Big Ten Announces 2024 Rowing Individual Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference unveiled the recipients of its 2024 rowing individual awards, as selected through a vote of the conference’s eight head coaches. Michigan senior Zara Collisson was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year, while Indiana’s Nico Daly was chosen as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Indiana head coach Steve Peterson and Michigan head coach Mark Rothstein were tabbed as the Big Ten Co-Coaches of the Year.

Collisson, hailing from Sydney, Australia, is the 11th Michigan rower voted Big Ten Athlete of the Year and fifth in the last six years. A two-time first team All-Big Ten performer, she earned her second gold medal last weekend after leading the Wolverines to a title in the First Eights in a time of 6:17.85 at the Big Ten Championships.

Daly is just the second Hoosier to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, joining Alice Wright (2014). The Wellington, New Zealand, native helped Indiana to a second-place finish at last week’s Big Ten Championships, the highest finish in program history. Daly earned first team All-Big Ten recognition and won a silver medal with the First Eights.  

Peterson repeats as Big Ten Coach of the Year after collecting his first honor in 2023. In his 21st season at Indiana, he led the Hoosiers to their best-ever medal count at the Big Ten Championships as the team totaled 144 points thanks to silver-medal performances from the First and Third Eights as well as bronze medals from the Second Fours and Eights. Peterson guided Indiana back to the NCAA Championship regatta for the second-straight season with an at-large bid and is ranked No. 12 in the I and II Eights, while checking in at No. 14 in the Fours.

Rothstein takes home Big Ten Coach of the Year laurels for the seventh time after coaching Michigan to its second consecutive Big Ten Championship title, its third in the last four years and ninth overall. With 33 years spent leading the program and 28 years as a Division I head coach, Rothstein directed Michigan to five gold medals and two silver-medal performances at the championships to score 189 out of 192 possible points, the third-highest team score in Big Ten Championship history. The Wolverines received the conference’s automatic qualifier and will be making their 16th-straight appearance in the NCAA Championship. Michigan is seeded No. 11 in the I Eights, No. 10 in the II Eights and No. 6 in the Fours heading into the NCAA regatta.

The conference announced this year’s All-Big Ten and Sportsmanship Award honorees at the conclusion of the 2024 Big Ten Rowing Championships last Sunday.

2024 Big Ten Rowing Awards
Athlete of the Year: Zara Collisson, Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Nico Daly, Indiana
Co-Coaches of the Year: Steve Peterson, Indiana; Mark Rothstein, Michigan

First Team All-Big Ten
Piper Maaka, Indiana
Nico Daly, Indiana
Emma Dabinett, Iowa
Zara Collisson, Michigan
Katie Easton, Michigan
Jana Peachey, Michigan
Lizzie Johnston, Michigan State
Isa Bejaran, Minnesota
Jamie Harris, Ohio State
Lily Wood, Rutgers
Nora Byrne, Wisconsin

Second Team All-Big Ten
Abbey Armstrong, Indiana
Bella Oertel, Indiana
Abbey Klostermann, Iowa
Annaka Draaisma, Michigan
Aubrey Fitts, Michigan
Ella Kubas, Michigan State
Manon Field, Minnesota
Tess Thompson, Ohio State
Olivia Clotten, Ohio State
Annie Wertheimer, Rutgers
Grace Belson, Wisconsin

Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Lilly Murphy, Indiana
Karire Evans, Iowa
Delaney Evans, Michigan
Carolynn Garner, Michigan State
Tallulah Sweet, Minnesota
Claire Holtyn, Ohio State
Emily Mahaffy, Rutgers
Macy Moser, Wisconsin