THIS WEEK'S PREVIEW
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (0-0, 0-0 B1G) will open up the 2020-21 field hockey season with a Big Ten battle on Feb. 28. The Lions will head to the Virginia Beach Field Hockey Complex in Virginia Beach, Va., for the first of two weekends spent at the site as the Big Ten embarks on a 14-game conference slate. Penn State will take on Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 12:45 p.m. The Nittany Lions' original opener was to be against Michigan on Friday, Feb. 26, but that game has been postponed due to COVID issues within the Wolverine program.
The Big Ten Conference announced the 2020-21 field hockey schedule this afternoon and the Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team will play a 14-game slate. Head coach Char Morett-Curtiss and her Penn State squad will play four neutral site games, six home games and four road games beginning in February and ending in April.
The conference will utilize a neutral site in Virginia Beach, Va., for two weekends in February to get the season started for all nine conference squads. Penn State will head to the site for each weekend. The Nittany Lions open up their season on Friday, Feb. 26, with a neutral site game in Virginia against Michigan. The team then battles Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 28. The next weekend, Penn State will face Northwestern on Friday, March 5, and Iowa again on Sunday, March 7.
The Nittany Lions are set to open up home play at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex with two games against Maryland in Happy Valley. The Lions and Terrapins will battle on Friday, March 12, and Sunday, March 14. Morett-Curtiss' crew hits the road the next weekend for two games at Michigan State. Penn State and MSU tangle on Friday and Sunday, March 19 and 21.
After a week off, Penn State travels to Rutgers for two game with the Scarlet Knights. The Lions and Rutgers battle on Friday and Sunday, April 2 and 4. Penn State's last four games are at home over the next two weekends. The Lions welcome Indiana on Friday and Sunday, April 9 and 11. The regular season concludes with Penn State hosting Ohio State on Thursday and Saturday, April 15 and 17. The Big Ten Tournament will be at Iowa on April 20-24.
Start times and television broadcast designations for Big Ten field hockey events will be announced shortly as they become available.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on twitter @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
THIS WEEK'S ACTION
Penn State (0-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. Iowa (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
DATE: Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021
SITE: Virginia Beach, Va.
Penn State Head Coach: Char Morett-Curtiss
Iowa Head Coach: Lisa Cellucci
All-Time Series: Iowa leads 29-26-1
Last Meeting: L, 0-1 OT (11/10/19)
NOTES
PENN STATE RETURNS FIVE SENIORS TO LEAD TEAM THROUGH 2020-21 SEASON
Five veteran players return to lead head coach Char Morett-Curtiss' squad through a unique 2020-21 campaign. Bree Bednarski, Madison Hutson, Abby Myers, Emma Spisak and Hannah Zemaitis comprise Penn State's senior class. Bednarski had seven points a year ago off three goals and an assist and has played in 50 games, including a year at Michigan. Hutson anchors the Lion midfield and defense and started all 20 games for the Lions a year ago. Myers had seven points last year and has 26 for her career. She has played in 60 games as a Lion, starting 30. Spisak had six points off two goals and two assists a year ago and has played in 44 games at Penn State. Zemaitis has played in 64 games during her career, including two seasons at Hofstra.
FIRST NFHCA COACHES POLL TO RELEASE IN MARCH
The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) has announced that the first coaches poll of the 2020-21 season will be released in March.
