The Big Ten on Monday announced the 2011 All-Big Ten Teams along with 10 postseason individual award winners, as voted by conference coaches and a media panel. With a new era of Big Ten football beginning this season, the conference debuted its newly created postseason awards process that honors teams, coaches and student-athletes at conference institutions. All of the Big Ten’s biggest individual honors now bear the names of one or two former standouts each. As part of the awards process, 10 of the individual trophies were announced Monday, two more will be revealed on Tuesday and five will be announced on Wednesday.
Conference newcomer Nebraska took home four individual trophies, while Wisconsin had two standouts claim postseason honors. Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and Penn each had one student-athlete earn an individual honor on Monday.
Nebraska’s Lavonte David took home the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year honor, while teammate Alfonzo Dennard was named the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year. Husker specialist Brett Maher was rewarded for his punting and kicking efforts this season with the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year and the Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year awards.
The Wisconsin backfield tandem of Montee Ball and Russell Wilson each won their respective position awards. Ball took home the honor named after former Badger running backs, the Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year honor, while Wilson becomes the first recipient of the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year accolade.
After leading the conference in receiving, Iowa’s Marvin McNutt was honored with the
Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year award, while Northwestern superback Drake Dunsmore was named the Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year. On the offensive line, Michigan center David Molk was named the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still garnered the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year accolades.
Ball was the lone unanimous selection to both the coaches’ and media’s All-Big Ten teams. Molk was selected as the coaches first-team All-Big Ten center, the second consecutive year he has earned that distinction. Defensively, Iowa’s Shaun Prater and Wisconsin’s Antonio Fenelus repeated as first-team performers with Prater earning the nod from the coaches and Fenelus being selected by the media.
The Big Ten also recognized 12 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
A complete list of the 2011 All-Big Ten teams and select individual award winners, along with this year’s sportsmanship honorees, can be found on the attached PDF.
2011 All-Big Ten Teams Individual Award Winners - Chat Sports
2011 Big Ten Individual Award Winners
Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year: Russell Wilson, Wisconsin
Named for Purdue’s Bob Griese and Drew Brees
Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year: Marvin McNutt, Iowa
Named for Wisconsin’s Pat Richter and Michigan’s Desmond Howard
Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year: Montee Ball, Wisconsin
Named for Wisconsin’s Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne
Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: Drake Dunsmore, Northwestern
Named for Penn State’s Ted Kwalick and Iowa’s Dallas Clark
Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year: David Molk, Michigan
Named for Nebraska’s Dave Rimington and Ohio State’s Orlando Pace
Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Devon Still, Penn State
Named for Michigan State’s Bubba Smith and Penn State’s Courtney Brown
Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year: Lavonte David, Nebraska
Named for Illinois’ Dick Butkus and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald
Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year: Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
Named for Ohio State’s Jack Tatum and Purdue’s Rod Woodson
Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year: Brett Maher, Nebraska
Named for Wisconsin’s Jim Bakken and Michigan State’s Morten Andersen
Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year: Brett Maher, Nebraska
Named for Illinois’ Dike Eddleman and Michigan State’s Brandon Fields
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