Photo by: Icon Sportswire
Happ, Hayes headline season-ending Big Ten honors for UW
March 07, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Happ named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Hayes on All-Big Ten first team
MADISON, Wis. – Ethan Happ has been recognized as Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Nigel Hayes has been named to the All-Big Ten first team, as the Big Ten Conference handed out its season-ending awards Monday night.
Selected as 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both the coaches and the media, Happ was also a unanimous selection by coaches to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was named to the league's all-defensive team. The forward from Milan, Illinois, was also recognized as a third team All-Big Ten honoree by the media and drew honorable mention recognition from the coaches.
For the first time in his collegiate career, Hayes was named to the All-Big Ten first team by both the coaches and the media. The junior forward from Toledo, Ohio, was a third-team All-Big Ten honoree last season and was named the 2014 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman.
Joining Happ and Hayes in garnering postseason honors was Bronson Koenig, who was named to the All-Big Ten third team by the coaches and was an honorable mention honoree with the media.
Vitto Brown was recognized as Wisconsin's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
Happ becomes the second player in program history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, joining Sam Okey (1996).
The fifth UW freshman to be named to the Big Ten's all-freshman team, Happ is the first since teammate Hayes received the distinction in 2014.
With Hayes garnering first-team selection, a total of nine different UW players have been named first team All-Big Ten over the past 15 seasons, combining for 13 first-team all-conference honors. No other program in the Big Ten has more during that era.
A preseason All-American pick and consensus All-Big Ten selection, Hayes finished the regular season tied for fifth in the Big Ten averaging 16.5 points, plus 5.8 rebounds and a team-high 3.1 assists per game. Happ is the first UW freshman to average at least 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game since Rashard Griffith in 1993-94. Koenig was UW's second-leading scorer this season averaging 13.5 points per contest. He shot 42.3 percent from 3-point range in Big Ten play.
Winners of 11 of their last 13 games, the Badgers begin postseason play this week as the No. 6 seed at the 2016 Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers open play Thursday night at 8 p.m. (CT) and will face the winner between No. 11 Nebraska and No. 14 Rutgers.
2015-16 Big Ten Men's Basketball Postseason Honors
(as selected by Big Ten coaches) - UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: A.J. Hammons, Purdue
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Max Bielfeldt, Indiana
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Crean, Indiana
FIRST TEAM
YOGI FERRELL, Indiana
JARROD UTHOFF, Iowa
DENZEL VALENTINE, Michigan State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM
Malcolm Hill, Illinois
Peter Jok, Iowa
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Bryn Forbes, Michigan State
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
THIRD TEAM
Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Troy Williams, Indiana
Diamond Stone, Maryland
Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
Matt Costello, Michigan State
Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION
Robert Carter, Jr., Maryland
Jake Layman, Maryland
Rasheed Sulaimon, Maryland
Zak Irvin, Michigan
Andrew White III, Nebraska
Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern
Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State
Marc Loving, Ohio State
Jae'Sean Tate, Ohio State
Brandon Taylor, Penn State
Vince Edwards, Purdue
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
THOMAS BRYANT, Indiana
Diamond Stone, Maryland
Jordan Murphy, Minnesota
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
ETHAN HAPP, Wisconsin
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa
Rapheal Davis, Purdue
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
2015-16 Big Ten Men's Basketball Postseason Honors
(as selected by media voting panel) - UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Crean, Indiana
FIRST TEAM
YOGI FERRELL, Indiana
JARROD UTHOFF, Iowa
DENZEL VALENTINE, Michigan State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM
Malcolm Hill, Illinois
Peter Jok, Iowa
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Bryn Forbes, Michigan State
Matt Costello, Michigan State
THIRD TEAM
Troy Williams, Indiana
Diamond Stone, Maryland
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
Brandon Taylor, Penn State
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION
Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Mike Gesell, Iowa
Adam Woodbury, Iowa
Robert Carter, Jr., Maryland
Jake Layman, Maryland
Rasheed Sulaimon, Maryland
Zak Irvin, Michigan
Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
Andrew White III, Nebraska
Tre Demps, Northwestern
Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern
Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State
Marc Loving, Ohio State
Jae'Sean Tate, Ohio State
Rapheal Davis, Purdue
Vince Edwards, Purdue
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Corey Sanders, Rutgers
Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
Selected as 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both the coaches and the media, Happ was also a unanimous selection by coaches to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was named to the league's all-defensive team. The forward from Milan, Illinois, was also recognized as a third team All-Big Ten honoree by the media and drew honorable mention recognition from the coaches.
