Five Penn State softball players received All-Big Ten honors, the conference announced Wednesday morning. The group was headlined by pitcher Bridget Nemeth, who was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

The greatest freshman season in Penn State history.
Give her the crown

BRIDGET NEMETH is the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year#WeAre | #NextStop pic.twitter.com/pKHyfmrpKv

— Penn State Softball (@PennStateSB) May 8, 2024

Nemeth, who was also a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team, became the first player to receive an individual award from the conference since Penn State joined in the 1991-92 season. She’s also the second player in program history to be named to an All-Big Ten Freshman Team.

The pitcher has a 22-5 record on the season, the most wins of any pitcher in the Big Ten. She also leads the conference with a 4.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio and is second with a 1.68 ERA.

For the third straight year, Penn State had at least one player named to the All-Big Ten second team, as Kaitlyn Morrison, Maddie Gordon, and Gaby Garcia received the honor. Morrison leads the Nittany Lions with a .349 batting average and ranks No. 3 all-time for doubles in a single season with 17.

Gordon and Garcia are tied for a team-high 11 home runs this season, Gordon leads the team in hits with 56, and Garcia’s 41 RBI are the most of any Nittany Lion. It’s the first time since 2016 that Penn State had three or more players named to the All-Big Ten Second Team.

Amanda Mack was the Nittany Lions’ honoree for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award after starting 20 games at first base this year. Off the field, Mack has a leadership role in Penn State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

The All-Big Ten selections and the No. 7-seeded Nittany Lions return to action at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday against the No. 10-seed Maryland Iowa City in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.