UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women's basketball lands redshirt-sophomore center Gracie Merkle, a transfer from Bellarmine University. The 6-6 center from Mt. Washington, Kentucky led the nation in field goal percentage just a season ago as a freshman in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Merkle's standout rookie season was filled with accolades and command in the post before medically redshirting her sophomore season this past year. Merkle will make her return to the court with the Lady Lions this fall.
"We are thrilled to welcome Gracie to our Penn State family," said head coach Carolyn Kieger. "Her dominance in the post is unparalleled; she is a force that anchors the paint with precision and power. Gracie has incredible touch around the rim and can alter shots on the defensive end. She is the exact piece we needed and we can't until she gets to campus !"
The 2023 ASUN Freshman of the Year earned a decorate rookie campaign, with a second-team All-Conference nod and a unanimous selection to the All-Freshman team. Her nine ASUN Freshman of the Week elections set a new conference record while also picking up ASUN Player of the Week honors on three occasions. Merkle led the team in seven major statistical categories; scoring (15.1), rebounding (11.0), field goal percentage (.702), blocked shots (2.3), field goals made (191), free throw attempts (140) and free throws made (87). She quickly inked her name in the Bellarmine record book, setting program records for single season field goal percentage and single season rebounds, grabbing 340 boards in her freshman season.
Not only did she lead her team statistically, she sat atop the conference in rebounding, field goal percentage and double-doubles (19). She compiled eight games scoring 20-plus-points and 12-plus-rebounds while scoring in double figures in 23 outings. Merkle's 32-point performance on 13-of-14 shooting against Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 11, 2023 marked the ASUN's second highest scoring performance of the season. She also set a conference season record when she posted 24 rebounds against Jacksonville on Jan. 21, 2023. Her defensive presence is felt on the glass and surrounding the rim, as she picked up 22 games with multiple blocks including 10 performances with at least three. She set a conference season record in swats when she collected nine blocks against Simmons. The Kentucky native posted a perfect shooting performance on Feb. 4, 2023 against Lipscomb, posting 11-of-11 makes from the field.
Merkle played for Bullitt East High School in Kentucky, where she joined the program's 1,000 point and 500 rebound clubs. She was named 2022 Kentucky Miss Basketball and was a Gatorade Player of the Year Candidate after averaging 18.6 points and 10 rebounds during her senior campaign. The redshirt-sophomore center was a three-time All-State honoree, two-time 6th Region Player of the Year and two-time Bullitt County Player of the Year. Upon graduating, Merkle was ranked no. 2 in Kentucky Class of 2022 by Prep Girls Hoops Kentucky.
