Hillger, Konwent named Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients

[TomM]

Hillger, Konwent named Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients

Wisconsin graduate students selected for prestigious award for athletics and scholastic excellence

On the Web: https://uwbadgers.com/news/2023/4/19/general-news-hillger-konwent-named-big-ten-medal-of-honor-recipients.aspx           

Full list of Awards at Buckinghams: https://uwbadgers.com/news/2023/4/19/general-news-wisconsin-student-athletes-celebrated-at-2023-buckinghams.aspx

MADISON, Wis. — Members of the Badgers' upcoming graduating Class of 2023, two of the University of Wisconsin's outstanding student-athletes have received the Big Ten Conference's highest distinction.

Wrestling heavyweight Trent Hillger and softball designated hitter Kayla Konwent were named Wednesday as Wisconsin's recipients of the Big Ten Medal of Honor. The awards were presented as part of the 2023 Buckinghams, UW Athletics' annual awards show and student-athlete showcase.

The conference's most prestigious award, the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work."

The conference's exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. Only one male and one female student-athlete now receive this award per Big Ten institution.

Wisconsin's top starter at 285 pounds for the past four seasons, Hillger is the first heavyweight in program history to earn four All-American honors for the Badgers and one of only six wrestlers ever at UW to achieve the quadruple honor. The 6-foot-1 graduate student earned five qualifications to the NCAA Championships and finishes his career at 118-47 overall, including 19-11 record this season leading the Badgers. A multi-year team captain, Hillger earned 45 bonus-point victories at Wisconsin, including 18 pins, nine technical falls and 18 major decisions. He also earned 32 victories over ranked opponents and 44 victories over Big Ten opposition in the nation's most-competitive wrestling conference.

Off the mat, Hillger is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree in 2022 and 2023 and is a 2022 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. The National Wrestling Coaches Association also selected him as a 2022 Scholar All-American. He earned his bachelor's degree in Agricultural Business Management in 2021 and is currently pursuing his master's degree in Sports Leadership while holding a 3.833 cumulative GPA in his graduate studies.

Konwent has been with the Badger softball team since 2017 and in those seven years, has accumulated success that will leave a legacy on this program forever. The heart of the team, Konwent has amassed 187 hits in her career, the eighth-best all-time at UW-Madison, with two months of her final season left to play. Out of those 187 hits, 40 of them have been home runs. Racking up an absurd number of four-baggers, the Wisconsin native broke the career home run record last senior day, May 9, 2022, after sending her 32nd long ball out of the park. With injuries sidelining Kayla in her first two years at Wisconsin, the hard-hitter played in her first full season in 2019, two seasons after arriving in Madison. That year was her best to date while being named the Big Ten player of the year, unanimous First team All-American for the first time in Wisconsin history, along with unanimous first-team All-Big Ten honors and Great Lakes All-Region honors. Deservedly so, as Konwent recorded 78 hits, 21 doubles, 15 home runs and 53 RBI while leading the team in hits, RBI, doubles, home runs, batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage in her second official season with the team.

Konwent has not only set the all-time career record for home runs but also batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and intentional walks while being in the top-10 in almost every other category. However, the graduate student doesn't excel only on the field but also in the classroom while being named to the Academic All-Big Ten team in both 2019 and 2022. Along with those recognitions, Konwent was named as an All-Big Ten distinguished scholar in 2020 due to her hard work. Kayla Konwent earned her bachelor's degree in December of 2020 in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace studies with a final grade point average of 3.336. Currently, the graduate student is pursuing her master's degree in Sports Leadership and has a cumulative GPA of 4.000.

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