Gracie Merkle Secures All-Big Ten Honorable Mention

Kyra Birmingham | Onward State

Penn State women’s basketball center Gracie Merkle was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by Big Ten media on Tuesday afternoon, the conference announced Tuesday.

After transferring in from Bellarmine, Merkle made an instant impact in her first season with the Lady Lions. Merkle led the team in points and rebounds, averaging 15.5 and 8.6 per game, respectively. The center also led the team with 67% shooting from the field.

Merkle also made her presence known on the defensive side of the ball. She notched 41 blocks on the year, which also led the team.

Merkle played 28 total games in 2024-25, starting 26 of them. The redshirt sophomore scored a season-high 31 points in November’s overtime win over Drexel and averaged 20.3 points per game before Penn State fully entered Big Ten play in late December.

Merkle was the only Lady Lion selected in any of the All-Big Ten lists. The full awards lists can be found here.

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About the Author

Oscar Orellana

Oscar is a first-year broadcast journalism student from Los Angeles. In his downtime, he can be found crying while watching Todd Gurley highlights. If you want to talk about your disdain for the San Francisco 49ers, please message him on Instagram @_oscarorellana or email him at oko5122@psu.edu.