KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fresh off a run to the national quarterfinals in 2024, the Penn State women’s soccer program placed a trio of student-athletes on the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region teams, the organization announced in a release Tuesday afternoon.
The Nittany Lions placed a trio of student-athletes on the organization’s All-Region team for the second year in a row, with PSU earning a First, Second and Third Team distinction in this year’s release. First Team All-Big Ten redshirt senior forward Kaitlyn MacBean added to her trophy case by garnering First Team All-North Region accolades, while senior defender Mieke Schiemann secured Second Team All-North Region laurels in Tuesday’s announcement. Senior midfielder Jordan Fusco put a bow on her banner year in Happy Valley with Third Team accolades to round out the group of Penn Staters landing regional attention. PSU’s trio of honorees in 2024 succeeds a trio of NWSL professionals that landed All-Region distinction a year ago in Cori Dyke, Kate Wiesner and Katherine Asman.
In one of the most dominant single seasons from a Nittany Lion on the offensive end of the pitch in recent memory, the Excelsior, Minnesota, native MacBean finished her redshirt senior season at PSU as the team’s leading scorer with 34 points split between 16 goals and two assists. MacBean ranked as the 10th-best goal scorer in the nation with her 16 total tallies on the year, also contributing the seventh-most match-winning goals in women’s college soccer with six. Her dominant offensive campaign saw her land the Nittany Lions’ 82nd First Team All-B1G selection earlier this year in addition to her first career individual recognition from the United Soccer Coaches Tuesday afternoon. MacBean becomes Penn State's 17th All-North Region First Team designee since United Soccer Coaches placed PSU in the North region in 2018, and the 75th First Team All-Region selection in program history.
One of the most powerful defenders in Penn State history and one of the most decorated back-line athletes in Division I, Schiemann picked up Second Team All-North Region laurels following a dominant 10-point campaign that included four goals and two assists as PSU’s central center-back. Schiemann’s efforts as the anchor of the Penn State defense led the Nittany Lions to 11 shutouts on the year en route to their national quarterfinal finish. Schiemann lands the second United Soccer Coaches All-North Region accolade of her collegiate career, pairing her Second Team distinction in 2024 with a Third Team appointment in the 2022 B1G Tournament Championship season. Her selection this year marks the 29th Second Team All-Region award in Penn State annals in addition to the third Second Team All-North Region honor in PSU program history.
A pivotal performer in the attacking midfield role all season long, Fusco picked up her first career United Soccer Coaches All-Region accolade in Tuesday’s release. Fusco was a force to be reckoned with in the passing game, leading the Nittany Lion roster and Big Ten Conference in total assists with 12 helpers on the year, good enough for the eighth-most assists in the nation this year. Fusco tacked on a trio of goals against Texas Tech, Michigan and Columbia as well, finishing her fourth and final collegiate campaign with a career-best 18-point season. Fusco became the 15th individual in program history to land All-Region Third Team honors from the United Soccer Coaches while booking the fourth All-North Region Third Team accolade since 2018.
In one of the most battle-tested seasons in Penn State history, the trio of MacBean, Schiemann and Fusco teamed up to guide PSU back to the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament for the second year in row while guiding the Nittany Lions to the program’s 30th consecutive national postseason berth. PSU’s trio of veteran stars led the Blue & White to their eighth consecutive Sweet 16, the longest active stretch of third round appearances in women’s college soccer, while navigating the team to the second-longest active stretch of NCAA Tournament berths overall. Penn State completed its 31st varsity season with a 15-7-3 overall record and 5-4-2 finish in Big Ten play, squaring off against 12 nationally ranked opponents in that span.
ABOUT UNITED SOCCER COACHES
Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, United Soccer Coaches is the trusted and unifying voice, advocate and partner for coaches at all levels of the game. The largest community for soccer coaches in the world, the organization unites coaches of all levels around the love of the game while elevating the game through advocacy, education and service. To learn more about United Soccer Coaches, visit UnitedSoccerCoaches.org.
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Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State women’s soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion women’s soccer team on X and Instagram @PennStateWSOC, in addition to the team’s Facebook page at /PSUWomensSoccer.