March 29, 2009
Lady Lion Annual Award Banquet Photo Gallery
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The Penn State women's basketball team held its annual postseason banquet today at the Nittany Lion Inn and honored both players and supporters of the program for their dedication and commitment during the season.
Tyra Grant (Youngstown, Ohio) took home the Joanie O'Brien Award for the Lady Lions' Most Outstanding Player, while senior guard Mashea Williams (Erie, Pa.) and junior Meggan Quinn (Red Lion, Pa.) shared the Jeanette Goss Courage Award. Junior Nicole Arcidiacono (Langhorne, Pa.) claimed the Tom Caldwell "Unsung Hero" Award and senior guard Brianne O'Rourke (Pittsburgh, Pa.) garnered the Robin Lombard Award in of those qualities that exemplify the true spirit of Lady Lion basketball and for the second-straight year post player Janessa Wolff (Park Rapids, Minn.) earned the Academic Achievement Award. Junior forward Meredith Monroe (Olney, Md.) and sophomore guard/forward Julia Trogele (Devon, Pa.) shared the Most Improved Player Award.
Jerry Fisher and Jeff Fisher were recognized for their outstanding service to Lady Lion basketball with the Hank Gambocurta Award. The Kent Petersen Student Fan of the Year Award was presented to James Sheep, the outgoing Nittany Lion mascot, while Charles and Jo Dumas of State College garnered the Ruth Ingram Award in recognition of a Lady Lion Basketball fan for outstanding enthusiasm and support.
Grant became the 10th player in school history to claim All-Big Ten first team honors, giving the Lady Lions a conference-best 22 first team choices since joining the league. Grant finished second in the Big Ten and 19th in the NCAA with a 19.6 scoring average, which was also good enough for sixth on Penn State's single-season list. The junior guard is 11th in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.764), 15th in steals (1.48), eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.367) and fifth in three-pointers made (1.9). Against Florida State, Grant became the 14th junior and the 31st player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. She finished the 2008-09 season ranked 13th in school history with 1,447.
Williams fought off a hand injury at the beginning of the season to contribute 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. She also led the team in steals per game (1.5) and was second in assists (3.0). She finished her career 17th on Penn State's all-time assists list with 239 helpers and scored 835 points her four seasons. Against the top-ranked Connecticut Huskies, Williams had her best game of the season with 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Williams took home the Jeanette Goss Courage Award last season and the Tom Caldwell Award as a sophomore.
Quinn was on pace to set personal single-season marks for scoring (54), assists (12), steals (5), three-pointers made (9) and blocks (2), before missing the final three games of the season with a torn ACL. She led the team with a 77.8% (7-9) mark from the free throw line and was fourth in three-point field goals. Quinn registered a career-high 16 points, including a 4-for-8 day from behind the arc, to go along with three assists in the win over Coppin State. Quinn was previously honored as the Tom Caldwell "Unsung Hero" Award winner last year and as the 2006-07 Robin Lombard Award winner.
After walking on to the Lady Lion squad in 2007-08, Arcidiacono remained with the team this season and continued her role as the consummate team player. She regularly worked with the male practice players on the scout team to prepare the Lady Lions for upcoming games and was always a source of encouragement for her teammates on game day. Arcidiacono saw time in five games and got on the board with a jumper against Prairie View. She also dished out a career-high two assists against Stony Brook. Last year, Arcidiacono won the Robin Lombard Award.
O'Rourke closed out her era at Point Guard U by averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 assists per game, which was second in the Big Ten. The senior was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection for the third time in her career and is the 22nd player in conference history to reach 500 assists. O'Rourke will leave Happy Valley with her name etched into the record books as she is the sixth player in school history with 1,000 points and 500 assists. She ends her tenure seventh in assists (560), seventh in three-pointers made (120), 13th in steals (196) and 29th in scoring (1,084). O'Rourke posted her first career double-double with 12 points and 13 assists in a win over Coppin State (11/29). It was her fifth career game with 10 or more assists. O'Rourke previously shared the Most Improved Player award with Monroe last season.
Wolff continued her solid work on the court and in the classroom in her sophomore campaign. She averaged 6.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game with 33 blocked shots and 29 steals. In just two seasons, Wolff has moved into 17th place on the all-time blocks list with 52 and her 0.9 career blocks average is ninth all-time. In the classroom, Wolff, who is going to major in child psychology, earned Dean's List honors during the fall semester and claimed Academic All-Big Ten recognition.
Trogele moved into an expanded role in her sophomore season after the graduation of Kam Gissendanner and did not disappoint as she averaged 7.6 points and a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game, which was 12th among Big Ten players. Trogele set personal bests with 212 points, 177 rebounds, 33 steals, 28 assists and two double-doubles. She also finished 13th in the Big Ten with a 43.3% field goal percentage. Trogele notched her first career double-double with 12 points and a career-best 13 rebounds in the win over Coppin State in November. She also had career scoring performance against Stony Brook and Indiana.
Monroe set single-season personal marks with 51 points and nine steals this year. She had a career night in the regular-season finale at Ohio State as she tied her career high with eight points and set a personal best with nine rebounds in the loss. Monroe led the team with a 48.1% field goal percentage this season. Monroe also shared the Most Improved Player award with Brianne O'Rourke last season.
2008-09 Lady Lion Basketball Award Winners
Robin Lombard Award - Brianne O'Rourke
Academic Achievement Award - Janessa Wolff
Jeanette Goss Courage Award - Mashea Williams and Meggan Quinn
Joanie O'Brien Award - Tyra Grant
Tom Caldwell "Unsung Hero" Award - Nicole Arcidiacono
Most Improved Player - Julia Trogele and Meredith Monroe
Hank Gambocurta Award - Jerry Fisher and Jeff Fisher
Kent Petersen Student Fan of the Year Award - James Sheep
Ruth Ingram Award - Charles and Jo Dumas