University of Minnesota Athletics
Battle, LeCaptain Receive Big Ten Medal of Honor
5/13/2026 1:00:00 PM | Athletics
Established in 1915, the Big Ten Medal of Honor is the conference’s most prestigious award
The University of Minnesota announced that Amaya Battle (women's basketball) and Derik LeCaptain (football) are the school's recipients of the Big Ten Medal of Honor.
Established in 1915, the Big Ten Medal of Honor is the conference's most prestigious award. It was the first award in intercollegiate athletics to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on athletics. The Big Ten Medal of Honor is awarded to one female and one male student-athlete from the graduating class of each member institution who has demonstrated excellence on and off the field throughout their collegiate career.
Big Ten schools feature thousands of student-athletes, but only 36 earn this prestigious award on an annual basis. Since the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first presented more than a century ago, just over 1,700 student-athletes have earned this unique distinction. Those names are on permanent display at the Big Ten Office in Rosemont, Ill.
Battle is the third Minnesota women's basketball player to receive the honor, joining Carlie Wagner (2018) and Carol Ann Shudick (1994). LeCaptain is the 39th football player to receive the award and the first since John Michael Schmitz in 2023.
Battle, a senior from Hopkins, Minn., was a four-year standout for the Golden Gophers. Across 135 games played and 129 consecutive starts, she finished her career with 1,533 points, 776 rebounds and 599 assists. Battle is the only Gopher to finish a career with those totals, and she was the only active player in the 2025-26 season to reach those marks at one school.
Battle ranks 10th in program history in scoring and rebounds, second in assists, and second in both career starts and consecutive starts.
She was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team (coaches and media) and All-Big Ten defensive team (coaches) as a senior after earning honorable mention (coaches and media) recognition as a junior and sophomore.
In the classroom, Battle was named Second-Team CSC Academic All-American in 2026 and Third-Team CSC Academic All-American in 2025. She also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times. She earned an undergraduate degree in Sociology and a graduate degree in Sports Management from Minnesota.
Battle helped lead Minnesota to the Sweet 16 for the first time in more than 20 years when she hit a buzzer-beater against Ole Miss to give Minnesota a 65-63 victory.
LeCaptain wore the Maroon and Gold more than any other player in school history as he played in a school-record 63 games (four in 2019, seven in 2020 and 13 in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Missed the 2023 season with an injury) during his career.
He was the inspirational leader and heartbeat of the football team and saw most of his action on special teams. However, he also played defense and offense during his career.
LeCaptain made 21 career tackles and broke up one pass while also recording one block. He also returned five kickoffs for 45 yards in his career.
In 2021, he unselfishly moved from linebacker to running back during the season as Minnesota dealt with injuries to the running back position. He rushed three times for 31 yards and one touchdown and caught one pass for 11 yards.
He started his career as a walk-on in 2019 and was Minnesota's nominee for the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy. The Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman, and is given to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
LeCaptain holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a graduate degree in Youth Development Leadership from Minnesota. He was named Academic All-Big Ten in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020 and was named CSC Academic All-District in 2025 and 2024. In addition, he was named a member of the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society in 2026 and 2025.
Established in 1915, the Big Ten Medal of Honor is the conference's most prestigious award. It was the first award in intercollegiate athletics to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on athletics. The Big Ten Medal of Honor is awarded to one female and one male student-athlete from the graduating class of each member institution who has demonstrated excellence on and off the field throughout their collegiate career.
Big Ten schools feature thousands of student-athletes, but only 36 earn this prestigious award on an annual basis. Since the Big Ten Medal of Honor was first presented more than a century ago, just over 1,700 student-athletes have earned this unique distinction. Those names are on permanent display at the Big Ten Office in Rosemont, Ill.
Battle is the third Minnesota women's basketball player to receive the honor, joining Carlie Wagner (2018) and Carol Ann Shudick (1994). LeCaptain is the 39th football player to receive the award and the first since John Michael Schmitz in 2023.
Battle, a senior from Hopkins, Minn., was a four-year standout for the Golden Gophers. Across 135 games played and 129 consecutive starts, she finished her career with 1,533 points, 776 rebounds and 599 assists. Battle is the only Gopher to finish a career with those totals, and she was the only active player in the 2025-26 season to reach those marks at one school.
Battle ranks 10th in program history in scoring and rebounds, second in assists, and second in both career starts and consecutive starts.
She was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team (coaches and media) and All-Big Ten defensive team (coaches) as a senior after earning honorable mention (coaches and media) recognition as a junior and sophomore.
In the classroom, Battle was named Second-Team CSC Academic All-American in 2026 and Third-Team CSC Academic All-American in 2025. She also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times. She earned an undergraduate degree in Sociology and a graduate degree in Sports Management from Minnesota.
Battle helped lead Minnesota to the Sweet 16 for the first time in more than 20 years when she hit a buzzer-beater against Ole Miss to give Minnesota a 65-63 victory.
LeCaptain wore the Maroon and Gold more than any other player in school history as he played in a school-record 63 games (four in 2019, seven in 2020 and 13 in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Missed the 2023 season with an injury) during his career.
He was the inspirational leader and heartbeat of the football team and saw most of his action on special teams. However, he also played defense and offense during his career.
LeCaptain made 21 career tackles and broke up one pass while also recording one block. He also returned five kickoffs for 45 yards in his career.
In 2021, he unselfishly moved from linebacker to running back during the season as Minnesota dealt with injuries to the running back position. He rushed three times for 31 yards and one touchdown and caught one pass for 11 yards.
He started his career as a walk-on in 2019 and was Minnesota's nominee for the 2025 Burlsworth Trophy. The Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas walk-on and All-American offensive lineman, and is given to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on and has shown outstanding performance on the field.
LeCaptain holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a graduate degree in Youth Development Leadership from Minnesota. He was named Academic All-Big Ten in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020 and was named CSC Academic All-District in 2025 and 2024. In addition, he was named a member of the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society in 2026 and 2025.
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