UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) hosted the annual "The Nittanys" for the 37th consecutive year. The celebration of comprehensive excellence was held Monday night on the main floor of Pegula Ice Arena 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 2023-24 theme, "Living the Legacy" and the festivities were hosted by Sean Bettenhausen (men's soccer) and Kaitlyn Roberts (women's hockey).
Gallery: (4-22-2024) The "Nittany's" Award Ceremony
Women's Lacrosse Earns Highest Team GPA
The women's lacrosse team was presented with the Milton K. Morgan Jr. Highest Team GPA Award for their efforts during the 2023-24 academic year. The women's lacrosse team had the highest team GPA among all 31 sports.
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 Olumuyiwa Fashanu (football) and Makena Marissa (women's basketball).
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 Ben DeMell (baseball) and Carrie Byrnes (women's hockey).
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 TJ Malone (men's lacrosse) and Julie Gough (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. Nutritionist Nick Yonko and Kate Deakins of men's soccer were this year's recipients.
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 Margaret Markvardt of women's swimming and diving, and Atem Kato of men's soccer.
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 men's soccer.
Two additional awards were presented to two individuals who made major contributions to THON in 2023-24. Caroline Myers (field hockey) was recognized as the student-athlete who individually raised the highest total on behalf of THON. Ben Liscum (men's soccer) 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: men's lacrosse, football, men's gymnastics, men's soccer, women's swimming and diving, women's golf, women's lacrosse and softball.
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: CJ Pittaro
Men's Basketball: Dan Conlan
Women's Basketball: Alli Campbell
Men's Cross Country: Kevin Haas
Women's Cross Country: Makenna Krebs*
Men's Fencing: Peter Kambeseles*
Women's Fencing: Arianna Proietti
Field Hockey: Gery Schnarrs*
Football: Matthew Detisch
Men's Golf: Jud Langille*
Women's Golf: Mathilde Delavallade
Men's Gymnastics: Derek Schlagenhauf
Women's Gymnastics: Jessica Johanson*
Men's Hockey: Christian Berger*
Women's Hockey: Julie Gough
Men's Lacrosse: Richie Hughson
Women's Lacrosse: Rachel Spilker*
Men's Soccer: Van Danielson
Women's Soccer: Cori Dyke*
Softball: Madison Gordon
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: Colin Burkhart
Women's Track & Field: Chloe Royce
Men's Volleyball: Will Kuhns*
Women's Volleyball: Macy Van Den Elzen*
Wrestling: Brian Borden
* 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 93 percent in the most recent report, and 13 teams earned a 100 percent graduation rate in the 2023 NCAA Graduation Rates Report. The Nittany Lions rank No. 5 among all Division I schools with 227 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans all-time.
Penn State student-athletes have led the athletic department to 51 Big Ten championships and 11 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 2023 NCAA report (Cal, Florida, Stanford, USC and Virginia). The Nittany Lions rank ninth in the Learfield IMG College Director's Cup following the fall season.
Record-Breaking NCAA Graduation Success Rate
The NCAA's annual graduation rates 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 93% to break the school's all-time record of 92, which was set in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 NCAA reports. Nittany Lion students posted a 93% graduation rate compared to the 90% average for all Division I institutions for students entering from 2013-14 academic year through the 2016-17 academic year.
Penn State student-athletes have logged a Graduation Success Rate in the 88-93% range during each of the past 17 NCAA reports, improving from 88% in the 2015 report to a record-breaking 93% report in the 2023 report.
Twenty of the Nittany Lions' 27 teams (the NCAA combines track and field/cross country teams into one team per gender for this reporting metric) earned a Graduation Success Rate at or above the Division I national GSR average of 90%.
The 13 Nittany Lion squads posting 100% Graduation Success Rate scores were: women's basketball, women's fencing, field hockey, men's golf, women's golf, women's hockey, women's lacrosse, softball, women's swimming & diving, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's volleyball and wrestling.
The field hockey and women's tennis teams earned a 100% GSR for the 19th consecutive year - every year since the NCAA implemented the release of Graduation Success Rate data in 2005. The women's golf squad posted a 100% GSR for the eighth-straight year and the women's hockey team had a perfect GSR score for the seventh consecutive year in which they've been eligible.
