For the fifth year in a row, Ohio State leads the conference in Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
The Buckeyes had 164 athletes earn the designation as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for the 2019-20 academic year. They smashed the previous record set last year of 131 athletes honored with the award.
Every Big Ten Distinguished Scholar must have been an Academic All-Big Ten honoree the prior academic year, enrolled in their current university for at least a year and achieved at least a 3.70 grade-point average the prior academic year, excluding summer classes.
Tight end Luke Farrell and wide receiver C.J. Saunders were among five football players honored, along with walk-ons Ryan Batsch, Zaid Hamdan and Ben Schmiesing. All five are first-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
Combo guard Danny Hummer was honored from the Ohio State basketball team.
Of the 164 players recognized, 26 were for achieving 4.0 GPAs during the 2019-20 academic year: Leon Cao (fencing), Gabriela Cecchini (fencing), Aleksandra Kolmykova (fencing), Luke Farrell (football), Ben Schmiesing (football), Adeena Shears (women’s golf), Nevin Adamski (women’s gymnastics), Claire Gagliardi (women’s gymnastics), Tatum Skaggs (women’s ice hockey), Emily Nothnagle (pistol), Megan Cymanski (rowing), Allison Krish (rowing), Grace Libben (rowing), Michaela Nordhaus (rowing), Mitch Bergman (men’s soccer), Selina Vickery (women’s soccer), Spencer Sansom (softball), Evan Stapp (men’s swimming and diving), Kendyl Ferrara (women’s swimming and diving), Quinn Fike (women’s swimming and diving), Lara Tarvit (women’s swimming and diving), Luke Landis (men’s track and field), Alexa Jankowsky (women’s track and field), Mia Grunze (women’s volleyball), Lauren Witte (women’s volleyball) and Kollin Moore (wrestling).
