2017 Golden Goldys Awards Recap

The University of Minnesota Athletics Department handed out the 2017 Golden Goldys on Monday Night. The Award Ceremony is put on by the U of M Intercollegiate Athletics to recognize both the athletic and academic achievements of its more than 700 student-athletes. The Golden Goldys voting process includes spring sports of 2016 (baseball, men's and women's golf, rowing, softball, men's and women's outdoor track & field and men's and women's tennis) and the fall and winter sports of the 2016-17 athletic year.

And the winners are.........

Stecklein and Wieland were selected as Minnesota’s Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients. The conference's most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work."

Stecklein captained the Gopher Women’s Hockey Team for the past three seasons and helped lead the Gophers to the Frozen Four this season. She has won three NCAA Championships with the Gophers in 2013, 2015, and 2016. This season she earned her third AHCA/CCM All-American award and her third All-WCHA First Team accolade of her career. Stecklein wrapped up her career ranked seventh in scoring among all-time Gopher defensemen with 93 career points. She is set to graduate with honors this spring with degrees in entrepreneurial management and marketing.

Wieland will graduate as one of the best Track and Field Athletes in Gopher History. His sophomore season he became the 13th Gopher to earn an individual national championship when he captured the 2015 NCAA indoor heptathlon title while earning his first of two First Team All-America honors in the event. Wieland also won the 2015 Big Ten indoor heptathlon title and will try to become the first man in Big Ten history to win three-straight outdoor decathlon championships this spring. He holds both of Minnesota’s multi-events records, breaking his own heptathlon record (6,070 points) and the decathlon record (8,201 points) earlier this year. Wieland will graduate this spring with a degree in entrepreneurial management.

The Gophers recorded their highest finish in the Big Ten in 12 seasons. Minnesota earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, its highest seed since 1982, and its first NCAA berth since 2013.

The Gopher Volleyball team advanced to its second-straight Final Four. They extended their home unbeaten streak to 36-straight matches spanning the past three seasons. Minnesota had three All-Americans and All-Big Ten selections and held the overall No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Pfarr earned his second career All-America finish at the NCAA Championships and reached the NCAA finals at 197 pounds. Pfarr led the team in almost every major category: wins, dual wins, conference wins, wins over ranked opponents, dual points scored and average tournament placement.

Wilhite became the program’s first AVCA and ESPN National and Big Ten Player of the Year. She also won the Female Breakout Athlete of the Year Award.

Wiebke became the 2017 Big Ten Champion and First Team All-Big Ten in the indoor mile. His winning mile time of 4:01.85 was a personal best and the fourth fastest time in Gophers history.

Amir Coffey was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. He ranked second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg), assists (102), and steals (35).

Hart was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was named the AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year and added All-America honorable mention accolades.

Pitino was named the Big Ten and District 7 Coach of the Year en route to the biggest win improvement in program history, and the best in the nation last year.

The Richard Pinky McNamara Student-Athlete Achievement Award is given to individuals who have inspired all by making an extraordinary effort to succeed despite difficult circumstances, persevering during a time of tremendous adversity and/or overcoming a great challenge.

The Land O’Lakes Outstanding Achievement Award in Leadership and Service is selected by the Land O’Lakes committee and given to one male and one female student-athlete who are accomplished in the areas of leadership and volunteerism

The Top Five Award recognizes the five highest grade point averages by male and female student-athletes:

Congrats to all the winners! Ski-U-Mah!!