Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1541990
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 6 15 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 1 Takedown allowed by the Penn State wrestling team in a season- opening 45-0 victory over Oklahoma on Nov. 14 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions enjoyed a 35-1 edge in takedowns versus the Sooners. They finished with a pin, 5 tech falls and 2 major decisions in posting their first dual-meet shutout since blanking Michigan, 39-0, last February. 8 Steals by freshman guard Kayden Mingo in the Penn State men's basketball team's 90-59 victory over Sacred Heart on Nov. 29 at the Bryce Jordan Center. Mingo tied Ace Baldwin Jr.'s school record for most steals in a single game. Baldwin had set the mark against Northwestern on Jan. 10, 2024. 9 p e r c e n t Since 2015, only 9 percent of college football teams that have started out 3-6 have finished the regular season with a .500 record. Penn State achieved that rare feat when it concluded its campaign with wins over Michigan State (28-10, Nov. 15), Nebraska (37-10, Nov. 22) and Rutgers (40-36, Nov. 29). 1 7. 0 y a r d s Parker Wash- ington's punt-return average through the Jacksonville Jaguars' first 12 games. The former Nittany Lion wide receiver, now in his third NFL season, was sec- ond in the league in punt-return aver- age among players with more than 1 at- tempt, and his 2 touchdowns were tied for the league lead. 2 8 Rushing touchdowns by senior running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton this fall. Al- len finished the regular season with 15 scores, while Singleton had 13. They are the first Big Ten teammates since 2012 to have 13 or more rushing TDs apiece. That year, Ohio State run- ning back Carlos Hyde finished with 16 scores, while quarterback Braxton Miller totaled 13. 4 5 Consecutive years in which Penn State has qualified for the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tourna- ment. The Nittany Lions are the only team in the nation that has participated in the Division I tournament every year since its inception in 1981. Penn State, which won its eighth national championship last season, was seeded eighth in the Austin Regional this year and faced South Florida in the opening round on Dec. 5. 7 4 Career goals by senior forward Tessa Janecke following a first- period tally in the women's ice hockey team's 4-3 road win over the Rochester Institute of Technology on Nov. 22. Janecke tied the school record held by Natalie Heising, who concluded her five-year PSU playing career in 2022. 75 yards The length of Ethan Grunkemeyer's touchdown pass to senior receiver DEVONTE ROSS in the second quarter of Penn State's victory over Michigan State on Nov. 15. The redshirt fresh- man quarterback teamed up with Ross for PSU's longest pass play since Tyler Warren had a 75-yard catch-and-run against Ole Miss in the 2023 Peach Bowl. It was also the Lions' longest touchdown pass since Sean Clifford connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith for an 88-yard score against Utah in the Rose Bowl to conclude the 2022 season. 9 3 p e r c e n t Penn State's Graduation Success Rate, as detailed by the NCAA in its latest survey of student-athlete academic performance. The GSR is based on the percentage of student-athletes who earn a degree within six years of their enrollment. Penn State's GSR tied the school record, with 13 programs earning 100 percent marks. Penn State is one of only eight schools in the NCAA's 2025 report that have won 10 or more national championships since the 2015-16 academic year while also boasting a GSR of 90 percent or better. The others are Florida, North Carolina, Stanford, Texas, UCLA, USC and Virginia. ■ By The Numbers PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS