UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Max Dean, a senior majoring in economics in the College of the Liberal Arts, and Ally Schlegel, who graduated in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in corporate innovation and entrepreneurship from the Smeal College of Business, have been selected as the 2023 recipients of the Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award.
The Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award annually recognizes a senior man and woman who have 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.
Max Dean
Max Dean, the No. 9 seed at 197, closed out a stellar collegiate wrestling career with a seventh-place finish and a 5-2 mark at the 2023 NCAA wrestling championships. He finished the season with a 25-5 record and his career with a 105-18 mark. Dean collected 17 falls, 17 technical falls and 19 majors during his career.
Dean won the 2022 NCAA title and has helped lead Penn State to two NCAA team crowns. He went 48-6 as a Nittany Lion, won a Big Ten title, an NCAA title and was a two-time All-American as a Penn Stater, in addition to his two at Cornell.
He placed eighth and second before coming to Penn State and earned his first individual national championship in his first season as a Nittany Lion. He helped lead Penn State to the 2022 NCAA championship as one of five NCAA champions.
He excels in the classroom as well as on the mat. Dean is a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association first-team All-Academic honoree and was Academic All-Big Ten last season for Penn State. In addition, Dean was honored as a third-team CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-American in 2022.
Ally Schlegel
Ally Schlegel, who plays forward on the women’s soccer team, capped off an outstanding career with a tremendous 2022 season.
The redshirt-senior earned first-team All-American, first-team All-Big Ten, first-team All-North region and made her way to be selected as a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist for the second time in her career.
Schlegel started in all 23 games in her final season, leading the Big Ten in goals (13) and leading the team with 29 points on 13 goals and three assists. She reached 100 career points midway through the season. Schlegel excelled academically as well, earning College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America third team honors and first team academic All-America in 2022.
In the 2023 NWSL Draft, Schlegel was the 23rd overall pick by the Chicago Red Stars with teammate Penelope Hocking.
Her four years began her freshman season when she was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and landed on the All-Big Ten first team, as well as second-team All-North Region. In spring 2021, she was named the Penn State Female Athlete of the Year, was tabbed a Honda Sport Award finalist and earned her first MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist honor. Schlegel also was tabbed the Big Ten Forward of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches Player of Distinction. She earned spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-America first team, All-North Region first team and All-Big Ten first team. In her junior season, Schlegel was selected to All-North Region second team and All-Big Ten second team.