In 1982, the Big Ten Conference began selection of an Athlete of the Year based on athletic performance, leadership and character. After one year, the award went coed. Now, each university selects its male and female Athlete of the Year, and they are candidates for the conference award.

* Big Ten-Suzy Favor Female Athlete of the Year.
# Big Ten-Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year.

The Big Ten Conference endowed a Medal of Honor in 1914 to be awarded annually at each university to the student-athlete demonstrating the greatest proficiency in scholarship and athletics. Beginning in 1982, the award went coed as each school named a male and female student-athlete.

Bob Verplank, a 1957 Purdue graduate, was the originator of the idea of Varsity Walk. It was the project of the Purdue Reamer Club spring pledge class of 1956. The walk was located in the Purdue Mall with the Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering buildings to the south and the Physics and Chem-Met buildings to the north. The Varsity Walk Award is presented each spring to the outstanding senior who has participated as a varsity athlete and brought national recognition to Purdue. An awards tower listing all the recipients stands at the northwest corner of the Materials and Electrical Engineering buildings.

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