April 8, 2008
University Park - Junior men's gymnast Casey Sandy (Brampton, Ont.) and senior softball pitcher Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif.) have been named this week's Penn State Student-Athletes of the Week.
During the Big Ten Championships last weekend, Sandy led the Nittany Lion line-up, dominating the tough conference competition to help Penn State secure the Big Ten Championship title and become Penn State's first Big Ten all-around champion since 1998. The junior placed first in the parallel bars (15.250), second in the pommel horse (15.350), third in the floor exercise (15.450), fourth in the rings (15.350), fifth in the high bar (14.200), and seventh in the vault (15.900) on his way to the 2008 all-around crown with a total score of 91.500.
At Saturday's individual Big Ten competition, Sandy beat Ohio State's DJ Bucher, the defending Big Ten parallel bars champion, to capture the 2008 crown with a score of 15.300. Reflective of his Big Ten Gymnast of the Year accolade, the junior also placed second in the floor (15.350), third in the pommel horse (14.750), and sixth in the vault (15.400).
Esparza went 1-1 last week on the mound as she pitched a complete-game no-hitter against Big Ten rival Illinois on Saturday. Illinois had defeated Penn State 11-0 on Friday before Esparza took to the mound and struck out eight en route to a no-hitter and Penn State's only victory of the week.
On Sunday the senior went 2-for-3 at the plate in a 5-2 loss to the University of Iowa. She drove in one of the Nittany Lions' two runs off a line-drive homerun over the left center field fence. Overall she went 1-1 on the mound with a 1.75 ERA, including the no-hitter.
2007-08 Penn State Student-Athletes of the Week
April 8 - Casey Sandy (men's gymnastics), Ashley Esparza (softball)
April 1 - Pat Schirk (men's swimming), Brandi Personett (women's gymnastics)
March 25 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Kelly Nelson (women's swimming)
March 18 - Arthur Urman (men's fencing), Jackie Hill (softball)
March 11 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Jessi Lieb (women's lacrosse)
March 4 - Talor Battle (men's basketball), Shana Cox (women's track and field)
February 26 - Casey Sandy (men's gymnastics), Kelly Nelson (women's swimming)
February 19 - Talor Battle (men's basketball), Shana Cox (women's track and field)
February 12 - Matt Anderson (men's volleyball), Shana Cox (women's track and field)
February 4 - Talor Battle (men's basketball), Alexandra Brockway (women's gymnastics)
January 28 - Casey Sandy (men's gymnastics), Gayle Hunter (women's track & field)
January 22 - Pat Schirk (men's swimming), Kelly Nelson (women's swimming)
January 15 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Casey Rohrbaugh (women's gymnastics)
January 7 - Matt Anderson (men's volleyball), Mashea Williams (women's basketball)
December 17 - Geary Claxton (men's basketball), Megan Hodge (women's volleyball)
December 10 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Arielle Wilson (women's volleyball)
December 3 - Pat Schirk (men's swimming), Brianne O'Rourke (men's basketball)
November 26 - David Erwin (wrestling), Christa Harmotto (women's volleyball)
November 19 - Geary Claxton (men's basketball), Alisha Glass (women's volleyball)
November 12 - Dan Connor (football), Britney Long (field hockey)
November 5 - Sean Lee (football), Alyssa Naeher (women's soccer)
October 29 - Michael James (men's tennis), Carly Bedesem (women's soccer)
October 22 - Maurice Evans (football), Christa Harmotto (women's volleyball)
October 15 - Sean Lee (football), Zoe Bouchelle (women's soccer)
October 8 - Kevin Foley (men's golf), Mallory Weisen (field hockey)
October 1 - Vincent Salvatico (men's soccer), Katie Schoepfer (women's soccer)
September 24 - T.J. Howe (men's golf), Alyssa Naeher (women's soccer)
September 17 - Brendan Lynch (men's tennis), Katie Schoepfer (women's soccer)
September 10 - Dan Connor (football), Megan Hodge (women's volleyball)
September 3 - Anthony Morelli (football), Bridget Franek (cross country)
August 27 - Kiersten Wood (field hockey)