Around The Big Ten – October 21

You can follow along all season on SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372).

FOOTBALL

Offensive Player of the Week 
KJ Duff, Rutgers
WR – Jr. – Riverhead, N.Y. – St. Anthony’s

• Posted nine receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-30 Big Ten road win at Maryland
• Marked his fourth game of the season in triple figures and seventh for his career
• The two receiving scores bring him to nine for the season, one shy of tying the single-season school record, and 17 for his career, tied for fifth most in program history
• Last Rutgers Offensive Player of the Week: Kyle Monangai (Sept. 9, 2024)

Defensive Player of the Week
Chris Bracy, Michigan
S – Jr. – Mobile, Ala. – St. Paul’s Episcopal

• Picked up the Wolverines’ sixth interception this season and his second interception of the year in a 21-18 victory against Penn State
• Recorded another turnover in the fourth quarter, forcing a strip sack recovered by Enow Etta and setting up the game-clinching score for the Wolverines
• Finished with eight total tackles, 1.0 sack, a forced fumble, an interception and a pass breakup
• Last Michigan Defensive Player of the Week honoree: John Henry Daley (Sept. 14, 2026)

Special Teams Player of the Week 
Gage Hurych, Oregon
K – Jr. – West Linn, Ore. – West Linn

• Helped Oregon to a 17-14 comeback win against Nebraska, going 3-for-3 on field goals with makes from 36, 36 and 37 yards
• Stayed perfect on the season, improving to 9-for-9 on field goals
• One of seven FBS kickers still perfect on field goals with at least nine attempts
• Last Oregon Special Teams Player of the Week honoree: Atticus Sappington (Nov. 10, 2025)

Freshman of the Week 
Jay Timmons, Ohio State 
CB – Gibsonia, Pa. – Pine-Richland

• Forced a fumble in the third quarter, marking the first fumble by the Indiana offense in 1,473 snaps which was the longest streak in the FBS
• Totaled seven tackles, two pass breakups and the forced fumble in Ohio State’s second ranked road win of the season
• Helped the Buckeyes end Indiana’s 22-game winning streak—the longest active streak in the country and the longest since Georgia won 29 consecutive games from 2021-23
• Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Bo Jackson (Nov. 24, 2025)

HOCKEY

First Star
Jack Ivankovic, Michigan
So. – G – Mississauga, Ontario – Brampton (OHL)
2025 NHL Draft: 2nd Round, 58th overall, Nashville Predators

• Backstopped No. 2/2-ranked Michigan to a road sweep of No. 1/1-ranked Denver in the Mile High City
• Named First Star of the Game on Friday with a 27-save performance in a 4-1 win; made 1,000th save of his career
• Turned aside 33 shots on Saturday, fending off two 5×3 short-handed situations over a four-minute span by making eight saves
• Has started every game for Michigan, which is 6-0-0 for the first time in program history
• The 2026 All-Big Ten Second Team member collects his second career Star award

Second Star
Evan Jardine, Ohio State
Fr. – F – Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – Youngstown (USHL)
2026 NHL Draft: 4th round, 121st overall, Columbus Blue Jackets

• Led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally with five points in Ohio State’s split at Sacred Heart
• Scored the first two goals of his career, including a power play tally, on Friday
• Distributed three assists in Saturday’s 5-1 win, including primary assists on two first period goals and a helper on a second period power play goal
• First Buckeye this season to capture a Star Award
• Last OSU players to receive Star honors: Kristoffer Eberly (First) and Max Montes (Third) on March 3, 2026

Third Star
Joshua Ravensbergen, Michigan State
Fr. – G – North Vancouver, B.C. – Prince George (WHL)
2025 NHL Draft: 1st round, 30th overall, San Jose Sharks

• Stopped 25 of 26 shots to lead No. 3/3 Michigan State to a 5-1 win over RIT in Rochester, N.Y.
• Allowed just one goal before a sold-out homecoming crowd of 10,556 at the Gene Polisseni Center
• Made five saves on the penalty kill, including four in the third period before MSU added to its late lead
• With the win, the Spartans improved to 3-0-0 on the season
• First Spartan to earn Star honors since Porter Martone (Second Star) on Feb. 24, 2026

VOLLEYBALL

Player of the Week
Teraya Sigler, Nebraska
So. – OH – Scottsdale, Ariz.  

• Led the No. 1 Huskers to a 2-0 week with a sweep at Northwestern and a 3-1 win against No. 13 Purdue

• Averaged 3.29 kills per set on .391 hitting, adding 2.57 digs per set across the two matches

• Hit .467 with eight kills, 12 digs, three blocks and two aces at Northwestern

• Recorded 15 kills on .355 hitting with six digs and a block in the win against the Boilermakers

• Last Nebraska Player of the Week: Harper Murray (Oct. 12, 2026)

Defensive Player of the Week
Olivia Mauch, Nebraska
Jr. – L – Bennington, Neb. 

• Helped the No. 1 Huskers to a 2-0 week with a sweep at Northwestern and a 3-1 win against No. 13 Purdue

• Led a Nebraska defense that held opponents to a combined .091 hitting percentage

• Anchored the Husker defense that heled opponents below 20 points in six of seven sets played on the week, averaging 4.00 digs per set

• Recorded a career-high 21 digs and added eight assists and an ace against the 13th-ranked Boilermakers. Mauch became the first Nebraska libero with a 20-dig, eight-assist match since 2023

• Last Nebraska Defensive Player of the Week: Manaia Ogbechie (Oct. 12, 2026)

Setter of the Week
Charlie Fuerbringer, Wisconsin
Jr. – S – Hermosa Beach, Calif. 

• Helped Wisconsin to a 2-0 week with wins vs. Maryland and at Iowa, setting the Badgers to a combined .361 hitting percentage

• Totaled 90 assists over seven sets, averaging 12.86 assists per set while adding 1.14 digs per set and six kills (1.29 kills/set)

• Matched her season-best with 55 assists against the Hawkeyes, leading the Badger defense to a .377 hitting percentage throughout four sets

• Last Wisconsin Setter of the Week: Charlie Fuerbringer (Sept. 21, 2026)

Freshman of the Week
Decelise Champion, Wisconsin
RS – Dorado, Puerto Rico 

• Paced the Badger offense in a 2-0 week with wins over Northwestern and Iowa

• Totaled 31 kills, including 17 against Maryland while hitting for a career-high .552 with just one error (17-1-29)

• Recorded 14 kills, six digs and two blocks at Iowa

• Averaged 4.43 kills per set, 5.07 points per set and added 1.71 digs per set throughout the two matches

• Earns third Freshman of the Week honor of the season

• Last Wisconsin Freshman of the Week: Audrey Flanagan (Oct. 5, 2026)