IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Following an upset win over No. 2 Penn State this past weekend, the University of Iowa has swept the Big Ten Weekly Honors. Senior Dylan Ellsworth was named Big Ten Gymnast of Week, while freshman Bennet Huang earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors the league office announced Monday.
Ellsworth helped lead the Hawkeyes to a 404.050-396.550 victory over the Nittany Lions on Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, earning three event titles, including the top all-around total of 80.350. The senior won his third vault event title this season, sticking his landing for the second straight week. He posted a season-high 14.200 on parallel bars to win his second parallel bars title in as many weeks. Ellsworth also notched a season-high 13.750 to tie for fifth on rings.
Huang registered five top-10 finishes, including two podium finishes on pommel horse and in the all-around, in Iowa’s upset victory. The freshman notched a runner-up finish in the all-around (78.900) and on pommel horse (13.600). He also earned career-high scores on rings (13.600) and parallel bars (13.150).
This is the first Big Ten Conference weekly honor for both Ellsworth and Huang and the first for the Hawkeyes this season. The last Hawkeye to earn a Big Ten weekly honor is Matt Loochtan who was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 27, 2016.
The ninth-ranked Hawkeyes host No. 6 Minnesota and No. 11 Air Force at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 11 for Senior Day. The meet is scheduled to take place a 1 p.m. (CT).