Natalie Potts brought home her eighth Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Week award of the 2023-24 season, when the conference announced its honors on Monday, March 4.

Potts closed out the regular season with 14 points, five rebounds, and a career-high-tying four assists at Illinois on Sunday. The 6-2 forward from O'Fallon, Mo., also knocked down a career-high two three-pointers against the Fighting Illini. 

She improved her season scoring average to 10.5 points and a Big Ten freshman-best 5.4 rebounds. She also closed the regular season with a conference freshman-leading .520 field goal percentage and an .859 free throw percentage.

Potts, who won eight of the 15 weekly honors, was the conference's most consistent freshman from start to finish this season. She captured the first and last freshman awards of the year and won at least one weekly award in all five months of the season. Her eight weekly honors matched the total by Nebraska's most recent Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski in 2021-22. No other conference freshman has claimed more than three weekly honors this season.

Potts and the Huskers return to action at the TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Thursday, March 7, at 2 p.m. The game will be televised live by BTN. Fans also can listen across the Huskers Radio Network on Huskers.com and the Huskers App.

Natalie Potts Big Ten Freshman of the Week Awards
Nov. 13, Nov. 27, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Feb. 12, Feb. 26, March 3

All Other Big Ten Freshman Honors in 2023-24
Dec. 4, Jan. 22, Feb. 19 (Grace Grocholski, Minnesota - 3)
Jan. 2, Feb. 12 (Mary Ashley Stevenson, Purdue - 2) 
Nov. 20 (Rashunda Jones, Purdue)
Dec. 18 (D'Yanis Jimenez, Wisconsin)
Jan. 29 (Tessa Grady, Wisconsin)
Feb. 5 (Jillian Huerter, Rutgers)

NU CLAIMS EIGHT TOP FIVE PRELIMINARY SEEDS

Nine Nebraska wrestlers received top 10 seeds in the preliminary seeding for this weekend’s 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, the Big Ten conference announced Monday evening. The two-day championship event is set to begin Saturday, March 9 in College Park, Md., and will be carried on the Big Ten Network. 

Pre-seeds are determined by a vote from conference coaches as they rank 14 wrestlers in all 10 weight classes. Additionally, Nebraska received two top two pre-seeds.

After wrapping up the regular season with only one loss, Ridge Lovett grabs the top spot at 149. Lenny Pinto is seeded second at 184, followed by Jacob Van Dee (133), Brock Hardy (141) and Silas Allred (197) all in fourth. Caleb Smith (125), Peyton Robb (157) and Antrell Taylor (165) sit in fifth. 

Making his Big Ten Tournament debut is Nash Hutmacher (HWT) in 10th, and two-time NCAA Qualifier Bubba Wilson (174) received a 12th-place seed.

The results of the Big Ten Championships help decide the field for the NCAA Tournament, March 21-23 in Kansas City, Mo. Each conference qualifying tournament was awarded pre-allocations and the amount per weight class for the Big Ten is as follows: 125 (nine), 133 (seven), 141 (11), 149 (nine), 157 (nine), 165 (10), 174 (eight), 184 (eight), 197 (seven) and HWT (seven). 

Last season, the Huskers finished third with 104.5 team points. Silas Allred highlighted the event, winning the 197-pound Big Ten title, marking the first Big Ten Champion for NU since Robert Kokesh won in 2015. NU put five wrestlers in the finals and clinched seven automatic bids to the NCAA Championships.

The Big Ten Network will offer live linear and streaming coverage of the championships. Session I begins Saturday, March 9 at 9 a.m. (CT) and Session II semifinals start at 6 p.m. (CT). The championship coverage continues Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) with consolation matches on B1G+ and returns to BTN at 3:30 p.m. (CT) for the final bouts. Additional mat coverage can be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required) for every session.

