Former Nittany Lion standouts Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) and Jeff Brooks (Louisville, Ky.) have signed professional contracts to continue their playing careers in Europe. Battle signed a one-year contract to don the red and white uniforms of Cholet Basket of the French Pro A League while Brooks will don the orange and green of Aurora Basket Jesi (also known as Fileni BPA Jesi for sponsorship reasons) in the Italian Lega2.

Penn State all-time leading scorer Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) has been named an honorable-mention All-American by the Associated Press becoming the first Nittany Lion honored by the AP since Pete Lisicky in 1997 and collecting just the sixth AP honor in program history. Battle joins Jess Arnelle (1954 & 1955), whom he passed to become the Lions' all-time leading scorer this season, Bob Weiss (1965), Carver Clinton (1966) and Lisicky (1997) as the only Lions ever to be honored on the post-season All-America teams compiled by the Associated Press. All earned honorable-mention honors. Arnelle was also a first-team selection by the Helm's Foundation in 1954 and 1995.

Penn State (18-13; 9-9 Big Ten) put a big star on its NCAA resume Friday downing No. 3 seed and 13th-ranked Wisconsin (23-8; 13-5 Big Ten), 36-33, in an intense defensive battle in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Indianapolis, Ind. The victory propels Penn State into its first Big Ten semifinal appearance since 2001. Sixth-seeded Penn State advances to play No. 7 seed Michigan State (19-13; 9-9 Big Ten), which upset No. 2 seed and 9th-ranked Purdue, 74-56, in quarterfinal action Friday. The Nittany Lions and Spartans will square off at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday in the second semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament, with the game broadcast live on CBS.

Penn State senior guard Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) added another accolade to his brilliant career Monday as he was named a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the conference media voters and to the second-team by conference coaches. Battle, who finished second in the conference in scoring (20.4 ppg) and threes per game (3.0), became the first Penn State player ever to earn multiple first-team all-conference selections and garnered the program's sixth first-team All-Big Ten selection overall in 19 seasons in the conference.

Penn State point-guard Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) made it official Saturday (May 8) removing his name from NBA Draft consideration and delivering a letter to Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley stating his intention to return for his senior season as a Nittany Lion. The All-Big Ten point-guard, who ranked second in the Big Ten last season averaging 18.5 ppg, will be among four senior starters returning for coach Ed DeChellis' eighth season leading the Nittany Lion program.

Nittany Lions junior point-guard Talor Battle has been honored as a first-team All-Big Ten selection by Sporting News and as a second-team All-District choice by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Battle finished the season as the second leading scorer in the Big Ten posting 18.5 ppg and led the Big Ten with 14 20-point outings and four games of 30 or more points.

Penn State point guard Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.), a first team All-Big Ten and All-Region selection as a sophomore, has been named among the preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy. The list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor.

Nittany Lion point-guard Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) has accepted an invitation to join 15 of the nation's top collegiate players at the 2009 USA Basketball Men's World University Games Team training camp to be held June 16-24 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Battle, a rising junior who was a first-team All-Big Ten, USBWA and NABC All-District selection last season, will look to become part of the 12-member USA Team that will compete at the World University Games July 2-12 in Belgrade, Serbia.