Athletics Announces Annual Award Winners
Big Ten Medal of Honor and Athlete of the Year among awards bestowed on student-athletes for 2025-26 athletic and academic achievements
7/23/2026
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers Athletics announced recipients of its 2025-26 awards, including the Big Ten Medal of Honors – Charlee Crawford of track and field and Athan Kaliakmanis representing football.
The 112th class to be recognized, the Big Ten Medal of Honor is the conference’s most prestigious award. Established in 1915, it was the first award in intercollegiate athletics to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on athletics. The full list of Rutgers Annual Awards are listed below:
Bauer Athlete of the Year (M): KJ Duff (football)
Bauer Athlete of the Year (W): Katie Buck (lacrosse)
Freshman of the Year (M): Lucas Politano (men's golf)
Freshman of the Year (W): Emily Nicholls (field hockey)
Sophomore of the Year (M): Remy Cotton (wrestling)
Sophomore of the Year (W): Caroline Ling (women's lacrosse)
Junior of the Year (M): Tariq Francis (men's basketball)
Junior of the Year (W): Sam Rohwer (softball)
Senior of the Year (M): Joe Juengerkes (men's lacrosse)
Senior of the Year (W): Gabrielle Dildy (gymnastics)
Coursen Award (M): Nestor Cabrera (men's soccer)
Headley-Singer Award (W): Emily Leese (gymnastics)
Werblin Award: Antwan Raymond (football)
Athletic Director’s Excellence Award:
Katie Buck (women’s lacrosse)
KJ Duff (football)
Bennett Espenshade (men's golf)
Sephora Ford (swimming & diving)
Paulina Niklaus (field hockey)
Brian O'Sullivan (track and field)
Antwan Raymond (football)
Puck Winter (field hockey)
Big Ten Medal of Honor
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.
Athan Kaliakmanis – Football
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.
Charlee Crawford – Women’s Track and Field
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.
Bauer Athlete of the Year
This award is given to the one male and one female student-athlete from any class who has consistently performed and excelled in athletic competition at a high level for the most recent academic year/season.
KJ Duff – Football
Duff, an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, ranked third in the Big Ten, fourth among Power 4 players and seventh nationally with 90.3 receiving yards per game in 2025. One of three players in the Big Ten to total 1,000 receiving yards, he became the seventh Scarlet Knight to reach 1,000 in a season, the second in the Big Ten era and first since 2014. The 1,084 receiving yards included three games in triple figures with a high of 241 on six receptions in the win at Purdue, the fourth most in a 2025 game nationally, most by a Big Ten player and the second highest by a Scarlet Knight in program history. Duff led the nation with 22 contested catches according to Pro Football Focus, earned honorable mention All-America by Phil Steele and was voted Second Team All-Big Ten. The Riverhead, New York, native had at least five catches in eight games on the way to totaling 60 overall, ninth most in a season in program history, and placed second in the league with 18.1 yards per reception. Fifty of his receptions picked up a first down or scored a touchdown, as he reached the end zone seven times.
Katie Buck – Women's Lacrosse
A First Team All-Big Ten selection, Second Team IWLCA All-Region pick and honorable mention All-America recipient by multiple outlets, Buck established herself as one of the top draw takers in the country this season. The Moorestown, New Jersey, native produced 166 draw controls, good for second in the Big Ten. In 20 games, Buck finished with 166 draw controls, 30 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers – all team highs. Buck's 166 draw controls are a single-season program record, while her career-high 16 draw controls against Oregon on April 12 set a school single-game record. Buck reset the single-game draw control record three times this spring.
Freshman of the Year
This award is given to one male and one female student-athlete of the freshman class and is based on athletic success during the most recent academic year/season.
