets' 17-10 win over the Jaguars.

A.J. Hawk, LB, Green Bay Packers (Ohio State) Recorded eight tackles in the Packers' 27-20 win over the Lions.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, New England Patriots (Illinois) - Pulled in seven catches for 89 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' 42-14 win over the Texans.

Bernard Pollard, S, Baltimore Ravens (Purdue) - Notched eight tackles in the Ravens' 31-28 overtime loss to the Redskins.

Paul Posluszny, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars (Penn State) - Registered a team-high 11 tackles, including 10 solo, in the Jaguars' 17-10 loss to the Jets.

Anthony Spencer, LB, Dallas Cowboys (Purdue) - Recorded a team-high 11 tackles and two sacks in the Cowboy's 20-19 victory over the Bengals.

Cameron Wake, LB, Miami Dolphins (Penn State) - Racked up six tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in Miami's 27-13 loss to San Francisco.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks (Wisconsin) - Threw for 148 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-13 passing in the Seahawks' 58-0 victory over the Cardinals.

Ohio State senior defensive tackle John Simon was named one of three finalists for the Fellowship of Christian Athlete's (FCA) Bobby Bowden Award, an honor that goes to the college football player who best epitomizes being a student-athlete. In order to be nominated for the Bowden Award, a player must conduct himself as a faith role model in the classroom, on the field, on the campus and in the community. The award is named for former Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden. The 2012 Bowden Award winner will be announced on January 4, 2013. Northwestern's Jason Wright was the inaugural winner of the Bowden Award in 2003.

Simon has already been honored as the Big Ten's Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year. He was also a semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors the defensive player of the year with equal weight given to athletic performance and personal character.

Wisconsin's Montee Ball, the NCAA all-time leader in touchdowns, was named the winner of the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation's top running back. Ball led the conference in rushing yards for the second straight season with an average of 146.0 yards per contest in Big Ten games only. The senior standout also tied for the conference lead in scoring, marking the third straight year Ball has led the Big Ten in points, the first time a player has accomplished that feat since at least 1939. Ball becomes the sixth Big Ten running back and the second Badger standout to win the Doak Walker Award. Previous Big Ten Doak Walker Award winners are Ohio State's Eddie George (1995), Wisconsin's Ron Dayne (1999), Penn State's Larry Johnson (2002), Michigan's Chris Perry (2003) and Iowa's Shonn Greene (2008).

Sixteen women's soccer players were named to the NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Team, it was announced on Monday. Standouts from conference institutions make up 16 of the 33 representatives, including seven of the 11 on the first team. Below is the complete list of Big Ten student-athletes on the All-Great Lakes Region Team.

First Team
Vanessa DiBernardo, ILL
Haley Kopmeyer, MICH
Taylor Uhl, MINN
Tiffany Cameron, OSU
Whitney Church, PSU
Maya Hayes, PSU
Christine Nairn, PSU

Second Team
Cloe Lacasse, IOWA
Nkem Ezurike, MICH
Holly Hein, MICH
Erin McNulty, PSU
Monica Lam-Feist, WIS

Third Team
Orianica Velasquez, IND
Shelina Zadorsky, MICH
Megan Fuller, OSU
Raquel Rodriguez, PSU

*For the complete All-Great Lakes Region Team, click here.

Former Minnesota student-athlete and Super Bowl winner Tony Dungy will be honored with the NCAA's Theodore Roosevelt Award at the 2013 NCAA Convention in Grapevine, Texas. Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, whose concern for the conduct of intercollegiate athletics led to the formation of the NCAA in 1906, the award is the NCAA's highest honor and is given annually to an individual "for whom competitive athletics in college and attention to physical well-being thereafter have been important factors in a distinguished career of national significance and achievement." Dwight Eisenhower was the first recipient of the "Teddy" in 1967. Dungy's name will be added to the distinguished list of recipients at the Honors Celebration on Jan. 18.

Dungy's name appears on the Big Ten's Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award, which recognizes Big Ten football players that have achieved success in the area of humanitarianism after their college careers have ended. Indiana's George Taliaferro was honored with the inaugural Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award in 2011, while Ohio State's Chris Spielman earned the award in 2012.

Dungy excelled in football during his college days at Minnesota, won a Super Bowl ring as a defensive back with the Pittsburgh Steelers and later become a Super Bowl-winning head coach. For more information on his latest honor, click on this link.

