STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday that Penn State track & field freshman Victoria Vanriele has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Vanriele continued Penn State's long run of success in the 800-meter run at the Big Ten Championships, claiming the program's fifth consecutive title in the women's 800m. Her 2:05.59 time was a personal best and she became the first freshman to win the title since Danae Rivers in 2017.
She was the only freshman to qualify for the 800-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and was named a Second Team All-American with her 12th place finish in the event.
This marks Penn State's third Freshman of the Year award in the past five seasons as Vanriele joins Alexis Holmes who won the award in 2019 and Danae Rivers who won the award in 2017. She is the fifth Nittany Lion to win the award since its inception in 1988.
In addition to Vanriele's award, senior Audra Koopman and sophomore Luke Knipe were selected as Penn State's recipients of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The award is given to student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The Nittany Lions will begin outdoor competition on March 26 when the team travels to College Park, Md., for the Maryland Invite.
