July 25, 2010
[ONE // 33 football players, 11 coaches, 1 great event]
The Big Ten announced on Monday the 33 student-athletes scheduled to attend the 2010 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon, held Tuesday, August 3, at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. The 39th annual event, which also features all 11 conference head coaches, begins at 10 a.m. CT with the players and coaches autograph and photo session for fans attending the luncheon. The luncheon is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. CT, with comments from all 11 coaches and returning All-Big Ten wide receiver Keith Smith of Purdue, who will speak on behalf of the players in attendance. The list of student-athletes scheduled to attend includes 19 former All-Big Ten selections, including seven first-team honorees from last season. The list also includes the 2009 Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year and two standouts who were recognized as their respective teams' Most Valuable Players.
[TWO // stay tuned to the tv]
The Big Ten announced on Thursday that the Big Ten Network and ESPNEWS will air coverage of the opening session of the 2010 Big Ten Football Media Days on Monday, August 2. The media days and luncheon will take place at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. The Big Ten Network will provide four hours of live coverage on Monday, including the full press conferences for all 11 head coaches and Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. Mike Hall and Chris Martin will anchor the network's coverage from the Big Ten Network studios beginning at 10 a.m. CT. The Big Ten Network will provide live online coverage of the media sessions on Monday and Tuesday via Twitter and www.BigTenNetwork.com. Monday's press conferences will be streamed live on www.BigTenNetwork.com, and the website will also feature blog updates, frequent video clips and interviews with Big Ten newsmakers.
[THREE // big ten standouts named to good works team]
Seven Big Ten football players have been recognized by the Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) among the 112 student-athletes nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. The total is the most ever in the 19-year history of the award. Congratulations to Indiana’s Ben Chappell, Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins, Northwestern’s Corbin Bryant, Ohio State’s Bryant Browning, Penn State’s Stefen Wisniewski, Purdue’s Kyle Adams and Wisconsin’s Scott Tolzien on their efforts of giving back and volunteerism. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® represents the "best of the best" among more than 50,000 student-athletes participating in the sport at all four-year institutions. For more on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, click here.
[FOUR // the golden boys]
Three Big Ten quarterbacks are among the 22 candidates for the 2010 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the nation's top senior signal caller. The prestigious award bears the name of who many refer to as the finest quarterback to ever play the game of football. Established in 1987, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has previously honored 22 outstanding young men. Congratulations to Indiana’s Ben Chappell, Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi and Wisconsin’s Scott Tolzien. Best of luck in the upcoming football season!
[FIVE // never too early]
The Big Ten leads all conferences with five selections among Dick Vitale's preseason All-Americans. Purdue's Robbie Hummel and JuJuan Johnson earned first-team recognition, while Michigan State's Kalin Lucas landed on the second team, and Illinois' Demetri McCamey and Wisconsin's Jon Leuer earned fifth-team honors.
[SIX // healy tabbed as new badger softball coach]
Yvette Healy, head softball coach at Loyola (Chicago) since 2004, was named the head softball coach at Wisconsin, it was announced Saturday. The 2007 Horizon League Coach of the Year, Healy guided the Ramblers to a top-four conference finish in every season she was at the helm. She has coached four NFCA All-Mideast Region players over the last four seasons, and the team set the single-season school record for batting average (.292) in 2010. Healy's team also set single-season Loyola records for stolen bases (116) and home runs (37) in 2009.
[SEVEN // big ten grapplers medal at golden grand prix]
Indiana's first four-time All-American, Angel Escobedo, continued his push for recognition as a force on the international stage with a bronze medal showing in the 55 kg/121 lbs. division at the Golden Grand Prix Finals this past week. Escobedo finished with a 4-1 record, including a victory over 2006 World Champion Radislav Velikov of Bulgaria in the bronze-medal bout. In addition, Iowa’s Brent Metcalf claimed a bronze medal for the United States at 66kg.
[EIGHT // michigan pair take home rowing gold]
University of Michigan rowers Felice Mueller and Ashley Kroll brought home the gold medal in the pair at the Under-23 World Championships in Brest, Belarus on Saturday in record-setting fashion. The pair posted a new Under-23 World best time of 7:14.07, shattering the old record by 0.87 seconds.
[NINE // head of the class]
The National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W) announced the 2010 Scholastic All-America award winners this past week and several Big Ten gymnasts and teams were honored. The achievement was awarded to individuals who garnered a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher for the past year. Eight Illinois gymnasts, joined five Michigan student-athletes, and five Minnesota Golden Gophers on the scholastic list.
[TEN // spartan finds a career on student u]
Showcasing one of the many benefits of the Big Ten Network, Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal penned a great feature in Sunday’s edition on Michigan State graduate Sarah Teremi, who has found a career with the conference’s nationally-televised network. Through the “Student U” initiative, Teremi worked for the Big Ten Network as a senior this past year, producing several MSU athletic events with her fellow classmates. In the first year of “Student U” more than 200 students participated in producing 177 events, which were streamed live on the network's website and often aired later. As a result of her experience, Teremi has earned the right to work on volleyball and soccer events in the fall for the network. As a freelancer, she'll also be able to do some camera work for ESPN and ABC. Read more about Teremi and her “Student U” experience by clicking here.
[ELEVEN // home in hawaii]
Finally this week, we turn our attention outside the continental U.S. and focus on the rehabilitation efforts of former Purdue softball player Liane Horiuchi. More than two months removed from a nearly-tragic car accident, Horiuchi is back at home in Wahiawa, Hawai'i, continuing her rehabilitation and looking on to the next phase of her life. Kanoa Leahey of KHON Channel 2 recently caught up with the Boilermakers' all-time stolen base leader shortly after her to return the islands to provide an update on her condition and an opportunity for Liane to thank all her well-wishers. Horiuchi, who received second-team All-Big Ten acclaim at third base in 2009, was named as a third-team selection at shortstop this past year.
