PARK RIDGE, Ill. — Penn State baseball’s Jordan Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.) has been named Big Ten Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday (May 14). Steranka picks up a weekly award from the conference for the second time this season. Steranka last earned the honor on April 16.
Steranka’s five total bases in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Illini put him past Michael Campo for first in Penn State history with 459. Additionally with three Sunday, Steranka trails Michael Campo’s school hits record by 10. Steranka hit three doubles on the weekend and now has 57 for his career, two shy of Chris Wright’s 59 for first in Penn State’s record book. The senior also hit homers in victories on Friday and Saturday.
Penn State is coming off a weekend sweep of the Illinois Fighting Illini. It was Penn State’s first sweep since April of 2010. Penn State won its fifth-straight Big Ten series for the first time in program history. The Nittany Lions currently sit in a tie for second place with the Indiana Hoosiers, heading into this weekend’s contest with Michigan State.