March 7, 2006

All-Big Ten Teams (PDF Format)
Download Free Acrobat Reader

EVANSTON, Ill.-- Vedran Vukusic (Sr., Split, Croatia/Medical) leads a list of three Wildcats receiving 2006 All-Big Ten honors this season, the conference office announced Tuesday. Vukusic was named to the all-conference second-team by the coaches and third-team by the media.

Vukusic becomes the first Wildcat since Evan Eschmeyer (1997-99) to garner all-Big Ten honors three-consecutive seasons. He was an honorable mention honoree in 2004 and a third-team selection in 2005.

Joining Vukusic is senior Mohamed Hachad (Montreal, Quebec/Champlain-St. Lambert) who was named to the Big Ten's inaugural all-defensive team and true-freshman Craig Moore (Doylestown, Pa./Lawrenceville [N.J.] Prep) who was named to all-freshman squad.

Vukusic clinched the Big Ten regular-season scoring title with 19.4 points in all games and can become the first Wildcat in over 50 years to lead the Big Ten in scoring if his scoring average holds up through the postseason. He is currently fourth on NU's all-time scoring list with 1,576 points entering the Big Ten Tournament, eight points away from third place. He is just the seventh player in 101 years of Wildcat basketball to eclipse 1,500 points.

But his record-setting season doesn't stop there. Two weeks ago, he broke NU's all-time record for career 3-pointers and enters the Big Ten Tournament with 211 career makes. Vukusic ranks among the national leaders in scoring and ranks among the Big Ten leaders in several major statistical categories, including a 2.6 3-point field goal per game average which leads the league. He has led the 'Cats in scoring in all but eight games and has hit the 20-point plateau 14 times, including a season-high 29 points in the win at Purdue where he connected on a career-high 12 field goals.

Hachad becomes the first Wildcat named to the inaugural all-defensive team. Hachad wrecked havoc in the back court of opposing teams, ranking among the league leaders in steals and is currently third on NU's all-time steals list with 163. He anchored a Wildcat defense that ranked second in the league in scoring defense, giving up an average of just 58.5 points per game.

Moore becomes the first Wildcat to receive all-freshman honors after leading all newcomers with 2.5 assists and 35 3-point field goals in Big Ten games. He ranked second in scoring with 8.1 points and 3-point field goal percentage (.365). Moore recorded 66 assists at the point guard position while averaging more than 32 minutes per game in league play. He hit at least one 3-pointer in all but one Big Ten game, including the game-tying trey with 0.9 seconds left to force overtime in the win at Purdue. He also connected on multiple 3-pointers on 17 occasions, including a season-high five 3-pointers in the win at Minnesota.

Michael Jenkins (Sr., Pasadena, Calif./St. Francis) was NU's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship award.

The complete list of the All-Big Ten teams and awards follows.

As selected by Big Ten coaches
(players names in ALL CAPS have 2006-07 eligibility)

FIRST TEAM
James Augustine, Illinois
Dee Brown, Illinois
Greg Brunner, Iowa
Terence Dials, Ohio State
ALANDO TUCKER, Wisconsin

SECOND TEAM
SHANNON BROWN, Michigan State Paul Davis, Michigan State
Je'Kel Foster, Ohio State
Daniel Horton, Michigan
Vedran Vukusic, Northwestern

THIRD TEAM
Maurice Ager, Michigan State
GEARY CLAXTON, Penn State#
Vincent Grier, Minnesota#
ADAM HALUSKA, Iowa#
Jeff Horner, Iowa
Marco Killingsworth, Indiana

HONORABLE MENTION
JAMAR BUTLER, Ohio State
KAMMRON TAYLOR, Wisconsin
ROBERT VADEN, Indiana

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
JAMELLE CORNLEY, Penn State
JOE KRABBENHOFT, Wisconsin
CHRIS LUTZ, Purdue
Craig Moore, Northwestern
JAMAR SMITH, Illinois

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
SHANNON BROWN, Michigan State
Je'Kel Foster, Ohio State
Mohamed Hachad, Northwestern
Erek Hansen, Iowa
BRIAN RANDLE, Illinois

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Terence Dials, Ohio State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Erek Hansen, Iowa

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
JAMELLE CORNLEY, Penn State

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR:
Doug Thomas, Iowa

# tie

As selected by Big Ten media
(players names in ALL CAPS have 2006-07 eligibility)

FIRST TEAM
Dee Brown, Illinois
Greg Brunner, Iowa
Terence Dials, Ohio State
Daniel Horton, Michigan
ALANDO TUCKER, Wisconsin

SECOND TEAM
Maurice Ager, Michigan State
James Augustine, Illinois
SHANNON BROWN, Michigan State
Paul Davis, Michigan State
Marco Killingsworth, Indiana

THIRD TEAM
JAMAR BUTLER, Ohio State
GEARY CLAXTON, Penn State
Je'Kel Foster, Ohio State
Jeff Horner, Iowa
Vedran Vukusic, Northwestern

HONORABLE MENTION
Vincent Grier, Minnesota
ADAM HALUSKA, Iowa
Matt Kiefer, Purdue
KAMMRON TAYLOR, Wisconsin
ROBERT VADEN, Indiana

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Terence Dials, Ohio State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:
JAMELLE CORNLEY, Penn State

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees:
Dee Brown, Illinois; Marshall Strickland, Indiana; Adam Haluska, Iowa; Graham Brown, Michigan; Maurice Ager, Michigan State; Adam Boone, Minnesota; Michael Jenkins, Northwestern; Je'Kel Foster, Ohio State; Mike Walker, Penn State; Bryant Dillon, Purdue; Alando Tucker, Wisconsin.