Bickett, Owen U-M's Big Ten Medal of Honor Recipients
4/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | General, Women's Track & Field, Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior Melissa Bickett (Akron, Ohio/Revere HS) and fifth-year senior Pat Owen (Polson, Mont./Polson HS) were reconized as the University of Michigan's Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor recipients for the 2003-04 school year on Thursday (April 22) at the Athletic Department's Academic Achievement Banquet at the Michigan Union. The Medal of Honor is awarded to a graduating male and female student-athlete who has demonstrated the highest proficiency in scholarship, athletics and service to the community.
Bickett joins a rich history of women's track and field athletes to be named Michigan's Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient. Since 2000, the women's track and field team has produced three Medal of Honor winners, as Elizabeth Kampfe (1997-99) and Katie Jazwinski (1999-2002) earned the distinction in 2000 and 2002, respectively.
Bickett is one of only three Wolverine women to earn All-America honors in the discus throw, her signature event. Penny Neer (1979-82) collected a pair of AIAW All-America citations and held the school record in the event until Bickett shattered her mark in 2002 when she marked a personal-best 186-5 at the prestigious Penn Relays. Bickett's throw bettered by two feet Neer's 20-year-old school record of 184-4.
On the conference level, Bickett is a three-time All-Big Ten second teamer, with runner-up finishes in the discus at the 2002 outdoor championships and shot put at the 2002 indoor and 2003 outdoor championships.
Off the track, Bickett is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (the 2004 Academic All-Big Ten team will be announced May 17) and is a four-time U-M Athletic Academic Achievement honoree.
Owen is just the second wrestler to earn the Big Ten Medal of Honor, joining three-time NCAA champion Mark Churella (1976-79), who claimed the award in 1979.
Selected as a tri-captain for his leadership abilities, Owen ended his Michigan career with his most successful season, earning a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and finishing one win shy of NCAA All-America honors at 165 pounds. A three-time NCAA qualifier, Owen accumulated a career record of 100-39 during his five-year career at Michigan, and with 40 pins ranks seventh on Michigan's career falls list.
In addition to Owen's success on the mat, the Wolverine wrestler has excelled in the classroom as well as in the community. Owen was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient and twice recognized as a National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic honorable mention. He also claimed U-M Athletic Academic Achievement honors four times during his career.
During just his final year at Michigan, Owen logged more than 100 hours of community service in the Ann Arbor area, regularly visiting child patients at Mott's Hospital, assisting with MSHARE and making numerous visits to local schools. With his dedication and leadership, Owen has helped the U-M wrestling team win the athletic department's Community Service Award for two consecutive years.
Players Mentioned
