Michigan Athletics Communications
(Ann Arbor, Mich.) -- The Big Ten Conference announced the recipients of its Outstanding Sportsmanship Award on Wednesday (June 7) with Michigan's Jake Butt (football) and Grace Choi (women's golf) receiving the honor.
Butt and Choi were chosen from Michigan's 29 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipients to represent the Block "M" as individuals who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
Butt graduated last winter with a degree in sociology, and also earned Academic All-Big Ten status as a senior. He was the Division I Football (FBS) winner of the Senior CLASS Award, given to a senior who displays notable achievements in the areas of community, classroom, character and competition, and was Michigan's first-ever recipient of the award in any sport. A team-elected co-captain, Butt was among the most active Wolverines in the local community, working with C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, the ChadTough Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and a number of other charitable organizations.
On the field, Butt closed his career as the football program's all-time leading receiver in receptions (138) and yards (1,646) by a tight end. A two-time All-American in consecutive seasons, he also registered 11 career touchdowns, four shy of Jerame Tuman (15, 1995-98) for the program touchdown record at his position. He dedicated himself to being a contributor in all situations, playing valuable snaps on special teams and improving his abilities as a run blocker. The result was Michigan having one of the most balanced offenses in the country and Butt ending his career with at least one catch in 34 of his final 38 games. Butt became Michigan's first-ever winner of the John Mackey Award, recognizing college football's best tight end, and is also a two-time Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year award winner.
Butt becomes the fifth U-M football player to receive the award since its inception in 2003. He joins Kevin Dudley (2005), Jordan Kovacs (2012 and 2013) and Devin Gardner (2015).
Choi, who earned her economics degree, closed her Michigan career guiding the Wolverines to their second straight NCAA Championships appearance following a sixth place showing at the Columbus Regional. Starting all 12 events, she was second on U-M with a 74.85 per round average, posting six sub-par rounds, including a season-best 70 (-2), three times. She was part of U-M's first team title under head coach Jan Dowling as the Maize and Blue claimed the rain shortened Trinity Forest Invitational (Nov. 7-8) in Choi's hometown of Dallas. Overall, she started 42 career events and finished as U-M's all-time scoring average leader (74.90), nearly a full shot better than the previous mark.
Choi is the first member of the U-M women's golf team to receive the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award after earning the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for women's golf in back-to-back seasons.
MICHIGAN 2016-17 SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS
Baseball: Michael Brdar
Men's Basketball: Zak Irvin
Women's Basketball: Siera Thompson
Men's Cross Country: Billy Bund
Women's Cross Country: Jaimie Phelan
Field Hockey: Casie Ammerman
Football: Jake Butt
Men's Golf: Reed Hrynewich
Women's Golf: Grace Choi
Men's Gymnastics: Emyre Cole
Women's Gymnastics: Emma McLean
Ice Hockey: Sam Piazza
Men's Lacrosse: Andrew Hatton
Women's Lacrosse: Emily Braun
Rowing: Joesi Krieger
Men's Soccer: Andre Morris
Women's Soccer: Jessica Heifetz
Softball: Morgan Swift
Men's Swimming and Diving: Jackson Goethe
Women's Swimming and Diving: Allie Murphy
Men's Tennis: Carter Lin
Women's Tennis: Annie Wierda
Men's Indoor Track and Field: Khoury Crenshaw
Men's Outdoor Track and Field: Ned Willig
Women's Indoor Track and Field: Gina Sereno
Women's Outdoor Track and Field: Gina McNamara
Volleyball: Kelly Murphy
Water Polo: Danielle Johnson
Wrestling: Myles Amine
Butt and Choi were chosen from Michigan's 29 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipients to represent the Block "M" as individuals who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
Butt graduated last winter with a degree in sociology, and also earned Academic All-Big Ten status as a senior. He was the Division I Football (FBS) winner of the Senior CLASS Award, given to a senior who displays notable achievements in the areas of community, classroom, character and competition, and was Michigan's first-ever recipient of the award in any sport. A team-elected co-captain, Butt was among the most active Wolverines in the local community, working with C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, the ChadTough Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and a number of other charitable organizations.
On the field, Butt closed his career as the football program's all-time leading receiver in receptions (138) and yards (1,646) by a tight end. A two-time All-American in consecutive seasons, he also registered 11 career touchdowns, four shy of Jerame Tuman (15, 1995-98) for the program touchdown record at his position. He dedicated himself to being a contributor in all situations, playing valuable snaps on special teams and improving his abilities as a run blocker. The result was Michigan having one of the most balanced offenses in the country and Butt ending his career with at least one catch in 34 of his final 38 games. Butt became Michigan's first-ever winner of the John Mackey Award, recognizing college football's best tight end, and is also a two-time Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year award winner.
Butt becomes the fifth U-M football player to receive the award since its inception in 2003. He joins Kevin Dudley (2005), Jordan Kovacs (2012 and 2013) and Devin Gardner (2015).
Choi, who earned her economics degree, closed her Michigan career guiding the Wolverines to their second straight NCAA Championships appearance following a sixth place showing at the Columbus Regional. Starting all 12 events, she was second on U-M with a 74.85 per round average, posting six sub-par rounds, including a season-best 70 (-2), three times. She was part of U-M's first team title under head coach Jan Dowling as the Maize and Blue claimed the rain shortened Trinity Forest Invitational (Nov. 7-8) in Choi's hometown of Dallas. Overall, she started 42 career events and finished as U-M's all-time scoring average leader (74.90), nearly a full shot better than the previous mark.
Choi is the first member of the U-M women's golf team to receive the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award after earning the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for women's golf in back-to-back seasons.
MICHIGAN 2016-17 SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS
Baseball: Michael Brdar
Men's Basketball: Zak Irvin
Women's Basketball: Siera Thompson
Men's Cross Country: Billy Bund
Women's Cross Country: Jaimie Phelan
Field Hockey: Casie Ammerman
Football: Jake Butt
Men's Golf: Reed Hrynewich
Women's Golf: Grace Choi
Men's Gymnastics: Emyre Cole
Women's Gymnastics: Emma McLean
Ice Hockey: Sam Piazza
Men's Lacrosse: Andrew Hatton
Women's Lacrosse: Emily Braun
Rowing: Joesi Krieger
Men's Soccer: Andre Morris
Women's Soccer: Jessica Heifetz
Softball: Morgan Swift
Men's Swimming and Diving: Jackson Goethe
Women's Swimming and Diving: Allie Murphy
Men's Tennis: Carter Lin
Women's Tennis: Annie Wierda
Men's Indoor Track and Field: Khoury Crenshaw
Men's Outdoor Track and Field: Ned Willig
Women's Indoor Track and Field: Gina Sereno
Women's Outdoor Track and Field: Gina McNamara
Volleyball: Kelly Murphy
Water Polo: Danielle Johnson
Wrestling: Myles Amine