UNIVERSITY PARK – The Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) hosted the annual "The Nittanys" for the 36th consecutive year. The celebration of comprehensive excellence was held Monday night on the main floor of the Bryce Jordan Center as the student-athletes, coaches and staff gathered.
More than 40 Penn State student-athletes and several teams were recognized for their academic, athletic and community engagement achievements in an awards-style format.
Sponsored by Penn State Student-Athlete Welfare & Development, the event featured the presentation of several long-standing awards from the Academic Achievement Awards Banquet that was coordinated by the Morgan Academic Center for nearly 30 years, as well as some more recently established honors.
The Nittanys' theme was SAAB's 2022-23 theme, "We Are One Team," and the festivities were hosted by Billy Gerlott (baseball) and Morgan Farrah (softball).
The 2023 Nittany's was one for the books!🎉
— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) April 18, 2023
Thank you to @PennStateSAAB and @PSUDev_Enrich for putting this great night together.
We Are One Team!
#WeAre #PennState | #2023Nittanys pic.twitter.com/8vOI4Gs5k5
Women's Soccer Earns Highest Team GPA
The women's soccer team was presented with the Milton K. Morgan Jr. Highest Team GPA Award for their efforts during the 2021-22 academic year. The women's soccer team had the highest team GPA among all 31 sports for the second-straight year.
Individual Honors
Ernest B. McCoy Award
The McCoy Award is named for the longtime Dean of Penn State's College of Physical Education, who also served as the University's athletic director. The award is given to a senior men's and women's student-athlete who has combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence.
The honorees of the Ernest B. McCoy award were Max Dean (wrestling) and Ally Schlegel (women's soccer).
True Grit Award
The True Grit award recognizes a male and female student-athlete whose determination, and perseverance in overcoming serious adversity athletically or even personally, stands as a testament to their tremendous character and indomitable spirit. This award is sponsored by the Nittany Lion Club.
This year's honorees were Kevin Sullivan (men's swimming and diving) and Kate Wiesner (women's soccer).
Above and Beyond Mr. & Ms. Penn State
This award was established by SAAB to recognize the contributions of one male and one female senior student-athlete who display the true spirit of "WE ARE" as exemplified by their contributions and inspirations to their respective teams, as well their passion for everything Penn State. Recipients of this award are recognized for the following qualities: caring, encouragement, humility, honesty, humor, kindness, patience and school spirit. This year's award recipients were Myles Dread (men's basketball) and Rene Gangarosa (women's hockey).
Behind the Scenes Heroes
This award established by SAAB to recognize individuals who are the embodiment of what it means to be selfless in the service of others, with no expectation of recognition, but are vital to student-athletes success here at Penn State. Morgan Academic Center assistant director and academic counselor Neil Rager was this year's recipient.
Phoenix Award
The phoenix has always been a symbol of what it means to be reborn, rise from the ashes and to shine brightly for all to see. This award recognizes a student-athlete whose determination and perseverance in overcoming some initial tough challenges academically, to now shine brightly and confidently here at Penn State. The 2022-23 recipients of the Phoenix Award were Ellie Brandbergh from women's swimming & diving and Roman Bravo-Young of wrestling.
THON Awards
THON Donor Drive Challenge
This award created by SAAB is in recognition of the team that raised the highest total this year on behalf of THON. The team which raised the most money collectively for THON was women's hockey.
Two additional awards were presented to two individuals who made major contributions to THON in 2022-23. Devon Olive (women's soccer) was recognized as the student-athlete who individually raised the highest total on behalf of THON. Jimmy Meyers (men's golf) was honored with the THON Spirit Award. This award recognizes a student-athlete whose commitment to bringing awareness and funding to find a cure to end pediatric cancer, has been unmatched in their energy, effort and passion for all things THON.
Team Engagement Awards
This award created by SAAB recognizes the teams that participated the most in community service. Overall, eight teams were honored: women's soccer, women's hockey, men's lacrosse, football, women's golf, women's lacrosse, men's gymnastics and men's soccer.
All-Academic Team
This award is presented to a student-athlete from each team who have earned the highest cumulative grade point average on his or her team, following 60 or more undergraduate hours earned at Penn State.
Nittany All-Academic Team-Individual highest cumulative GPA on each team
Baseball: Brenden Franks*
Men's Basketball: Dallion Johnson
Women's Basketball: Makenna Marisa
Men's Cross Country: Payton Sewall*
Women's Cross Country: Makenna Krebs*
Men's Fencing: Peter Kambeseles
Women's Fencing: Yi Jin
Field Hockey: Gery Schnarrs
Football: Olu Fashanu
Men's Golf: Jud Langille
Women's Golf: Isha Dhruva*
Men's Gymnastics: Michael Artlip*
Women's Gymnastics: Jessica Johanson
Men's Hockey: Christian Berger
Women's Hockey: Annie Spring
Men's Lacrosse: Jack Posey
Women's Lacrosse: Rachel Spilker*
Men's Soccer: Alex Stevenson*
Women's Soccer: Cori Dyke*
Softball: Lexie Black
Men's Swimming & Diving: Benjamin Doyle
Women's Swimming & Diving: Nikolette Nolte*
Men's Tennis: Miko Eala
Women's Tennis: Sofiya Chekhlystova
Men's Track & Field: Evan Dorenkamp*
Women's Track & Field: Chloe Royce
Men's Volleyball: Will Kuhns
Women's Volleyball: Macy Van Den Elzen
Wrestling: Baylor Shunk
* indicates repeat member
Penn State Among the Nation's Premier Athletic Programs in Comprehensive Excellence
Under Dr. Pat Kraft's leadership, Penn State has one of the nation's most comprehensive and successful athletic programs, featuring 800 student-athletes across 31 varsity programs (16 men's, 15 women's). The Nittany Lions' 31 programs are tied for the fourth-highest number of sports sponsored by a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institution.
Nittany Lion students have posted an NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of program-record 92 percent in the most recent report, and 10 teams earned a 100 percent graduation rate in the 2022 NCAA Graduation Rates Report. The Nittany Lions rank No. 5 among all Division I schools with 224 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans all-time.
Penn State student-athletes have led the athletic department to 50 Big Ten championships and 10 NCAA National Championships since October 2013. Penn State is one of only six schools that have won at least 10 NCAA Championships since 2013 and earned at least a 90 percent Graduation Success Rate in the 2022 NCAA report (Cal, Florida, Stanford, USC and Virginia). The Nittany Lions rank seventh in the Learfield IMG College Director's Cup following the winter season.
Record-Breaking NCAA Graduation Success Rate
The 2022 NCAA graduation rate report of Division I institutions across the nation revealed Penn State student-athletes at the University Park campus earned a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 92% to tie the school's all-time record, which was previously set in the last two NCAA reports. Nittany Lion students posted a 92% graduation rate compared to the 89% average for all Division I institutions for students entering from 2012-13 through the 2015-16 academic year.
Penn State student-athletes have logged a Graduation Success Rate in the 88-92% range during each of the past 16 NCAA reports, improving from 88% in the 2015 report to a record-breaking 92% report for the last three years. 21 of the Nittany Lions' 27 teams (men's and women's track and field/cross country teams combined) earned a Graduation Success Rate at or above the Division I national GSR average for their respective sport. A total of 18 Penn State squads have a GSR of 90% or higher.