2021-22 Men's Basketball Roster

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John Harrar Headshot 2021

21 John Harrar

  • Height
    6-9
  • Weight
    240
  • Class
    Senior+
  • Hometown
    Wallingford, Pa.

Biography

CAREER NOTES & RECORDS
Records

  • #1 in Penn State history in career games played - 146
  • #1 in Penn State history in rebounds for a Penn State player in the Big Ten Tournament – 72 rebounds in nine Big Ten Tournament games
  • #2 in Penn State history in career FG% - 59.6%
  • #5 in Penn State history in career rebounds – 854
  • One of six players in Penn State history with 800 career points and 800 career rebounds
Awards
  • Big Ten Medal of Honor - 2022
  • Two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention – 2021, 2022
  • Two-time Outstanding Big Ten Sportsmanship Award – 2021, 2022
  • Four-time Academic All-Big Ten – 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
  • Three-time Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree – 2020, 2021, 2022
  • Senior CLASS Award top 30 candidate – 2022
  • Penn State’s Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award winner – 2022
  • Penn State’s “Above & Beyond – Mr. Penn State” Award winner – 2022

Season: 2021-22: Emerged as one of the best big men in the league as one of only two Big Ten players to finish the season averaging a double-double with 10.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game…Registered 12 double-doubles, 18 double-digit scoring games and 16 double-figure rebound contests…Shot 64.0 percent from the field, tied for the second-best single-season mark in Penn State history…Started all 31 games. 2020-21: Started all 25 games …Led Nittany Lions with 8.8 rebounds per game and 54.9 field goal percentage…Averaged 9.4 points per game…Posted 12 games with double-digit rebounds and eight with double-digit points… Averaged a double-double through 13 games over January and February (10.1 ppg, 10.0 rpg). 2019-20: Played in all 31 games with starts in 14 of the last 15 contests...Had Nittany Lions' best field goal percentage at 62.7 and 61.0 percent in Big Ten games. 2018-19: Played in all 32 games...Possessed second-highest overall field goal percentage at 55.1...Had five games going a perfect 100 percent from floor. 2017-18: Appeared in 27 games...Helped Nittany Lions to 7-1 record and 2018 NIT title in eight starts in March after season-ending injury to teammate Mike Watkins.
 
AS A GRADUATE STUDENT – 2021-22
Awards: Garnered All-Big Ten honors for the second-straight season with honorable mention plaudits from both the conference coaches and media…Winner of prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor, the conference's most prestigious honor for combined academic and athletic excellence...Awarded Academic All-Big Ten honors for the fourth-straight season…Named Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner for second-straight season and Penn State’s recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for third-straight season…Named top 30 candidate for Senior CLASS Award…Named the Penn State Athletics Department recipient of both the Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award and the Above & Beyond – Mr. Penn State Award...NABC Honors Court.
 
Rankings: First Nittany Lion to finish a season averaging a double-double since 2000…Tied for second all-time in Penn State history with a single-season field goal percentage of 64.0%...Third all-time in Penn State history in single-season rebounds (320)…Collected the most rebounds for a Penn State player in a single Big Ten Tournament (32)…His 12 double-doubles tied for fourth-most all-time in a single season at Penn State…Led Big Ten in offensive rebounds per game for second-straight season with 3.64 per contest.
 
Season: Returned to Penn State to utilize the fifth year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic…Emerged as one of the best big men in the league as one of only two Big Ten players to finish the season averaging a double-double with 10.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game…Registered 12 double-doubles, 18 double-digit scoring games and 16 double-figure rebound contests…Shot 64.0 percent from the field, tied for the second-best single-season mark in Penn State history…Started all 31 games.
 
Youngstown State (11/10): Recorded seventh-career double-double with 16 points and career high-tying 14 rebounds in season opener… Was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, making him the first Nittany Lion to shoot 100% from the field with at least seven FGA since Mike Watkins was a perfect 8-for-8 at Iowa on March 5, 2017. St. Francis Brooklyn (11/18): Notched second double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while shooting 5-for-6 from the floor. Miami (Fla.) (12/1): Was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field en route to third double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Ohio State (12/5): Tallied second-straight double-double and fourth of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. At No. 19 Michigan State (12/11): Had 16 points and 11 rebounds for fifth double-double of the season. Rutgers (1/11): Contributed 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting in dominant win. Iowa (1/31): Scored a career-best 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds for sixth double-double of the season in double-overtime victory over the Hawkeyes. #19 Michigan State (2/15): Put together a monster game with 16 points, 16 rebounds and three assists in win over the top-20 Spartans. Northwestern (2/25): Became the first Nittany Lion in 17 years to pull down 20 rebounds in a game in an 11-point, 20-rebound effort in Senior Night victory. At #20 Illinois (3/3): Set Penn State record with 142nd game played. At Rutgers (3/6): Notched 11th double-double of the season with 15 points and 17 rebounds in regular-season finale. vs. Minnesota – Big Ten Tournament (3/9): Pulled down 12 rebounds and added six points and three assists. vs. Ohio State – Big Ten Tournament (3/10): Tallied 12 points and nine rebounds in postseason victory over Buckeyes, including offensive putback in final minutes that gave Penn State a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. vs. No. 9 Purdue – Big Ten Tournament (3/11): Collected 12th double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 7-for-9 from the floor against the top-10 Boilermakers.
 
