UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's lacrosse graduate students TJ Malone and Jack Traynor were named Scholar All-Americans by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) on Wednesday.
Malone and Traynor were just two of 111 Division I players throughout the country to earn the academic honor and two of just 14 players from the Big Ten to make the list.
After graduating with a master's degree in finance, Malone was named to the Big Ten All-Academic Team for the fourth time in his career and was also named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar for the first time in his career.
During the 2023 season, Malone was named an Inside Lacrosse, USA Lacrosse Magazine, and USILA All-American for the first time in his career while also being named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year and named to the First Team All-Big Ten.
Through 52 games of his career, he's scored 110 goals and 65 assists while scooping 82 ground balls. He scored a career-high 39 goals and 34 assists in 2023 which featured a six-goal showing in the NCAA semifinals against Duke. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team for his performance.
Traynor graduated with a master's degree in real estate analysis and development as he received Big Ten All-Academic Team honors in 2023 for the fourth time in his career. The Downingtown, Pa. native was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team after playing in all 16 games in 2023 scoring career-highs in goals (32), assists (17) and ground balls (28).
During his career as a Nittany Lion, Traynor played in 53 games while scoring 74 goals and recorded 34 assists while scooping 55 ground balls.
Twenty Penn State players have earned USILA Scholar All-America honors. Fifteen of those awards were won during current head coach Jeff Tambroni's time with the team, including 10 over the past five seasons.
