By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Junior guard Jalen Smith (Ranson, W. Va. / Jefferson) was named to the 2017-18 Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) First Team as voted on by the league's coaches. The conference accolades were announced on Sunday prior to the PSUAC Championship in which Brandywine won.

Smith made it four-straight years that the Mont Alto men's basketball program had a student-athlete named to the first team. In 23 games, Smith averaged team bests in scoring at 20.6 points per game and rebounding with 129 total boards. He produced four double-doubles and poured in a season-high 40 points against Penn State Lehigh Valley on Feb. 6.

Smith was also Mont Alto's top three-point threat, having made 61 three-pointers this season and 135 during his 62-game career. He also shot 45.3 percent from the field and had a 38.1 percent clip from downtown, which ranked 12^th in the PSUAC. Smith will enter his senior season 14-points shy of surpassing 1000 during his career at Mont Alto.

In addition, sophomore Marcus Roper (Charles Town, W. Va. / Jefferson) was named the John Fritz Sportsmanship Award winner. Named after former PSUAC Commissioner John Fritz, the sportsmanship award is given to one player from each team in the league who best displays the core values of the league and sportsmanship to teammates and opponents throughout the season. Roper netted 8.7 points per game and is one of two players on the team to start every game this season.

Penn State Mont Alto men's basketball concluded its season with a 12-13 overall record and were 6-10 against PSUAC competition.