Jan. 5, 2011
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Redshirt-freshman forward Tani Costa (Honolulu, Hawaii) was named the Philly Soccer News Women's College Player of the Year on Tuesday night. Costa is the second straight Penn State student-athlete to achieve the award as Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) took home the honors in 2009. Costa is now among the finalists for the Soccer News Network National Player of the Year, which will be announced Jan. 6.
The first-year forward made an important impact on the Nittany Lion offense, supplying firepower up top with eight goals, five assists and 23 points. Costa led the squad in goals and points, while her five assists were tied for second most on the team.
Additionally, Costa notched three game-winning goals including the decisive goal in a 1-0 first-round victory over Penn in the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 12. As a reserve, Costa opened the season with a thrilling overtime winner at West Virginia on Aug. 20 to give Penn State a 2-1 edge over the Mountaineers.
One of the top highlights of the year was Costa's impressive five-goal week in games against Indiana and Purdue. The Hawaiian notched the program's 19th hat trick against the Hoosiers before adding two more markers in the second consecutive 6-1 win for Penn State. In Big Ten games, Costa was tied for the most goals with seven.
In helping to lead the Nittany Lions to their 13th straight Big Ten title, Costa was named All-Big Ten Second Team, All-Big Ten Freshman Team while winning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors twice, Offensive Player of the Week and TopDrawerSoccer.com Player of the Week recognition once on Nov. 1. Costa also received National All-Rookie Honorable Mention from TopDrawerSoccer.com in the year-end awards.
Two Nittany Lions Garner U-23 CallupsSophomore Christine Nairn and Alum Katie Schoepfer Began Camp on Jan. 9
CARSON, Calif. - Sophomore Christine Nairn (Arnold, Md.) and 2009 alum Katie Schoepfer received training camp callups from U.S. U-23 coach Bill Irwin this week. Nairn and Schoepfer will enter camp on Jan. 9 for an eight-day stint in Carson, Calif.
All the players in the U-23 camp were born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 and the camp will overlap with the full women's national team, which includes Penn State alums Alyssa Naeher and Joanna Lohman.
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--NITTANY LIONS--