Around the Big Ten – September 25
This week’s look at individual award winners in Big Ten Sports.
Northwestern Field Hockey is undefeated Photo: NU/Big Ten
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Northwestern and Ohio State Receive Field Hockey Honors
Offensive Player of the Week
Makenna Webster, Ohio State
Gr. – F – St. Louis, Mo. – Wisconsin
- Produced seven points in Ohio State’s weekend sweep of Michigan State and Brown
- Compiled two goals, three assists and a .667 shooting percentage as the Big Ten’s leading scorer on the weekend
- Has points in eight-straight games, helping the Buckeyes match their best start to a season (8-0)
- The two-sport athlete (hockey) collects her second award of the year, third of her career
- Last Ohio State Offensive Player of the Week: Makenna Webster (Sept. 3, 2024)
Defensive Player of the Week
Annabel Skubisz, Northwestern
Gr. – G – Houston, Texas – The Kinkaid School
- Helped Northwestern to a pair of Big Ten wins with shutouts over fifth-ranked Iowa and at Indiana
- Extended shutout streak to 365 minutes, having not allowed a goal in 24 quarters
- Leads the NCAA in goals-against average (0.13) and save percentage (.971)
- Earns her second Defensive POW Award of the season and the eighth of her career
- Last Northwestern Big Ten Defensive Winner: Annabel Skubisz (Sept. 9, 2024)
Freshman of the Week
Nadia Nemeth, Northwestern
Fr. – M/F – Malvern, Pa. – Great Valley
- Made her first starts of the season as top-ranked Northwestern knocked off No. 5 Iowa in Evanston and Indiana on the road
- Playing at midfield against the Hoosiers, helped the Wildcats to their sixth-straight shutout win
- Claims her first Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolade
- Last Northwestern Freshman of the Week: Ilse Trump (Oct. 9, 2023)
Offensive Player of the Week
Luciano Pechota, Ohio State
Jr. – M – Avon, Ohio – St. Ignatius – Major: Finance
- Scored three goals on the week to help No. xx Ohio State score a pair of shutout wins
- Recorded two goals in victory at Penn State and added another in a win over Rutgers
- Garners his first Offensive Player of the Week award
- Last Ohio State Offensive Player of the Week: Xavier Green (Sept. 20, 2022)
Defensive Player of the Week
Nick McHenry, Ohio State
Fr. – D – Loveland, Ohio – Loveland – Major: Finance
- Played all 180 minutes as the Buckeyes opened Big Ten Conference play with a pair of shutouts
- Earns his first Defensive Player of the Week award
- Last Ohio State Defensive Player of the Week: Keegan McLaughlin (Sept. 13, 2022)
Goalkeeper of the Week
Jadon Bowton, Washington
Sr. – Spokane, Wash. – Ferris – Major: Computer Science
- Tied a career-high with four saves in a 2-0 win over then-No. 20 Northwestern
- Earns his first Goalkeeper of the Week award
Freshman of the Week
Malick Daouda, Penn State
Fr. – M – Montreal, Canada – Ontario Virtual – Major: Health & Human Development
- Scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute to give Penn State a 2-1 win over Michigan State
- Earns his first Freshman of the Week award
Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Dennis Chapman, Nebraska
Fr. – Omaha, Neb. – Creighton Prep School – Major: Electrical Engineering
- Finished the 8K course at the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational in 25:22.17 to come in 15th among a field of 326 runners
- Helped Nebraska earn a second-place team finish
Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Week
Weston Day, Ohio State
Fr. – Dublin, Ohio – Dublin Scioto – Major: Business
- Was the Buckeyes’ second-best finisher and placed 18th overall at the Roy Griak Invitational
- Completed the 8K course in 25:28.3
Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Ali Weimer, Minnesota
Jr. – Saint Michael, Minn. – Saint Michael-Albertville – Major: Sociology
- Won the individual title at the 2024 Roy Griak Invitational in a time of 21:08.5
- Helped Minnesota win the 2024 Roy Griak Invitational team title, upsetting No. 25 Utah Valley, for its third women’s title in the last six years
- Was part of a Gopher duo that claimed first and second place, marking the first time any team has had the top two runners at the Griak since 2018
- First Gopher to win the Roy Griak Invitational title since 2018
