As the Big Ten continues to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, Minnesota announced that Derek Toomey of the men’s swimming & diving team has been named one of Minnesota’s 2013-14 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients.
The Big Ten, the nation’s oldest collegiate conference, commemorates the 100th anniversary of a very unique tradition – the Big Ten Medal of Honor. 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.” Big Ten schools currently feature more than 8,200 student-athletes, but only 24 earn this prestigious award on an annual basis. In the 99 years of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, over 1,300 student-athletes have earned this distinction.
Toomey ended his stellar four-year career as a 15-time All-American and three-time, first-team All-American. As a senior, he set a school record and became the first swimmer in Big Ten history to go under 19 seconds in the 50 free when he finished in 18.95 in a prelim split at the 2014 NCAA Championships. He was the 2014 Big Ten Champion in the event and placed fourth at the 2014 NCAA Championships, and third at the 2013 NCAA Championships.
Toomey, who is from Madison, Wis., was named the Team MVP as a senior, was a two-time team captain and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection two times, and he leaves Minnesota as a school record holder in the 50 free (18.95), 100 free (42.60) and the 200 freestyle relay (1:16.78).
