UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State track and field's Danae Rivers was named Big Ten Women's Freshman of the Year Wednesday as announced by the conference.
Rivers opened her freshman campaign with a record breaking indoor season that saw her cap her first season in the Blue & White earning All-American honors and capturing the Big Ten Women's Freshman of the year during the indoor season.
Rivers completes the sweep of indoor/outdoor Freshman of the Year honors - the first-time a Nittany Lion has achieved such a feat -- and joins Kim Kelly (1992) and Bridget Franek (2007) as the only other Penn State women to earn the distinction in program history.
Rivers set the school record in the outdoor 800-meters (2:02.53) to complete the sweep of indoor/outdoor school records in the event while also contributing as a leg on the outdoor school record 4x800-meter and DMR relays set earlier this year at the 123rd Penn Relays.
The Penn State women's team finished third at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in University Park, where Rivers earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors after winning the 800-meters and grabbing silver in the 1,500-meters, and finished 29th as a team at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Just last week.
The Big Ten Conference office recognizes students from each team as Sportsmanship Award Honorees. For Penn State these student-athletes were Madeline Holmberg and Jon Yohman. Those chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the students must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. These honorees are now candidates for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, as the conference office will honor one male and one female from each institution at the end of the school year.