UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State’s Izzy Starck was named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year and was joined on All-America Teams by three of her teammates on Wednesday. Jess Mruzik was a first-team All-America selection, Izzy Starck made the second team, and Camryn Hannah and Trammell were honorable mentions.
Starck is the first Penn State setter ever to be named National Freshman of the Year. She is the fifth Nittany Lion overall to win the award and the first since Ali Frantti in 2014. Starck adds the national award to her Big Ten Freshman of the Year and AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year accolades this season. She ranks second in the nation among freshman in assists/set (10.89) while leading Penn State to a .285 hitting percentage. She contributes in multiple facets of the game, as evident by her 16 double-doubles this season.
Mruzik is now a three-time All-American, but this marks her first time on the first team. She was one of the top players in the country all season as she was named to the AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List and then as one of the 14 semifinalists. The graduate outside hitter was just recently named the MVP of the State College Regional in the NCAA Tournament after hitting .280 while averaging 4.44 kills and 2.19 digs per set in wins over Marquette and No. 6 Creighton. For the season, Mruzik has recorded double-digit kills in 30 of the team’s 35 matches, including a season-high 29 on two occasions. She ranks second on the team with 13 double-doubles.
Hannah, a graduate outside hitter, is a two-time honorable-mention All-American as she adds this year’s honor to the one she won with Clemson in 2020. She has been outstanding through the first four matches of the NCAA Tournament, hitting .351 while averaging 3.56 kills/set. Highlighting her tournament run so far was her performance against Marquette that saw her total 24 kills on .476 hitting in the Regional Semifinal win. Hannah has reached double-digit kills 25 times this season, including 24 of the past 27 matches down the stretch.
Trammell is an AVCA honorable-mention All-American for the first time in her career. The senior middle blocker has provided one of the most efficient attacks in the country with her .447 hitting percentage, which ranks fifth nationally. She has helped Penn State hold opponents to .176 hitting with her 1.05 blocks per set. Trammell went over 500 career blocks during the season.
The second-ranked Nittany Lions have their eyes set on the upcoming Regional Semifinal match with Nebraska at Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center. The match is scheduled for 9 p.m. on Thursday and will air live on ESPN.