Big Ten announces Medal of Honor recipients

The Big Ten conference announced its Medal of Honor recipients on Thursday. The award, created in 1915, is given to one male and one female student-athlete at each Big Ten institution, recognizing excellence in athletics and academics.

Illinois’ recipients were golfer Luke Guthrie and Jenna Carosio of the Illini women’s soccer team. Guthrie received the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award during the 2011-12 academic year and was the Big Ten Men’s Golfer of the Year. Carosio helped lead the women’s soccer team to the conference tournament championship as she was named Big Ten women’s soccer Defensive Player of the Year.

For Northwestern, baseball’s Francis Brooke and field hockey’s Chelsea Armstrong received medals. Armstrong was the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.

The full list of medal honorees is below.

Illinois

Jenna Carosio, Women’s Soccer

Luke Guthrie, Men’s Golf

Indiana

Margaux Farrell, Women’s Swimming

Matt Roth, Men’s Basketball

Iowa

McKenzie Melander, Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country

Erik Sowinski, Men’s Track & Field

Michigan

Amanda Chidester, Softball

Dan Madwed, Men’s Swimming

Michigan State

Kirk Cousins, Football

Jenilee Rathje, Volleyball

Minnesota

David Pachuta, Men’s Track & Field

Anne Schleper, Women’s Ice Hockey

Nebraska

Tyler Hitchler, Men’s Track & Field

Ashley Miller, Women’s Track & Field

Northwestern

Chelsea Armstrong, Field Hockey

Francis Brooke, Baseball

Ohio State

Bianca Alvarez, Women’s Diving

Andrew Elliott, Men’s Swimming

Penn State

Miguel Pineda, Men’s Gymnastics

Erin Thomas, Women’s Swimming

Purdue

Robbie Hummel, Men’s Basketball

Brittany Rayburn, Women’s Basketball

Wisconsin

Peter Konz, Football

Laurie Nosbusch, Women’s Soccer