UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State women’s lacrosse travels west of the Mississippi River for the first time since March 20, 2016, when the Nittany Lions takes on Oregon on for the teams’ first ever meeting.
First draw between Penn State and the Wildcats is set for 4 p.m. (ET) at Pape Field on Sunday, March 23.
Game Info
Who: Penn State at Oregon
What: Furthest road trip since the 2016 season
Where: Eugene, Ore. – Pape Field
When: Sunday, March 23 at 4 p.m. (ET)
Nittany Lions vs. Oregon
Penn State and Oregon have never met in program history. The Ducks program has existed since 2005, while PSU dates back to 1965.
Against teams from the former PAC-12, Penn State has a combined 2-3 record (1-0 against Arizona State, 0-2 against Colorado, 1-1 against Stanford).
Scouting the Ducks
Oregon enters the weekend with a 5-4 overall record, still searching for its first conference win after dropping its first two Big Ten games to Ohio State and Rutgers. The Ducks have wins over Butler, Stetson, Columbia, Central Michigan, and San Diego State.
The Ducks are one of the most efficient teams in the country at the draw, winning 60.3 percent of its pulls. That number ranks 15th nationally and second in the Big Ten. Oregon averages the 20th-most draw controls per game (15.89) in the country, a number good for second in the Big Ten.
Three members of the Oregon women’s lacrosse team were tabbed as Big Ten Players to Watch in the conferences preseason release. Midfielder Anna Simmons, attacker Avery Young, and defender Lexi Jenkins were recognized.
Last Time Out
Northwestern’s explosive first half helped the Wildcats to a 16-7 win over the Nittany Lions in the Lake Show’s Big Ten opener. The Northwestern defense held PSU to a single goal in three quarters, preventing a Penn State comeback.
Erika Ho led the Nittany Lions with four points on a hat trick and an assist. Kelly MacKinney, Booke Hoss, and Brooke Long each added a goal and an assist. Maggie Rezza rounded out the scorers in Blue and White with her second career goal. Ho had a day at the draw, securing 11 of Penn State’s 16 wins, and securing more draws herself than Northwestern did as a team.
The 16-10 differential at the draw marked the first time this season that Northwestern lost the battle at the X.
Preseason Nods
In the Big Ten preseason poll, the Nittany Lions were picked to finish fifth.
Senior Ellie Hollin raked in the preseason recognitions. She has been named a consensus preseason first-team All-American and earned a spot on the Tewaaraton watch list.
Hollin also earned nod from the conference offices, being named a Big Ten Player to Watch. She joined sophomores Sydney Manning and Kelly MacKinney on the list.
Getting Younger
Where the Nittany Lions returned 29-of-33 players from 2023 to 2024 roster, the 2025 roster boasts 24 sophomores and freshmen by class eligibility.
Manning and MacKinney highlight the group after their breakout seasons in 2024.
MacKinney returns as the fourth-leading scorer from last year. The then-freshmen posted 39 points on 14 goals and 25 assists. The attacker ranked in top ten in the conference and led the team with her assist total and assist per game mark (1.32).
Manning was named the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season. The then-freshman has started 16 games in her rookie campaign, making 100 saves. She also scooped up 24 ground balls. The netminder made 15 save in the upset victories over No. 1 Northwestern and No. 4 Maryland in 2024.
Fresh Faces
Penn State adds 12 freshmen to the 2024 roster: Dakota Cristo, Arden Jansen, Alexa Kairis, Brooke Lattanzi, Brooke Long, Allie Meyer, Meggie Rezza, Porter Rhoades, Ava Stummer, Victoria Tomonto, Grace Tullock, and Ellie Wisch.
In addition to the rookies, Penn State added transfers Lily Strohecker (Navy) and Delaney Radin (Florida).
On the Lookout
- Delaney Radin is eight points away from 25 on her career.
- Erika Ho needs one goals to tally 25 on the season. She eclipsed 25 points in the game at Northwestern.
- Ellie Hollin is one caused turnover away from 75 on her career.
- Kelly MacKinney is four assists away from 50 in her career.
- Sydney Manning is 41 saves away from 200 in her career.
Up Next
One more road trip awaits women’s lacrosse as the cap to a three-game stretch. The team next travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan to take on Michigan at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 30. The game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.