Lucas Politano – Men's Golf
Politano authored one of the best freshman seasons in recent Rutgers men's golf history in 2025-26. The Brandon, Vermont, native made an immediate impact in the Rutgers lineup, posting a 72.25 stroke average with seven rounds in the 60s and 11 rounds under par en route to Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. His breakout moment came at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational, where he finished runner-up while setting a program 54-hole scoring record at 18-under-par and carding the lowest single-round score in school history at 9-under. He backed that up with top-15 finishes at the Marquette Intercollegiate, Palmas del Mar Collegiate and Hoosier Collegiate, and helped lead Rutgers to its best-ever finish at the Big Ten Championships (fourth) in Oregon. Politano capped his freshman campaign by qualifying for the NCAA Columbus Regional as the individual field's No. 7 seed, becoming the first freshman under 14th-year head coach Rob Shutte to reach NCAA Regionals — and the first Scarlet Knight to earn an individual NCAA postseason berth since Chris Gotterup in 2019-20. Before arriving at Rutgers, Politano was the No. 1-ranked golfer in Vermont according to Junior Golf Scoreboard, became the second-youngest player ever to win the Vermont Amateur Championship in 2024, and qualified for both the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur Championships.
Emily Nicholls - Field Hockey
Nicholls had a standout redshirt freshman campaign 'On the Banks' this past season. The goalkeeper from Haddon Heights, N.J. was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after posting a 1.61 goals-against-average and 78.8% save percentage with 108 saves. The Camden Catholic product was second in Big Ten in 6.0 saves per game and third in Big Ten (sixth nationally) in save percentage and had the most saves in a season for any RU goalkeeper under head coach Meredith Civico, the most stops for any RU goalkeeper since 2006.
Sophomore of the Year
This award is given to one male and one female student-athlete of the sophomore class and is based on athletic success during the most recent academic year/season.
Remy Cotton – Wrestling
Cotton went 19-9 after his transfer from Michigan State, recording an 11-3 mark in dual action en route to 44 team points. Cotton delivered the program's signature win of the dual season when he pinned Minnesota's Gavin Nelson in overtime, clinching the Scarlet Knights' dual win over No. 6 Minnesota at Jersey Mike's Arena. Cotton finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships, added a 12-4 major decision over No. 2 seed Rocky Elam at the NCAA Championships and advanced to the Round of 12 in Cleveland.
Caroline Ling – Women's Lacrosse
A Second Team All-Big Ten pick, Second Team IWLCA All-Region selection and Honorable Mention All-American, Ling was one of the top offensive players in the NCAA this spring. The Springboro, Ohio, native finished fourth in the Big Ten and 12th nationally with 97 points this season on a team-high 63 goals and 34 assists. Ling has netted three or more goals 13 times and her 3.22 goals per game ranked third in the Big Ten. Ling's 97 points passed assistant coach Taralyn Naslonski (2022) for the program's single-season points record. Ling also became the 29th Scarlet Knight in program history to surpass 100 career points with 117 in just two seasons "On the Banks."
Junior of the Year
This award is given to one male and one female student-athlete of the junior class and is based on athletic success during the most recent academic year/season.
Tariq Francis – Men's Basketball
Francis capped a standout junior season at Rutgers by earning First Team All-Metropolitan honors from the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association, adding to an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention nod he picked up in March. In his first year in Piscataway after transferring from NJIT, Francis led the Scarlet Knights with 17.0 points per game, added 2.9 assists and shot 41.9 percent from the field, reaching double figures 24 times on the season. He put together one of the most efficient shooting seasons in program history at the free-throw line, connecting on 164 free throws — the fourth-most in a single season in Rutgers history — while shooting 91.1 percent from the stripe, making him just the fourth player in program history to finish a season above 90 percent. His 578 points on the year rank 17th all-time at Rutgers and mark the program's highest single-season total since Quincy Douby's record-setting 839-point season in 2005-06. Francis delivered a string of signature performances throughout the year, including a career-high 34 points capped by a buzzer-beater to beat Penn, which earned him Big Ten Player of the Week honors, along with three 30-point games — a feat that made him the only Big Ten player since 1996-97 to record multiple 30-point games off the bench in a single season. He also set the Rutgers Big Ten Tournament single-game scoring record with 29 points in a win over Minnesota, and posted a 25-point, five-assist, three-steal, zero-turnover effort at Michigan State. Francis has since announced he will return to Rutgers for his senior season.
