Big Ten names Sportsmanship Award winners

The Big Ten announced on Wednesday the 24 student-athletes named Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2011-12 academic year. These individuals were chosen from a group of 300 student-athletes honored throughout the academic year who had displayed positive sportsmanship.

One member of each varsity sports team on every campus was chosen by his or her institution as a Sportsmanship Award honoree. From each university?s list, two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected.

All of the Sportsmanship Award honorees have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these student-athletes must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

ILLINOIS
Nathan Scheelhaase, Football
Rachel Japp-Joyce, Swimming & Diving

INDIANA
Jordan Hulls, Basketball
Amanda Wagner, Softball

IOWA
Matt Gatens, Basketball
Betsy Flood, Track and Field

MICHIGAN
Jordan Kovacs, Football
Courtney Boylan, Basketball

MICHIGAN STATE
Kirk Cousins, Football
Jenilee Rathje, Volleyball

MINNESOTA
Taylor Matson, Ice Hockey
Anne Schleper, Ice Hockey

NEBRASKA
Chris Phipps, Track and Field
Kaitlyn Burke, Basketball

NORTHWESTERN
Sam Chien, Golf
Devynn Patterson, Fencing

OHIO STATE
Andrew Sweat, Football
Liz Sullivan, Soccer

PENN STATE
Scott Rosenthal, Gymnastics
Natalie Ettl, Gymnastics

PURDUE
Joe Haase, Baseball
Ashley Courtney, Softball

WISCONSIN
Kyle Jefferson, Track and Field
Anya Covington, Basketball