Big Ten Announces Men’s Golf All-Conference Teams and Individual Award Winners
Illinois’ Jerry Ji and Rutgers’ Christopher Gotterup capture individual honors
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the men’s golf All-Conference teams and individual award winners on Monday, as voted on by the conference coaches. Rutgers’ Christopher Gotterup was named Big Ten Player of the Year, while Illinois’ Jerry Ji was tabbed the Freshman of the Year.
Gotterup finished among the top-15 in six out of seven tournaments during the fall and spring seasons, highlighted by his first career individual title by eight strokes at the Fighting Irish Classic in South Bend, Ind. The Little Silver, N.J., native capped his junior season earning the Les Bolstad Award, given to the conference player with the lowest stroke average (69.89) during the season. Gotterup becomes the first Scarlet Knight golfer to win Big Ten Player of the Year since Rutgers joined the conference in 2014-15.
Ji captured the Freshman of the Year laurel after carding a trio of top-20 finishes and ranking second on the Illinois team with a stroke average of 72.00 over 18 rounds in 2019-20. The Hoofddorp, Netherlands, native paced the Illini at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate, firing a three-round total of 204 (-6) to tie for 15th. Ji becomes Illinois’ seventh Freshman of the Year honoree and first since Michael Feagles in 2017.
The All-Big Ten first team features Illinois’ Michael Feagles, Iowa’s Alex Schaake, Maryland’s Peter Knade, Minnesota’s Angus Flanagan, Northwestern’s David Nyfjall, Penn State’s Ryan Davis, Purdue’s Joe Weiler and Rutgers’ Gotterup, with Schaake, Flanagan, Nyfjall and Gotterup all earning unanimous first-team nods.
The Big Ten also recognized 14 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The students chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the students must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The complete list of honorees can be found below.
2020 BIG TEN MEN’S GOLF ALL-CONFERENCE AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
Big Ten Player of the Year: Christopher Gotterup, Rutgers
Big Ten Freshman of the Year: Jerry Ji, Illinois
Les Bolstad Award: Christopher Gotterup, Rutgers
ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS
First Team
Michael Feagles, Illinois
ALEX SCHAAKE, IOWA
Peter Knade, Maryland
ANGUS FLANAGAN, MINNESOTA
DAVID NYFJALL, NORTHWESTERN
Ryan Davis, Penn State
Joe Weiler, Purdue
CHRISTOPHER GOTTERUP, RUTGERS
Second Team
Jerry Ji, Illinois
Giovanni Tadiotto, Illinois
Gonzalo Leal, Iowa
Brent Ito, Michigan
James Piot, Michigan State
Connor Glynn, Minnesota
Eric McIntosh, Northwestern
Felix Kvarnström, Ohio State
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Illinois
Jack Sparrow, Indiana
Benton Weinberg, Iowa
Will Koras, Maryland
Henry Spring, Michigan
James Piot, Michigan State
Connor Glynn, Minnesota
Tanner Owen, Nebraska
Everton Hawkins, Northwestern
Justin Wick, Ohio State
James McHugh, Penn State
Joe Weiler, Purdue
Tony Jiang, Rutgers
Nick Robinson, Wisconsin