Eernisse, Tamer Named Big Ten Medal of Honor Recipients
4/21/2026 8:38:00 PM | Field Hockey, General, Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan Athletic Department announced Tuesday (April 21) that senior Abby Tamer (field hockey) and Josh Eernisse (ice hockey) were named its 2026 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients.
The Big Ten Medal of Honor is awarded to one male and one female student from the graduating class of each member institution who has demonstrated excellence on and off the field throughout their college career. The highest honor that a student competing in conference athletics can achieve in the Big Ten, the award was established in 1915 and was the first award in intercollegiate athletics to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on athletics. Over the past century, the Big Ten Medal of Honor has been awarded to more than 1,300 honorees. These individuals have translated their campus experience into success in all walks of life.
Abby Tamer, Field Hockey
Tamer is the department's female honoree. She is the third Wolverine field hockey player to earn the Medal of Honor, joining Shannon Scavelli (2016) and Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort (2020).
An applied exercise science major who will add a Master of Sport Management degree this spring, Tamer was named the 2024 NFHCA National Division Scholar-Athlete as the first-team All-American undergraduate with the highest cumulative GPA. She was named to the NFHCA Collegiate National Academic Team three times, is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten and two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honoree.
Tamer was a two-time NFHCA All-American, earning first-team honors in 2024 and second-team recognition in 2025. She was twice a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team and was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team last fall. She also earned three NFHCA All-West Region honors in her career.
A two-time Michigan team captain, Tamer started 65 of 76 total games played over the last five seasons and accumulated 33 career goals, 26 assists and 92 points -- and finished just outside Michigan's top-10 leaderboard in all three categories.
She led the Wolverines in scoring in each of the last two seasons. Among her goals last fall, she boasted three late game-winners this season, all scored within the final three minutes of the fourth quarter -- including two in the final 30 seconds against Wake Forest and Stanford.
Tamer took an Olympic redshirt in 2023, after her sophomore year, to train with the U.S. Women's National Team and became the Wolverines' first Olympian in program history, leading Team USA in scoring with two goals in Paris. She scored the game-winning goal against Japan in the 55th minute of the Olympic Qualifier semifinal to qualify the USA to the 2024 Paris Games and also tallied the game-winner in a 1-0 win against India in the first pool game.
Josh Eernisse, Ice Hockey
Eernisse is the department's male honoree, becoming the fifth hockey player in program history to receive the distinction, joining Nick Blankenburg (2022), Carl Hagelin (2011), Jason Botterill (1997) and Gordon Wilkie (1964).
A native of Eagan, Minn., Eernisse wrapped up a standout three-year career with the Wolverines after transferring from St. Thomas, appearing in 151 games and totaling 34 goals and 31 assists for 65 points. Known for his two-way impact, he closed his senior season second in the nation with three short-handed goals, added three game-winning goals, and finished with a +17 rating as a key contributor in all situations.
Eernisse helped lead Michigan to sustained success during his tenure, including two Big Ten Tournament championships and two NCAA Frozen Four appearances. This past season, the Wolverines spent 15 weeks ranked No. 1 nationally, capping another strong postseason run with a Big Ten Tournament title and a trip to the national semifinals.
On top of his on-ice accomplishments, Eernisse distinguished himself as one of the top student-athletes in the country. A sport management major, he is a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. His academic excellence was recognized on the national stage when he earned the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award at the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four in Las Vegas -- presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing at the championship site.
Eernisse's impact extended well beyond the rink and classroom. He served in multiple leadership and service roles, including Michigan's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Big Ten SAAC, and the Student-Athlete Issues Committee, while also contributing to the Michigan Athletics Career Center subcommittee, Athletes in Real Estate Club, Team Impact, and volunteering at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.
Following his collegiate career, Eernisse signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2026-27 season and joined the Cleveland Monsters on a professional tryout for the remainder of 2025-26.