Sam Rohwer – Softball
Rohwer was an NFCA Second Team All-Region and First Team All-Big Ten selection who helped the Scarlet Knights set school records in home runs (74), RBIs (320) and compile the highest team batting average (.306) since 2015. She was also the driving force behind the Scarlet Knights capturing the most hits in a game (20 – at Wisconsin) and home runs (6 – at Lehigh) in a game and grand slams (8) in a game in records dating back to 2003 along with most runs scored (20 – at Lehigh) in a game since 2015. Rohwer batted .356 for the Scarlet Knights, including .413 in conference action. The Mukilteo, Washington native connected for a team-leading 17 home runs and tied for the team lead with 11 doubles. Among her 58 hits were six lead-off home runs, 16 multiple-hit games, and 10 multiple-RBI contests. She collected 41 runs and was second on the team with 46 RBIs. On the field at second, Rohwer made 90 putouts, 88 assists and nine double plays. At the end of the regular season, Rohwer ranked 12th in home runs (17), 18th in total bases (120) and 22nd in slugging percentage (0.736) nationally. In the Rutgers record book, her name is fourth in season home runs (17).
Senior of the Year
This award is given to the one male and one female student-athlete from any class who has consistently performed and excelled in athletic competition at a high level for the most recent academic year/season.
Joe Juengerkes – Men's Lacrosse
Juengerkes completed his second season 'On the Banks' in 2026 as an All-American, as high as a Second Team selection. The team captain was named First Team All-Big Ten and was an All-ECAC selection. The short-stick defensive midfielder had 44 ground balls, 13 caused turnovers and seven points (five goals and two assists). With Juengerkes on the defensive end, RU had a top-20 scoring defense nationally while holding seven opponents to single digits. After earning a Masters in Supply Chain Management he's gone on to play professional lacrosse with the Maryland Whipsnakes.
Gabrielle Dildy – Gymnastics
Dildy’s 2026 season was one of the finest in Rutgers Gymnastics history. A team captain, Dildy’s consistency and excellence led Rutgers its best season in program history. The Scarlet Knights earned their first NCAA Regional win in program history and a final national rank of No. 26, the highest in program history. Individually, Dildy was named to the All-Big Ten First Team after a breakout all-around season that saw her compete in all four events for the first time and setting or matching a career high in three-of-four events. Her all-around score of 39.525 at the Rutgers March Quad was the second highest in program history, while she set or matched a career-high on vault (9.900), bars (9.925) and floor (9.950) throughout the year.
Coursen Award
This award is for the most outstanding male student-athlete from the graduating class who, during his career at the university, has participated in the intercollegiate athletics program and proved himself to be an athlete of outstanding ability, and has shown determination, courage, modesty, and self-discipline and who, with unselfish devotion to his teammates and generous fairness to his opponents, has represented Rutgers University to the highest of standards.
Nestor Cabrera – Men's Soccer
Cabrera was a key contributor to the Rutgers men's soccer program during his four-year career, appearing in 65 matches. The midfielder totaled eight career points and enjoyed his most productive offensive season as a junior, scoring two goals during Big Ten play while adding an assist against No. 8 Wisconsin. Cabrera helped lead the Scarlet Knights to the 2022 Big Ten Tournament Championship and was recognized for his leadership and character by earning the 2025 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The Raritan, New Jersey native also represented the Scarle Knights in his community, volunteering with organizations like Grow-A-Row, Saturdays in Motion, Read Across America and Elijah's Promise. Internationally, Cabrera represented Guatemala at the U17, U20 and senior national team levels. Following his collegiate career, Cabrera signed a professional contract with the New York Cosmos, where he currently plays.
Headley-Singer Award
This award is for the most outstanding female student-athlete from the graduating class who, during her career at the university, has participated in the intercollegiate athletics program and proved herself to be an athlete of outstanding ability, and has shown determination, courage, modesty, and self-discipline and who, with unselfish devotion to her teammates and generous fairness to her opponents, has represented Rutgers University to the highest of standards.
Emily Leese – Gymnastics
A sixth-year senior and team captain, Leese’s determination and inspiration led the gymnastics program to the best season in program history. She helped lead the Scarlet Knights to the first NCAA Regional win in program history and a final national rank of No. 26, the highest in program history. Leese battled her way back after missing all of 2025 with an achilles injury for a record-setting final season as a Scarlet Knight. At the Pink Invitational, she broke her own program record on vault with a 9.950 and matched a career high on floor with a 9.925. Her performance also earned her Big Ten Specialist of the Week honors. In addition to the Second Team nod, Leese also received the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Werblin Award
The Werblin Award is given to any male or female student-athlete who, either as an individual or as a member of a team, received national recognition or won a national championship during the most recent academic year.
