Around The Big Ten – October 28

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

FOOTBALL

Offensive Player of the Week 
Aidan Chiles, Northwestern
QB – Sr. – Long Beach, Calif. – Downey

• Threw for 219 yards (19-of-25) and three touchdowns, while rushing for 83 yards and two scores in a 42-14 win against Rutgers
• The only player nationally to have two games with 3+ passing touchdown and 2+ rushing touchdowns this season
• Becomes the second Big Ten quarterback since 1995 to have 12+ passing touchdowns and 9+ rushing touchdowns across the first seven games of a season, joining Michigan’s Devin Gardner (2013)
• Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Aidan Chiles (Sept. 21, 2026)

Defensive Player of the Week
Sebastian Cheeks, Wisconsin
OLB – 5^th Year – Skokie, Ill. – Evanston Township

• Posted five tackles and 2.5 sacks in Wisconsin’s win against No. 16 USC at Camp Randall on Saturday night
• His five tackles included the three parts of sacks and two stops for no gain
• Helped the Badgers hold USC to -17 yards rushing, which ranks as the second-best mark in Wisconsin school history and the best by a defense in Division I college football this season
• Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Darryl Peterson (Nov. 24, 2025)

Special Teams Player of the Week 
Luke Drzewiecki, Minnesota
K – 5^th Year – Shelby Township, Mich. – Utica Eisenhower

• Went 2-for-2 on field goals, making his first from 31 yards and then a walk-off 46-yarder in Minnesota’s 13-10 win against Iowa to reclaim the Floyd of Rosedale at home for the first time since 2014
• His 41-yard field goal as time expired secured the win for Minnesota, marking the first walk-off field goal of his collegiate career and the first for a Gopher since the 2023 season opener against Nebraska
• Has made 27 straight field goals dating to last season and has made all 12 of his attempts this year
• Last Minnesota Special Teams Player of the Week honoree: Luke Drzewiecki (Sept. 28, 2026)

Freshman of the Week 
Michael Clayton II, Illinois
QB – Orlando, Fla. – Miami Edison

• Completed 11-of-18 pass attempts for 84 yards and two touchdowns in Illinois’ 21-10 win vs. Oregon, the Ducks’ first Big Ten road loss since joining the conference
• Became the third true freshman quarterback in Illinois history to win a game as the starter, joining Juice Williams at Michigan State in 2006 and Kurt Kittner at Northwestern in 1998
• Second true freshman QB in Illinois history to have two games with 2+ touchdown passes in a season
• Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Kaden Feagin (Nov. 6, 2023)

FIELD HOCKEY

Offensive Player of the Week
Olivia Bent-Cole, Northwestern
Sr. – F – Philadelphia, Pa. – Camden Catholic

• Logged first career hat trick as No. 2-ranked Northwestern knocked off No. 1 Maryland, 4-2, Thursday evening in Evanston, Ill.
• Finished the weekend with seven points, accumulating three goals and an assist
• Assisted on the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Rutgers, giving Northwestern a share of the Big Ten Championship
• Has matched a career-best season with 25 points with her 1.67 points per game average ranking fifth among conference players
• The 2025 All-Big Ten First Team selection earns her first offensive player award

Defensive Player of the Week
Emily Nicholls, Rutgers
Jr. – G – Haddon Heights, N.J. – Camden Catholic

• Backstopped Rutgers to a 4-3 overtime win at No. 6 Iowa on Friday
• Her 16 saves were the most in the Big Ten since 2024 and the highest total for a Rutgers goalkeeper since at least 2012
• Came up with a save on an Iowa penalty stroke in overtime to keep the game tied
• Held No. 2 Northwestern to below its season scoring average in a 2-1 road loss to the Wildcats
• Secures her second career defensive player award, having previously been recognized on Sept. 2, 2025

Freshman of the Week
Ella Beach, Maryland
Fr. – M – Northbrook, Ill. – Glenbrook

• Returning to her home state, scored Maryland’s first goal and assist on another in a 4-2 loss to No. 2 Northwestern
• Played the full 60 minutes against Northwestern and was on the field for 55 minutes in Maryland’s 1-0 win at No. 13 Indiana
• The win at Indiana kept Maryland’s hope alive for a share of the conference title
• Has started every game for the top-ranked Terrapins, helping the squad compile a 15-1 record
• Becomes third different Maryland freshman honored with the rookie award this year

VOLLEYBALL

Player of the Week 
Kennedy Martin, Penn State
Sr. – RS – Fort Mill, S.C. 

• Hit .465 while averaging 6.56 points, 5.75 kills, 1.13 blocks and 2.00 digs per set in No. 16 Penn State’s wins over No. 10 Oregon and No. 18 Indiana
• Totaled a season-high 25 kills on .431 hitting and added four blocks and seven digs in a 3-1 win over the Ducks on Friday at Rec Hall
• Tallied 21 kills on .514 hitting in addition to five blocks, nine digs and two aces in a 3-1 win against the Hoosiers
• Recorded her fourth and fifth match with 20+ kills this season
• Last Penn State Player of the Week: Kennedy Martin (Oct. 13, 2025)

Defensive Player of the Week 
Andi Jackson, Nebraska
Sr. – MB – Brighton, Colo. 

• Helped the Huskers to a 2-0 week with sweeps over UCLA and USC
• Led the Big Ten with 1.67 blocks per set across the two matches, helping limit opponents to a combined .065 hitting percentage
• Totaled six blocks with 11 kills on .625 hitting in a sweep of UCLA
• Added four blocks and eight kills on .500 hitting in a 3-0 win against USC
• Last Nebraska Defensive Player of the Week: Olivia Mauch (Oct. 19, 2026)

Setter of the Week  
Alexis Stucky, Penn State
Gr. – S – Laramie, Wyo. 

• Averaged 11.25 assists per set while leading No. 16 Penn State to a combined .360 hitting percentage in wins over No. 10 Oregon and No. 18 Indiana
• Tallied 45 assists in both four-set matches, guiding the Nittany Lions to .346 hitting in the win over the Ducks and .376 hitting in the win against the Hoosiers
• Added eight kills, seven digs, four blocks and two aces over the two matches. Both service aces came at Indiana on Sunday, the second ace was the 100th of her career
• Last Penn State Setter of the Week: Izzy Starck (Dec. 2, 2024)

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

• Paced the Badger offense in a 1-1 weekend, collecting back-to-back matches of 20 kills
• Against the No. 21 Huskies, Champion totaled her third-career double-double with a 20 kill, 11 dig outing
• Put down 20 kills against Michigan on Sunday with a .341 hitting percentage
• Finished the week with a combined .347 hitting percentage, averaging 4.44 kills per set, 4.89 points per set and 2.11 digs per set
• Earns fourth Freshman of the Week honor of the season and second consecutive
• Last Wisconsin Freshman of the Week: Decelise Champion (Oct. 19, 2026)