AS A SENIOR – 2020-21
Awards: Garnered All-Big Ten honors for the first time in his career with honorable mention All-Big Ten plaudits…Named Academic All-Big Ten for third-straight season…Earned Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award…Selected as Penn State’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner for second-straight season.
 
Season: Started all 25 games played…Led Nittany Lions with 8.8 rebounds per game and 54.9 field goal percentage…Averaged career-best 9.4 points per game…Posted 12 games with double-digit rebounds and eight with 10 or more points…Averaged a double-double through 13 games over January and February (10.1 ppg, 10.0 rpg).
 
Rankings: Led the Big Ten and ranked 11th nationally with 3.76 offensive rebounds per game.
 
VMI (11/28): Collected game-high nine rebounds in season-opening victory. VCU (12/2): Hauled in a game-high eight boards in home win. Seton Hall (12/6): Scored 11 points on 4-5 from the field and 3-3 from the free-throw line…Added eight rebounds. at No. 15 Virginia Tech (12/8): Tallied seven points with six rebounds in ACC/B1G Challenge road win. at Michigan (12/13): Scored nine points with four rebounds to open Big Ten schedule. at Indiana (11/30): Grabbed 10 rebounds, including five on offensive end…Scored six of nine points late in second half. at Purdue (1/17): Recorded double-double with then-career-bests in points (14) and rebounds (14)…Tracked down 10 offensive boards. Rutgers (1/21): Grabbed a game-best 11 rebounds to go with eight points. Northwestern (1/23): Made clutch defensive play with block in final 30 seconds to secure win…Collected 10 rebounds with five on offensive end. at No. 13 Ohio State (1/27): Posted double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in season-high 32 minutes played…Made all seven free throw attempts. No. 14 Wisconsin (1/30): Provided clutch scoring with 14 of career-high 17 points in the second half, including eight points in the final 2:37, in ranked win at home…Hauled in team-high nine rebounds. at No. 19 Wisconsin (2/2): Stuffed stat sheet with 10 points with perfect marks from the field (3-3) and free throw line (4-4)…Snagged five rebounds to go with two assists and a pair of steals. Maryland (2/5): Collected 12 boards in home win…Scored nine points, including five from free throw line in second half…Assisted on Myles Dread's 3-pointer with 4:34 left to give Nittany Lions 7-point lead over Terps. at Michigan State (2/9): Was the leading scorer for first time in collegiate career after tying single-game best with 17 points on 6-8 shooting…Tied career best with 14 rebounds…Picked up four assists to set new career high. Nebraska (2/14): Hauled in 11 rebounds for third-straight game with double-digit boards…Crashed the glass for six offensive rebounds. at Nebraska (2/23): Tied career high with 14 rebounds (8 offensive) and poured in 10 points including 6-8 mark from free throw line…Tied career best with 3 steals. Minnesota (3/5): Recorded sixth career double-double, first at home, with 12 points (6-9 FG) and 11 boards (7 off) on senior night. at Maryland (3/7): Scored all seven points from the free throw line in road win. vs. Nebraska-BTT (3/10): Controlled the glass with another 14-rebound performance, including 10 on the defensive end, in Big Ten Tournament win. vs. Wisconsin-BTT (3/11): Grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds…Surpassed the 500-career-point mark with six points, all in the second half.

AS A JUNIOR — 2019-20
Awards: Named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court for junior- or senior-level student-athletes who possess a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or above…Selected as Penn State’s 2020 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient...Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for second time.
 
