Meet the 2024 Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalists

COLUMBUS, Ohio – An outstanding group of Ohio State student-athletes comprises the list of finalists for the 2024 Big Ten Medal of Honor. There are seven finalists for the women's award: Katelyn Abeln (pistol), Regan Alexander (women's lacrosse), Leanne Bough (field hockey), Irina Cantos Siemers (women's tennis), Jenn Gardiner (women's ice hockey), Amy Fulmer (women's swimming) and Sam Hackenbracht (softball). For the men, the finalists are Donovan Hewitt (men's gymnastics), Robert Cash (men's tennis) and Lyle Yost (men's diving).

The Big Ten Medal of Honor was established in 1915 and was the first award in intercollegiate athletics to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on athletics. It is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each member institution who has demonstrated excellence on and off the field throughout their college career.

Katelyn Abeln will leave Ohio State as one of the most decorated pistol athletes in school history. This past season, she helped the Buckeyes win their fourth consecutive Intercollegiate Pistol Championship title and in the process won individual championships in sport pistol and standard pistol while also having the highest aggregate score. Additionally, Abeln has already qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympic games in 10-meter women's air pistol and 25-meter sport pistol. A graduate student, she is currently pursuing a master's degree in public health.

Regan Alexander is a two-time captain for the women's lacrosse team. Now in her third year as the team's starter, she recently crossed the 400-save mark for her career and is fifth in program history for career saves and ranks seventh in wins. Alexander is a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and earlier this season earned national player of the week accolades. A finance major, she is a four-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

Leanne Bough finished her Ohio State career this past fall as a veteran of 88 games and earned First Team All-Big Ten, First Team All-West Region and Third Team All-America honors. During her fifth and final season, she was the team's fourth-leading scorer and most importantly helped lead the squad to its most wins in a single season since 2010. A two-time team captain, she also was a NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad member as well as an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

Irina Cantos Siemers became the all-time leader in singles wins in Buckeye women's tennis history earlier this spring and is nearing the program record for combined singles and doubles victories. She is a three-time unanimous All-Big Ten honoree and was the 2023 Big Ten Athlete of the Year. Cantos Siemers is a two-time singles All-American and a three-time NCAA singles qualifier, along with a doubles qualifier in 2022. A graduate student, she earned 2023 CSC Academic All-America honors and is a four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete. Selected the team captain this year, she has been part of two Big Ten regular season championship teams and the Buckeyes have been ranked in the Top 25 her entire career, earning an NCAA berth each year.

Amy Fulmer is a two-time Big Ten Champion in the 100 freestyle and has also won titles in the 400 medley relay, 200 free style relay, 400 freestyle relay and 800 freestyle relay. Fulmer is a four-time First Team All-American in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, a two-time First Team All-American in the 100 freestyle and the 400 medley relay and has also earned First Team All-America honors in the 200 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay. Fulmer is a four-time CSCAA First Team Scholar All-American and Academic All-Big Ten honoree and has also earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Third Team honors.

Jenn Gardiner captained the 2023-24 Ohio State women's hockey team to a program-record 35-win season, its second consecutive WCHA regular season title and second national championship in three years. She finished the season second on the team with 45 points on 18 goals and a team-high 27 assists to help the Buckeyes set program records in goals, assists and points this season. A sport management graduate student, Gardiner earned Second Team All-WCHA honors for her efforts on the ice this year and picked up WCHA All-Academic Team and Scholar-Athlete honors for her success in the classroom.

Sam Hackenbracht is a three-time All-Big Ten and All-Region performer who currently ranks fourth in program history with 43 home runs. She's played in nearly 200 career games with a .340 batting average, 142 RBI and 77 extra base hits. Hackenbracht, who is also an OSU Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honoree, has already earned her undergraduate degree and is currently enrolled in the sports management master's program.

Robert Cash has been one of the top doubles players in the country over his career. He is a two-time All-American and is on the verge of setting the program's all-time doubles wins record. He had a tremendous year in 2021-22, recording a school record 45 doubles matches, winning the ITA Fall National Doubles Championship and reaching the doubles final at the NCAA Championship. Cash led the Buckeyes to the ITA Indoor Team National Championship earlier this spring and was named the tournament's most outstanding player. He has been part of more than 120 team wins over the last five seasons as well as four Big Ten regular season championships. In the classroom, he is a three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete as well as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

Donovan Hewitt is a five-year letterwinner as a member of the men's gymnastics team. He is a Nissen-Emery Award finalist and a 2023 CGA All-American on rings. The two-time All-Big Ten Second Team selection was the Big Ten runner-up on rings in 2023. Hewitt was a 2022 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholar. He serves as the President of Refining Athletic Standards (RAS) and is an advisor of SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee). Hewitt owns 18 event wins in his career - 15 on rings and three on vault.

Lyle Yost is a two-time NCAA Champion on the 1-meter springboard, becoming the first Buckeye since the 1970's to claim back-to-back NCAA titles in any swimming or diving event. Yost was named the 2023 CSCAA Diver of the Year. He is a five-time First Team All-American on the 1-meter, a three-time First Team All-American on the 3-meter and a four-time First Team All-American on platform. He was selected as the 2023 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year, is a three-time CSCAA First Team Scholar All-American and a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

Departments

Media

More

University

Information

Athletic Facilities

Athletics

The Team Shop

Get In The Game

Purchase Tickets

Purchase Tickets

Ticket Office

Resources

Schedules