COLUMBUS, Ohio — Penn State senior first baseman Jordan Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa.) has been named First Team All-Big Ten, the conference office announced on Tuesday (May 22). This is Steranka’s second time making an All-Conference team, last doing it in 2009 when he made the Third Team.
In addition, sophomore Joe Kurrasch (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) was named to the second team and senior Sean Deegan (Readington, N.J.) was named to the third team. Junior Ryan Clark (Westerville, Ohio) earned the Sportsmanship Award for the Nittany Lions.
Steranka, who entered the Big Ten Tournament six hits behind Michael Campo for the Penn State all-time hits record, is first in program history in at-bats and total bases as well as second in RBI, second in doubles, third in triples and fourth in homeruns. The senior is having a monster season as he is fifth in the conference in batting average (.362), first in slugging percentage (.615), third in hits (79), second in doubles (18), second in home runs (11) and first in total bases (134).
Kurrasch, who started the season in the closers role, has adjusted nicely as he’s moved into the team’s Friday night starter. The sophomore has the lowest ERA for a Big Ten starter and batters hit just .219 against him this season. His 72 strikeouts on the year ranked in a tie for fifth in the conference and was also fifth in hits allowed. Kurrasch had a 1.71 ERA in conference games.
Deegan, who was All-Big Ten last season as well, got off to a slow start but has been one of the most dangerous hitters in Big Ten play. The senior’s eight homeruns in conference action ranks first in the Big Ten. Deegan’s Penn State career includes being 10th in program history for runs scored (130), first in triples (15), eight in home runs (26) and fifth in total bases (335).