Donahue Shares Big Ten Special Teams Honor

Sept. 20, 2009

IOWA CITY, Iowa – – University of Iowa punter Ryan Donahue has been named co-Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week following his performance in Saturday’s 27-17 win over Arizona. The announcement was made tonight on the Big Ten Network’s weekly recap show.

It’s the third straight week the Hawkeyes have had a Big Ten Player of the Week. Linebacker Jerimiha Hunter won co-Special Team honors following Iowa’s season opening win over Northern Iowa and defensive back Tyler Sash won co-defensive honors after Iowa’s win at Iowa State last week.

Donahue is a 6-3, 180-pound junior from Evergreen Park, IL. It’s the third time Donahue has won the league honor. He initially won in 2007 following Iowa’s double-overtime win over Michigan State and last year after Iowa’s regular season ending 55-0 win over Minnesota. He shares this week’s honor with Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland.

Donahue averaged 51 yards on five punts against Arizona. He had four kicks of fifty yards or more with a long of 62 yards. He has had at least one punt over 50 yards in 13 of Iowa’s last 15 games. Two of his punts against the Wildcats were downed inside the 20 and only one punt was returned (four yards).

He is averaging 44.6 yards a punt on the season. Iowa opponents have returned four punts for a total of only five yards. The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth nationally in net punting with a 42.9 yard average.

Iowa had seven Big Ten Player of the Week honorees last season. Donahue and the Hawkeyes travel to Penn State Saturday for a prime time date with the nationally ranked Nittany Lions. Kickoff is set for shortly after 7 p.m. Iowa time. ABC will televise the game to a national audience.