Huskers Earn Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Awards

Nebraska women's basketball guard Callin Hake and men's tennis player Roni Hietaranta were named Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2024-25 season. The conference announced the honors for 18 schools on Thursday, July 31.

Hake, a senior-to-be from Victoria, Minn., was Nebraska's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award selection for women's basketball during the regular season. She has been one of the most involved Huskers across all sports on campus throughout her career. The President of Nebraska's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a junior, she was also a Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award winner as a sophomore in 2024. The three-time Tom Osborne Citizenship Team member was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection in both 2024 and 2025. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten choice was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2025 as a double-major in management and marketing.

On the court, Hake averaged 6.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals as a starting guard for a Big Red team that made its second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2025. She was also honored as the Nebraska Women's Basketball Lifter of the Year for the second time in her first three seasons.

Hietaranta produced an outstanding career on the court, in the classroom and in the community during his Husker tennis career. The 2025 senior from Lappeenranta, Finland, was one of just seven Nebraska Outstanding Scholars across all sports in his final season. The May 2025 Nebraska graduate earned his bachelor's degree as a psychology major with better than a 3.9 grade-point average. A three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection, he also earned his second CSC Academic All-District honor in 2025. In addition to claiming Nebraska's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for men's tennis in 2025, he was a four-time Tom Osborne Citizenship Team member. In 2023, he claimed a Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award.

On the court, Hietaranta helped the men's tennis team to one of its most successful seasons in school history, as the Huskers earned a trip to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. He finished his senior season with a 12-6 singles record and amassed 76 combined singles and doubles victories during his career. Hietaranta was a leader for a Husker team that finished 15-10 overall, including an 8-5 Big Ten mark.

2024-25 Big Ten Conference Outstanding Sportsmanship Award Winners

NEBRASKA
Roni Hietaranta, Men’s Tennis
Callin Hake, Women’s Basketball

ILLINOIS
Ben Humrichous, Men’s Basketball
Kendall Bostic, Women’s Basketball

INDIANA
Jack Wagoner, Men’s Soccer
Chloe Moore-McNeil, Women’s Basketball

IOWA
Nick Jackson, Football
Alix O’Brien, Women’s Swimming and Diving

MARYLAND
Shea Keethler, Men’s Lacrosse
Kylee Niswonger, Field Hockey

MICHIGAN
Jacob Truscott, Men’s Ice Hockey
Ella Stephenson, Softball

MICHIGAN STATE
Josh DeVries, Men’s Track & Field
Nyla Hampton, Women’s Basketball

MINNESOTA
Danny Striggow, Football
Audrey Wethington, Women’s Ice Hockey

NORTHWESTERN
Tyler Ganus, Baseball
Lane Herbert, Field Hockey

OHIO STATE
Cody Simon, Football
Madison Greene, Women’s Basketball

OREGON
Ryan Cooney, Baseball
Anika Thompson, Women's Cross Country/Indoor Track & Field

PENN STATE
Nick Dawkins, Football
Samantha Catantan, Women’s Fencing

PURDUE
Matt Ramos, Wrestling
Jalen Elrod, Women's Outdoor Track & Field

RUTGERS
Reggie Sutton, Football
Emma Baeyens, Women's Cross Country

UCLA
Michael Pinckney, Men’s Outdoor Track & Field
Kiki Rice, Women’s Basketball

USC
Harrison Hornery, Men’s Basketball
Kaitlyn Dobler, Women’s Swimming & Diving

WASHINGTON
Malakhi Knight, Baseball
Lucy Newlin, Women’s Soccer

WISCONSIN
Anthony Kehrer, Men’s Hockey
Chloe Chan, Women’s Golf