UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's lacrosse team was ranked 21st in the IWLCA Preseason Poll, released on Monday. Sophomore goalie Taylor Suplee was also named an honorable mention Preseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse on Monday. Suplee was an honorable mention All-American selection following the 2020 season.
The Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Missy Doherty, started the 2020 season with a 5-2 record before it was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Penn State is also ranked 18th in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Poll.
Penn State averaged 13.7 goals per game, ranking third in the Big Ten. Maria Auth led the Nittany Lions with 22 goals and 11 assists.
Suplee made a major impact for the Nittany Lions in 2020, helping Penn State to rank fourth in the country, and lead the Big Ten, with a .531 save percentage.
The Maryland native was among the national and Big Ten leaders in multiple statistical categories to end the 2020 season. The sophomore led the Big Ten and ranked second in the country averaging 12.43 saves per game. Suplee sat fifth in the nation, and second in the conference, with 87 saves.
Suplee also recorded a .527 save percentage, holding seventh in the country and second in the Big Ten, and ranked fourth in the conference with a 12.27 goals-against average. She led the Big Ten, and ranked seventh in the nation, averaging 4.0 groundballs per game.
The sophomore made double-digit saves in six of seven games in 2020, including a career-high 20 saves in a 19-9 win over Cornell. She also had 12 saves at Towson, 12 vs. Lehigh, 15 vs. Loyola (MD), 10 at James Madison and 11 at Vanderbilt. She has 15 career double-digit save efforts.
Suplee collected two Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week awards and was named Academic All-Big Ten.
Through her first two seasons in Happy Valley, Suplee has made 252 saves in 24 starts with a 12.18 goals-against average and a .496 save percentage.
Penn State has 26 returning members from the 2020 squad. The Nittany Lions also welcomed nine freshmen who made up Inside Lacrosse's top 2020 recruiting class in the nation.
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensLacrosse) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewlax).
