Student-Athletes from Michigan State and Ohio State Named 2024 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Recipients
$10,000 scholarship presented annually since 2008 to one Big Ten Conference male and female student-athlete
INDIANAPOLIS – Ashley Harlock of Michigan State University and Trent DiCicco of the Ohio State University have been selected as this year’s Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award recipients. All 14 Big Ten Conference member institutions were asked to nominate one female and one male student-athlete for the 2024 school year. The two students selected were each awarded a $10,000 scholarship for their achievements in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, and leadership.
Harlock becomes the third Spartan student-athlete to receive the Wayne Duke Postgraduate award, joining swimmer Scott Piper (2020) and gymnast Lea Mitchell (2021). DiCicco joins the trio of swimmer Chelsea Davis (2010), soccer player Lindsay Agnew (2017), and thrower Sade Olatoye (2020) as Buckeyes to earn the honor in its 17-year history.
In recognition of the Big Ten Conference’s leadership in fully integrating athletics into the academic mission of its member institutions, the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership initiated the Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award in 2008. During the past 17 years, the award has contributed nearly $300,000 in scholarships.
The award is made possible by donations from local corporations and individuals supporting intercollegiate athletics. The Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership is comprised of the State of Indiana, the City of Indianapolis, Indiana Sports Corp, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and Visit Indy.
A four-year letterwinner on the Michigan State field hockey team, Harlock appeared in all 65 games during her career, including 40 starts, totaling 13 points on three goals and seven assists. Harlock’s leadership extends well beyond her position as a three-year team captain, as she served as President of the Michigan State Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a leadership committee organized to provide insight into the student-athlete experience, and represented the university on the conference and national levels.
Harlock graduated from Michigan State’s Lyman Briggs Honors College with a 4.0 grade-point average, double majoring in human biology and neuroscience with a concentration in behavioral neuroscience. During her time at Michigan State, Harlock has participated in research in the Physics, Psychology, and Physiology Departments and presented research at the 2023 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting.
In addition to her athletic and academic pursuits, Harlock is active in a variety of community service activities, including blood and bone marrow drives and food and clothing drives. She is also an accomplished singer and guitarist, who recorded four original songs for a CD with Nashville producer Matt Wilder.
DiCicco was a four-year member and a two-year captain of the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team, who accumulated 17 points on 10 goals and seven assists, 88 ground balls, and 10 caused turnovers in his 47 appearances in the Scarlett and Gray. DiCicco was also a member of Team Canada, winning a silver medal at the Under-21 World Championships in Limerick, Ireland in 2022.
A two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, DiCicco majored in mechanical engineering with a minor in robotics and autonomous systems, posting a 3.94 overall grade-point average. DiCicco is also participating in research projects focusing on human movement biomechanics applied to law enforcement and athletes and a multidisciplinary project related to optimizing human performance, injury prevention, and rapid rehabilitation.
Outside of classwork, research, and lacrosse, DiCicco, who also co-founded and co-owns a small, vintage-inspired fashion brand called Modern Crown, volunteers at the Second and Seven Reading Foundation and Dream Centre Food Service.
“Indiana Sports Corp is humbled to have the opportunity to present the Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award to these outstanding student-athletes,” said Indiana Sports Corp President Patrick Talty. “Both of the honorees have demonstrated impressive leadership skills, academic and athletic performance, and serve as role models for their communities.”
The Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award is named for the late Big Ten Conference commissioner who served from 1971 to 1989. While leading the conference, Duke spent much of his time working to improve academic standards and graduation rates for students competing in conference athletics.
2024 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Nominees:
University of Illinois: Katherine (Kate) Duong, Women’s Tennis
Indiana University: Kennedy Reardon, Field Hockey; Jagger Saylor, Men’s Tennis
University of Maryland: Shaylan Ahearn, Women’s Lacrosse
Michigan State University: Ashley Harlock, Field Hockey
University of Minnesota: Madeline Wethington, Women’s Ice Hockey
University of Nebraska: Lindsey Thiele, Women’s Golf; Ethan Piper, Football
Northwestern University: Levi Hoogendoorn, Fencing; Rom Brown, Men’s Soccer
Ohio State University: Nya Bussey, Track & Field; Trent DiCicco, Men’s Lacrosse
Penn State University: Carrie Byrnes, Women’s Ice Hockey; Benjamin Doyle, Swimming & Diving
Purdue University: Emily Matthews, Women’s Soccer
Rutgers University: Emily Mahaffy, Women’s Rowing; Jackson Temple, Men’s Soccer
University of Wisconsin: Gabrianna Salo, Softball; Gabriel Huber, Men’s Tennis
Previous Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Recipients:
2023: Diana Brown, University of Illinois, Volleyball; Thomas Penola, Purdue University, Wrestling
2022: Blake Hayes, University of Illinois, Football; Gianna Glatz, Rutgers, Field Hockey
2021: Kieran Mullins, Rutgers, Men’s Lacrosse & Lea Mitchell, Michigan State, Women’s Gymnastics
2020: Scott Piper, Michigan State, Men’s Swimming & Diving; Sade Olatoye, Ohio State, Women’s Track & Field
2019: Anton Stephenson, Nebraska, Men’s Gymnastics; Olivia Rosendahl, Northwestern, Women’s Swimming & Diving
2018: Chris Weber, Nebraska, Football; Emily Mills, Rutgers, Women’s Golf
2017: Geno Morelli, Penn State, Wrestling; Lindsay Agnew, Ohio State, Women’s Soccer
2016: Cody Rush, Nebraska, Men’s Track and Field; Lindsay Mable, Minnesota, Women’s Gymnastics
2015: Campbell Sode, Rutgers, Men’s Lacrosse; Jessica Plant, Minnesota, Women’s Swimming & Diving
2014: Spencer Long, Nebraska, Football; Emily Wong, Nebraska, Women’s Gymnastics
2013: Sean Fisher, Nebraska, Football; Katelyn White, Nebraska, Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field
2012: Miguel Pineda, Penn State, Men’s Gymnastics; Margaux Farrell, Indiana, Women’s Swimming & Diving
2011: Mike Torchia, Minnesota, Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field; Allie Smith, Purdue, Women’s Swimming & Diving
2010: Mark Ison, Northwestern, Football; Chelsea Davis, Ohio State, Women’s Swimming & Diving
2009: Drew Ratner, Northwestern, Men’s Soccer; Lauren Mioton, Purdue, Women’s Basketball
2008: Kevin Trulock, Indiana, Football; Molly Crispell, Penn State, Women’s Swimming & Diving
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About the Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The broad-based programs of the 14 Big Ten institutions will provide over $200 million in direct financial support to more than 9,500 students for more than 11,000 participation opportunities on 350 teams in 42 different sports. The Big Ten sponsors 28 official conference sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, including the addition of men’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s lacrosse since 2013. For more information, visit BigTen.org.
About Indiana Sports Corp
Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.