Heinerikson, Thiele Selected as Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients

Nebraska track and field athlete Kolby Heinerikson and golfer Lindsey Thiele were selected to receive a Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship, the conference announced Wednesday.

Heinerikson is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. He is also a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree and has been named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll 10 times. A native of Kansas City, Mo., Heinerikson finished fifth in the heptathlon at the Big Ten Indoor Championships (5,356 points) and seventh in the decathlon at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (6,949 points).

Thiele, a native of Wahoo, Neb., is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a four-time WGCA Scholastic All-American. She was named to the 2023 CSC Academic All-District team, earned the 2024 Nebraska Athletics Heart & Soul Award and has made eight appearances on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll. Athletically, Thiele finished third among the Huskers with a 74.04 stroke average over 23 rounds in 2023-24. She produced five rounds better than par during the spring.

Each Big Ten institution developed its own on-campus selection process when awarding the scholarship. Student-athletes must have maintained at least a 3.2 grade-point-average, demonstrated leadership qualities, served as an excellent role model and intended to continue their academic work beyond their baccalaureate degree at a graduate degree program. The $7,500 scholarship will be used to pay expenses of the student's postgraduate education to include such related activities as research and teaching as well as other expenses such as tuition, fees, room and board, required course-related supplies and books. In order to retain the scholarship, the recipient must be accepted into a full-time graduate degree program within three years from the fall semester after selection.

The complete list of 2024 Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship recipients can be found below.

Illinois
Kate Duong, Tennis       
Connor Milton, Baseball
 
Indiana
Kennedy Reardon, Field Hockey
Maxwell Reich, Swimming & Diving
 
Iowa
Vipasha Mehra, Tennis
Jeremiah Pittman, Football
 
Maryland
Shaylan Ahearn, Lacrosse         
Garrett Kappes, Wrestling
 
Michigan
George 'Bode' Saul, Soccer
Gabryel Wilson, Gymnastics   
 
Michigan State
Ashley Harlock, Field Hockey  
Josh Smith, Cross Country
 
Minnesota
Brady Jurgella, Baseball
Madeline Wethington, Ice Hockey
 
Nebraska
Kolby Heinerikson, Track & Field            
Lindsey Thiele, Golf      
 
Northwestern
Ben Forbes, Swimming & Diving
Levi Hoogendoorn, Fencing      
 
Ohio State
Katelyn Abeln, Pistol    
Trent DiCicco, Lacrosse
 
Penn State
Olivia Damico, Soccer
Ben Doyle, Swimming & Diving
 
Purdue
Michaela Herwig, Swimming & Diving 
Evie Sierra, Swimming & Diving
 
Rutgers
Steven Coponi, Track & Field
Emily Mahaffy, Rowing
 
Wisconsin  
Gabriel Huber, Tennis
Josefina Laznickova, Rowing