Season: Played all 31 games and started 14 of the last 15 contests...Shot team-best 62.7 percent overall and 64 percent (32-50) as a starter...Shot 61 percent (36-59) in Big Ten Conference games...Went 21-27 (77.7%) from field in eight-game stretch starting at Minnesota (1/15) through game at Purdue (2/11)...Led team in rebounding eight times...Had seven games with perfect 1.000 field goal percentage...Owned the third-highest rebounding average on team at 5.3 rpg in league games...Ranked 10th in Big Ten with 2.4 offensive rebounds per game in league games and 11th in all games at 2.3 rpg...Averaged 6.1 ppg and 4.1 rpg during Nittany Lions’ eight-game  Big Ten win streak...Finished season with at least six rebounds in last seven games...Replaced nine career-best totals during season...Postseason canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Maryland Eastern Shore (11/5): Pulled down five rebounds and scored four points in season opener. Wagner (11/9): Assisted on three baskets, his then-career-best total, and added three points and two rebounds. at Georgetown (11/14): Went 3-4 from the field for six points and pulled down four rebounds. Bucknell (11/19): Repeated six-point, four-rebound performance. Yale (11/23): Grabbed seven rebounds, six on offensive glass...Recorded his first block of season and had one assist. Wake Forest (12/4): Tied career best with three assists...Had five rebounds (4 offensive) to go along with two points. at No. 6 Ohio State (12/7): Played 19 minutes, his high mark through 17 games...Contributed three rebounds, two points and two assists. No. 4 Maryland (12/10): Tied career-best total with two blocks. Central Connecticut State (12/20): Went 2-2 from the field and added a free throw for five points...Collected four rebounds, an assist and blocked shot. Cornell (12/29): Duplicated five-point scoring total with three coming from the free throw line and a dunk...Had best rebound total of December with six. vs. No. 23 Iowa (1/4): Did all his work on glass with six rebounds...Pulled down high pass intended for Luka Garza for steal to lead to Curtis Jones Jr. 3-pointer and four-point Nittany Lions’ lead at 13:57 mark of second half. at Minnesota (1/15): Inserted into starting lineup and would start 14 of final 15 with exception of senior night vs. Michigan State...Swatted away two shots to tie a career-best total, both coming in second half. at No. 16 Michigan State (2/4): Added a free throw to maintain Penn State lead with 50 seconds remaining. Minnesota (2/8): Played career-high 34 minutes...Scored eight points (4-5 FG) and had first basket of game in front of sellout crowd...Tied then-season-best seven-rebound total, five coming in first half...Dished off for career-best four assists, had two steals and no turnovers...Picked up loose ball and found Izaiah Brockington for fast-break dunk in first half...Had dunk early in second half to give Nittany Lions a 19-point lead, their largest of game. at Purdue (2/11): Tallied a career-high 13 points, a total that included a career-best seven points from the charity stripe...Went 3-3 from the field...Combined with Lamar Stevens to make key free throws down the stretch to help hold Penn State hold onto signature win at West Lafayette. Northwestern (2/15): Had six rebounds and was one of three Nittany Lions with three offensive rebounds, joining Izaiah Brockington and Mike Watkins...Broke up pass and then made hook shot on next offensive possession to halt Wildcat run in second half. Illinois (2/18): Tied then-season-best seven rebounds and scored six points. at Indiana (2/23): Pulled down 10 rebounds, five offensive and five defensive. Rutgers (2/26): Had huge box out and defensive rebound on final Scarlet Knight field goal attempt to preserve the win...Slammed home a dunk and "and one” to push Penn State to a double-digit lead in second half...Scored seven points, five from the charity stripe, and had seven rebounds. at No. 18 Iowa (2/29): Had eight rebounds and scored four points. No. 16 Michigan State (3/3): Produced eight points off 3-4 shooting from field and two free throws...Had a putback layup, key deflection and another layup to pull Nittany Lions within two with 5:07 to play...Tied career-best total with two steals. at Northwestern (3/7): Recorded first career double-double with a career-high 14 rebounds (5 off, 9 def) and 12 points...Contributed six points to Nittany Lions’ 10-4 run at the end of the first half...Tied career-best total with four made field goals...Added one assist.
 
AS A SOPHOMORE — 2018-19
Awards: Received Academic All-Big Ten honors...Earned a 3.0 grade-point average for the 2018-19 academic year...Named a member of the “Juice Squad” with Kyle McCloskey and Jamari Wheeler to serve as a role model for leading and motivating teammates and honored with the Dave Phillips Unsung Hero Award at the team’s annual banquet.
 
Season: Started 18 games and played in all 32...Owned second-highest overall field goal percentage behind Mike Watkins at 55.1 and in Big Ten games at 57.1.
 
