Gracie Merkle is back.
After briefly transferring away from Penn State during the offseason, 6-foot-6 center Merkle is back in action with the Lady Lions and already making a name for herself.
Merkle was named to the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Top 20 watchlist on Friday, which is one of five of the Naismith Starting Five honors.
Big time recognition for @GracieMerkle ud83dudde3ufe0f→ https://t.co/atQVFxoDvb#LionMentality pic.twitter.com/PdgMiwwK0t
— Penn State Women's Basketball (@PennStateWBB) October 31, 2025
The award is given annually to the best center in the NCAA, and this year's top competitors include UCLA's Lauren Betts, Wisconsin's Serah Williams and Vanderbilt's Aalyah Del Rosario.