UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Women's Lacrosse team will open the 2021 campaign ranked 18th in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Poll, released on Monday.
The Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Missy Doherty, started the 2020 season with a 5-2 record before it was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Penn State earned wins over Towson (12-9), Lehigh (13-9), Duquesne (20-6), Cornell (19-9) and Vanderbilt (14-13).
Penn State averaged 13.7 goals per game, ranking third in the Big Ten. Maria Auth led the Nittany Lions with 22 goals and 11 assists.
On the defensive end, the Nittany Lions ranked fourth in the country and first in the Big Ten in save percentage (.531). Taylor Suplee was named an honorable mention All-American by Inside Lacrosse. She led the Big Ten with 12.43 saves per game, good for second in the country. Suplee was also fifth in the nation with 87 saves and seventh with a .527 save percentage.
Auth and Suplee are two of 26 returning members from the 2020 squad. The Nittany Lions also welcomed nine freshmen who made up Inside Lacrosse's top 2020 recruiting class in the nation.
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensLacrosse) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewlax).
