UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State baseball, led by head coach Mike Gambino, is set to begin the 2025 season in the inaugural Puerto Rico Challenge on February 13-16, 2025 in the cities of Ponce and Mayagüez. The Nittany Lions are one of eight teams participating in the challenge, produced by JoGi Sports and MB Sports.
Penn State joins UConn, Michigan, Missouri, Rice, Stetson, Villanova and Virginia in the inaugural eight-team field.
"We are honored to play in the inaugural Puerto Rico Challenge," said Gambino. "It's a great opportunity for our players to experience another culture with excellent baseball tradition and love for our game, while being able to play against strong competition from some of the best teams in college baseball."
Games will be played at two professional stadiums in Puerto Rico. In Ponce, games will be played in Francisco "Paquito" Montaner Stadium, home of the Puerto Rico Winter Baseball League's Leones de Ponce. In Mayaqüez, teams will play at Isidoro Garcia Stadium, home of the Indios de Mayagüez.
"The Puerto Rico Challenge is a tremendous opportunity for the island to welcome the best teams in college baseball to our world class facilities in an incomparably beautiful setting," said Edwin Rodriguez, Special Advisor to the Puerto Rico Challenge and former Florida Marlins manager. "It's thrilling to be able to showcase Division I play on our island and our baseball rich culture, all in the same event."
For more information, visit PRBaseballChallenge.com.
The Nittany Lions are set to begin their first season under Gambino in 2024. He was hired in July 2023 as the 15th head coach in Penn State baseball history.
Penn State returns 22 members from the 2023 team. The Nittany Lions welcome 19 newcomers, including 10 transfers and nine freshmen.
