Kaliakmanis, Crawford Receive Big Ten Medal of Honor
Jun 25 | Football, General, Track & Field
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers graduates Athan Kaliakmanis (football) and Charlee Crawford (track and field) were recipients of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, an award celebrating its 112th edition. The Big Ten Medal of Honor 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 collegiate career.
A two-time team captain, Kaliakmanis ranks seventh in Rutgers football history with 5,820 career passing yards, 442 completions and 38 touchdown passes in starting all 25 games for RU from 2024-25. That included throwing for 3,124 yards in 2025, fourth most in a season in program history and the first Scarlet Knight to reach 3,000 yards in the Big Ten era and first since 2008. The 260.3 passing yards per game placed second in the league, while finishing fifth with 19.1 completions per game. He posted five games with over 300 passing yards, six contests with multiple touchdown passes and 3,098 yards of total offense, tied for second most in a season in the school record book. Overall, Kaliakmanis collected 8,604 career passing yards, 658 completions and 55 touchdown passes in 48 collegiate games, adding Academic All-Big Ten status. The quarterback was selected in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders.
Crawford became the school record holder in both the 400m indoor (52.49 – 2024) and outdoor (51.80 – 2025) during her career 'On the Banks.' She also ran a leg on the school record sprint medley relay team, setting the top mark in 2024 at 3:47.28. A scorer at both the Big Ten indoor and outdoor championship level, Crawford recorded seven podium finishes over her career. Crawford was a two-time NCAA East First Round qualifier, earning a spot at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She received Honorable Mention All-American status. Crawford represented Rutgers on the international stage, competing for Team USA at the 2025 World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany.
Established in 1915, the Big Ten Medal of Honor is the conference's most prestigious award. It was the first award in intercollegiate athletics to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on athletics.
Big Ten schools currently feature more than 14,000 student-athletes, but only 36 earn the award on an annual basis. Since the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first presented more than a century ago, 1,724 student-athletes have earned this unique distinction. Those names are permanently displayed at the Big Ten Office in Rosemont.
A two-time team captain, Kaliakmanis ranks seventh in Rutgers football history with 5,820 career passing yards, 442 completions and 38 touchdown passes in starting all 25 games for RU from 2024-25. That included throwing for 3,124 yards in 2025, fourth most in a season in program history and the first Scarlet Knight to reach 3,000 yards in the Big Ten era and first since 2008. The 260.3 passing yards per game placed second in the league, while finishing fifth with 19.1 completions per game. He posted five games with over 300 passing yards, six contests with multiple touchdown passes and 3,098 yards of total offense, tied for second most in a season in the school record book. Overall, Kaliakmanis collected 8,604 career passing yards, 658 completions and 55 touchdown passes in 48 collegiate games, adding Academic All-Big Ten status. The quarterback was selected in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders.
Crawford became the school record holder in both the 400m indoor (52.49 – 2024) and outdoor (51.80 – 2025) during her career 'On the Banks.' She also ran a leg on the school record sprint medley relay team, setting the top mark in 2024 at 3:47.28. A scorer at both the Big Ten indoor and outdoor championship level, Crawford recorded seven podium finishes over her career. Crawford was a two-time NCAA East First Round qualifier, earning a spot at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She received Honorable Mention All-American status. Crawford represented Rutgers on the international stage, competing for Team USA at the 2025 World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany.
Established in 1915, the Big Ten Medal of Honor is the conference's most prestigious award. It was the first award in intercollegiate athletics to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on athletics.
Big Ten schools currently feature more than 14,000 student-athletes, but only 36 earn the award on an annual basis. Since the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first presented more than a century ago, 1,724 student-athletes have earned this unique distinction. Those names are permanently displayed at the Big Ten Office in Rosemont.
Players Mentioned
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