UNIVERSITY, Pa.; October 11, 2005 - The Penn State women's soccer team is ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history. The 14-0 Nittany Lions are now occupying the top spot in three national soccer polls, including the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, the Soccer Buzz rankings, and the SoccerTimes coaches' poll.
"We're obviously excited to be ranked No. 1 this week," said head coach Paula Wilkins. "Being No. 1 is the result of the incredible effort that everyone involved in this program has put into it over the past 12 years. While we are excited to be regarded so high nationally, we're staying focused on our long-term goals. We remain conscious of what it will take to defend our Big Ten titles and we're still taking things game by game, as was our plan from the beginning of the season. After all, it really only matters where you end up at the end of the year."
The Lions have been ranked No. 2 for the past four weeks before assuming the top spot on Tuesday in the NSCAA poll. In 2005, Penn State has defeated five teams either ranked or receiving votes in the NSCAA poll at the time of the match, including three Top 10 opponents. The Lions defeated then-No. 3 UCLA, 1-0, in double overtime on Sept. 9 in Los Angeles. Penn State also grabbed three home wins over ranked teams, which included then-No. 4 Virginia on Sept. 4, 5-2, then-No. 9 Connecticut on Aug. 28, 2-1, and then-No. 20 Washington on Aug. 26, 3-2.
Penn State's program, only 12 years old, is enjoying great success again this season with its 14-0 record and 6-0 conference mark. The Lions are one of only two undefeated teams in the nation at this point. At the top of the conference pack, Penn State is gunning for its eighth-straight Big Ten regular season title. Penn State is the only school that has had the winner or runner-up for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy every year since 2000, marking five straight years a Nittany Lion has been either collegiate player of the year or runner-up for collegiate player of the year.
This year, senior forward Tiffany Weimer (North Haven, Conn.) is making a run for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy as well as several notable women's soccer records. A two-time All-American, Weimer has scored in all 14 of the Lions games thus far, putting her one goal and one game away from tying Santa Clara's own Brandi Chastain for the record for consecutive games with at least one goal. Her record, 15 games in 1990, is in reach for Weimer, who is also only two goals from tying and three goals from breaking 2001 Hermann Trophy winner Christie Welsh's Big Ten career goals mark of 82. The 2004 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Weimer has 21 goals this season, and 80 for her career.
Head coach Paula Wilkins is in her fifth season and has already accumulated 92 career wins in her young career. She has led Penn State to a Big Ten championship each of the last four years in addition to a College Cup appearance in 2002.
No. 1 Penn State's (14-0, 6-0 Big Ten) next match is on Friday, Oct. 14, at Ohio State (5-6-2, 2-4 Big Ten). Kick-off will be at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast by CSTV on a taped-delay schedule on the following days and times:
Mon., Oct. 17 at 8p.m. and 11p.m.
Tues., Oct. 18 at 10 a.m.
Thurs., Oct. 20 at Noon
Fri., Oct. 21 at 12:00 a.m.