UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Sophomore Micah Parsons garnered Associated Press All-America first team honors Monday. He is the 101st first-team All-American in Penn State history and the first Nittany Lion to claim first-team All-America honors since Saquon Barkley in 2017. Parsons is the first sophomore to earn first-team All-America status since LaVar Arrington in 1998.
The native of Harrisburg earned the Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection. He is the first sophomore to win Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and the third Nittany Lion to claim the award, joining Michael Mauti (2012) and Mike Hull (2014). Parsons was also was a finalist for the Butkus Award for the nation's top linebacker.
Parsons has also claimed All-America honors from Sports Illustrated (first team), Bleacher Report (first team), Pro Football Focus (first team), ESPN, USA Today, Walter Camp (second team) and The Athletic (second team).
For the second-straight season, Parsons is leading the Nittany Lions in tackles with 85. He also has 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. Parsons ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 7.7 tackles per game. He has five games with 10 or more tackles this season. He is one of 22 players in FBS and two in the Big Ten (Dele Harding, Illinois) to total at least 80 tackles and 10 tackles for loss this season. He is the first Penn State player to do so since Mike Hull in 2014 and is the seventh Penn Stater to accomplish the feat since 2000.
Parsons was named a Rivals Midseason All-American. He was selected to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week first team following the Purdue game and second team after the Pitt victory.
The No. 10 Nittany Lions head to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl to face No. 17 Memphis on Dec. 28 at noon on ESPN. For information on Cotton Bowl tickets, visit GoPSUsports.com/bowlcentral.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and reserving new 2020 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 9 a.m-4:30 p.m.
