Academics

Rivers, Limoges honored with 2021 McCoy Award

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Danae Rivers, a graduate of integrative arts (2020) and senior majoring in art in the College of Arts and Architecture, and Alex Limoges, a senior majoring in supply chain management in Smeal College of Business, have been selected as the 2021 recipients of Penn State's Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award.

The McCoy Award is presented annually to one senior student-athlete who has combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence. The award is named for the longtime dean of Penn State’s College of Physical Education, who also served as the University’s athletic director.

Danae Rivers 

One of the Penn State track & field program’s most accomplished runners, Rivers compiled a list of accomplishments during her time at Penn State. In 2019, Rivers gained national acclaim when she became the first Nittany Lion to claim an individual national championship in Penn State women’s track history by winning gold in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Championships. 

Rivers is a nine-time USTFCCCA All-American and has claimed 10 Big Ten titles. She currently stands as an 11-time program record holder and holds the collegiate record of 2:38.58 in the indoor 1,000-meter run. She remains the program’s active record holder in the indoor 800-meter, 1,000-meter and mile and the outdoor 800-meter and 1,500-meter. Rivers was named the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Track Athlete of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In May 2020, Rivers elected to return to Penn State in 2021 to finish off her outdoor track & field career, as her senior year was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rivers earned her degree in integrative arts-medical illustration in August 2020 and is on pace to receive a bachelor’s degree in art in May 2021.

Alex Limoges

Limoges, a finalist for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award, led the Penn State men's hockey team in each offensive category this past season with 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in 22 games. With the fewest number of games played in the Big Ten, the senior’s point-per-game numbers this season ranked tied for seventh in the conference, while his 10 goals overall were tied for ninth, and his 0.45 goals per game ranked sixth.

Limoges, a two-time All-Big Ten selection, will graduate this spring and finish his Penn State career as the Nittany Lion all-time leader in points per game as he averaged 0.98 over his 128 games played. He also ranks third on the all-time points list with 125, while his 51 goals are tied for the third most all-time at Penn State, and his 74 assists rank fourth all-time. The senior is also the Big Ten all-time leader in points during the tournament with seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points in just 10 tournament games.

Not only is he a force on the ice, but he has a cumulative 3.67 grade-point average (GPA) including an impressive 3.81 GPA last semester with no pass/fail classes on his schedule. Limoges is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten member.

 

Last Updated April 22, 2021