Penn State coach Bill O'Brien has earned his third recognition in as many days as a finalist for a national coaching honor with his selection as one of three candidates for the 2012 Maxwell Football Club's Collegiate Coach of the Year. Earlier this week, O'Brien and Ohio State's Urban Meyer were named finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year. Michigan's Brady Hoke was named the Maxwell Football Club's Collegiate Coach of the Year last season, the seventh such honor for a coach from a current Big Ten school.
 
O'Brien was named the Big Ten's Dave McClain Coach of the Year (media) and Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (coaches). He was just the seventh first-year head coach to earn the Dave McClain Coach of the Year in the 41 years it has been awarded. Named Penn State's 15th head football coach on January 6, 2012, he led the Nittany Lions to victories in eight of their final 10 games, earning an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Big Ten, with the only losses coming to division winners Ohio State and Nebraska. O'Brien's eight wins are the most by a first-year Penn State coach in the 126 years of the program.

Voting is underway for the finalist selection for the MFC Collegiate Coach of the Year. Eligible voters include NCAA Bowl Subdivision Head Coaches and Football Sports Information Directors, Maxwell Football Club members and selected national media. The announcement of the winner will be made on December 19 and the award will be formally presented at the 76th Maxwell Awards Gala on March 1, 2012 at the Harrah's Entertainment Resort in Atlantic City. At the March 1 Awards Gala, the Maxwell Football Club also will present its Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award to the 2012 Penn State football seniors in recognition of their commitment, leadership and outstanding effort during this season.
             
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football club of its kind in America. The organization is devoted to recognizing excellence at all levels of football from high school through the NFL ranks. Under the stewardship of MFC President Ron Jaworski the Club has grown rapidly and has members in 40 states. The MFC provides educational and training programs for players and coaches, and also provides scholarships to outstanding student-athletes who demonstrate excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers (Penn State) - Tied for a team-high with eight tackles, including three for loss, and a sack in the 49ers' 16-13 loss to the Rams.

Dallas Clark, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Iowa) - Caught three passes for 21 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs' 31-23 loss to the Broncos.

Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Nebraska) - Recorded 10 tackles, including three for loss, an interception and two pass deflections in the Bucs' 31-23 loss to the Broncos.

Brandon Fields, P, Miami Dolphins (Michigan State) - Averaged 51.8 yards on five punts and a long of 60 yards in the Dolphins' 23-16 loss to the Patriots.

Larry Foote, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Michigan) - Totaled six tackles and a sack in the Steelers' 23-20 defeat of the Ravens.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets (Iowa) - Ran for 104 yards on 24 attempts in the Jets' 7-6 win over the Cardinals.

Chad Greenway, LB, Minnesota Vikings (Iowa) - Tallied a team-high 16 tackles, including 13 solo, in the Vikings' 23-14 loss to the Packers.

Brian Hartline, WR, Miami Dolphins (Ohio State) - Pulled in five catches for 84 yards in Miami's 23-16 loss to New England.

A.J. Hawk, LB, Green Bay Packers (Ohio State) - Racked up a team-high 10 tackles, including eight solo, in the Packers' 23-14 win over the Vikings.

Alex Henery, K, Philadephia Eagles (Nebraska) - Nailed both of his field goals and all three extra point attempts in the Eagles' 38-33 loss to the Cowboys.

James Laurinaitis, LB, St. Louis Rams (Ohio State) - Racked up 10 solo tackles in the Rams' 16-13 defeat of the 49ers.

Sean Lee, LB, Dallas Cowboys (Penn State) - Recorded six tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection in the Cowboys' 38-33 victory over the Eagles.

Brandon Myers, TE, Oakland Raiders (Iowa) - Hauled in 14 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders' 20-17 loss to the Browns.

Bernard Pollard, S, Baltimore Ravens (Purdue) - Recorded eight solo tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection in the Ravens' 23-20 loss to the Steelers.

Paul Posluszny, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars (Penn State) - Tied a team-high with nine tackles, including one for loss, an interception and a pass deflection in the Jaguars' 34-18 loss to the Bills.

Anthony Spencer, LB, Dallas Cowboys (Purdue) - Recorded eight tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection in the Cowboy's 38-33 victory over the Eagles.

J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans (Wisconsin) - Tallied five tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and two pass deflections in Houston's 24-10 win over Tennessee.

