Gophers diver Sarah Bacon named Big Ten female athlete of the year

Gophers diver Sarah Bacon was named Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year on Wednesday after winning two more NCAA championships this spring, bringing her career total to four.

Bacon joined Rachel Banham (2016), Amanda Kessel (2013) and fellow diver Gretchen Hegener (1997) on the list of Gophers who've been named Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year. This' year's Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year award went to Iowa's Luka Garza.

"I couldn't be more honored to receive this award," Bacon said in the news release. "There are so many incredible female student-athletes in the Big Ten, it's just amazing to receive this honor among them. I have to thank my coaches and teammates, as well as my family and friends for helping me along the way."

An Indianapolis native, Bacon won the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competitions at the NCAA championships in March. She had previously won NCAA titles in the 1-meter in 2018 and 2019.

She was named CSCAA Division I Women's Diver of the Year and just missed out on the Olympics. In June, Bacon finished third in both the 3-meter and women's synchronized 3-meter competitions at the U.S. Olympic diving trials, with the top two earning a berth in the Summer Games in each event.

"Sarah is so deserving of any and all recognition she gets after the career she has had," Gophers swimming and diving coach Kelly Kremer said in the news release. "She now has such a massive place in our history that we'll need to build a room specifically for her!"

FORMER B1G FEMALE ATHLETE OTY AWARD WINNERS

1983 - Judi Brown, Michigan State, track & field

1984 - Lisa Ishikawa, Northwestern, softball

1985 - Cathy Branta, Wisconsin, cross country/track & field

1986 - Stephanie Herbst, Wisconsin, cross country/track & field

1987 - Jennifer Averill, Northwestern, field hockey/lacrosse

1988 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, cross country/track & field

1989 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, cross country/track & field

1990 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, cross country/track & field

1991 - Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse, Michigan State, diving/Joy Holmes, Purdue, basketball

1992 - MaChelle Joseph, Purdue, basketball

1993 - Lara Hooiveld, Michigan, swimming

1994 - Kristy Gleason, Iowa, field hockey

1995 - Laura Davis, Ohio State, volleyball

1996 - Olga Kalinovskaya, Penn State, fencing

1997 - Kathy Butler, Wisconsin, track & field / Gretchen Hegener, Minnesota, swimming

1998 - Sara Griffin, Michigan, softball

1999 - Stephanie White-McCarty, Purdue, basketball

2000 - Lauren Cacciamani, Penn State, volleyball

2001 - Katie Douglas, Purdue, basketball

2002 - Christie Welsh, Penn State, soccer

2003 - Perdita Felicien, Illinois, track & field

2004 - Kelly Mazzante, Penn State, basketball

2005 - Jennie Ritter, Michigan, softball

2006 - Tiffany Weimer, Penn State, soccer

2007 - Jessica Davenport, Ohio State, basketball

2008 - Hannah Nielsen, Northwestern, lacrosse

2009 - Maria Hernandez, Purdue, golf

2010 - Megan Hodge, Penn State, volleyball

2011 - Shannon Smith, Northwestern, lacrosse

2012 - Christina Manning, Ohio State, track & field

2013 - Amanda Kessel, Minnesota, ice hockey

2014 - Dani Bunch, Purdue, track & field

2015 - Taylor Cummings, Maryland, lacrosse

2016 - Rachel Banham, Minnesota, basketball

2017 - Lilly King, Indiana, swimming

2018 - Lilly King, Indiana, swimming

2019 - Megan Gustafson, Iowa, basketball

2020 - Dana Rettke, Wisconsin, volleyball

2021 - Sarah Bacon, Minnesota, diving