UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Three Nittany Lions earn USILA All-America honors as announced by the organization on Thursday afternoon. Senior Matt Traynor and freshman Hunter Aquino highlight the group, landing on third team while junior Alex Ross garners honorable mention accolades. This same trio also earned USA Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse All-American status announced earlier this month.
Traynor adds to his already lengthy list of awards this season with his third All-American nod this year. The senior captain was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and was a Top 25 Finalist for the Tewaaraton Award. Traynor has led the Nittany Lions offense as well as the Big Ten conference in points and goals throughout the 2025 campaign. He helped guide his team to a third Final Four in program history and second for in the Pennsylvania native's four years. In the quarterfinal matchup against the reigning two-time National Champions Notre Dame, Traynor totaled seven points using six goals and one assist. He will continue his lacrosse career as a member of the New York Atlas in the Premiere Lacrosse League after being drafted sixth overall.
Aquino has also garnered several awards this season including Big Ten Freshman of the Year, marking the first time a Penn State player has earned this title. He takes the Freshman of the Year title after six Big Ten Freshman of the Week nods throughout the season, a new program record for this award. Aquino has produced 37 points throughout his rookie campaign, totaling 16 goals and 21 assists.
Ross rounds out the trio after securing USA Lacrosse Magazine third team and Inside Lacrosse honorable mention All-American honors. He has been a key contributor to the Penn State defense throughout the 2025 season, combining for 30 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers. The junior defenseman also produced his first career goal against Cornell earlier this season, a man-down goal, marking the first man-down goal by a PSU player since 2020.