Donte Whitner, S, San Francisco 49ers (Ohio State)- Racked up seven tackles, including six solo, in San Francisco's 16-13 overtime loss to St. Louis.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks (Wisconsin) - Threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-37 passing and rushed for 71 yards on nine attempts in the Seahawks' 23-17 overtime victory over the Bears.

Antoine Winfield, Minnesota Vikings (Ohio State) - Registered nine tackles, including five solo, in the Vikings' 23-14 loss to the Packers.

Purdue athletics director Morgan J. Burke announced the hiring of Darrell Hazell as head football coach. The 48-year-old Hazell becomes the 35th football coach in school history. Terms of the agreement were not announced.

"Darrell is a great fit to build on our existing foundation," Burke said. "His leadership at Kent State, combined with his prior experience at Ohio State and other stops along the way, has prepared him to help us continue to move toward developing a championship-caliber program. He understands our '25/85' vision as well as our desire to recruit both locally and nationally. Furthermore, it is clear that he appreciates the Cradle of Quarterbacks tradition, and it will remain a focal point of our program."

"I'm extremely excited to work with the players at Purdue, and I look forward to experiencing a lot of success in the future," Hazell said. "It's a wonderful opportunity. Purdue University has a great football tradition, and I can't wait to get started."

Hazell (HAY-zull) comes to the Boilermakers from Kent State, where he served as head coach for the last two seasons, compiling a 16-9 record. The Golden Flashes have enjoyed arguably their most-successful season ever in 2012. They are 11-2 after winning their first-ever Mid-American Conference East Division Championship and will play in their first bowl game in 40 years. Hazell was named the 2012 MAC Coach of the Year, the third Kent State to be so honored, following Don James (1972) and Glen Mason (1986).

Kent State's 11 wins are a school record. The Flashes won six games on the road, including a 35-23 victory at No. 15 Rutgers, their first-ever against a ranked opponent. They became the first MAC East team to finish 8-0 in the conference since 2003 and climbed to as high as No. 17 in the Bowl Championship Series standings. Kent State currently is ranked No. 25 heading into the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Arkansas State on Jan. 6, 2013.

In his first year at the helm, Hazell led Kent State to wins in four of its final five games and had the Flashes playing for bowl eligibility in their last contest. Five opponents went on to win bowl games, including national champion Alabama.

Off the field, Kent State football players became more visible in the community under Hazell, while the team grade-point average improved. During the 2012 spring semester, a program-record 50 players had GPA's above 3.0.

Prior to his stint at Kent State, Hazell spent seven seasons at Ohio State, where he served as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach under Jim Tressel. From 2005 to 2010, the Buckeyes won six consecutive Big Ten Conference championships and played in six straight BCS bowls, including appearances in the 2007 and 2008 national championship games. Ohio State featured dual-threat quarterbacks Troy Smith and Terrelle Pryor, and among its receivers were Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzalez, Santonio Holmes and DeVier Posey. A 27-year veteran of the college coaching ranks, Hazell previously coached at Rutgers (2001-03), West Virginia (1999-2000), the U.S. Military Academy (1997-98), Western Michigan (1995-96), Pennsylvania (1992-94), Eastern Illinois (1988) and Oberlin (1986-87, 1989-91).

Hazell is a 1986 graduate of Muskingum College with a B.A. in speech communications and business. He was a three-time all-conference selection as a wide receiver. As a senior, he earned All-America honors and was voted a team captain. A native of Cinnaminson, N.J., Hazell (born April 14, 1964) and his wife, Annmarie, have a son, Kyle.

Before the University of Wisconsin football team defeated Nebraska to win the 2012 Big Ten Championship, it was a former Badger who took center stage for a special community initiative at the Indiana Convention Center on Friday, Nov. 30.

Cecil Martin, a four-year starter at fullback for Wisconsin in the late 1990's, served as honorary youth football coach during the inaugural "Allstate Big Ten Good Works Day," a skills clinic for schoolchildren from Indianapolis' Garden City Elementary School.

The two-hour event was hosted by Big Ten Conference sponsor Allstate Insurance Company in conjunction with the Big Ten, Indiana Sports Corporation and USA Football.

At the convention center's Dr. Pepper Field, more than 150 kids took part in various passing, catching and tackling drills, all part of USA Football's FUNdamentals program designed to teach children the basics of the sport in a fun and safe environment.

