WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Senior swimmer Taite Kitchel and senior football player David Blough were awarded the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor to highlight the seventh-annual Golden Pete Awards show Monday at Holloway Gymnasium.
Kitchel is a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She is the Purdue record-holder in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly, eclipsing the 200 benchmark twice as a junior and the 100 record as a senior. She also ranks among the top 10 in program history in the 200 and 400 individual medley. The Zionsville, Indiana, native also was part of a record-setting relay at the Big Ten Championships for three straight seasons. In each of her upperclassman years, she swam the butterfly leg on Purdue's record-setting 200 and 400 medley relays. She was a four-time A finalist in the butterfly events during her career at the Big Ten Championships. She is in line to graduate with a degree in pharmacy.
Blough enjoyed his best season in 2018. The quarterback from Carrollton, Texas, completed a school-record 66 percent of his passes (305 of 462) while ranking second in the Big Ten with an average of 285 passing yards per game (10th nationally) and third with 25 passing touchdowns. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors by the media and honorable mention recognition by the coaches. On Purdue's career list, Blough ranks fourth with 9,734 passing yards. Blough earned his bachelor's degree in organizational leadership and subsequently pursued a master's in health and kinesiology. As a senior, he was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation, and one of three finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy (presented to the college football player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement). Blough was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time team captain.
The Big Ten, the nation's oldest collegiate conference, commemorates the 105th anniversary of a very unique tradition - the Big Ten Medal of Honor. The conference's most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student from the graduating class of each university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." It was expanded in 1982 to include one female student from each institution. Big Ten schools currently feature more than 9,500 students competing in intercollegiate athletics, but only 28 earn this prestigious award on an annual basis. In more than 100 years of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, almost 1,400 students have earned this distinction.
GOLDEN PETE AWARDS
Male Breakout of the Year: Rondale Moore, football
Female Breakout of the Year: Grace Cleveland, volleyball
Male Individual Performance, Single Event: Carsen Edwards, basketball
Female Individual Performance, Single Event: Karissa McLaughlin, basketball
Team Performance, Single Event: Football beats No. 2 Ohio State 49-20
Coach of the Year: Matt Painter, men's basketball
Joe Tiller Excellence Award: Tanya Foster, director - learning services
Male Performance of the Year: Carsen Edwards, basketball
Female Performance of the Year: Sherridan Atkinson, volleyball
Play of the Year: Ryan Cline 3-point field goal to tie game at 80 against Tennessee in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Team of the Year: Men's Basketball
New this year was the Tyler Trent Award, presented to the team or person that shows incredible resilience during their season. The inaugural recipient, as voted on by coaches, staff and the Boiler Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, was Gabrielle Broschard of track & field/cross country.
Also presented was the Varsity Walk Award to diver Steele Johnson. The Varsity Walk Award is presented annually by the Reamer Club to the outstanding senior who has participated as a varsity athlete and brought national recognition to Purdue.
Other honors handed out were the Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award, Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarships, Wooden Leadership Institute Certificates of Achievement and BLAST Certificates of Achievement.
Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
Women's Basketball: Nora Kiesler
Football: David Blough, Jacob Thieneman and Bearooz Yacoobi
Men's Golf: Timmy Hildebrand
Soccer: Vanessa Korolas and Dannah Williams
Men's Swimming & Diving: Grant Lewis
Women's Swimming & Diving: Danielle Auckley, Alex Clarke and Cady Farlow
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country: Christopher Bluish
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country: Rachel Bales, Gabrielle Broschard and Rachel Yuska
Volleyball: Erin Williams
Wrestling: Ben Thornton
Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarships
Ben Thornton (wrestling) and Alex Clarke (women's swimming & diving)
Wooden Leadership Institute Certificates of Achievement
Women's Basketball: Abby Abel and Nora Kiesler
Men's Golf: Jarle Volden
Women's Golf: Mela Putri
Soccer: Dannah Williams
Men's Swimming & Diving: Tim Barth, Joe Cifelli, Joe Gardner and Grant Lewis
Softball: Mallory Baker, Jenny Behan and Maddie Damon
Women's Swimming & Diving: Danielle Auckley, Taite Kitchel, Emily Meckstroth and Jackie Smailis
Women's Tennis: Silvia Ambrosio and Amina Mukhametshina
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country: Jacob Hanawalt
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country: Mary Abramson, Rachel Bales, Gabrielle Broschard, Jenna Halderman, Susan Hubbard and Rachel Yuska
BLAST (Boiler Life After Sport) Certificates of Achievement
Football: Bearooz Yacoobi
Men's Swimming & Diving: Sean Gartland
Women's Swimming & Diving: Jackie Smailis
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country: Mary Abramson, Rachel Bales, Jenna Halderman and Rachel Yuska
Kitchel is a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She is the Purdue record-holder in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly, eclipsing the 200 benchmark twice as a junior and the 100 record as a senior. She also ranks among the top 10 in program history in the 200 and 400 individual medley. The Zionsville, Indiana, native also was part of a record-setting relay at the Big Ten Championships for three straight seasons. In each of her upperclassman years, she swam the butterfly leg on Purdue's record-setting 200 and 400 medley relays. She was a four-time A finalist in the butterfly events during her career at the Big Ten Championships. She is in line to graduate with a degree in pharmacy.
