By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

It’s been 30 years between Big Ten freshman of the year honors for an Iowa player.

Which is why the last winner, Jess Settles, sent Owen Freeman a message on social media on Tuesday after Freeman was announced as this season’s top freshman.

“I appreciate him sending that message, taking the time to reach out,” Freeman said. “It means a lot.”

The fact that Freeman won the award wasn’t a surprise — he was the conference’s freshman of the week nine times.

It was a surprise that Freeman shared the award with Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako in the voting by the coaches — Freeman was the sole winner in the media voting.

Freeman leads all Big Ten freshmen in rebounds (203), blocks (56) and double-doubles (5), while ranking second in steals (30) and field goal percentage (.636) and third in scoring. Freeman is averaging 10.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, scoring in double figures in 15 games.

Freeman recalled on Tuesday how a coach told him in his freshman year of high school that he “wasn’t a basketball player.”

Four seasons later, after transferring to Moline (Ill.) High School, he won a state championship. And now he has a postseason honor from a power conference.

“It shows to just trust in God’s journey in life,” Freeman said.

Freeman’s play didn’t surprise Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, who saw Freeman’s potential last summer after he arrived on campus.

“We recruited him as an impact player,” McCaffery said. “When he committed to us, we were really excited. We felt very comfortable at the time that he was going to be immediately impactful.

“He always had a skill set that translates to this level. He’s got a great demeanor about him, in terms of work ethic and preparation. Very mature young guy. That’s sometimes the hardest part, adjusting to the next level. But he’s done that extremely well.”

“I think (it was) coming in, just kind of knowing the player I am, establishing that confidence early,” Freeman said. “Just coming in ready to work.”

Freeman, who was also named to the all-freshman team, said his play this season was “not really surprising.”

“I’ve worked pretty hard for what I did,” Freeman said. “If anything, I thought there was more that I could have shown.”

Freeman wasn’t the only Hawkeye honored with a postseason award.

Guard Tony Perkins was a second-team selection by the coaches and was an honorable-mention choice by the media. Guard Payton Sandfort was a third-team pick by the coaches and the media. Freeman, Josh Dix and Ben Krikke were honorable mention choices.

Photo: Iowa’s Owen Freeman dunks in a game against Arkansas State this season. (Jerod Ringwald/hawkeyesports.com)