Tom Clarkson, field senior vice president for Allstate's North Central Region, and Martin addressed the kids before the start of the clinic, with Martin highlighting the importance of hard work, focus and perseverance in the pursuit of one's dreams.  The former Philadelphia Eagle, Oakland Raider and Tampa Bay Buccaneer was twice named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for outstanding achievements in community service during his playing days at Wisconsin.

Big Ten wrestling boasts 63 ranked wrestlers in this week's InterMat College Rankings, with five grapplers holding the No. 1 ranking in their respective class. Iowa 125-pounder Matt McDonough, Ohio State 133-pounder Logan Steiber, Iowa 157-pounder Derek St. John, Penn State 184-pounder Ed Ruth and Minnesota heavyweight Tony Nelson each sit in the top spot in their weight class' rankings. The Big Ten also boasts five of the top six squads in the team rankings, as Penn State is checks in at No. 1, followed by No. 3 Minnesota, No. 4 Iowa, No. 5 Illinois and No. 6 Ohio State. The complete breakdown of ranked Big Ten teams and wrestlers can be found below.

Team
1. Penn State
3. Minnesota
4. Iowa
5. Illinois
6. Ohio State
T14. Northwestern
17. Nebraska
T31. Purdue
T34. Michigan
37. Indiana
41. Wisconsin
T48. Michigan State

125
1. Matt McDonough, IOWA
2. Jesse Delgado, ILL
3. Nico Megaludis, PSU
8. David Thorn, MINN
15. Nikko Triggas, OSU
17. Camden Eppert, PUR
18. Dom Malone, NU

133
1. Logan Steiber, OSU
3. Tony Ramos, IOWA
5. Chris Dardanes, MINN
13. Daryl Thomas, ILL
15. Cashe Quiroga, PUR
16. Levi Mele, NU

141
2. Hunter Stieber, OSU
3. B.J. Futrell, ILL
9. Tyler Graff, WIS
11. Mark Ballweg, IOWA
14. Nick Dardanes, MINN

149
2. Dylan Ness, MINN
5. Andrew Alton, PSU
10. Jake Sueflohn, NEB
11. Cam Tessari, OSU
13. Eric Grajales, MICH
14. Ivan Lopouchanski, PUR

157
1. Derek St. John, IOWA
2. Jason Welch, NU
5. Dylan Alton, PSU
8. James Green, NEB
20. Tommy Churchard, PUR

165
2. David Taylor, PSU
5. Conrad Polz, ILL
9. Cody Yohn, MINN
10. Pierce Harger, NU
15. Taylor Massa, MICH
18. Ryan LeBlanc, IND
19. Nick Moore, IOWA

174
2. Nick Heflin, OSU
3. Matt Brown, PSU
4. Logan Storley, MINN
5. Jordan Blanton, ILL
7. Mike Evans, IOWA
8. Robert Kokesh, NEB
9. Lee Munster, NU
12. Dan Yates, MICH

184
1. Ed Ruth, PSU
4. Kevin Steinhaus, MINN
6. Josh Ihnen, NEB
7. Ethen Lofthouse, IOWA
11. Tony Dallago, ILL

197
3. Quentin Wright, PSU
5. Mario Gonzalez, ILL
10. Andrew Campolattano, OSU
13. Scott Schiller, MINN
15. Braden Atwood, PUR
19. Max Huntley, MICH

Hwt
1. Tony Nelson, MINN
5. Bobby Telford, IOWA
8. Adam Chalfant, IND
9. Mike McMullan, NU
10. Mike McClure, MSU
12. Peter Capone, OSU
14. Connor Medbery, WIS
15. Jimmy Lawson, PSU

Ohio State's Urban Meyer and Penn State's Bill O'Brien have been named finalists for the 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year, just one day after both were named finalists for the 2012 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Established in 2006, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year recognizes coaches who demonstrate sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence both on and off the field. 

Beginning today through December 20, fans can log their Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year vote by visiting coachoftheyear.com on their PC, tablet or mobile device and posting a pre-populated tweet. As part of Liberty Mutual's partnership with the National Football Foundation, a selection committee of more than 50 College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches, as well as national college football media, will evaluate the coaches based on their responsibility, integrity and on-field success to help determine the four coaching winners from FBS, the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III.  Winners are ultimately determined using the following voting weight:  fan voting (20 percent), College Football Hall of Fame (55 percent) and media (25 percent).
 
