The Big Ten Conference has announced its 2024–25 Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year honorees: Carter Starocci, a record-setting wrestler from Penn State University, and JuJu Watkins, a trailblazing basketball guard from the University of Southern California.
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Carter Starocci: NCAA Wrestling’s Unmatched Champion
Starocci etched his name into collegiate sports history by becoming the first NCAA Division I wrestler to win five national championships. His 2025 season was nothing short of dominant:
- 26-0 overall record, including 15-0 in dual meets
- Third Big Ten title
- 10 technical fall victories, surrendering just 41 points all season
- Named 2025 NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler
- Honored as 2025 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Hodge Trophy finalist
Starocci joins Luis Vargas (2005), David Taylor (2014), and Bo Nickal (2019) as the fourth Penn State athlete to win the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year. He is also the 14th wrestler to receive the award since its inception in 1982.
JuJu Watkins: USC’s Basketball Powerhouse
Watkins became the first USC athlete to win the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year, capping off a season where she earned six National Player of the Year honors, including:
- John R. Wooden Award
- Naismith Trophy, joining legends Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie
Her 2024–25 stats were elite:
- 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game
- Led USC to a 31-5 record and a Big Ten Tournament championship berth
- Averaged 26.2 points against top-10 opponents
- Delivered a historic 38-point, 11-rebound, 8-block, 5-assist performance vs. No. 1 UCLA
Watkins was also a two-time Honda Sport Award finalist and a Wade Trophy finalist, solidifying her place among the greatest in women’s college basketball.
Nominee Field and Historical Context
The 2024–25 Big Ten Athlete of the Year selection panel reviewed 36 nominees—one male and one female from each Big Ten institution—including:
- 12 national champions
- 32 All-Americans
- 18 conference champions
- 12 conference Players of the Year
- 8 national player of the year recipients
The Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year has been awarded since 1982, and the Female Athlete of the Year since 1983, honoring excellence across all sports disciplines.
