ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Penn State women's soccer team has been selected as the favorite to win the 2021 Big Ten Conference championship, according to the annual preseason poll of the conference's head coaches.
The Nittany Lions are the defending Big Ten champions, coming off the 20th regular season championship in program history. Penn State has been chosen first in every Big Ten preseason coaches' poll since 2003. Under the direction of head coach Erica Dambach, the Nittany Lions have won 11 Big Ten regular season championships and four Big Ten Tournament championships as she enters her 15th season as Penn State's head coach. The two-time National Coach of the Year led Penn State to its first national championship in program history and a national runner-up finish in 2012.
Dambach begins the season with 231 wins, and has led Penn State to 14 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Penn State has made an appearance in the NCAA tournament in each of the last 26 seasons. Last season, Penn State advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament, marking the eighth time in the last 10 seasons the Nittany Lions have advanced to at least the third round of the tournament.
Senior captains Kerry Abello and Sam Coffey and redshirt junior Ally Schlegel were named Players to Watch. Each of the three student-athletes collected numerous awards last season which are listed below.
Ally Schlegel
Penn State Female Athlete of the Year
Honda Sport Award Finalist
MAC HERMANN semifinalist
United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American
2020-21 Big Ten Forward of the Year
First-Team All-North Region
United Soccer Coaches Player of Distinction
TopDrawerSoccer Best XI Third Team
CoSIDA Academic All-District
Unanimous All-Big Ten First Team
Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (3/22)
Led Big Ten in Goals (11)
Tied for 10th in NCAA in goals and 11th in points (28)
Sam Coffey
Senior CLASS Award First-Team All-America
CoSIDA Academic First-Team All-America
TopDrawerSoccer Best XI Second Team
First-Team All-North Region
Big Ten Midfielder of the Year
First-Team All-Big Ten
CoSIDA Academic All-District
Academic All-Big Ten
TopDrawerSoccer National Player of the Week (3/23)
TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week (3/2, 3/23)
Ranked third in NCAA in assists (12)
#12 overall selection in 2021 NWSL Draft
NCAA active leader in assists (46)
Kerry Abello
CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year - First in program history
CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American
Senior CLASS Award Second-Team All-America
Big Ten Medal of Honor
Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award
CoSIDA Academic All-District
Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
Academic All-Big Ten
#24 overall selection in 2021 NWSL Draft
The Nittany Lions open the 2021 season on Thursday, August 19 against UMass at Jeffrey Field.
