July 3, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Season tickets for the defending Big Ten Champion Penn State Lady Lions' 14-game home schedule are now on sale at the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office or by calling 800-NITTANY. Season tickets are $99 for adults, $50 for youth (12 and under), which includes a membership to the Nittany Lion Kids Club, and $234 for Premium Courtside Seats.
Season ticket holders will receive a parking pass for complimentary parking for the 2012-13 season ($70 value), as well as an exclusive season ticket holder gift, invitation to an open practice with a private autograph session, invitation to a season ticket holder pre-game reception, invitation to a Season Ticket Holder Party, 10% Merchandise Discount at the Penn State Bookstore at the BJC on game days ONLY and a guaranteed seat location for each 2012-13 regular season home games.
Additionally, the PNC Flex Book is also on sale now for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, including one for the Coaches vs. Cancer game and one for the Pink Zone game, that can be redeemed for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets in any combination.
Parking for non-season ticket holders will be $5 per game at the Bryce Jordan Center this season.
The Lady Lions' 14-game non-conference and Big Ten schedule will be announced at a later date.
Penn State continued its rise by collecting its first Big Ten regular-season championship and NCAA Sweet Sixteen bid since the 2003-04 campaign with a 26-7 overall record and a 13-3 mark in conference play. The Lady Lions were ranked throughout the season in the Associated Press poll and for all but one week in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll. Penn State finished 11th in the AP poll and ninth in the coaches' poll, the highest rankings for the program since the 2003-04 season. The expectations will be high entering 2012-13 as the Lady Lions return nine letterwinners and four starters from that Big Ten Championship team.
Leading the way for the Lady Lions is the All-American backcourt tandem of senior Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.). Bentley garnered first team All-Big Ten honors for the second-straight season and also took home honorable mention WBCA All-America accolades. She was second in the Big Ten and in the Top 20 nationally in steals, averaging 3.0 per game. The Big Ten All-Defensive team choice led Big Ten action with 49 steals in 16 games, becoming the first Lady Lion to lead the league in steals since Jess Strom did it in back-to-back years in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Additionally, Bentley was 11th in the conference in scoring (14.1), fourth in assists (4.7) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4). Lucas earned first team All-Big Ten and honorable mention Associated Press All-America honors after finishing third in the conference in scoring at a 19.5 per game clip and was just the fourth different Lady Lion to score more than 600 points in a season with 642 tallies on the year. Lucas was also Top 10 in the league in free throw percentage (.886 - 3rd), three-point field goal percentage (.410 - 3rd) and three-pointers made (2.5 - 2nd). The Narberth, Pa. native is just the third sophomore in school history to reach 1,000 points.
The Lady Lions also return starters Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) and Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.). Greene garnered All-Big Ten third team accolades after accounting for 9.8 points and a team-best 7.8 rebounds. Greene ranked in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in rebounding (4th), field goal percentage (7th- .472) and blocked shots (5th - 1.4). Her 176 career blocks are fifth in school history. Nickson fought through a series of injuries to claim All-Big Ten honorable mention honors as she averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Additionally, she was named to the NCAA Tournament Kingston All-Region team after tallying 19 points, five rebounds and two steal against eventual National Semifinalist Connecticut. In Big Ten play, Nickson was eighth in rebounding (7.5) and 10th in field goal percentage (.455).
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.