Senior named Big Ten Feild Athlete of Week
Senior Allen Pettner has been named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week, announced by conference offices yesterday. Pettner opened the outdoor season last weekend with a personal-record and regional-qualifying toss in the javelin at the Stanford Invitational.
Pettner, who is the defending Big Ten champion in the event, recorded a throw of 226-6 (69.04m) to win the javelin competition, besting the field by over 30 feet. Pettner also added over eight feet to his previous career best, and bettered the regional-qualifying standard by nearly 30 feet. The senior's performance, which is the top throw in the conference, currently ranks third in the NCAA.
Forty-eight Lions earn academic accolades
Forty-eight Nittany Lion student-athletes, representing seven winter sports, have earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. Penn State's 48 winter recipients are second among conference institutions behind Minnesota.
The Nittany Lions had the most men's basketball academic all-conference choices with eight, while the women's swimming & diving squad led all Penn State teams with 14 Academic All-Big Ten recipients. PSU's 126 Academic All-Big Ten selections through the fall and winter seasons is tops among Big Ten institutions.
In men's gymnastics Derek Helbsy collected All-Big Ten first team accolades while helping the Nittany Lions to a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championship. Stephanie Sullivan garnered first team All-Big Ten honors in women's gymnastics. On the wrestling mat, Jake Strayer was an All-American in his weight class and James Yonushonis was the Big Ten runner-up in his weight class. In women's basketball Amanda Brown earned All-Big Ten first team honors. From the women's swimming & diving squad, Kaitlin O'Brien gained first team all-conference recognition and Molly Crispell is one of five student-athletes to maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA. Michael Alderman made his second NCAA Championship appearance for the men's swimming & diving team.
The Big Ten recognized 436 winter student-athletes. To be eligible for the Academic All-Big Ten team, student-athletes must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a career grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better.
