Penn State linebacker Dan Connor has been named a first team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News. Connor was the only player from the Big Ten honored on defense.
The former Strath Haven High School standout and consensus prep All-American started four games, including the last three at inside linebacker, in his first season with the Nittany Lions. Connor racked up 85 tackles (50 solo) on the season and ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 8.5 tackles per game. He posted 4.5 tackles for loss (-12 yards), one sack and one interception on the year and was the second leading tackler for a Penn State defense that ranks among the top 12 in the nation in three defensive categories and finished as the only team in the nation to not allow more than 21 points in a game. Connor led or tied for the team lead in tackles in three games on the year, including a 10-tackle performance against Purdue and a career high 16 stops against Northwestern, the highest tackle total for a Nittany Lion since the 2002 season. In Penn State's season ending 37-13 victory over Michigan State, Connor posted 11 tackles and one tackle for loss, one of four double-digit tackle efforts on the season including each of his last three games.
Four members of the Penn State women's volleyball team earned All-Mideast Region honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), officials announced. Senior right side hitter Syndie Nadeau and junior setter Sam Tortorello were named first team AVCA All-Mideast Region while junior libero Kaleena Walters and freshman outside hitter Kate Price picked up honorable mention AVCA All-Mideast Region. All four are now eligible for AVCA All-America awards.
Nadeau earns her first career AVCA honor as she was twice named Big Ten Player of the Week (Nov. 8 & 29). A first team All-Big Ten pick, Nadeau made Penn State history on Nov. 8 as she was the first-ever Nittany Lion to be awarded with Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week honors.
Tortorello earns her second first team All-Mideast Region honor in as many seasons. She picked up her third first team All-Big Ten honor this season as she was voted unanimously to the 2004 team. Price, also named to the 2004 Big Ten All-Freshman team, leads the team with 3.94 kills per game. She is the only non-junior or senior to rank among the top 10 in the Big Ten in kills per game (3.94) while ranking fifth in the league in conference-only matches with 4.07 kpg.
Walters earns her first ever AVCA All-Region award after also picking her first career first team All-Big Ten accolade. This season she set a new Penn State single-season record for digs with 600 and counting, which breaks her own record of 554 set last season. The junior libero became one of only three players in Big Ten history to record 44 or more digs in a match.
