Photo by: Nolan Kromke
Tonje earns unanimous first-team All-Big Ten honors
March 11, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Grad student is one of three Badgers honored by the Big Ten on Tuesday
MADISON. Wis. – The Wisconsin men's basketball team earned a trio of Big Ten honors this Tuesday, headlined by a first-team All-Big Ten selection for graduate student John Tonje.Â
Tonje was an unanimous first-team All-Big Ten pick by both the Big Ten coaches and media members and was one of only three players in the conference to earn that feat.Â
In addition, John Blackwell earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades, while Markus Ilver was Wisconsin's recipient for the Big Ten Sportsmanship award.
In his first season with Wisconsin, Tonje leads the team in scoring at 18.9 points per game - the sixth-best mark in the league.Â
The Omaha, Nebraska-native has produced four 30+ point performances on the season. He poured in 41, the fourth-highest point total in program history, in a 103-88 win over No. 9 Arizona - setting a school record by going 21-for-22 at the free throw line.
Tonje also scored 32 points in a road-victory over No. 7 Purdue, the most points scored against a top-ten Big Ten team this season.
Tonje is the 18th Badger to be selected for the All-Big Ten First Team since 1949, and the first to do so since Johnny Davis in 2022.
Blackwell earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, following up his selection to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team last season.
A native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Blackwell has started all 31 games for the Badgers, averaging career-highs in points (15.6), rebounds (5.2), and assists per game (2.2).
Ilver collected the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award after playing in 70 career games for Wisconsin.
A native of Estonia, Ilver is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, and was a member of the Badger's 2021-22 Big Ten Championship squad.
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Tonje was an unanimous first-team All-Big Ten pick by both the Big Ten coaches and media members and was one of only three players in the conference to earn that feat.Â
In addition, John Blackwell earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades, while Markus Ilver was Wisconsin's recipient for the Big Ten Sportsmanship award.
In his first season with Wisconsin, Tonje leads the team in scoring at 18.9 points per game - the sixth-best mark in the league.Â
The Omaha, Nebraska-native has produced four 30+ point performances on the season. He poured in 41, the fourth-highest point total in program history, in a 103-88 win over No. 9 Arizona - setting a school record by going 21-for-22 at the free throw line.
Tonje also scored 32 points in a road-victory over No. 7 Purdue, the most points scored against a top-ten Big Ten team this season.
Tonje is the 18th Badger to be selected for the All-Big Ten First Team since 1949, and the first to do so since Johnny Davis in 2022.
Blackwell earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, following up his selection to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team last season.
A native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Blackwell has started all 31 games for the Badgers, averaging career-highs in points (15.6), rebounds (5.2), and assists per game (2.2).
Ilver collected the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award after playing in 70 career games for Wisconsin.
A native of Estonia, Ilver is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, and was a member of the Badger's 2021-22 Big Ten Championship squad.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballMedia Availability || NCAA Round 1
Wednesday, March 18
Media Availability || Selection Show
Sunday, March 15
Postgame Media Conference || Michigan
Saturday, March 14
Postgame Media Conference || Illinois
Friday, March 13
