After dominating the Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards Iowa starting center Owen Freeman has been named the Big Ten's Co-Freshman of the Year by the Big Ten coaches. Freeman shares the award with Indiana freshman Mackenzie Mgbako. Big Ten media named Freeman the solo Freshman of the Year.
The Moline, Illinois native averaged 10.6 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 63.6 percent from the floor during his first year in Iowa City. Freeman finished 13th in the Big Ten in rebounds per game (6.5) and sixth in he league in blocks per game (1.8). Freeman was also named to the Big Ten's All-Freshman team and earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition.
He earned the conference's freshman of the week honor nine times, the most in program history. This is the first time a Hawkeye has won the Freshman of the Year award since Jess Settles took it home in 1993-94, when he averaged 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest while shooting 57.4 percent from the field.
Freeman was the earliest commit in Iowa's 2023 recruiting class. Just a three-star prospect out of high school, McCaffery knew the Hawkeyes scored a hidden gem.
"From the minute he committed here, I thought we had something special," head coach Fran McCaffery said in February. "I mentioned in the summer how well he was playing overseas, so you could kind of see it coming. I continue to try to build that confidence in him, because that's the critical thing."
"His ability to dominate inside is a difference-maker for us. Every night in this league, you're going up against a veteran big guy who's really good. It's just about coming to the realization that that's who you are. You're one of the best big guys in this league. Maybe it's a little earlier than a lot of people thought, but he's certainly proven that he can be one of the best players in our league."
Freeman's teammates have seen his hard work come to fruition throughout the season, as well.
"He's a beast," Perkins said following Freeman's 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four blocks against Wisconsin in February. "I told him every time he'd get fouled, get a rebound or get a bucket, 'You are a beast.."
"That's the type of player he is. He goes for the ball, he can score, hit free throws, dunk on somebody -- he works hard. He's also got me here that's here to tell him how good of a player he is. He's a beast."
His performances all season left folks around the league impressed, particularly Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard, who saw it live twice.
"He's a good player," Gard said. "He's had a terrific freshman year, he's one of the better freshmen in the Big Ten. He's been really consistent and been impressive from afar when we've prepared for him. He's had really good production for a freshman."
Freeman and the seventh-seeded Hawkeyes will travel to Minneapolis for a second-round matchup in the Big Ten Tournment with Ohio State on Thursday evening. The game is set to tip off at 5:30 PM CT and can be viewed on Big Ten Network.
