Penn State men’s lacrosse player Andrew Beard was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, according to an April 21 announcement. This is Beard’s first time receiving a Big Ten weekly award and brings Penn State’s total number of conference honors this season to 15.
The recognition highlights Penn State’s strong performance in the conference, as its 15 total weekly honors are more than Rutgers, Michigan, and Maryland combined. The team’s achievement places it at the top among Big Ten schools for individual accolades this season.
Beard earned the honor after his first start since returning from injury. In Penn State’s regular season finale against Rutgers, he contributed two goals—matching his career best—and set new personal records with three assists and five points overall. His efforts helped secure a share of the regular season title for Penn State and ensured the team would be seeded second in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.
Across other schools in the conference, Johns Hopkins has received 11 weekly honors this year, Ohio State has nine, Rutgers six, Maryland five, and Michigan three.
Looking ahead, Penn State will have a break before facing its next opponent in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, April 30 at SHI Stadium. The Nittany Lions will play either Maryland or Rutgers based on results from their quarterfinal matchup. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
