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Brandt, O'Brien Honored by Big Ten
6/30/2021 10:30:00 AM | Football, Athletics, Softball
Carlie Brandt, Casey O'Brien are Minnesota's 2020-21 Big Ten Conference Outstanding Sportsmanship Award recipients
University of Minnesota seniors Carlie Brandt from softball and Casey O'Brien from football are Minnesota's 2020-21 Big Ten Conference Outstanding Sportsmanship Award recipients, the league announced today.
Brandt played in 185 career games for the Golden Gophers from 2017-21. Brandt was the ultimate team player over the course of her career when she played eight of nine positions as a Golden Gopher. During her tenure, Brandt even pitched for the Gophers and found her permanent home at short stop for the 2020-2021 seasons. A past NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten selection, the Le Sueur, Minn., native graduated in 2020 with a sports management degree. Currently working on her master's degree also in sports management, Brandt has joined the Golden Gopher Athletics department and will serve as the Leadership U Intern and Intern Coordinator for the Gopher Athletics Internship Program.
O'Brien is a multiple-time cancer survivor and inspired the nation during the 2019 season when he played at Rutgers and at home against Maryland. O'Brien was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which is a rare form of bone cancer, when he was a freshman in high school. He endured countless nights in a hospital, multiple surgeries and numerous rounds of chemotherapy. Doctors told him his football playing days were over, but he knew differently. After his diagnosis, O'Brien moved from quarterback to holder and thrived at the position. He made his collegiate at Rutgers when he held on Minnesota's final three point-after attempts. O'Brien also held three times in a win against Maryland. His inspirational story was told by numerous media outlets and he was honored with the Disney Spirit Award after the 2019 season. The award is given annually by Disney Sports to college football's most inspirational player, coach, team or figure.
The Big Ten announced the 28 honorees named Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2020-21 academic year. These standouts were chosen from a group of more than 300 students honored throughout the academic year who had displayed positive sportsmanship.
One member of each varsity sports team on every campus was chosen by his or her institution as a Sportsmanship Award honoree, and two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected from each institution. All of the Sportsmanship Award winners have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these honorees must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
Brandt played in 185 career games for the Golden Gophers from 2017-21. Brandt was the ultimate team player over the course of her career when she played eight of nine positions as a Golden Gopher. During her tenure, Brandt even pitched for the Gophers and found her permanent home at short stop for the 2020-2021 seasons. A past NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten selection, the Le Sueur, Minn., native graduated in 2020 with a sports management degree. Currently working on her master's degree also in sports management, Brandt has joined the Golden Gopher Athletics department and will serve as the Leadership U Intern and Intern Coordinator for the Gopher Athletics Internship Program.
O'Brien is a multiple-time cancer survivor and inspired the nation during the 2019 season when he played at Rutgers and at home against Maryland. O'Brien was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which is a rare form of bone cancer, when he was a freshman in high school. He endured countless nights in a hospital, multiple surgeries and numerous rounds of chemotherapy. Doctors told him his football playing days were over, but he knew differently. After his diagnosis, O'Brien moved from quarterback to holder and thrived at the position. He made his collegiate at Rutgers when he held on Minnesota's final three point-after attempts. O'Brien also held three times in a win against Maryland. His inspirational story was told by numerous media outlets and he was honored with the Disney Spirit Award after the 2019 season. The award is given annually by Disney Sports to college football's most inspirational player, coach, team or figure.
The Big Ten announced the 28 honorees named Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2020-21 academic year. These standouts were chosen from a group of more than 300 students honored throughout the academic year who had displayed positive sportsmanship.
One member of each varsity sports team on every campus was chosen by his or her institution as a Sportsmanship Award honoree, and two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected from each institution. All of the Sportsmanship Award winners have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these honorees must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
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