Ohio State senior thrower Adelaide Aquilla competes at the Big Ten Championship on Feb. 26. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Dept. of Athletics
After a year of uncertainty and postponements, Ohio State named it’s Athletes of the Year Thursday.
Former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and senior thrower Adelaide Aquilla earned the title of Ohio State men’s and women’s Athlete of the Year, the university announced in a release.
Fields becomes the 12th football player to earn the honor after another strong season under center for the Buckeyes, in which he led Ohio State to their fourth-straight Big Ten title and a National Championship Game appearance. In eight games, Fields tossed 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns — both top marks in the Big Ten.
His two-season run with the Buckeyes was one of the most successful of any quarterback to don the Scarlet and Gray as he carried a 20-2 record alongside two College Football Playoff appearances. Fields never lost a single Big Ten game in his Buckeye career.
Fields was named the Big Ten Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year for his play in his final season in Columbus.
The former Buckeye signal caller was drafted 11th in the 2021 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears.
Aquilla was a dominant thrower throughout the 2021 season, earning her second-consecutive indoor Big Ten title and an indoor national championship for shot put. Her outdoor season was equally successful, winning the Big Ten outdoor shot put title with a record-setting performance. She collected her second outdoor national title as well on June 10.
Her winning pedigree earned her the title of the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year for both indoor and outdoor.
Aquilla’s next steps are preparing for the U.S. Olympic Trials with hopes of competing for Team USA in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Both Fields and Aquilla are now placed on the ballot for the Big Ten Athlete of the Year award, which will be announced by the conference July 13.