For the first time in his collegiate career, Hayes was named to the All-Big Ten first team by both the coaches and the media. The junior forward from Toledo, Ohio, was a third-team All-Big Ten honoree last season and was named the 2014 Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman.
Joining Happ and Hayes in garnering postseason honors was Bronson Koenig, who was named to the All-Big Ten third team by the coaches and was an honorable mention honoree with the media.
Vitto Brown was recognized as Wisconsin's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
Happ becomes the second player in program history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, joining Sam Okey (1996).
The fifth UW freshman to be named to the Big Ten's all-freshman team, Happ is the first since teammate Hayes received the distinction in 2014.
With Hayes garnering first-team selection, a total of nine different UW players have been named first team All-Big Ten over the past 15 seasons, combining for 13 first-team all-conference honors. No other program in the Big Ten has more during that era.
A preseason All-American pick and consensus All-Big Ten selection, Hayes finished the regular season tied for fifth in the Big Ten averaging 16.5 points, plus 5.8 rebounds and a team-high 3.1 assists per game. Happ is the first UW freshman to average at least 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game since Rashard Griffith in 1993-94. Koenig was UW's second-leading scorer this season averaging 13.5 points per contest. He shot 42.3 percent from 3-point range in Big Ten play.
Winners of 11 of their last 13 games, the Badgers begin postseason play this week as the No. 6 seed at the 2016 Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers open play Thursday night at 8 p.m. (CT) and will face the winner between No. 11 Nebraska and No. 14 Rutgers.
2015-16 Big Ten Men's Basketball Postseason Honors
(as selected by Big Ten coaches) - UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: A.J. Hammons, Purdue
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Max Bielfeldt, Indiana
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Crean, Indiana
FIRST TEAM
YOGI FERRELL, Indiana
JARROD UTHOFF, Iowa
DENZEL VALENTINE, Michigan State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM
Malcolm Hill, Illinois
Peter Jok, Iowa
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Bryn Forbes, Michigan State
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
THIRD TEAM
Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Troy Williams, Indiana
Diamond Stone, Maryland
Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
Matt Costello, Michigan State
Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION
Robert Carter, Jr., Maryland
Jake Layman, Maryland
Rasheed Sulaimon, Maryland
Zak Irvin, Michigan
Andrew White III, Nebraska
Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern
Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State
Marc Loving, Ohio State
Jae'Sean Tate, Ohio State
Brandon Taylor, Penn State
Vince Edwards, Purdue
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
THOMAS BRYANT, Indiana
Diamond Stone, Maryland
Jordan Murphy, Minnesota
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
ETHAN HAPP, Wisconsin
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa
Rapheal Davis, Purdue
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
2015-16 Big Ten Men's Basketball Postseason Honors
(as selected by media voting panel) - UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS IN ALL CAPS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
COACH OF THE YEAR: Tom Crean, Indiana
FIRST TEAM
YOGI FERRELL, Indiana
JARROD UTHOFF, Iowa
DENZEL VALENTINE, Michigan State
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM
Malcolm Hill, Illinois
Peter Jok, Iowa
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Bryn Forbes, Michigan State
Matt Costello, Michigan State
THIRD TEAM
Troy Williams, Indiana
Diamond Stone, Maryland
Shavon Shields, Nebraska
Brandon Taylor, Penn State
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION
Thomas Bryant, Indiana
Mike Gesell, Iowa
Adam Woodbury, Iowa
Robert Carter, Jr., Maryland
Jake Layman, Maryland
Rasheed Sulaimon, Maryland
Zak Irvin, Michigan
Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan
Andrew White III, Nebraska
Tre Demps, Northwestern
Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern
Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State
Marc Loving, Ohio State
Jae'Sean Tate, Ohio State
Rapheal Davis, Purdue
Vince Edwards, Purdue
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Corey Sanders, Rutgers
Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballGreg Gard Media Availability || Wisconsin Basketball || Dec. 16, 2025
Tuesday, December 16
Highlights vs Marquette || Wisconsin Basketball || Dec. 6, 2025
Saturday, December 06
Postgame Media Conference vs Northwestern || Wisconsin Basketball || Dec. 3, 2025
Wednesday, December 03
Highlights vs Northwestern || Wisconsin Basketball || Dec. 3, 2025
Wednesday, December 03
