Award Winners Announced at UI Athletics Senior Student-Athlete Reception

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Several Big Ten Conference and University awards were presented at the 2025 UI Athletics Senior Student-Athlete Reception on Friday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium.

Maggie Johnston (soccer) and Payton Sandfort (men’s basketball) were named Iowa’s Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients, Harper Dunne (field hockey) and Quinn Schulte (football) were awarded Big Ten Post-Graduate Scholarships and Jacey Wittel (field hockey) and Yohana Yual (men’s cross country/track & field) earned the University’s Robert F. Ray Faculty Award.

 The Big Ten Medal of Honor is the conference's most exclusive award, and the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work."

Johnston finished her Hawkeye career as a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, four-year letterwinner, two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree, two-time team captain, three-time Dean’s List student and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. The Corona, California, native helped the Hawkeyes win the first two Big Ten Tournament titles in program history (2020, 2023) and earn three NCAA Tournament appearances (2020, 2023, 2024). During the 2024 season, she helped anchor the Hawkeye defense as the unit allowed just 12 goals on the season, breaking a program record. Johnston started 19 games where she recorded 1,448 minutes, including six games with 90+ minutes played. Her goal in the 47th minute against Missouri State was the game winner and sent the Hawkeyes to the Round of 32. She totaled three goals and had one assist on the season, earning fourth-team All-North Region, second-team All-Big Ten and team Most Valuable Player honors.

Sandfort finished his career as only the second player in program history to score 1,500+ points, grab 500+ rebounds and make 250+ 3-pointers.  The Waukee, Iowa, native is the top free throw shooter (89.6 percent) in program history, while ranking second in 3-point field goals (271), ninth in games played (134) and 11th in career scoring (1,619).  He was also a two-time Academic All-American, earning second team honors as a junior and third-team laurels as a senior. Sandfort was the recipient of the prestigious Chris Street Award during the 2024-25 season after averaging 16.7 points, six rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.  The honorable mention All-Big Ten selection surpassed the 500-point mark for the second straight season and finished with 84 3-pointers, third-most in the Big Ten.  Sandfort scored in double figures in 27 games and had a team-high 14 20-point contests.   He tied a career-high with 30 points in his final collegiate game against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, where he tied a league tournament record with eight 3-point field goals. 

For the Big Ten Conference Postgraduate Scholarship, two student-athletes from each of the 18 Big Ten institutions who plan to continue their education at a graduate degree program were awarded a $7,500 scholarship, based primarily on academic achievements. Students 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 scholarship will be used to pay expenses off 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, and 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.

Dunne started and played in 85 games, helping to lead the Hawkeye defense. The Fort Worth, Texas, native ranked second in the Big Ten and 12th nationally with four defensive saves. A four-time letterwinner and two-time recipient of the team’s Dr. Christine Grant Leadership Award, Dunne was Iowa's 2023 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree and served as a team captain. She was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Scholar of Distinction and National Academic Squad member, a five-time UI President's List and Dean's List student, a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2021 and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree in 2022.

 

During his Hawkeye career, Schulte made 40 consecutive starts, which was fifth-longest nationally among defensive backs. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was a five-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, a two-time Academic All-District selection, and a second-team Academic All-American in 2023. He helped the Hawkeyes capture two Big Ten West Division titles (2021 and 2023) and earn bowl eligibility in each of his six years on the team. The former walk-on was also two-time honorable mention all-conference honoree. During the 2024 season, Schulte served as a team captain for all 13 games and ranked third on the team with 62 tackles. Voted a permanent team captain in 2024, Schulte also had three interceptions and three pass break-ups.

The Robert F. Ray Faculty Representative Award is named after a former dean and longtime UI faculty representative to the Big Ten Conference. The award is annually presented to a male and female student-athlete who demonstrates outstanding academic and athletic excellence and leadership.

Wittel played in 65 games as a midfielder, recording two career goals and six career assists for 10 points. A three-time letterwinner from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Wittel was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten, three-time NFHCA Academic Squad member, three-time UI Dean's List student, and earned NFHCA Scholar of Distinction honors in 2021. She was selected to compete at USA Field Hockey’s U21 and Development Selection Camp in 2023.

Yual is a four-time letterwinner and two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree in cross country, earning two letters in track and field. The Des Moines, Iowa, native ran a collegiate-best 8:48.32 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 2025 Drake Relays and the lead leg on team-leading 4x1,600-meter relay that clocked a 17:11.68 at 2023 Drake Relays. Those times ran fourth and ninth, respectively, all-time at Iowa. He competed in five of six races during the 2024 cross country season, running a collegiate-best 24:52.0 in 8,000 meters at the Big Ten Championships.

IOWA’S SENIOR STUDENT-ATHLETE RECEPTION AWARD WINNERS
Big Ten Medal of Honor
Maggie Johnson (Soccer)
Payton Sandfort (Men's Basketball)

Big Ten Post-Graduate Scholarships
Harper Dunne (Field Hockey)
Quinn Schulte (Football)

Robert F. Ray Faculty Award
Jacey Wittel (Field Hockey)
Yohana Yual (Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field)