IOWA CITY – University of Iowa senior defensive back Sebastian Castro has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following his performance in the Hawkeyes’ 20-13 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series win at Iowa State.
The announcement was made Monday by the Big Ten Conference office.
Castro (5-foot-11, 205-pounds) returned an interception 30 yards for a score, collected four (three solo) tackles and had a pass break-up in last Saturday’s in-state showdown.
Castro’s pick-6 in the second quarter proved to be the game-winning score. The pick-six was Iowa’s first of the season and marked the 16th consecutive season that a Hawkeye defender has returned an interception for a score, the second longest active streak in the country (Utah).
One of Castro’s four tackles and his one pass break-up both came on third-down plays in the second half.
The native of Oak Lawn, Illinois, is the first Hawkeye to earn Big Ten weekly recognition this season.
Iowa (2-0) closes out nonconference play Saturday, hosting Western Michigan (1-1) on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City (2:30 p.m. CT, BTN).
