IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa student-athletes Jay Higgins (football) and Dionne van Aalsum (field hockey) were named October’s Student-Athletes of the Month, the Iowa Student-Athlete Advisory Committee announced.
Higgins, a senior from Indianapolis, Indiana, has been a dominant force on the defensive side of the football for the Hawkeyes all season long. He recorded a team-best 50 tackles in four games (12.5 avg) with one sack, one interception (10-yard return), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one pass break-up and one quarterback hurry. Higgins leads the team in tackles through eight games, with a season-high 14 tackles in games against Ohio State, Washington and Michigan State. He also leads the Big Ten in tackles with 84, which ranks sixth nationally. The Iowa defense has allowed 104.1 rushing yards per game, the 17th fewest in the nation. The Hawkeyes have allowed just two touchdowns on the ground this season.
Van Aalsum, a sophomore from Castricum, Netherlands, has been a standout performer, leading the charge on offense for the Hawkeyes. She led the team with six goals in October, two of which were game-winning goals against ranked opponents No. 17 Penn State and No. 18 California. Van Aalsum also recorded two goals in the game against California and added a goal in Iowa’s 3-0 upset over No. 3 Ohio State.