125 lbs.
Matt Ramos (PUR)
Drake Ayala (IOWA)
Eric Barnett (WIS)
Patrick McKee (MINN)
5. Caleb Smith (NEB)
Braeden Davis (PSU)
Michael DeAugustino (MICH)
Brendan McCrone (OSU)
Dean Peterson (RUT)
Tristan Lujan (MSU)
Justin Cardani (ILL)
Massey Odiotti (NU)
Tommy Capul (MD)
Blaine Frazier (IND)

133 lbs.
Dylan Ragusin (MICH)
Dylan Shawver (RUT)
Nic Bouzakis (OSU)
4. Jacob Van Dee (NEB)
Aaron Nagao (PSU)
Tony Madrigal (ILL)
Braxton Brown (MD)
Tyler Wells (MINN)
Nicolar Rivera (WIS)
Cayden Rooks (IND)
Dustin Norris (PUR)
Andrew Hampton (MSU)
Patrick Adams (NU)
Brody Teske (IOWA)

141 lbs.
Beau Bartlett (PSU)
Jesse Mendez (OSU)
Real Woods (IOWA)
4. Brock Hardy (NEB)
Sergio Lemley (MICH)
Danny Pucino (ILL)
Mitch Moore (RUT)
Jordan Hamdan (MSU)
Dan Fongaro (IND)
Vance VomBaur (MINN)
Kal Miller (MD)
Greyson Clark (PUR)
Kolby McClain (NU)
Felix Lettini (WIS)

149 lbs.
1. Ridge Lovett (NEB)
Austin Gomez (MICH)
Caleb Rathjen (IOWA)
Tyler Kasak (PSU)
Dylan D’Emilio (OSU)
Ethen Miller (MD)
Joseph Zargo (WIS)
Graham Rooks (IND)
Drew Roberts (MINN)
Michael Cetta (RUT)
Marcos Polanco (PUR)
Braden Stauffenberg (MSU)
Aiden Vandenbush (NU)
Jake Harrier (ILL)

157 lbs.
Levi Haines (PSU)
Michael Blockhus (MINN)
Brayton Lee (IND)
Jared Franek (IOWA)
5. Peyton Robb (NEB)
Chase Saldate (MSU)
Will Lewan (MICH)
Joey Blaze (PUR)
Trevor Chumbley (NU)
Isaac Wilcox (OSU)
Al DeSantis (RUT)
Michael North (MD)
Luke Mechler (WIS)
Logan Swaw (ILL)

165 lbs.
Dean Hamiti (WIS)
Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU)
Michael Caliendo (IOWA)
Caleb Fish (MSU)
5. Antrell Taylor (NEB)
Cameron Amine (MICH)
Stoney Buell (PUR)
Bryce Hepner (OSU)
Tyler Lillard (IND)
Blaine Brenner (MINN)
Chris Moore (ILL)
Maxx Mayfield (NU)
Anthony White (RUT)
AJ Rodrigues (MD)

174 lbs.
Carter Starocci (PSU)
Shane Griffith (MICH)
Patrick Kennedy (IOWA)
Edmond Ruth (ILL)
Rocco Welsh (OSU)
Jackson Turley (RUT)
Max Maylor (WIS)
DJ Washington (IND)
Andrew Sparks (MINN)
Brody Baumann (PUR)
Dominic Solis (MD)
12. Bubba Wilson (NEB)
DJ Shannon (MSU)
David Ferrante (NU) 

184 lbs.
Isaiah Salazar (MINN)
2. Lenny Pinto (NEB)
Bernie Truax (PSU)
Ryder Rogotzke (OSU)
Jaden Bullock (MICH)
Layne Malczewski (MSU)
Shane Liegel (WIS)
Brian Soldano (RUT)
Troy Fisher (NU)
Roman Rogotzke (IND)
Dylan Connell (ILL)
James Rowley (PUR)
Aiden Riggins (IOWA)
Chase Mielnik (MD)

197 lbs.
Aaron Brooks (PSU)
Jaxon Smith (MD)
Zach Glazier (IOWA)
4. Silas Allred (NEB)
Garrett Joles (MINN)
Luke Geog (OSU)
John Poznanski (RUT)
Evan Bates (NU)
Ben Vanadia (PUR)
Gabe Sollars (IND)
Kael Wisler (MSU)
Isiah Pettigrew (ILL)
Bobby Striggow (MICH)
Josh Otto (WIS)

285 lbs.
Greg Kerkvliet (PSU)
Nick Feldman (OSU)
Lucas Davison (MICH)
Yaraslau Slavikouski (RUT)
Seth Nevills (MD)
Nick Willham (IND)
Bradley Hill (IOWA)
Bennett Tabor (MINN)
Josh Terrill (MSU)
10. Nash Hutmacher (NEB)
Jack Jessen (NU)
Gannon Rosenfeld (WIS)
Peter Marinopoulus (ILL)
Hayden Filipovich (PUR)