Minnesota Football: Rashod Bateman named Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year

Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Rashod Bateman has been named the Big Ten’s Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year, in addition to being a unanimous selection for first-team All-Big Ten. He is the first Gopher to ever win the award, which was created in 2011.

The sophomore pass catcher leads the Big Ten in receiving yards (1,170), is tied with teammate Tyler Johnson and Ohio State’s Chris Olave for the league lead in passing touchdowns (11), and averaged 20.5 yards per reception in the regular season. Bateman and Johnson were the most electric wide receiver tandem in the Big Ten, if not country, as the latter also contributed 74 receptions for 1,114 receiving yards. With Johnson set to graduate after the bowl game, Bateman will be expected to the lead the Gophers’ receiving corps next year.

Bateman is the third member of the team to be honored by the Big Ten with an individual award this season, joining Antoine Winfield Jr. and head coach P.J. Fleck.