McHugh placed higher than any Penn State women's swimmer ever had before at the NCAA Championships.
The Nittany Lions won just one game of their first 18 games, but used a pair of do-or-die comebacks on Sunday to notch the team's first winning streak and series win of the season against the Golden Flashes.
A double hat trick from Mac O'Keefe helped propel Penn State in an offense filled game.
The NJIT Highlanders couldn't keep up with the Nittany Lions in the doubleheader on Saturday, but rebounded to grab a win in the final meeting on Sunday.
The Nittany Lions will take on Denver on Saturday, March 24 in Allentown to open its second-consecutive NCAA tournament play.
The Nittany Lions will take on the winner of Marquette and Oregon on March 20.