Nittany news and notes: Semifinalist season, women’s soccer crazy consistency, and more

As we approach the end of the regular season in college football, it has become semifinalist season for national awards, and this week a few prominent Nittany Lions were recognized. 

Quarterback Drew Allar was announced as a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the best quarterback in the country, and defensive end Abdul Carter is a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, given to the best defensive player in college football. Allar and Carter join tight end Tyler Warren who last week was recognized as a semifinalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s best tight end. 

Warren is also on the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best pass catcher and has a chance to be one of the semifinalists. Warren is one of a few tight ends on the Biletnikoff Award watch list along with Colston Loveland of Michigan and Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. who caught 11 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown against the Nittany Lions back in September. 

Women’s soccer consistency

After a 12-6-3 regular season, Penn State women’s soccer earned a four-seed in the Tallahassee regional of the NCAA Tournament. It was the 18th-seeded selection in program history and the 30th straight year that the Nittany Lions will be heading to the NCAA tournament. That is the second-longest active postseason streak in women’s college soccer. 

Penn State will host CAA champion Stony Brook on Saturday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET at Jeffrey Field. The Nittany Lions racked up their 12 regular season wins despite facing the toughest strength of schedule in the country and are battle-tested heading into the postseason. 

More: Best years still ahead of Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling

Penn State wrestling will begin its quest for a fourth-straight NCAA title on Saturday with an NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition and Sunday at Rec Hall against Drexel. Despite years of dominance, head coach Cael Sanderson said this week that the best is still to come for his program.

“We have a strong team, we’re happy with where we’re at. We still as coaches believe our best years are ahead of us, our best years are still ahead for Penn State wrestling.”

Sanderson is heading into his 16th season in Happy Valley and has won 11 national championships across his legendary tenure.