#1 Xavier Nwankpa Season 2023-24

2025 Honors -- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his performance vs. Penn State... Athlon preseason second-team All-Big Ten... 2025 -- Started at free safety in all 11 games, marking his 34th career start... has 64 tackles (43 solo, 21 assists), including one tackle for a loss of one yard, one interception for a 28-yard return, one QB pressure, and two forced fumbles on the season while Iowa's defense is ranked eighth in the nation in total defense (267.9) and scoring defense (14.5), ninth in first-down defense (169), 12th in passing defense (166.3), and 14th in rushing defense (101.6)... the two forced fumbles ranks sixth in the Big Ten... matched a career-high 10 tackles (seven solo, three assists), intercepted one pass with a 28-yard return, and forced one fumble in 25-24 win over Penn State... recorded a career-high eight solo tackles and forced his second career fumble in 21-26 loss at #17 USC... recorded eight tackles (three solo, career-high five assists) in 16-18 loss to #9 Oregon... collected seven tackles (three solo, four assists) in 13-16 loss at Iowa State... recorded seven tackles (three solo, four assists) in 38-28 win at Rutgers... led team with six tackles (five solo, one assist) in 41-3 win over Minnesota... recorded six tackles (five solo, one assist) and one QB pressure in 15-20 loss to #11/12 Indiana... collected five solo tackles, including his first tackle for loss (one yard) of the season in 20-17 win over Michigan State.

2024 Honors -- Academic All-Big Ten... Dean's List student (2025 spring)... 2024 -- Played in all 13 games and started at strong safety in 10 games, marking his 23rd career start... had 41 tackles (29 solo, 12 assists) and one pass break-up on the season... recorded a career-high 10 tackles (season-high seven solo, season-high three assists) in 40-16 win over Washington... collected seven tackles (five solo, two assists) in 20-32 loss at Michigan State... recorded five tackles (two solo, season-high three assists) in 7-35 loss at #3/3 Ohio State... recorded four solo tackles and one pass break-up in in 24-27 Music City Bowl loss to Missouri... recorded four solo tackles in 13-10 win over Nebraska... letterwinner.

2023 Honors -- Academic All-Big Ten… Dean’s List student (2023 fall)… 2023 -- Started at strong safety in 12 games, playing in all 14… recorded 42 tackles (27 solo, 15 assists), including two tackles for a loss of one yard and one QB sack, two pass break-ups, two QB pressures, and one interception on the season… tallied a season-high eight tackles (seven solo, one assist), including one tackle for a loss of one yard, and one pass break-up in 26-16 win vs. Michigan State… recorded six tackles (four solo, two assists) in 20-14 win vs. Purdue… had five tackles, two solo, three assists) in 15-6 win at Wisconsin… collected five tackles (four solo, one assist) in 31-0 loss at Penn State… had five tackles (three solo, two assists), including one QB sack, in 10-7 win at Northwestern… had three tackles (one solo, two assists) in 12-10 loss vs. Minnesota… had two tackles (one solo, one assist) and one interception in season-opening 24-14 win over Utah State… recorded two solo tackles and one QB pressure in 13-10 win at Nebraska… letterwinner.

 

 

 

 

 

2022 Honors -- Team Hustle Award, special teams… 2022 -- Played in all 13 games, starting at strong safety in 21-0 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky… totaled 12 tackles (11 solo, 1 assist), one interception for 52 yards and a touchdown, and one pass breakup… posted season-high eight tackles in 21-0 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky in first career start (seven solo, one assist)… first career interception vs. Kentucky resulted in 52-yard touchdown return… also recorded one pass break-up… One of eight true freshmen to see game action… letterwinner.

High School Honors -- Named Adidas All-American and MaxPreps Iowa Player of the Year as a senior… earned Elite All-State honors as a senior… first-team all-conference and all-state as a sophomore, junior and senior… honorable mention all-conference as a freshman… earned academic recognition all four years… Career -- Four-year football letterman as defensive back… prep team won state championships as a senior after also reaching state championship game as a junior… state qualifier as a sophomore after reaching state semifinals as a freshman… prep team posted four-year record of 35-10, with just two losses over final two seasons… recorded 26 tackles and four interceptions as a senior, with 845 all-purpose yards… 41 tackles as a junior, with six interceptions and two touchdowns, and 794 all-purpose yards… 51.5 tackles as a sophomore, with three interceptions and one touchdown, with 494 all-purpose yards… 20 tackles to go with three interceptions and one touchdown return as a freshman… team captain as a junior and senior… also competed in track and baseball as a prep.

Personal -- Born 12/8/2003… sport and recreation management major…parents are Amy Erickson and Frank Nwankpa… high school coach was Brad Zelenovich.