Liberty Mutual will announce the four winners the morning of the BCS National Championship game, January 7, 2013, in South Florida.  The FBS coaching winner will receive a $50,000 donation from Liberty Mutual to the charity or charities of his choice, as well as a $20,000 scholarship grant in their name to their school's alumni association.  Since 2006, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award has celebrated the work of its 21 winners by donating more than $1.5 million to over 90 charities and college alumni scholarship funds.

Penn State senior quarterback Matt McGloin was honored by the Springdale Rotary Club as the winner of the Third Annual Burlsworth Trophy, presented to the nation's outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on. The record-setting signal-caller broke nine school passing records and tied another during his impressive senior campaign. The Burlsworth Trophy was first presented in 2010 in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, a former All-American and walk-on offensive lineman at the University of Arkansas. Burlsworth died in an automobile accident 11 days after being selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the 63rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs (Michigan) was also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy.
 
McGloin joined the Nittany Lions in 2008 and has emerged as one of Penn State's most prolific signal-callers in its 126-year history. A starter in 10 games prior to this season, McGloin was named the starting quarterback in June and flourished in Coach Bill O'Brien's offense, starting all 12 games this year. The former West Scranton High School standout broke nine school records and tied another during his superlative senior campaign. He was instrumental in helping the Nittany Lions win eight of their last 10 games, compiling an 8-4 overall record and 6-2 Big Ten mark, finishing second in the Leaders Division. For the season, McGloin was 270 of 446 (60.5) for 3,266 yards, with 24 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. He also was second on the team with five touchdown runs. An honorable mention All-Big Ten choice, McGloin was selected Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 19 after throwing for 395 yards, just four yards off the school record, and a career-high tying four touchdowns in Penn State's 45-22 win over Indiana.

Points Per Game
16. Maggie Lucas, PSU (21.4)

Assists Per Game
2. Alexis Smith, ILL (7.4)
7. Karly Roser, NU (7.0)
16. Samantha Logic, IOWA (6.3)

Blocks Per Game
8. Ashley Adams, OSU (3.3)
18. Karisma Penn, ILL (2.7)

Steals Per Game
4. Alex Bentley, PSU (4.3)

Field Goal Percentage
25. Karisma Penn, ILL (58.8)

Free-Throw Percentage
24. Jaime Printy, IOWA (93.6)

3-Point Field-Goal Percentage
8. Maggie Lucas, PSU (56.1)
16. Kate Thompson, MICH (50.0)
21. KK Houser, PUR (47.4)
23. Aulani Sinclair, IND (46.8)

3-Point Field Goals Per Game
7. Kate Thompson, MICH (3.5)
11. Amber Moore, ILL (3.3)
11. Maggie Lucas, PSU (3.3)

Assist-Turnover Ratio
24. Lindsey Moore, NEB (2.6)
25. Jasmine Thomas, MSU (2.5)

Double-Doubles
14. Karisma Penn, ILL (4)

Minnesota's Taylor Uhl and Ohio State's Tiffany Cameron, both first-team All-Big Ten selections and All-America honorees, led the nation in total goals scored this season, each tallying 21 scores. Uhl also led the country in total points (51) and was second in points per game (2.55) and goals per game (1.05), while Cameron was first in game-winning goals (9), third in goals per game (0.955) and fourth in total points (47).

Michigan's Haley Kopmeyer, the Big Ten's Goalkeeper of the Year, ranked fourth in the nation in goalie minutes played (2246.41). As a team, Big Ten Champion and NCAA runner-up Penn State was fourth in scoring offense.

For the entire season's statistics, click here.

Ohio State's Urban Meyer and Penn State's Bill O'Brien have been named finalists by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) for the 2012 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, whose winner will be revealed on Thursday, Dec. 13. Of the finalists, only Meyer previously has captured the FWAA coaching award, in 2004 during his final season at Utah. Coaches from current Big Ten schools have claimed the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award on 17 occasions, most recently by Ohio State's Jim Tressel (2002), Northwestern's Gary Barnett (1995) and Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez (1993). Last season, Michigan's Brady Hoke was named the national coach of the year by the Maxwell Football Club.

Meyer's Buckeyes completed the school's sixth perfect regular season in his first season at the school. Meyer won the award in 2004 at Utah and was a finalist in 2008 while at Florida. O'Brien kept the Nittany Lions focused despite an 0-2 start and capped an 8-4 season with a 24-21 overtime win over eventual Big Ten champion Wisconsin.