UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., May 24, 2005 - The Eastern College Athletic Conference released its 2005 All-League team today. Head Coach Glenn Thiel was honored as ECAC Coach of the Year and midfielder Patrick Heim (Wayne, Pa.), defenseman Jesse Tarr (Media, Pa.), and attackman Nate Whitaker (Great Falls, Va.) were all named to the squad.

Thiel guiding the Nittany Lions to their second NCAA Tournament appearance in three years this season after the team rallied to win seven consecutive games. With a 5-1 record in the conference, Penn State split the ECAC title with Massachusetts. In his 38 years of coaching, he has compiled a 282-186 record, which is first among active Division I coaches and fourth all-time. Thiel has coached Penn State for 28 years and surpassed the 200-victory mark when the Nittany Lions defeated Hobart 19-13 on April 9.

Sophomore midfielder Patrick Heim and senior defenseman Jesse Tarr both earned First Team All-League honors. Heim competed in all 15 games this season and was second on the team in points (33) and third on the team in goals (22) and assists (11). He earned a spot on the ECAC Weekly Honor Roll after scoring four goals and two assists against Mt. Saint Mary?s and three goals versus Hobart. Heim led the Lions in scoring with three goals and one assist in the NCAA Tournament first round game against Maryland.

Tarr was second on the team in ground balls with 50 in 15 games this year. He scored two goals against Bucknell and finished with five ground balls in games against Notre Dame, Mt. Saint Mary?s and Rutgers. Tarr also recorded three assists and nine shots this season.

Junior attackman Nate Whitaker was named to the Second Team All-League squad. He started in all 15 games and was first on the team in points (44), goals (31) and assists (13). Whitaker earned ECAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after finishing with five points against Bucknell and two goals and two assists versus Rutgers. He was also named to the ECAC Weekly Honor Roll four times for performances against Villanova, St. John?s, Fairfield and Duke. Whitaker finished one goal and one assist against Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to extend his scoring streak to 42 games. He has scored at least one point in every game he has played in as a Nittany Lion.