Antwan Raymond – Football
Raymond, one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker National Running Back Award, winner of the Cornish Trophy as the top Canadian in college football and a Fourth Team All-America pick by Phil Steele, finished 2025 with 244 carries for 1,241 yards and 15 touchdowns (13 rushing, two receiving). The rushing total ranked third in the Big Ten, 14th nationally and eighth most in a season in program history. He had four games with at least 100 rushing yards, topped by a 240-yard performance on a school-record-tying 41 attempts in the win over Maryland. The running back scored at least one touchdown in 10 games in ranking third in the league in trips to the end zone, second with 122.2 all-purpose yards per game and eighth nationally with 244 rushing attempts. The performance merited Second Team All-Big Ten honors in both the media and coaches vote, while also earning Academic All-Big Ten and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team® status.
AD’s Excellence Award
Awarded to a student-athlete who attended Rutgers University - New Brunswick for at least four semesters, accumulated a 3.5 or higher GPA throughout the academic year, earned All-America honors or regional first-team accolades during the specific year and demonstrated leadership and character.
Katie Buck – Women's Lacrosse
KJ Duff – Football
Antwan Raymond – Football
Bennett Espenshade – Men's Golf
Espenshade enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign in which he posted a 71.40 stroke average, carding six rounds in the 60s and 12 rounds under par along the way. He turned in a string of strong finishes across the schedule, including a T-6th at the Steelwood Collegiate, a 9th-place showing at the Colleton River Collegiate, a T-9th at the Big Ten Championships, and additional top finishes at the Canadian Intercollegiate (T-18th), Linger Longer Collegiate (T-19th) and Hoosier Collegiate (T-25th). He backed it up in the classroom as well, earning Dean's List honors in both the fall and spring semesters. Espenshade was named a All-Northeast Region selection following the 2025-26 campaign.
Sephora Ford – Swimming and Diving
Ford was a Second Team All-American in 2026, placing 16th on the Platform at the NCAA Championships. She was an NCAA Qualifier on three diving boards, winning the NCAA Zone A Championship on Platform. A two-time Big Ten podium finisher in 2026 and five-time career NCAA Qualifier, with two All-American finishes overall. She holds two of the top-10 scores in program history, including the second best platform score in program history. A team captain, she was the team's Galbraith Award winner. A Chi Alpha Sigma inductee, she was named a First Team Scholar All-American, a Big Ten Distinguished and Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Paulina Niklaus – Field Hockey
Niklaus scored five goals and had a team-leading six assists for Rutgers field hockey. She was named First Team All-Region, First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-ECAC. The two-time team captain was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All Big Ten, as well as a NFHCA National Scholar of Distinction. The native of Manheim, Germany was a Labor & Employment Relations major who had 15 goals and 13 assists across three years as a Scarlet Knight.
Brian O'Sullivan – Track and Field
O’Sullivan advanced to the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships, earning Second Team All-American honors for his performance in the pole vault. He placed 10th overall in his debut at the indoor meet. O’Sullivan earned a silver medal at the 2026 Big Ten Indoor Championships. He also captured a share of the outdoor school record, clearing a height of 5.62m (18’ 5.25”) at the Big Ten Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska. O’Sullivan also won the Penn Relays Championship and earned a spot at the 2026 NCAA East First Round as one of program-record 28 Scarlet Knights to qualify.
Puck Winter – Field Hockey
Winter was named a Second Team All-American, First Team All-Region, First Team All-Big Ten, First Team All-ECAC, to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and to the NFCHA Senior Team. She finished her career with 31 defensive saves. That set Rutgers' all-time record, tied the all-time Big Ten record and was the fourth most in NCAA history. After leading the NCAA in defensive saves over the past two seasons, Winter had her third-straight top-five national finish this year with six defensive saves placing her fifth in the country. She was a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
