Big Ten Roundup (Oct. 12): Locksley Named Midseason Coach of the Year, Chase Audige Cut by Wizards

The Associated Press has named Maryland football coach Mike Locksley the Big Ten Midseason Coach of the Year, while former Northwestern men's basketball player Chase Audige was waived by the Washington Wizards.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. —  Anyone who can take the Maryland Terrapins to a 5-1 record through the first six weeks of the season deserves recognition.

And that's exactly what Maryland coach Mike Locksley received, as he has been named the Big Ten Midseason Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. 

In basketball news, former Northwestern men's basketball player Chase Audige has been waived by the Washington Wizards. The NBA team had originally signed the 2022-23 Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Year to an Exhibit 10 deal, but cut him on Wednesday in order to sign Michael Foster Jr.

Here's everything you need to know in today's Big Ten Roundup:

Mike Locksley Big Ten Midseason Coach of the Year

Despite losing to Ohio State 37-17 on Saturday, it's been an undoubtedly successful year for Maryland football. The 5-1 start Locksley has led the Terrapins to is the program's best start to a season in 20 years, and with the next two games on the schedule being matchups against Illinois and Northwestern, a 7-1 start seems highly probable. 

Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State might all be undefeated, but that's expected at those schools. Locksley has surpassed expectations with what he's done at Maryland, and thus, the title of AP Big Ten Midseason Coach of the Year belongs to him. 

Maryland head coach Mike Locksley has been named the Big Ten’s top coach by the AP at the midway point of the season https://t.co/2cvBON3TnD

— Inside the Black & Gold (@Insideblackgold) October 11, 2023

After going 1-5 as an interim head coach for the Terrapins in 2015, Locksley's second stint in College Park has gone infinitely better. For the first time, he now has an overall winning record during this second tenure, as the team has gone 25-24 from 2019-23. 

Maryland is projected to lose to both Penn State and Michigan later this season, but if everything plays out according to plan, the Terrapins should finish the regular season at 9-3. Add on a decently high-profile bowl victory, and Locksley could lead Maryland to its first 10-win season since 2003.

Chase Audige Wavied by Wizards

Less than a month after the Washington Wizards offered Chase Audige an Exhibit 10 deal, the Northwestern Wildcat was waived so that same deal could be given to a different player. 

Official: We have signed Michael Foster Jr. to an Exhibit 10 contract. We have also waived Chase Audige.

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 11, 2023

It's part of the deal when being on the fringes of the NBA as a player. Exhibit 10 contracts are purposefully low-risk propositions for the teams that sign them. They do not have to commit to much money and resources to the player, and thus, switching them out for someone else can be easy. 

This comes after Audige had a breakout season as a senior at Northwestern in 2022-23. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 14.1 points and a stellar 2.4 steals per game, as he emerged as one of the nation's best defensive players. Along with his co-star in the backcourt Boo Buie, he led Northwestern to its best men's basketball season in program history, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second time under coach Chris Collins.

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