Dec. 26, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; December 26, 2013 - Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg (Palmyra, Va.) has earned three more Freshman All-America accolades.
Hackenberg was selected a second-team Freshman All-American by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele's College Football and CollegeFootballNews.com. He previously was named the first-team quarterback on the 247Sports True Freshman All-America squad. Penn State tight end Adam Breneman (Mechanicsburg) was a 247Sports second-team honoree for Coach Bill O'Brien's squad.
Penn State has had four freshman All-America honorees the past two years, as defensive end Deion Barnes (Philadelphia) and tight end Kyle Carter (Bear, Del.) were consensus choices in 2012.
The 2013 Big Ten Thompson-Randel El Freshman of the Year, Hackenberg was selected Big Ten Freshman of the Week five times this past season, the second-highest total for a player since the award began in 2010. He also was named the ESPN.com and BTN.com Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was the offensive captain for ESPN.com's Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
During the 2013 season, Hackenberg was 231 of 392 for 2,955 yards, with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in completions, his 20 touchdown passes are one off the Big Ten lead, and he is 0.5 yards from being No. 2 in passing (246.2 ypg). He had 14 completions of 40 yards or longer this season, which ranks seventh nationally and leads the Big Ten and all freshman signal-callers nationwide.
Hackenberg broke one Penn State overall and 11 school freshman game or season passing and total offense records this year, including game (30) and season completions (231), game (340) and season passing yardage (2,955) and game (4) and season (20) touchdown passes. He also broke freshman marks for game (55) and season passing attempts (392) and the number of 200-yard (9) and 300-yard (4) passing games.
With 339 yards and four touchdowns in the Nov. 30 win at Wisconsin, Hackenberg posted his ninth 200-yard passing game this season, moving into third on the Penn State single season list, trailing only Kerry Collins (10, 1994) and Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin (11, 2012). Hackenberg had four 300-yard passing games this season, topped by 340 yards at Indiana, which ties him for the most in a single season at Penn State with McGloin (2012).
The former Fork Union Military Academy All-American threw for 2,955 yards this season, moving into third place on the Penn State single-season chart. Hackenberg's 231 completions rank fourth at Penn State in a season, one behind Daryll Clark's 232 completions in 2009.
Penn State returns 16 starters for the 2014 season (8 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist), which begins August 30 vs. No. 15 UCF in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin, Ireland. Public tickets for the Nittany Lions' first international game are available at www.ticketmaster.ie/psufootball and by entering the passcode, PSUDUBLIN14. The public ticket offering will end December 31.
Penn State season ticket renewals are underway for the 2014 campaign. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing 2014 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium and the Croke Park Classic, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.