EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State senior guard Denzel Valentine was selected Big Ten Player of the Year by the conference’s media and coaches, the Big Ten office announced Monday, March 7. Matt Costello and Bryn Forbes both earned second-team honors from the media, while the coaches selected Forbes to the second team and Costello to the third team. Colby Wollenman was selected as MSU’s recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Valentine is the eighth Spartan to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors, joining Jay Vincent (1981), Scott Skiles (1986), Shawn Respert (1995), Mateen Cleaves (1998, 1999-coaches), Morris Peterson (2000-coaches), Kalin Lucas (2009) and Draymond Green (2012).