March 26, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.-- After helping top-ranked Penn State complete their first perfect season in ten years, freshman Trevor Howard extended his own Big Ten record when he earned his eighth men's gymnastics Freshman of the Week honor from the conference office.
Howard helped the Nittany Lions cap their first undefeated regular season since 2003 - and only the fourth such occurrence in the last four years - when he posted a pair of top-three finishes against Minnesota in Minneapolis. The rookie claimed his the individual title on the still rings with a 15.150 score and followed that with a third place showing on the vault, finishing behind teammates Tristan Duverglas (West Orange, N.J.) and Parker Raque (Louisville, Ky.), totaling a score of 14.850.
He also finished eighth on the floor in 14.450 vs. the Gophers.
The rookie has now won at least one individual title or the all-around in all seven of his NCAA competitions this season. He has claimed two all-around crowns, won the floor exercise once, topped the vault and parallel bars three times apiece and won the still rings four times. His 13 titles are the most on the team in 2013.
Howard has now collected the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award eight times during his first season on campus to set a new Big Ten record, moving past Illinois' C.J. Maestas who won six awards during the 2012 campaign. He is the fifth Nittany Lion to earn the acknowledgment on multiple occasions and sixth PSU gymnast overall to win conference's top freshman award, both are tops for any Big Ten program.
It marks the 18th Big Ten's Freshman of the Week award for Penn State as a program, the most distinctions by one program since the honor was installed by the conference during the 2010 season.
Next up for Penn State is the beginning of the postseason on April 5-6 when they return to Minneapolis to compete in the Big Ten Championships. Following the Big Ten summit the Nittany Lions will turn their attention to hosting the 2013 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships inside historic Rec Hall from April 19-21.
--NITTANY LIONS--