Harrar, Parker honored with 2022 McCoy Award

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — John Harrar, who is seeking a master’s degree in management and organizational leadership in Smeal College of Business after earning a bachelor’s degree in management in 2021; and Jonni Parker, a senior majoring in elementary education, have been selected as the 2022 recipients of the 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. 

John Harrar 

Nominators said Harrar is one of the most impactful players in the history of Penn State men’s basketball. A leader both on and off the court, the 6-foot-9 forward is praised for his relentless work ethic, inspiring leadership and development as a player. 

Harrar, who elected to return to Penn State for a fifth season, set a Nittany Lions record with 144 career games played in the Blue & White. He is just the sixth player in Penn State history to have 800 points and 800 rebounds in his career and is the first Nittany Lion to average a double-double since 2000.  

In 2021-22, he earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades for the second-straight year after being one of two players in the conference to average a double-double at 10.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He is on pace to lead the Big Ten in offensive rebounds for a second-straight season, while his 64.4% field goal percentage ranks second in program history.  

Harrar became the first Nittany Lion to pull down 20 rebounds in a game in 17 years with an 11-point, 20-rebound effort on Senior Night against Northwestern. As a true senior in 2020-21, Harrar led the Big Ten and ranked 11th nationally with 3.76 offensive rebounds per game. He paced the Lions with 8.8 rebounds per game and a 54.9% field goal percentage.   

The Wallingford, Pennsylvania, native is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and three-time Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. He earned the Big Ten’s Outstanding Sportsmanship Award following the 2020-21 season and was named a Top 30 candidate for the Senior CLASS Award during the 2021-22 season. Harrar will graduate in May.  

Jonni Parker 

Captain of the women’s volleyball team, Parker earned four All-America honors during her time as a Penn State right-side hitter, receiving third-team recognition as a freshman and senior and honorable mention status during her sophomore and junior seasons. She was a four-time All-Northeast Region selection and a four-time All-Big Ten honoree.  

She made her presence known immediately in the toughest conference in the nation, earning the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award in 2018. Parker was one of the most versatile players in the Big Ten as a six-rotation star for the Lions, finishing with career totals of 1,406 kills, 752 digs, 314 blocks and 94 aces.   

Nominators said Parker is known for staying at Rec Hall long after matches to meet the younger fans in attendance after both wins and losses. She played her senior season while completing a semester as a student teacher at a nearby elementary school and while earning a third-straight Academic All-Big Ten honor. Her success in the classroom, as well as her work in the community, helped her land a spot on the Senior CLASS Award first team.   

Parker’s work in the community included time with the Reading Rewards program, Penn State THON fundraiser, All-Sports Museum Trick-or-Treat, and the Spiritus Leoninus Organization. She played a pivotal role in the volleyball team’s annual Silent Set match, which helped raise awareness for those who have experienced hearing loss. She went on to start her own nonprofit organization to support the same cause, founding Chasing Greatness during her senior season. The organization’s purpose is to support persons 18 years and younger with hearing loss by creating funding opportunities for hearing aids and the enhancement of life skills.