June 6, 2012

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern seniors Chelsea Armstrong (Perth, Australia/Penrhos) of the field hockey team and Francis Brooke (Washington, D.C./St. Albans School) of the baseball team have been named Northwestern's recipients of the 2011-12 Big Ten Medal of Honor. Each Big Ten school annually recognizes one male and one female athlete who have distinguished themselves athletically and academically.

In her three seasons in Evanston, Armstrong re-wrote Northwestern's field hockey record book, becoming the Wildcats' leader in both scoring and in points. She was named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year the past two seasons and in 2011 earned first-team All-America honors and was a finalist for the Honda Sports Award.

Armstrong has led the conference in goals each of the last three years and has been in the top 10 nationally in points en route to a trio of first team All-Big Ten and NFHCA All-Region honors. Armstrong has done all this while helping Northwestern earn top-20 national rankings the last two seasons. The Wildcats were ranked as high as 14th in the country during the 2011 season, their highest mark since 1996.

Armstrong was an Academic All-Big Ten selection this past season and is an economics major.

Brooke ranks ninth all-time at NU with 259.2 career innings pitched while his 97 innings pitched in 2012 are the fourth-highest single-season total in program history. His 2.51 ERA this season ranked fifth in the Big Ten was the best mark by a Northwestern starting pitcher since the 1996 season.

He ranked third in the Big Ten with 60.1 innings pitched and 45 strikeouts in league play while his 18 strikeouts looking against conference foes tied for the Big Ten lead. He ranked second in the nation in 2010, allowing an average of 0.71 walks per nine innings, as he surrendered just seven free passes in 89.1 innings pitched.

A double major in political science and international studies, Brooke earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction three times and was bestowed a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar each of the last two years.

The duo will receive their honors at the 2012 N Club Induction and Senior Recognition banquet on Thursday, June 14.

Northwestern's All-Time Big Ten Medal of Honor Recipients

2011-12 Big Ten Medal of Honor Recipients
Illinois
Jenna Carosio, Women's Soccer
Luke Guthrie, Men's Golf

Indiana
Margaux Farrell, Women's Swimming
Matt Roth, Men's Basketball

Iowa
McKenzie Melander, Women's Track & Field/Cross Country
Erik Sowinski, Men's Track & Field

Michigan
Amanda Chidester, Softball
Dan Madwed, Men's Swimming

Michigan State
Kirk Cousins, Football
Jenilee Rathje, Volleyball

Minnesota
David Pachuta, Men's Track & Field
Anne Schleper, Women's Ice Hockey

Nebraska
Tyler Hitchler, Men's Track & Field
Ashley Miller, Women's Track & Field

Northwestern
Chelsea Armstrong, Field Hockey
Francis Brooke, Baseball

Ohio State
Bianca Alvarez, Women's Diving
Andrew Elliott, Men's Swimming

Penn State
Miguel Pineda, Men's Gymnastics
Erin Thomas, Women's Swimming

Purdue
Robbie Hummel, Men's Basketball
Brittany Rayburn, Women's Basketball

Wisconsin
Peter Konz, Football
Laurie Nosbusch, Women's Soccer

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