The Big Ten Athlete of the Year award is given annually to the athletes voted as the top male and female athlete in the Big Ten Conference.
Contents
History
In 1982, the Big Ten Conference established a Big Ten Athlete of the Year award. The award is named after Jesse Owens, the legendary Ohio State track star. The following year, a parallel award for women, the Big Ten Suzy Favor Athlete of the Year, was created. After the December 2012 revelation that Favor, now known by her married name of Suzy Favor Hamilton, had worked as a prostitute for a Las Vegas escort service, in July 2013 the Big Ten Conference removed her name from the women's award.
The Big Ten Athletes of the Year are selected by a panel of conference media members from nominations submitted by each institution.
Male
Recipients of the Big Ten Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year Award
Female
Recipients of the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year Award