North Florida (11/9): Tied then-career best with seven points in season opener...Collected seven rebounds, a season best. at DePaul (11/15): Played 31 minutes in overtime game for his career high. vs. Bradley (11/21): Tied season-best total with seven boards and tied career best with two assists. Virginia Tech (11/27): Had assist on Myreon Jones’ layup that gave Nittany Lions lead for good (56-55)...Shared game-high honors with teammate Mike Watkins with career-best three steals. Indiana (12/4): Pulled down a Big Ten career-best six rebounds and tied season best with four on offensive glass. at Alabama (12/21): Had a second-half putback to cut Tide’s lead to one...Grabbed a steal and set up Myreon Jones for a layup. at Michigan (1/2): Tied career best for second time with three steals. Purdue (1/31): Saw 24 minutes of action in overtime game and tied career high in points with seven...Went 2-3 from the floor with three free throws...Had three offensive rebounds. at Purdue (2/16): Scored five points off two field goals and a free throw...Tied career high again with two assists. Nebraska (2/19): Recorded second-straight game with five rebounds. Maryland (2/27): Returned to starting lineup and registered career-best nine points off career-best four field goals...Tied career best with three steals...Pulled down four rebounds. Illinois (3/10): Converted career-high four free throws. vs. Minnesota-BTT (3/14): Went 3-4 from the field for six points and pulled down five rebounds.
 
AS A FRESHMAN — 2017-18
Award: Received the program’s Lou Lamie “Most Inspirational” Award at the annual banquet for preparedness and work ethic as he was able to step into a starting role after an injury sidelined teammate Mike Watkins late in the season.
 
Season: Saw action in 27 games and started the last eight, three at the 2018 Big Ten Tournament and all five NIT games vs. Temple (3/14), at Notre Dame (3/17), at Marquette 3/20), vs. Mississippi State (3/27) and Utah (3/29)...Helped team to a 7-1 record in those games...Averaged 7.4 rebounds in five postseason games...Had Nittany Lions’ top rebounding total twice and tied for share of team lead for blocks three times.
 
Campbell (11/10): Made Penn State debut in season opener. Fairleigh Dickinson (11/12): Put back a teammate’s missed shot for his first career points as a Nittany Lion...Finished with two offensive rebounds and a steal. Oral Roberts (11/24): Went 2-2 from the field and tied then-career best with two rebounds. at Iowa (12/2): Had a productive three minutes in win. George Washington (12/9): Tied then-career-high two rebounds. Coppin State (12/30): Made a field goal and free throw for three points. Rutgers (1/27): Had a rebound. Iowa (2/3): Scored field goal for first points in a Big Ten game. at Purdue (2/18): Recorded first career block. Ohio State-BTT (3/2): Played most minutes of the season to that point, in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, with 11, and had career-best six rebounds, including four offensive...Tied then-career best with four points against Purdue (3/3) in Big Ten Tournament semifinal game and added a rebound, block and steal in nine minutes of action. Temple-NIT (3/14): Executed perfect layup off pass from Lamar Stevens for go-ahead field goal with 1:52 left in game...Also had three offensive rebounds vs. Owls. at Notre Dame-NIT (3/27): Had block on Notre Dame’s first shot of game, registered career-best and game-high two blocks vs. Irish...Tied then-career bests for points (4), rebounds (6), blocks (game-high 2) and minutes (23) in second-round NIT game at Notre Dame. at Marquette-NIT (3/20): Set then-career best and tied game-high with nine rebounds...Tied then-career best with four points on his stat line vs. Golden Eagles and had first career assist. at Mississippi State-NIT (3/27): Assisted on Shep Garner trey early in first quarter to give PSU first lead of game...Passed to Lamar Stevens for 3-pointer in second quarter for a career-best two on the night...Had seven rebounds. vs. Utah-NIT (3/29): Scored then-career best seven points in NIT championship game...Hauled 10 rebounds by halftime and finished with a career- and game-best 12 rebounds, a total that tied for fourth on Penn State's list for most rebounds in an NIT game.
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Played football (tight end and defensive end) and basketball for Strath Haven...Turned down Division I football scholarship offers to play basketball at Penn State...Helped lead Panthers to PIAA District I Class 5A playoff berth...Averaged 19.5 points and 10.4 rebounds as a senior and was selected Central League MVP...Philadelphia News All-Pennsylvania (5A) second-team pick...Named first team PA Prep Live All-Delco...Played with AAU Philly Pride.
 
PERSONAL
Son of Sue and James Harrar...Has one brother...Earned bachelor's degree in business management in May 2021 and master's degree in management and organizational leadership in May 2022. 

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 21

    2017-18Freshman

    Forward
    6'9" 243 lbs
    21
  • 21

    2018-19Sophomore

    Forward
    6'9" 243 lbs
    21
  • 21

    2019-20Junior

    Forward
    6'9" 240 lbs
    21
  • 21

    2020-21Senior

    Forward
    6'9" 240 lbs
    21
  • 21

    2021-22Senior+

    Forward
    6'9" 240 lbs
    21