WINTHROP, Mass. – After compiling its second-best win total in program history and making its second-straight College Hockey America (CHA) semifinal appearance last season, the Penn State women's hockey team was chosen to finish fourth in the 2019-20 version of the CHA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Nittany Lions completed the 2018-19 season in fourth place with a conference record of 6-9-5 and an overall mark at 13-14-9.
The full poll is listed below and the CHA release can be found here: 2019-20 CHA Preseason Poll.
- Mercyhurst – 22 points (3 first place votes)
- Robert Morris – 20 points (1)
- Syracuse – 19 points (2)
- Penn State – 15 points
- RIT – 8 points
- Lindenwood – 6 points
Head Coach Jeff Kampersal and the program have several highlights to build off from the 2018-19 season, including marquee road wins over No. 5 Colgate and Boston University, along with a program-best four CHA all-conference performers. Three of those student-athletes – senior goaltender Jenna Brenneman (second team), junior forward Natalie Heising (first team), and sophomore defender Jessica Adolfsson (rookie team) – all return for the 2019-20 campaign.
Penn State returns 20 student-athletes from last season's team with four incoming freshmen. The current junior and sophomore class accounted for 65.8 percent of the team's overall scoring a year ago. The Nittany Lions also sported the conference's top defensive unit with a 2.00 goals-against average.
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