Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499919
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 13 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M PENN STATE'S TOP PERFORMERS Lexie Black — So ball The senior first baseman was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time in her career after a remarkable four-game stretch in April, during which she hit .500 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI. A native of Omaha, Neb., Black belted 2 homers to drive in all of Penn State's runs in a 3-2 extra-inning victory over Maryland on April 21. Her other home run during that stretch came on her only at-bat in a 9-0 win against visiting Bucknell on April 18. Black was a key player on a team that reached the Big Ten Tournament for the second year in a row. For the season, she led the Nittany Lions in RBI (36), home runs (10), doubles (15) and slugging percentage (.674) and was third in batting average (.319). Cole Bogner — Men's Volleyball The graduate setter from Chesapeake, Va., was named Player of the Year in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association for the second season in a row. His average of 10.3 assists per set during the regular season led the con- ference and ranked sixth nationally, and he also averaged 1.54 digs per set to rank fifth in the league in that category. Bogner orchestrated one of the country's most potent of- fensive attacks this year. In compiling a 24-3 regular-season record, Penn State hit .355 as a team, leading the EIVA and ranking sixth nationally. The Nittany Lions have now collected 22 EIVA Player of the Year awards, with five players winning the honor multiple times. Jack Fracyon — Men's Lacrosse Fracyon's goalkeeping prowess was one of the big reasons why the Nittany Lions tied for the Big Ten's regular-season title in a year in which they had been predicted to finish fifth. The sophomore from Annapolis, Md., was named Big Ten Specialist of the Year and earned first-team All- Big Ten honors after leading the league in save percentage (58.2) and saves per game (13.83) during the regular season. Fracyon opened every game in goal for Penn State this season, his first year as the team's full-time starter. Kris n O'Neill — Women's Lacrosse The junior midfielder from Odenton, Md., was one of only five players to be unanimously selected to the first- team All-Big Ten squad. During the regular season, O'Neill ranked fourth in the conference and 35th nationally with 46 goals, and she also had 8 assists for the Nittany Lions. She scored twice in Penn State's 14-8 loss to host Michi- gan in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament, extending her goal-scoring streak to 21 games. O'Neill's first-team All-Big Ten nod was the second of her career, coming on the heels of a similar show- ing last year. She began her career by winning the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year award in 2021. — Matt Herb USA Today projects fourth-year junior left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu as the No. 3 overall pick, while junior cornerback Kalen King comes in 17th. Pro Football Focus has Fashanu going sixth overall, King 15th and junior defen- sive end Chop Robinson 19th. The Sporting News, meanwhile, sees just one Penn State player going in next year's first round: Fashanu at No. 12. At The Draft Network, Fashanu is con- sidered the No. 4 overall pick, while Rob- inson is listed 17th. Fashanu and King have been on scouts' radar screens for a while now. Fashanu began garnering attention early last fall as a potential first-rounder, while King enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, ranking third nationally with 21 passes defended (18 breakups, 3 interceptions). On3 national college football reporter Matt Zenitz put that duo on his list of 20 potential 2024 first-rounders, basing his selections on the early word from NFL scouting sources. One scout told Zenitz that Fashanu "is not an elite athlete, but he's 20 years old and he's really strong. He can anchor, and he's got a really strong grip." The record for the highest number of Penn State players drafted during the James Franklin coaching era is eight in 2022. That mark could fall in 2024. Fashanu, King and Robinson are all but guaranteed to be drafted. In addition, se- nior defensive end Adisa Isaac can expect to hear his name called at some point. Senior cornerback Johnny Dixon and ju- nior tight end Theo Johnson should be selected, too. If he can step into the leading receiver role for the Nittany Lions, fourth-year ju- nior KeAndre Lambert-Smith will go off the board before the end of Round 7, too. And fourth-year junior linebacker Curtis Jacobs seems like a shoo-in to be selected. Looking beyond those obvious NFL- caliber talents, there is a bubble group made up of players who will need to earn it on the field this fall. That group likely includes junior tight end Tyler Warren, senior tackle Caedan Wallace, super se- nior center Hunter Nourzad, senior guard Sal Wormley, senior safety Keaton Ellis, and senior cornerback Daequan Hardy. ■