UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women’s soccer program secured an at-large selection in the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championships on Monday evening, the 30th consecutive selection for the Nittany Lions since their inaugural appearance in the program’s second varsity campaign back in 1995. The Blue & White extended the second-longest national postseason streak in women’s college soccer following Monday evening’s release from the tournament’s selection committee.
Penn State was selected as the No. 4 seed in the Tallahassee regional, the 18th seeded selection in program history. Penn State (12-6-3) welcomes the Colonial Athletic Conference Champion Stony Brook Seawolves (14-3-3) to Jeffrey Field on Saturday, November 16, at 6 p.m. (ET). Ticketing information will be released as it becomes available. PSU will host its 13th opening-round match in the past 14 seasons, with the only exception coming during the COVID-maligned 2020-21 campaign that was played solely at neutral venues.
The Nittany Lions boast one of the strongest resumes in the 2024 NCAA Tournament field, coming in at the No. 8 position in the organization’s ratings percentage index (RPI) while notching the toughest strength of schedule in Division I women’s soccer. PSU compiled a 12-6-3 overall record in the 2024 campaign highlighted by a pair of nationally ranked victories against Texas Tech and Saint Louis, as well as a Big Ten Tournament First Round victory over the tournament host Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday, November 1. Penn State’s 2024 campaign featured a 5-4-2 finish in Big Ten Conference competition, with the Nittany Lions earning a B1G Tournament postseason berth for the 29th time, the only program in Big Ten history to reach all 29 women’s soccer tournaments.
On an individual basis, Penn State is led by a trio of All-Big Ten Conference honorees with First Team selection Kaitlyn MacBean headlining the group. MacBean, a native of Excelsior, Minnesota, has guaranteed her place at the top of the national conversation in terms of offensive production, with the veteran Nittany Lion striker ranking inside the top 10 nationally in terms of both total goals and match-winning goals. MacBean stands as the scoring leader on the Nittany Lions’ 31st varsity roster, accumulating 29 total points split between 14 goals and a lone assist earlier in the year. She is joined by a pair of Second Team All-B1G selections in senior midfielder Jordan Fusco, as well as veteran senior defender Mieke Schiemann.
Penn State stands as the fifth-highest seeded representative from the Big Ten Conference and joins USC (No. 1 – Los Angeles), UCLA (No. 2 – Durham), Iowa (No. 3 – Durham), Ohio State (No. 3 – Los Angeles), Michigan State (No. 5 – Durham), Wisconsin (No. 5 – Los Angeles), Minnesota (No. 6 – Tallahassee), Rutgers (No. 6 – Starkville) and Washington (No. 9 – Starkville). The Big Ten is tied for the highest number of national postseason representatives from the 30 Division I conferences, joining the Southeastern Conference’s 10 selections overall. The Atlantic Coast Conference booked nine total selections as well as two national No. 1 seeds, with the Big 12 Conference rounding out the Power Four with seven bids.
In total, Penn State played 13 different NCAA Tournament teams over the course of the 2024 campaign, logging 15 matches against those opponents in that timespan. Defending national champion Florida State garnered a No. 1 seed, while the Duke Blue Devils earned the national No. 1 overall seed. Big Ten rival USC and SEC challenger Mississippi State rounded out the remaining top seeds in their respective regions. Each of the four No. 1 seeds will have the opportunity to host in every round pending advancement until the Women's College Cup, which will be played at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, beginning on Dec. 6 and concluding on Dec. 9.
NCAA WOMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS
FIRST ROUND
Jeffrey Field – University Park, Pa.
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Stony Brook (14-3-3) at No. 4 Penn State (12-6-3) | 6 p.m. (ET)
PENN STATE AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
TEAM APPEARANCES…………..30
ALL-TIME TEAM RECORD……..63-27-3
BEST FINISH…………………………NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (2015)
HIGHEST SEED……………………..No. 1 (2005, 2007, 2012, 2015)
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State women’s soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion women’s soccer team on X and Instagram @PennStateWSOC, in addition to the team’s Facebook page at /PSUWomensSoccer.