Around The Big Ten – September 16

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FOOTBALL

Offensive Player of the Week
Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska
Sr. – QB – St. Petersburg, Fla. – Lakewood
• Threw a career-high four touchdown passes, all before halftime, in a 56-7 win over Bowling Green
• Totaled 222 passing and 33 rushing yards
• First Nebraska quarterback since 2016 to throw for at least three touchdowns in consecutive games
• Last Nebraska Offensive Player of the Week: Emmett Johnson (Nov. 10, 2025)

Defensive Player of the Week
John Henry Daley, Michigan
Sr. – DE – Alpine, Utah – Lone Peak
• Recorded first sack as a Wolverine along with 3.0 TFL to upset No. 11 Oklahoma, 17-10
• Finished the game with eight tackles
• Last Michigan Defensive Player of the Week: Jimmy Rolder (Oct. 27, 2025)

Special Teams Player of the Week
Caden Buhr, Iowa
So. – PK – Bettendorf, Iowa – Bettendorf
• Connected on a 42-yard game-winning field goal with 15 seconds remaining for a 16-13 victory over Iowa State
• Made field goals from 32, 45 and 42 yards for a new career high
• Last Iowa Special Teams Player of the Week: Kaden Wetjen (Nov. 24, 2025)

Freshman of the Week
Mark Bowman, USC
Fr. – TE – Castle Rock, Colo. – Mater Dei
• In a 49-30 win over Louisiana, recorded a team-best six receptions for 83 yards
• Most receiving yards by a Trojan tight end in a single game since 2009
• Tallied a pair of touchdowns, the first tight end to score two touchdowns in a game for USC since 2022
• Last USC Freshman of the Week: King Miller (Oct. 13, 2025)

VOLLEYBALL

Player of the Week 
Manaia Ogbechie, Nebraska 
So. – MB – Santa Rosa Valley, Calif.  

• Led the No. 1 Huskers to a 3-0 week, totaling 33 kills on 53 swings, hitting .547 and recording 3.30 kills per set
• Tallied nine kills on .538 hitting with five blocks against New Mexico
• Posted a career-high 12 kills on .571 hitting with two blocks vs. No. 20 Baylor
• Matched her career-high with 12 kills on .526 hitting and five blocks in Nebraska’s win against Georgia Tech
• Last Nebraska Player of the Week: Andi Jackson (Nov. 10, 2025)

Defensive Player of the Week 
Dior Charles, Purdue 
Sr. – MB – Los Angeles, Calif.  

• Ranked second in the Big Ten last week averaging 1.88 blocks/set in Purdue’s 3-0 week, which included a Paradise Invitational title in the Bahamas and a trio of sweeps
• Helped hold opponents to .147 average hitting percentage, leading the blocking effort that saw Purdue lead the Big Ten last week in team blocks per set (3.22)
• Totaled 15 blocks across three matches, including five vs. No. 8 SMU to give the Boilermakers their first top 10 win of the season
• Last Purdue Defensive Player of the Week: Ryan McAleer (Oct. 6, 2025)

Setter of the Week 
Teodora Kričković, Indiana 
So. – S – Novi Sad, Serbia 

• Led Indiana to a 3-0 week, which included a pair of sweeps
• Averaged 11.60 assists per set in three wins, adding 11 kills, 18 digs, six blocks and five aces
• Set the Hoosiers to a combined .338 hitting percentage, which included a season-high .391 against Eastern Illinois. With Kričković leading the offense, all five of Indiana’s primary hitters had at least five kills in each match
• Last Indiana Setter of the Week: Teodora Kričković (Sept. 8, 2025)

Freshman of the Week
Haley Burgdorf, Penn State 
OH – St. Charles, Ill.  

• Hit .463 while averaging 2.67 kills per set and 1.67 digs per set in Penn State’s sweeps over DePaul, No. 4 Stanford and Ohio
• Hit .450 with 10 kills, nine digs and two aces against the nationally ranked Cardinal, scoring match point on her second ace of the evening
• Hit .545 with eight kills and five digs in the win against DePaul, adding six kills (.400 hitting) against Ohio
• Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Caroline Jurevicius (Dec. 2, 2024)

FIELD HOCKEY

Offensive Player of the Week
Dionne van Aalsum, Iowa
Sr. – M – Castricum, Netherlands – Bonhoeffer College

• Scored back-to-back game-winning goals to lead No. 2-ranked Iowa to a sweep of No. 14 Louisville and No. 16 Miami (OH) at the Midwest Challenge
• Netted a goal with 5:04 left in regulation to cap Iowa’s 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Miami; shares the Big Ten lead with 10 goals on the season
• Finished the weekend with three goals, placing 63.6 percent of her shots on goal
• The two-time All-American earns her eighth career Offensive Player award
• Third Hawkeye in as many weeks to be named Offensive Player of the Week

Defensive Player of the Week
Juliana Boon, Northwestern
Jr. – G – Houston, Texas – St. John’s School

• Posted a career-high seven saves in consecutive games, paving the way for Northwestern’s sweep of No. 14 Louisville and No. 16 Miami
• Allowed just one goal, turning away 14-of-15 shots for a .933 save percentage
• Recorded her Big Ten-leading fourth shutout of the season against Miami as the top-ranked Wildcats improved to 6-0
• The 2025 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year collects her third-career defensive award
• Last Wildcat tabbed Defensive Player of the Week: Ilse Tromp (Oct. 6, 2025)

Freshman of the Week
Kendall Gilmore, Maryland
Fr. – M – Uxbridge, Mass. – Uxbridge

• Contributed to a Maryland offense that outscored opponents, 11-0, on the weekend
• Broke into the starting lineup and recorded her first career goal for the seventh-ranked Terrapins in a 6-0 decision over Towson
• Added a shot on goal in a 5-0 win over St. Joseph’s on Sunday, extending Maryland’s win streak to six matches to open the season
• The five-time state champion garners her first Big Ten weekly award
• Last Terrapin chosen Freshman of the Week: Jordyn Hollamon (Oct. 13, 2025)