UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State women's lacrosse returns home for the first time in two weeks to host Drexel for a midweek matchup.
First draw between Penn State and the Dragons is set for 4 p.m. (ET) at Panzer Stadium.
Game Info
Who: Penn State vs. Drexel
What: Morgan’s Message Game
Where: University Park, Pa. – Panzer Stadium
When: Wednesday, February 26 at 4 p.m. (ET)
Free Admission
Parking
Spectators can park in the Jordan East or Stadium West lots. Fans can pay for parking using the Honk app. QR codes for the download link can be found at the entrance to each lot.
Nittany Lions vs. Drexel
The Nittany Lions and the Dragons have faced off 11 times times in program history. While Penn State has the all-time edge, 9-2, The Dragons were the winners of the last meeting, 10-8. In the defensive battle, senior Meghan Murray led the scoring for the Nittany Lions with three goals. Payton Wainman and Gretchen Gilmore followed with two assists and two goals, respectively.
Scouting the Dragons
Drexel enters Wednesday’s contest with a 2-2 record, most recently toppling Harvard, 14-12. The Dragons opened the 2025 season with a one-goal loss at Connecticut, before dominating Wagner 16-3.
Drexel’s home opener ended as a narrow loss to No. 12 Penn before last week’s neutral site battle against the Crimson. Harvard, though unranked last week, finds itself ranked No. 24 this week.
Jenika Cuocco is the player to watch on the opposing side. The goalkeeper earned a preseason All-American nod, was named the CAA Preseason Player of the Year, and earned a spot on the 2025 Tewaaraton Watch List. The redshirt junior is a two-time CAA Goalkeeper of the Year and led the nation in saves (224) and save percentage (.569) in 2024.
Last Time Out
The Nittany Lions dropped their second road test of the 2025 season at Pittsburgh, 12-10. PSU posted a 9-1 run beginning in the second quarter and spanning through the end of the game, but Pitt’s strong first quarter powered the Panthers to their first win in the all-time series.
Junior Erika Ho and senior Brooke Hoss earned hat tricks on the day, with Ho adding an assist to lead the Nittany Lions in assists with four. Sophomore Delaney Radin also hit the three-point mark with a goal and two assists.
Preseason Nods
Penn State enters the 2025 season ranked No. 19 in the USA Lacrosse preseason poll and KANE Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. In the Big Ten preseason poll, the Nittany Lions were picked to finish fifth.
Senior captain Ellie Hollin has been raking in the preseason recognitions. The defender has been named a consensus preseason first-team All-American and earned a spot on the Tewaaraton watch list.
Hollin also earned nod from the conference offices, being named a Big Ten Player to Watch. She joined sophomores Sydney Manning and Kelly MacKinney on the list.
Getting Younger
Where the Nittany Lions' returned 29-of-33 players from 2023 to 2024 roster, the 2025 roster boasts 24 sophomores and freshmen by class eligibility.
Manning and MacKinney highlight the group after their breakout seasons in 2024.
MacKinney returns as the fourth-leading scorer from last year. The then-freshmen posted 39 points on 14 goals and 25 assists. The attacker ranked in top ten in the conference and led the team with her assist total and assist per game mark (1.32).
Manning was named the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season. The then-freshman has started 16 games in her rookie campaign, making 100 saves. She also scooped up 24 ground balls. The netminder made 15 save in the upset victories over No. 1 Northwestern and No. 4 Maryland in 2024.
Fresh Faces
Penn State adds 12 freshmen to the 2024 roster: Dakota Cristo, Arden Jansen, Alexa Kairis, Brooke Lattanzi, Brooke Long, Allie Meyer, Meggie Rezza, Porter Rhoades, Ava Stummer, Victoria Tomonto, Grace Tullock, and Ellie Wisch.
In addition to the rookies, Penn State added transfers Lily Strohecker (Navy) and Delaney Radin (Florida).
On the Lookout
- Delaney Radin is eight points away from 25 on her career.
- Erika Ho is eight points away from 25 on her career. She is two draw controls away from 25 this season.
- Ellie Hollin is 10 caused turnovers away from 75 on her career.
- Kelly MacKinney is 12 assists away from 50 in her career.
- Sydney Manning is 22 saves away from 150 in her career.
Up Next
The Nittany Lions stay home this weekend to host Cornell on Saturday, March 1 for the Panzer Party game. First draw is set for 1 p.m. at Panzer Stadium.