Today in Penn State sports: Jan. 15, 2018

Wrapping up Monday’s Penn State sports news that doesn’t appear elsewhere in the CDT:

Saquon Barkley one of 21 nominees for Lombardi Award

Saquon Barkley played his final down in a Penn State uniform three weeks ago — but the national recognition keeps coming.

Barkley was named one of 21 nominees for the 2017 Lombardi Award, the foundation announced Monday afternoon.

From its inception in 1970 through 2015, the award was given to the nation’s best linebacker or lineman. Penn State pass-rusher Carl Nassib was the Nittany Lions’ last recipient, in 2015.

Now, it is a national honor. As the foundation puts it, the Lombardi Award is “presented to an NCAA Division I player, regardless of position, based on performance, leadership, character and resiliency.”

Barkley is joined by Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, Stanford back Bryce Love, Fiesta Bowl opponent Vita Vea and 15 others on the Lombardi list.

Up to seven finalists for the award will be selected by voters and announced next week. The top four finalists will be invited to the Lombardi Honors presentation on Jan. 27 in Houston.

Sturtz, Smirnov nominated for Hobey Baker Award

A pair of Penn State players are on the initial list for college hockey’s top individual honor for the second straight season.

Andrew Sturtz and Denis Smirnov are among the 67 nominees for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, announced Monday morning. Presented to the nation’s top college player, fans can vote during the first phase of voting until March 5. The list will be pared to a top 10 on March 14, the Hobey Hat Trick three finalists will be announced March 29 and the winner will be honored April 6 at the Frozen Four in Minneapolis.

Sturtz, a junior forward, is tied for fifth in the nation in scoring with 30 points on 11 goals and 19 assists. His 51 career goals in fewer than three seasons is already the program record. Smirnov has posted 10 goals and nine assists this season.

The No. 12 Nittany Lions visit No. 20 Michigan on Friday and Saturday.

EIVA honors Braswell

Penn State’s Luke Braswell was named the Offensive Player of the Week by the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.

The redshirt sophomore setter guided the No. 9 Nittany Lions to .522 hitting last weekend in a 3-1 win against Mount Olive and a 3-0 sweep of Alderson-Broaddus. Braswell handed out 39 and 30 assists, respectively, in the matches.

The Nittany Lions visit UCLA on Thursday and Southern California on Saturday.

Non-conference games times set for PSU

UNIVERSITY PARK Start times for Penn State’s nine non-conference games have been announced.

The regular season opens Feb. 3 with Villanova at 1 p.m. to start four straight home games at either Pranzer Stadium, weather permitting, or Holuba Hall. That match will be followed by Hobart (1 p.m. Feb. 10), Stony Brook (2 p.m. Feb. 17), Robert Morris (noon Feb. 24), at Pennsylvania (1 p.m. March 3), Furman (6:30 p.m. March 6 at Washington, D.C.), Cornell (noon March 10 at Sparks, Md.), at Fairfield (1 p.m. March 17) and Cleveland State (1 p.m. March 24).

The remaining five Big Ten games will be set after television schedules are announced.

This story was originally published January 15, 2018 at 11:27 PM with the headline "Today in Penn State sports: Jan. 15, 2018."