Country United States First awarded 1915 | Presented by Big Ten Conference Official website www.bigten.org | |
Awarded for Greatest Proficiency in Athletics and Scholastic Work Currently held by 28 each year (since 2014–15) | ||
One of the most prestigious conference awards in college athletics, the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had “attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work.” The 14 institutions of the Big Ten feature over 10,000 student-athletes, more than any other conference, and only 28 of those individuals are recognized each year with the Big Ten Medal of Honor. Originally the award was only given to male athletes, since 1982, a female athlete from each institution has also been awarded the Conference Medal of Honor. In the nearly 100 years of the Medal of Honor, just over 1,300 student-athletes have earned this distinction.
Notable former recipients include NFL quarterbacks and Super Bowl-winners Bob Griese and Drew Brees (both Purdue), Olympic swimmer and Gold medalist Davis Tarwater (Michigan), MLB pitcher Johnny Gee (Michigan), former baseball player turned sports agent Casey Close (Michigan), Pan American Games gymnast and Gold medalist Abie Grossfeld (Illinois) and collegiate track and field coach Francis X. Cretzmeyer (Iowa).