April 22, 2008
University Park - For the second time, men's gymnast Casey Sandy (Brampton, Ont.) and softball's Ashley Esparza (San Pedro, Calif.) have been named this week's Penn State Student-Athletes of the Week on the same week.
On Friday evening, Sandy captured the NCAA all-around title with a total score of 91.350, out-dueling Oklahoma's Jonathan Horton, the 2006 champion. With the title, Sandy becomes Penn State's NCAA record 15th all-around champion, its first since Luis Vargas in 2005, and the first-ever Nittany Lion to win both the Big Ten and NCAA all-around crowns in the same year. He finished third in the pommel horse (14.800), fifth in the vault (16.100), sixth in the floor exercise (15.400) and still rings (15.500), ninth in the parallel bars (14.900), and 12th in the high bar (14.650).
Sandy added five more honors on Saturday night with top eight finishes on the floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, and parallel bars. His six All-America honors are the most by any Penn State gymnast at one national championship in the program's storied history. Sandy now has seven for his career, after placing second on the pommel horse in the individual event finals of the 2007 national championships. Additionally, this is Sandy's fourth Student-Athlete of the week honor.
Esparza picks up her second Student-Athlete of the week honor after going 2-0 on the softball field this week with a 0.78 ERA. She pitched two complete games including a 7-0 shutout of Maryland and an 11-inning affair with Ohio State. On the week she only gave up two earned runs while striking out 13 opposing batters.
The senior also led the team at the plate with two homeruns and three RBIs with a .786 slugging percentage.
2007-08 Penn State Student-Athletes of the Week
April 22 - Casey Sandy (men's gymnastics), Ashley Esparza (softball)
April 15 - Brendan Lynch (men's tennis), Karlee McQuillen (women's track and field)
April 8 - Casey Sandy (men's gymnastics), Ashley Esparza (softball)
April 1 - Pat Schirk (men's swimming), Brandi Personett (women's gymnastics)
March 25 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Kelly Nelson (women's swimming)
March 18 - Arthur Urman (men's fencing), Jackie Hill (softball)
March 11 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Jessi Lieb (women's lacrosse)
March 4 - Talor Battle (men's basketball), Shana Cox (women's track and field)
February 26 - Casey Sandy (men's gymnastics), Kelly Nelson (women's swimming)
February 19 - Talor Battle (men's basketball), Shana Cox (women's track and field)
February 12 - Matt Anderson (men's volleyball), Shana Cox (women's track and field)
February 4 - Talor Battle (men's basketball), Alexandra Brockway (women's gymnastics)
January 28 - Casey Sandy (men's gymnastics), Gayle Hunter (women's track & field)
January 22 - Pat Schirk (men's swimming), Kelly Nelson (women's swimming)
January 15 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Casey Rohrbaugh (women's gymnastics)
January 7 - Matt Anderson (men's volleyball), Mashea Williams (women's basketball)
December 17 - Geary Claxton (men's basketball), Megan Hodge (women's volleyball)
December 10 - Phil Davis (wrestling), Arielle Wilson (women's volleyball)
December 3 - Pat Schirk (men's swimming), Brianne O'Rourke (men's basketball)
November 26 - David Erwin (wrestling), Christa Harmotto (women's volleyball)
November 19 - Geary Claxton (men's basketball), Alisha Glass (women's volleyball)
November 12 - Dan Connor (football), Britney Long (field hockey)
November 5 - Sean Lee (football), Alyssa Naeher (women's soccer)
October 29 - Michael James (men's tennis), Carly Bedesem (women's soccer)
October 22 - Maurice Evans (football), Christa Harmotto (women's volleyball)
October 15 - Sean Lee (football), Zoe Bouchelle (women's soccer)
October 8 - Kevin Foley (men's golf), Mallory Weisen (field hockey)
October 1 - Vincent Salvatico (men's soccer), Katie Schoepfer (women's soccer)
September 24 - T.J. Howe (men's golf), Alyssa Naeher (women's soccer)
September 17 - Brendan Lynch (men's tennis), Katie Schoepfer (women's soccer)
September 10 - Dan Connor (football), Megan Hodge (women's volleyball)
September 3 - Anthony Morelli (football), Bridget Franek (cross country)
August 27 - Kiersten Wood (field hockey)
