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Bravo-Young and Schlegel named Penn State’s Athletes of the Year
by PSU Sports Information
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Athletics announced its 2020-21 Female and Male Athletes of the Year, as women's soccer standout Ally Schlegel and wrestling national champion Roman Bravo-Young carry the mantle for another successful year. Bravo-Young and Schlegel will represent Penn State on the ballot for Big Ten Male and Female Athletes of the Year with honorees from the other 13 conference institutions.
Schlegel's win marks the seventh time a member of the women's soccer program has earned Female Athlete of the Year, joining two-time recipient Christie Welsh (2000-01 & 2001-02), Tiffany Weimer (2005-06), Maya Hayes (2011-12), Christine Nairn (2012-13) and Rachel Rodriguez (2015-16). Both Welsh (2001-02) and Weimer were named the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year (2005-06). Bravo-Young joins a group of eight Nittany Lion wrestlers who have been named Penn State's Male Athlete of the Year a total of 10 times. David Taylor (2013-14) and Bo Nickal (2018-19) went on to win Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year. Penn State began awarding Athlete of the Year honors in 1991-92.
A Honda Sport Award finalist and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, Schlegel led the Big Ten Conference in goals scored for the second-straight season. She posted the second-highest point total in the league with 28 points via 11 goals and six assists to help the Nittany Lions to their 20th Big Ten title and 26-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020-21. Schlegel was selected as a 2020-21 United Soccer Coaches first-team All-American and Big Ten Forward of the Year.
Schlegel, a redshirt junior from Parker, Colorado, garnered All-Big Ten first-team honors in each of her two seasons starting for the Nittany Lions. She was recognized as United Soccer Coaches Player of Distinction in 2020-21. She serves as the president of the Penn State Student-Athlete Advisory Board and is part of the Athletic Director Leadership Institute.
Bravo-Young won his first NCAA individual title at 133 and became a three-time All-American in the process at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. He went 5-0 with a major and a tech fall. He took care of No. 3 Korbin Myers 5-3 in the semifinals and then beat No. 1 Daton Fix of Oklahoma State, 4-2 in sudden victory, in the NCAA title bout. Bravo-Young's win was the first of a perfect 4-0 run in the NCAA finals for Penn State.
From Tuscon, Arizona, Bravo-Young ended the 2020-21 year with a 14-0 record and was a Hodge Trophy finalist. His accolades over the course of last season included winning his first Big Ten title at 133 in the Bryce Jordan Center, All-America laurels by virtue of his national title and first-team All-Big Ten honors. He heads into his senior season with a 588-9 career record, including four pins, six technical falls and 17 majors.
Danae Rivers (women's cross country and track & field) and Lamar Stevens (men's basketball) were Penn State's 2019-20 honorees.
Schlegel's win marks the seventh time a member of the women's soccer program has earned Female Athlete of the Year, joining two-time recipient Christie Welsh (2000-01 & 2001-02), Tiffany Weimer (2005-06), Maya Hayes (2011-12), Christine Nairn (2012-13) and Rachel Rodriguez (2015-16). Both Welsh (2001-02) and Weimer were named the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year (2005-06). Bravo-Young joins a group of eight Nittany Lion wrestlers who have been named Penn State's Male Athlete of the Year a total of 10 times. David Taylor (2013-14) and Bo Nickal (2018-19) went on to win Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year. Penn State began awarding Athlete of the Year honors in 1991-92.
A Honda Sport Award finalist and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, Schlegel led the Big Ten Conference in goals scored for the second-straight season. She posted the second-highest point total in the league with 28 points via 11 goals and six assists to help the Nittany Lions to their 20th Big Ten title and 26-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020-21. Schlegel was selected as a 2020-21 United Soccer Coaches first-team All-American and Big Ten Forward of the Year.
Schlegel, a redshirt junior from Parker, Colorado, garnered All-Big Ten first-team honors in each of her two seasons starting for the Nittany Lions. She was recognized as United Soccer Coaches Player of Distinction in 2020-21. She serves as the president of the Penn State Student-Athlete Advisory Board and is part of the Athletic Director Leadership Institute.
Bravo-Young won his first NCAA individual title at 133 and became a three-time All-American in the process at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. He went 5-0 with a major and a tech fall. He took care of No. 3 Korbin Myers 5-3 in the semifinals and then beat No. 1 Daton Fix of Oklahoma State, 4-2 in sudden victory, in the NCAA title bout. Bravo-Young's win was the first of a perfect 4-0 run in the NCAA finals for Penn State.
From Tuscon, Arizona, Bravo-Young ended the 2020-21 year with a 14-0 record and was a Hodge Trophy finalist. His accolades over the course of last season included winning his first Big Ten title at 133 in the Bryce Jordan Center, All-America laurels by virtue of his national title and first-team All-Big Ten honors. He heads into his senior season with a 588-9 career record, including four pins, six technical falls and 17 majors.
Danae Rivers (women's cross country and track & field) and Lamar Stevens (men's basketball) were Penn State's 2019-20 honorees.