Juniors Shane Wiskus and Lexy Ramler of the Gophers were named the male and female Big Ten Gymnasts of the Year, the conference announced Thursday.
Wiskus received the award for the third season in a row, Ramler for the second.
He finished the year shortened by COVID-19 as the nation's No. 1 all-arounder and was also ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten on parallel bars. He was ranked No. 4 on rings and No. 8 on floor and vault among conference competitors.
Wiskus also was named the 2020 College Gymnastics Association MVP and received three All-American honors from the organization on rings, parallel bars and all-around.
Ramler had perfect 10s on the beam in back-to-back meets in January and finished ranked No. 1 in that event in the nation and No. 6 on bars.
Minnesota's Jenny Hansen repeated as Big Ten Coach of the Year. The Gophers finished the shortened season ranked No. 10 overall and No. 4 on beam. The team scored 197-plus points three times, including the second-highest team score in program history with a 197.625.
• Ramler and Ivy Lu were named first team All-Big Ten for the third time in their careers while Ona Loper made the first team for the second time, Tiarre Sales for the first time.
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• Linebacker Carter Coughlin and gymnast Ivy Lu were named the Gophers' two Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients. The award is given to one male and one female at each of the conference's 14 schools who "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work."
• Hunter Atherton, a 5-10 setter who played at North Carolina the past two seasons, will join the Gophers volleyball team as a graduate transfer this upcoming season and be eligible immediately.
• Sophomore forward Sammy Walker was named the MVP of the Gophers men's hockey team, the program announced. Other award winners were forward Ben Meyers, the rookie of the year, sophomore forward Sampo Ranta and freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson, the most determined, senior defenseman Tyler Nanne, leadership and sportsmanship, and junior goalie Jack LaFontaine, the playoffs MVP.
• Senior pitcher Amber Fiser and sophomore left fielder Natalie DenHartog of the Gophers softball team were named to the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America's Academic All-District 6 first team.
