Taylor and Hayes Named Penn State Athletes of the Year
By: Nick Foley
Updated: June 12, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA -
Nittany Lion standouts Maya Hayes (West Orange, N.J.) and David Taylor (St.
Paris, Ohio) have been selected Penn State Athletes of the Year for 2011-12. The
student-athletes are eligible for the Big Ten's highest honor as the Jesse Owens
Men's Athlete of the Year and Suzy Favor Women's Athlete of the
Year.
Taylor captured his first national championship at
165 pounds going a perfect 32-0 to lead Penn State to its second consecutive
NCAA team title in 2012. Taylor was unstoppable, earning numerous accolades
during the season including the 2012 Hodge Trophy winner as national collegiate
wrestler of the year. Capping his tremendous national championship performance,
Taylor won his first four matches at NCAAs by falls before winning the title
bout with a technical fall score of 22-7 against Lehigh's Brandon
Hatchett.
The redshirt-sophomore was also named the NCAA's
most dominant wrestler, NCAA Championship's Most Outstanding Wrestler, NCAA
Championship Gorriaran Award winner and Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. In his two
years on the mat, Taylor has accumulated a 70-1 overall record with 23 pins, 24
technical falls and 17 major wins en route to two All-America honors. Taylor has
also earned two Academic All-Big Ten nods during his career in Happy Valley and
was a first-team national All-Academic honoree by the
NWCA.
Hayes was the nation's most prolific scorer in
soccer this season and was a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann
Trophy, soccer's highest honor. Hayes led the nation with 31 goals and 70
points, while breaking numerous Penn State and Big Ten records in helping the
Nittany Lions win their 14th
consecutive Big Ten Championship. The sophomore phenom broke single-season
records at Penn State for goals and points as well as breaking the school
sophomore record for goals in a season by 10 and points record by 19. She also
tallied nine game-winning goals, second at Penn State and the most for a
sophomore in a season.
The New Jersey product earned NSCAA All-America
First Team, NSCAA All-Great Lakes First Team, Big Ten Forward of the Year and
All-Big Ten First Team accolades for her tremendous year. Hayes was also
excellent in the classroom earning Capital One/CoSIDA Third-team Academic
All-America and Academic All-Big Ten honors. Hayes has her sights set this
August on the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup where she'll represent the United
States.
