Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 13 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Adam Cecere — Baseball Cecere hit a 2-run home run in the top of the 10th inning to lift the eighth-seeded Nittany Lions past fourth- seeded Michigan, 7-6, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on May 25 in Omaha, Neb. Cecere's blast gave PSU its second win over the Wolverines in three days, and it propelled the team to the tournament final for the first time since 2000. For the graduate outfielder from Adams Township, Pa., it was one of the highlights of an outstanding season. Cecere was one of two Nittany Lions to claim second-team All-Big Ten notice, joining graduate catcher J.T. Marr. He led in the conference with a .676 slugging percentage and was third in both on-base percentage (.474) and home runs (17). Jack Fracyon — Men's Lacrosse Fracyon earned second-team All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Magazine after leading the Big Ten with a .571 save percentage and an average of 13.1 saves per game. The junior goalie from Annapolis, Md., was also named Big Ten Specialist of the Year for the second consecutive season. Penn State announced in May that Fracyon will switch from jersey No. 50 to No. 11 next season. PSU's No. 11 jersey is given to a player who has distinguished himself through his perseverance. It was worn by Michael Jacober from 2002- 05 and within the program has become a symbol of fortitude after the team rallied around Jacober following his family's death in a plane crash during his senior year. Hayley Kitching — Women's Track and Field Kitching became only the second woman in Penn State track and field history to claim first-team All-America honors in the outdoor 800-meter race, joining Terry Pioli, who was sixth in 1981, one year before the start of the NCAA era of women's athletics. A sophomore from Coffs Harbour, Australia, Kitching placed fifth overall at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 8 in Eugene, Ore., finishing in 2:01.05. Her performance at outdoor nationals came on the heels of a strong indoor season in which she placed fourth at the NCAA meet. With those two showings, Kitching became the first Penn Stater to win first-team All-America honors in both the indoor and outdoor 800-meter races. Bridget Nemeth — So ball Nemeth received Freshman All-America accolades from D1Softball and Softball America following a record- setting debut season on the mound for the Nittany Li- ons. Nemeth, who had previously been named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, compiled a 23-7 record, with 202 strikeouts, a 4.12 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 4 saves. Her 23 wins were the most in a single season in Penn State history, and her strikeout total ranked third in the Big Ten and 17th among all Division I pitchers. The right-hander from Glendora, Calif., played a crucial role in helping the Nittany Lions put together their third consecutive 30-win season (35-20) and return to the NCAA Tournament after a 13-year absence. — Matt Herb PENN STATE'S TOP PERFORMERS $ 1 2 .9 5 | AU G U ST 2 0 2 4 TWO EASY WAYS TO ORDER: ONLINE: www.BlueWhiteOnline.com CALL: 800-421-7751 10:00-4:00 ET, Mon.-Fri. GIVE THE GIFT OF PENN STATE FOOTBALL! Blue White Illustrated's 2024 Football Preview ONLY ONLY $12.95 $12.95 plus $4.00 shipping (and sales tax where applicable) With over 100 full-color, glossy, action-packed pages of Nittany Lions football information, this magazine is a must-have for the upcoming season! • Player Features • Opponent Previews • Historical Articles • Detailed Position-by-Position Analysis • And much more! MAKES A GREAT GIFT!