Athletics

Trio of Nittany Lions selected CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-Americans

Retherford named First-Team Academic All-American; Bowman and Nolf on Second-Team

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A trio of Penn State standout student-athletes have been selected CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-Americans as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Nittany Lion wrestler Zain Retherford, of Benton, was selected a first-team CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-American. Teammate Jason Nolf, of Yatesboro, and women’s hockey team MVP Laura Bowman, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, were named second-team CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-Americans.

Penn State’s three CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-Americans are tied for fifth nationally among all Division I institutions with Southern California, Stanford and West Virginia.

The trio now give the Nittany Lions five CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2016-17, joining Tyler Yazujian (football) and Haleigh Washington (women’s volleyball). The five honorees are the most for the Nittany Lions since having seven in 2012-13.

Penn State’s 198 all-time CoSIDA Academic All-Americans rank No. 5 among all NCAA institutions and No. 4 among Division I schools.

Retherford, a junior, and Nolf, a sophomore, helped lead the Nittany Lion wrestlers to their sixth NCAA team title in the last seven years this past March. They were among five individual NCAA Champions for Coach Cael Sanderson’s squad. Retherford is the fourth first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America under Sanderson at Penn State and the eighth overall.

A senior, Bowman is the first member of the Penn State women’s hockey program to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades. The team’s first season was 2012-13.

Retherford, owning a 3.72 grade-point average in finance, was a 2016 second team CoSIDA Academic All-American and is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District pick. He is a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association first team national All-Academic selection and a two-time first team Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

Retherford’s athletic accomplishments this year include being named the 2017 Hodge Award as the nation’s top collegiate wrestler; being named the NCAA’s Most Dominant Wrestler; earning his second straight NCAA individual national title (149); becoming a three-time All-American; being named the 2017 NCAA Championship Outstanding Wrestler; becoming a two-time Big Ten Champion; being named the 2017 Big Ten Championship Outstanding Wrestler; earning his second first team All-Big Ten selection; being named the 2017 InterMat Wrestler of the Year; going 28-0 this year with 17 pins, seven tech falls and a major; moving his career record to 95-3; and bringing a 63-match win streak into his senior season.

Bowman, who had a 3.95 grade point average in biochemistry and molecular biology, is a member of the Schreyer Honors College. Earlier this spring, Bowman was named a first team CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-District honoree for the second consecutive year. She is a three-time member of the All-College Hockey America (CHA) Academic Team, a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a two-time first team Academic All-Big Ten selection. Bowman graduated in May.

Bowman’s athletic accomplishments this year include becoming Penn State’s first-ever All-CHA First Team honoree; netting a program-best 32 points and 18 goals in 2016-17; adding 14 assists on the year; ending the season tied for 19th in the nation in goals scored; becoming the first member of Penn State women’s ice hockey’s 100 career point club; and being named the 2016-17 team captain and team Most Valuable Player.

Nolf, with a 3.75 GPA in kinesiology, is a two-time NWCA first team national All-Academic selection and a two-time first team Academic All-Big Ten honoree.  Earlier this spring, Nolf was named a first team CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-District pick. 

Nolf’s athletic accomplishments this year include being named the 2017 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year; winning the NCAA individual championship at 157; becoming a two-time NCAA finalist; becoming a two-time All-American; winning the 2017 Big Ten title at 157; earning first team All-Big Ten laurels; being named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (1/10/17); going 27-0 this season with 14 pins, eight technical falls and three majors; and heading into his junior year with a 60-2 career mark including 29 pins, 19 techs and eight majors.

The Academic All-America Teams are selected by the 3,000-plus members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a scale of 4.00.

For the complete CoSIDA Academic All-America At-Large teams, go to www.CoSIDA.com.

Last Updated June 8, 2017