Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/523134
WHITNEY CHURCH SOCCER Church was a first-team NSCAA All-American and for the second time in her great career was named Big Ten Defender of the Year. A Her- mann Trophy semifinalist, she re- cently began her professional career with the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League. MEGAN COURTNEY VOLLEYBALL Talk about rising to the occasion. Courtney, a junior outside hitter, was a difference-maker at the final four, spearheading the Nittany Li- ons' victories over Stanford and BYU. Against the top-seeded Cardi- nal, she totaled 23 kills, 16 digs and five blocks. In the final two days lat- er, she totaled 11 kills, 14 digs and five blocks, and she clinched the NCAA tournament's Most Out- standing Player award. LAURA GEBHART FIELD HOCKEY The Mount Joy, Pa., native wrapped up her stellar college career by win- ning NFHCA All-America recogni- tion for the fourth consecutive year. She had at least one point in 10 games this season, including a first- round game against Michigan State at the Big Ten tourney in which she scored the only goal of the afternoon. NIA GRANT VOLLEYBALL Grant's .431 hitting percentage ranked fourth in the nation, and she went on to claim AVCA All-America and All-Big Ten honors. The senior was also named one of two winners of Penn State's Ernest B. McCoy Me- morial Award (wrestler Matt Brown was the other) in recognition of her athletic and academic excellence. EMI SMITH LACROSSE Named Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, the jun- ior from Denver started 20 games and posted a string of career-best stats across the board, including a .469 save percentage. – M.H. H O N O R A B L E M E N T I O N GOING OUT ON TOP Hancock was named AVCA Player of the Year after leading the Nittany Lions to a 36-3 record and their second con- secutive national cham- pionship. Photo by Mark Selders