Buffington, Van Aalsum Named October Student-Athletes of the Month

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa student-athletes Cam Buffington and Dionne van Aalsum have been named October Student-Athletes of the Month, the Iowa Student-Athlete Advisory Committee announced Thursday.

Buffington, a third-year linebacker, led the Hawkeyes with 32 tackles in four games in October. He ranked second in the Big Ten and 29th nationally, averaging 8.8 tackles per game. The Winfield, Iowa native paced the team with three sacks for 19 yards and ranked second with five tackles for loss. Buffington recorded a team-high eight tackles in Iowa’s 30-0 shutout victory over Wisconsin on Halloween.

The linebacker earned national recognition, being named a semifinalist for the Dick Butkus Award, which recognizes the nation’s top 15 linebackers. He was also tabbed as a midseason second-team All-American by The Athletic.

Buffington is currently majoring in enterprise leadership. He volunteers with Safe Haven Animal Shelter, CommUnity Food Bank and Legacy Pointe Senior Living Center.

Van Aalsum, a fourth-year midfielder, led Iowa field hockey to three victories in October, including ranked conference wins over No. 15 Michigan and No. 19 Penn State. She led the Hawkeyes with six goals, including two game-winners, during the month while adding two assists for a team-high 14 points.

At the end of October, she ranked second nationally in goals per game, averaging 1.06.

A double major in finance and risk management and insurance, van Aalsum has volunteered with Dance Marathon, United Way Adopt A Family and the CommUnity Food Bank.