PARK RIDGE, Ill. — With the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament under way, the Big Ten has announced its All-Conference honors. Leading the way for Penn State on first team All-Big Ten is junior Kelsey Amy (Sweet Valley, Pa.), freshman Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.) and redshirt junior Ayla Halus (Hershey, Pa.). In addition, Gebhart has earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
Penn State also had two second team All-Big Ten winners. Sophomores Lauren Purvis (Maple Glen, Pa.) and Brittany Grzywacz (Collegeville, Pa.) garnered second team honors. Senior Lauren Alloway (Hummelstown, Pa.) earned the sportsmanship award for Penn State.
Amy wins first team honors for the second consecutive year. The junior was second in the conference in goals this year and ranked fifth nationally in goals scored and sixth in points. Her 20 goals so far are the 11th most in a season for a Penn State player. Her 47 career goals rank 11th all-time in program history.
Gebhart had a tremendous freshman year, as she was third on the team with 23 points. Her 11 assists this year was second on the team and good for fifth in the conference. She has started in every game at midfield for the Nittany Lions this season.
Halus also earned first team laurels for the second consecutive season. The redshirt junior from Hershey had a great year in the cage, recording two shutouts against Virginia and Iowa. She made 70 saves on the season, averaging a little over four per contest.
Grzywacz has had a tremendous year all-around, starting all 18 games in the back. She has earned 17 points as a defender, with those coming on seven goals and three assists. Purvis has been a steady contributor in the midfield all season, as she scored 12 points on five goals and two assists.
Alloway served as a team captain this season, starting all 18 games in the back.
First Team All-Big Ten
Kelsey Amy, Jr., F (unanimous)
Laura Gebhart, Fr., M
Ayla Halus, Jr., GK
Second Team All-Big Ten
Brittany Gryzwacz, So., D, PSU
Lauren Purvis, So., F, PSU
Freshman of the Year: Laura Gebhart
Sportsmanship: Lauren Alloway
Penn State defeated Northwestern, 6-1, in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament Thursday to advance to Friday’s semifinals against Ohio State. The Nittany Lions are hosting the 2011 tournament, and action against the Buckeyes gets under way at noon on Friday.