Player of the Week

Michigan has swept this week's Big Ten player of the week awards as Jenny Ryan was named the women's winner today.

• Posted 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in Michigan’s victory over Michigan State last weekend
• Did not commit a turnover in 39 minutes of action
• Made four free throws in the final 17 seconds to seal the Wolverines’ one-point win
• Earns the first weekly award of her career

The Michigan women's team has had a very good season, but they've done it without the elite players the men's team has. So this type of individual recognition has been rare. No one on the women's squad has won a Big Ten weekly award since Courtney Boylan was named player of the week in November 2011.

Michigan (19-6; 8-4) plays #24 Nebraska (19-6; 9-3) at home on Thursday at 7pm. It's a Triple-Threat Thursday—just $3 gets you a general admission ticket, a hot dog, and a drink.

Here's a bit more on Ryan's year and career from an mgoblue.com release:

This season, Ryan is averaging a career-best 11.2 points per game. For her career, she ranks second in school history in both assists (454) and steals (280), third in games played (122), 10th in rebounds (672) and 28th in points (911). Earlier this season, she was named to the Capital One Academic All-District first team for the second straight year.

I suppose this is no longer newsworthy—but another Michigan player nabs a Big Ten player of the week award. Trey Burke with his third of the season.

• Averaged 23.5 points on nearly 60 percent shooting, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals against Michigan State and Penn State last week
• On the road against nationally ranked Michigan State, finished with 18 points and 63.6 percent shooting with four assists and three steals
• Tallied a season-best 29 points against Penn State on Sunday, shooting 56.3 percent from the floor, including 75 percent from long range, with five assists and two steals
• Earns his fourth career Big Ten Player of the Week honor and third this season

Burke is now averaging 18.6 points per game for the season. If he maintains or betters than average, it'll be the highest for a Michigan player in the 21st century, topping Manny Harris's 18.1 ppg for 2009-10.

Burke is also on pace for the best assist per game mark in Michigan history. He's averaging 6.885 assists per game this season, while Gary Grant averaged 6.882 in the 1987-88 season.

Often overlooked are the remarkably few turnovers Burke commits—only 47 for the season, which translates into a 3.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. That's probably the best in Michigan history. By comparison, Grant committed 150 turnovers in 1987-88, while his assist total was 234.

Two Michigan Players have received weekly honors from the Big Ten

Big Ten Football ‏@B1Gfootball

#B1G Offensive Co-Player of the Week honors to go to MICH's Devin Gardner and PSU's Matt McGloin.

Big Ten Football ‏@B1Gfootball

Michigan's James Ross III named #B1G Co-Freshman of the Week after posting a career-best 12 tackles against Iowa.

This is also Devin's second consecutive Offensive Co-Player of the Week (in three starts).

Jake Ryan has been chosen as the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Week, the first of what I expect to be many such honors in his career.

Link:  http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101512aaa.html

Great honor for a sophomore LB. Here are a few quotes:

Ryan tied a career high with 11 tackles, including seven solo, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

Ryan paces the Wolverines in 2012 in total tackles (42), solo stops (26), tackles-for-loss (7.5), sacks (2.5) and pass breakups (3), already setting career marks in tackles, stops for losses and pass breakups.

With 2 1/2 years remaining, Ryan has tremendous potential to end up as one of the best linebackers ever to play at Michigan.  His ability to play on the line, to cover receivers, and to blitz and cover ground sideline to sideline give Michigan a huge advantage. He will only get better with more experience under Mattison.