Blough enjoyed his best season in 2018. The quarterback from Carrollton, Texas, completed a school-record 66 percent of his passes (305 of 462) while ranking second in the Big Ten with an average of 285 passing yards per game (10th nationally) and third with 25 passing touchdowns. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors by the media and honorable mention recognition by the coaches. On Purdue's career list, Blough ranks fourth with 9,734 passing yards. Blough earned his bachelor's degree in organizational leadership and subsequently pursued a master's in health and kinesiology. As a senior, he was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation, and one of three finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy (presented to the college football player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement). Blough was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time team captain.
The Big Ten, the nation's oldest collegiate conference, commemorates the 105th anniversary of a very unique tradition - the Big Ten Medal of Honor. The conference's most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student from the graduating class of each university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." It was expanded in 1982 to include one female student from each institution. Big Ten schools currently feature more than 9,500 students competing in intercollegiate athletics, but only 28 earn this prestigious award on an annual basis. In more than 100 years of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, almost 1,400 students have earned this distinction.
GOLDEN PETE AWARDS
Male Breakout of the Year: Rondale Moore, football
Female Breakout of the Year: Grace Cleveland, volleyball
Male Individual Performance, Single Event: Carsen Edwards, basketball
Female Individual Performance, Single Event: Karissa McLaughlin, basketball
Team Performance, Single Event: Football beats No. 2 Ohio State 49-20
Coach of the Year: Matt Painter, men's basketball
Joe Tiller Excellence Award: Tanya Foster, director - learning services
Male Performance of the Year: Carsen Edwards, basketball
Female Performance of the Year: Sherridan Atkinson, volleyball
Play of the Year: Ryan Cline 3-point field goal to tie game at 80 against Tennessee in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Team of the Year: Men's Basketball
New this year was the Tyler Trent Award, presented to the team or person that shows incredible resilience during their season. The inaugural recipient, as voted on by coaches, staff and the Boiler Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, was Gabrielle Broschard of track & field/cross country.
Also presented was the Varsity Walk Award to diver Steele Johnson. The Varsity Walk Award is presented annually by the Reamer Club to the outstanding senior who has participated as a varsity athlete and brought national recognition to Purdue.
Other honors handed out were the Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award, Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarships, Wooden Leadership Institute Certificates of Achievement and BLAST Certificates of Achievement.
Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award
Women's Basketball: Nora Kiesler
Football: David Blough, Jacob Thieneman and Bearooz Yacoobi
Men's Golf: Timmy Hildebrand
Soccer: Vanessa Korolas and Dannah Williams
Men's Swimming & Diving: Grant Lewis
Women's Swimming & Diving: Danielle Auckley, Alex Clarke and Cady Farlow
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country: Christopher Bluish
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country: Rachel Bales, Gabrielle Broschard and Rachel Yuska
Volleyball: Erin Williams
Wrestling: Ben Thornton
Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarships
Ben Thornton (wrestling) and Alex Clarke (women's swimming & diving)
Wooden Leadership Institute Certificates of Achievement
Women's Basketball: Abby Abel and Nora Kiesler
Men's Golf: Jarle Volden
Women's Golf: Mela Putri
Soccer: Dannah Williams
Men's Swimming & Diving: Tim Barth, Joe Cifelli, Joe Gardner and Grant Lewis
Softball: Mallory Baker, Jenny Behan and Maddie Damon
Women's Swimming & Diving: Danielle Auckley, Taite Kitchel, Emily Meckstroth and Jackie Smailis
Women's Tennis: Silvia Ambrosio and Amina Mukhametshina
Men's Track & Field/Cross Country: Jacob Hanawalt
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country: Mary Abramson, Rachel Bales, Gabrielle Broschard, Jenna Halderman, Susan Hubbard and Rachel Yuska
BLAST (Boiler Life After Sport) Certificates of Achievement
Football: Bearooz Yacoobi
Men's Swimming & Diving: Sean Gartland
Women's Swimming & Diving: Jackie Smailis
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country: Mary Abramson, Rachel Bales, Jenna Halderman and Rachel Yuska