Nittany news and notes: Franklin “very confident” Singleton will return, Jess Mruzik dominates, and more

Penn State star running back Nick Singleton was sidelined for the Nittany Lion’s 27-11 win over UCLA at Beaver Stadium in Week 6 of the college football season. Singleton was deemed a game-time decision after missing practice mid-week amid uncertainty about his status and was a last-second scratch after being announced as a starter in the stadium. 

Singleton was replaced in the backfield by true freshman Quinton Martin, who carried the ball once for just one yard, and more often was called upon in pass protection. Kaytron Allen, who typically splits time with Singleton, saw the lion’s share of the carries, rushing for 78 yards on 21 attempts in Penn State’s lowest rushing yardage game of the season. 

Now, as the Nittany Lions prepare for a trip to the West Coast to face USC at the LA Coliseum, James Franklin is “very confident” that Singleton will suit up. The 11th-year head coach updated his star running back’s status in his Monday press conference. 

“He was very close to going last week, so as long as we don’t have any setbacks this week, I would anticipate him going this week,” Franklin told reporters. 

Through four games, Singleton has racked up 408 yards and three touchdowns on 53 carries with another 74 yards and two scores through the air. The Nittany Lions missed the explosive element he brings to the backfield last week. 

Jess Mruzik named back-to-back Big Ten Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week

Fifth-year senior outside hitter Jess Mruzik was named the Big Ten Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week for the second straight week on Monday. Mruzik has led the No. 3 ranked Nittany Lions to a 14-1 record and last week averaged 4.71 kills and 3.14 digs per set while hitting.329 in wins over Maryland and No. 11 Oregon. 

The 6-foot-1 graduate student is in her second year at Penn State after transferring from Michigan and has twice been named an AVCA All-American (second-team in 2023). Mruzik is seventh in the Big Ten in kills and second in kills per set at 4.48 for the season, only behind Ohio State’s Emily Londot. In Big Ten play, Mruzik is averaging 5.36 kills per set. 

This week, Penn State will travel to East Lansing for a Friday night matchup against Michigan State and then to Bloomington to face Indiana on Sunday. 

More: Penn State men’s soccer downs Rutgers

Power by a pair of goals from fifth-year forward Aboubacar Camara, Penn State improved to 5-5-2 on its season. The Nittany Lions are 2-2-2 in Big Ten play and in fifth place in the conference. The team has four matches remaining before the regular season concludes and this weekend travels to Bloomington to face the Indiana Hoosiers at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday night.