Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes is Big Ten preseason player of the year

Wisconsin senior forward Nigel Hayes was announced Tuesday as the Big Ten's preseason player of the year, which was voted on by the media.

Hayes joins Wisconsin teammates Ethan Happ and Bronson Koenig, Indiana's Thomas Bryant and James Blackmon Jr., Purdue's Caleb Swanigan, Maryland's Melo Trimble, Iowa's Peter Jok, Michigan's Derrick Walton and Illinois' Malcolm Hill on the media's preseason All-Big Ten team.

Koenig, Blackmon Jr., Trimble and Hayes were selected for the second straight year. Big Ten media day for men's basketball is scheduled for Thursday in Washington D.C.

The last time the Gophers had a player selected preseason All-Big Ten was Trevor Mbakwe in 2011-12. Nate Mason and Jordan Murphy (Big Ten all-freshman team) have a chance to be all-conference players this season if Minnesota makes a big jump from last season's 8-23 record.

My preseason All-Big Ten team:

G -- Bronson Koenig senior Wisconsin

G -- Melo Trimble junior Maryland

G -- Peter Jok senior Iowa

G -- Derrick Walton senior Michigan

F -- Nigel Hayes senior Wisconsin (POY)

F -- Malcolm Hill senior Illinois

F -- Miles Bridges freshman Michigan State

F -- Caleb Swanigan sophomore Purdue

F -- Ethan Happ sophomore Wisconsin

C -- Thomas Bryant sophomore Indiana