TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Penn State running back Nick Singleton celebrates after scoring a touchdown during a football game against Illinois last season at Beaver Stadium.

UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State senior defensive tackle Zane Durant, redshirt junior offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane and senior running back Nicholas Singleton were named Preseason Associated Press All-America first team, while senior running back Kaytron Allen was tabbed to the second team.

Penn State is tied with Texas for the most first-team selections among FBS teams.

Durant also has been tabbed as a Preseason All-American by the Associated Press, The Sporting News, Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Athletic (first team) and CBS (first team).

Ioane has picked up Preseason All-American honors from the Associated Press, The Sporting News, Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Athletic (first team), CBS (first team) and ESPN (first team).

Singleton has earned Preseason All-American accolades from the Associated Press, The Sporting News, Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Athletic (first team), CBS (first team) and ESPN (first team).

Allen is on Preseason All-American teams for the Associated Press and ESPN (second team)

Zane Durant has been tabbed to the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy watch lists and named a preseason All-America by The Sporting News, Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Athletic and CBS. Through his career, he’s appeared in 42 career games, making 28 starts and being voted an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2023 and 2024. Within that span, he’s tallied 64 tackles (35 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup, as well as three career games with multiple tackles for loss.

In 2024, Durant collected 42 tackles (22 solo), 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and a pass breakup. He ranked fourth among FBS defensive tackles (2nd in Big Ten) with 11 tackles for loss and tied for first among Big Ten defensive tackles with three sacks. He was named the coaching staff’s Defensive Player of the Game three times (Bowling Green – 9/7; Illinois – 9/28; Minnesota – 11/23).

Olaivavega Ioane was tabbed to the Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Polynesian Player of the Year Award watch lists and named a preseason All-American by The Sporting News and Walter Camp Football Foundation. He was selected All-Big Ten second team in 2024, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2023 and 2024. Ioane has appeared in 33 career games, making 21 starts.

In 2024, Penn State did not allow a sack against West Virginia, USC, Washington, Purdue or Maryland, with Ioane helping the team rank ninth in the nation in tackles for loss allowed per game (3.81) and 23rd in sacks allowed per game (1.25). He also helped the Nittany Lions to lead the country in first downs (367), while ranking 10th in passing efficiency (154.98), fourth down conversion percentage (72.0), 11th in completion percentage (66.8), 17th in rushing offense (202.3), 19th in third down conversion percentage (45.9) and 25th in red zone offense (89.4).

Nicholas Singleton has been named to the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List and tabbed a preseason All-American by Walter Camp Football Foundation. In 2024, he was voted All-Big Ten honorable mention as a running back and return specialist. And in 2023, third-team All-Big Ten honors and was Big Ten Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year.

Throughout his career, he’s attributed 2,912 rushing yards, 32 rushing touchdowns, 78 receptions, 768 receiving yards, eight touchdowns and 993 kick return yards. He has eight career 100-yard rushing games, eight games with multiple rushing touchdowns and two games with three rushing scores, as well as 22 career 20+ yard runs, 14 30+ yards, 12 40+ yards, five 50+ yards, two 60+ yards, two 70+ yards and one 80+ yards.

Singleton leads returning FBS players with 2,912 career rushing yards, 32 career rushing touchdowns and 4,673 career all-purpose yards. He is also the only FBS player averaging 5.8 yards per rush on 490+ career rushing attempts and ranks fifth all-time at Penn State in rushing touchdowns (32), eighth in rushing average (5.8), tenth in rushing yards (2,912), 12th in rushing attempts (499) and second in career total touchdowns (41). In special teams, he’s averaging 24.2 yards per kick return, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown, in his career.

Kaytron Allen has been named to the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award Watch Lists for 2025. In 2024, Earned All-Big Ten honorable mention by the media. And in 2023, he picked up second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and third-team from the media.

In his Nittany Lion career, Allen has rushed for 2,877 yards and 24 touchdowns on 559 rushes, averaging 5.1 yards per rush. He ranks ninth all-time at Penn State in rushing attempts (559), 11th in rushing yards (2,877) and tied for 15th in rushing touchdowns (24). On the receiving end, he’s added 52 receptions for 422 yards and four touchdowns.

Alongside those numbers, he has eight career 100-yard rushing games and four career games with multiple rushing touchdowns. Among returning FBS players, he ranks second behind teammate Nicholas Singleton with 2,877 rushing yards and is tied for fourth with 24 rushing touchdowns.

In 2024, Allen rushed for 1,108 yards on 220 carries (5.1 average) with eight touchdowns, while adding 18 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns. He also posted four 100-yard rushing games while ranking fifth in the Big Ten with 1,108 rushing yards.

Penn State Football Recognized On Preseason Watch Lists:

Drew Allar – Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award, Manning Award, Walter Camp Award

Kaytron Allen – Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award

Cooper Cousins – Allstate Wuerffel Trophy

Dani Dennis-Sutton – Bednarik Award

Khalil Dinkins – Mackey Award

Zane Durant – Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award, Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy

Tyler Duzansky – Mannelly Award

A.J. Harris – Bednarik Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Nagurski Trophy

Olaivavega Ioane – Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, Polynesian Player of the Year Award

Trebor Pena – Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung Award

Devonte Ross – Biletnikoff Award

Nicholas Singleton – Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award

Penn State Football Recognized On Preseason All-America Teams:

Kaytron Allen – Associated Press, ESPN

Zane Durant – Associated Press, The Sporting News, Walter Camp, The Athletic, CBS

Olaivavega Ioane – Associated Press, The Sporting News, Walter Camp, The Athletic, CBS, ESPN

Nicholas Singleton – Associated Press, The Sporting News, Walter Camp, The Athletic, CBS, ESPN