MEET THE NITTANY LIONS
#1Daniel Peluffo-Wiese
GK
#3Arian Recinos
D
#5Joe Sheridan
D
#6Noah Förster
D
#7Luca Sowinski
M
#8Joven Mann
M
#11Kyler Vojvodic
F
#12Dylan Mirakian
F
#27Justin Ross
GK
#14Morgan Marshall
D
#16Sheridan McNish
D
#17Nehan Hasan
M
#18Moritz Weber
D
#19Toby Grant
D
#20Ryan Sterling
F
#22Joe Buckley
D
#23Grant McIntosh
M
#24Beckham Brown
D
#27Sam Fielding
M
#31Fredrick Grundin
GK
#32Etienne Reck
F
#41Peter Doran
MMATCH NOTES
KICKOFF
The Nittany Lions look to return to the win column this week when the team hosts in-state rival Pittsburgh of Friday evening at 7 p.m.
PSU won the opening match against Mercyhurst, but most recently dropped a 3-1 decision to Missouri State over the weekend.
Coach Dow became the first coach to win their Penn State career opener since Bob Warming took down Buffalo, 5-0, to open the 2010 season and his Penn State career when his squad came back to beat Mercyhurst on August 20.
B1G THINGS
The Nittany Lions had three student-athletes tabbed as Big Ten Players to Watch the conference offices announce Tuesday afternoon.
The group includes Daniel Peluffo-Wiese, Noah Förster, and Joe Buckley.
Through two games, Förster made his impact immediate, dishing an assist on Penn State’s first goal under Coach Dow and earning his first career start in game two.
Peluffo-Weise has totaled five saves in two contests.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
Through two matches, Penn State ranks eighth nationally and second in the Big Ten in corner kicks per game, averaging nine per contest.
Penn State is one of the most accurate shooting team in the Big Ten, getting 58.6 percent of its shots on goal. The percentage ranks second in conference.
Peluffo-Wiese has made the second most saves and third-most saves per game in the Big Ten so far this season.
PURUSING THE PANTHERS
The Panthers hold a record of 368-197-72 under 11th-year head coach Jay Vidvodich.
Pittsburgh finished the 2025 season in the ACC Quarterfinals, dropping a 1-0 contest to California, capping off a sub .500 season at 6-7-5.
Pitt was picked 11th in the preseason ACC poll, and defender Niklas Sørensen was named to the ACC Preseason Player to Watch List.
Sørensen and Grabfelder also both landed on TopDrawerSoccer’s Preseason Top 100 List, checking in at No. 71 and No. 79, respectively.
Sørensen, a junior, started 12 of 13 games in 2025 and helped anchor the Panthers’ back line to five clean sheets and a 1.28 GAA. He earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors in 2024, when he made 19 starts and logged a team-high 1,634 minutes.
Grabfelder joins the Panthers as a transfer from Penn State. In 2025, he appeared in 16 games (14 starts), tallying two goals and five assists across 1,283 minutes.
STORY OF THE SERIES
This game marks the 38th meeting all-time between the two programs.
The Nittany Lions boast a heavy edge in the all-time series, leading 24-9-4.
The rivalry, which last occured in the 2024 season, has been an on-and-off again affair since at least the 1966 season.
In the last meeting, Penn State had a early edge, jumping out to a 1-0 lead at halftime, but the No. 3-ranked Pathers stormed back to seal a 2-1 victory at Jeffrey Field. Then Nittany Lion, now Pitt Panther, Caden Grabfelder was sent off in the 73rd minute after recieving his second yellow card of the match on a hard tackle from behind.
FREE ADMISSION & SEATING
FREE ADMISSION
Admission to all Penn State men's soccer home matches is free to the public. Seating is general admission and available to fans on a first-come, first-served basis. Re-entry is permitted. Penn State's team bench is located on the southeast side nearest University Drive and the Jeffrey Field Soccer Complex. The visiting team bench is located on the southwest side nearest the intersection of University Drive and Park Avenue.
Gates to Jeffrey Field open 60 minutes prior to kickoff. Spectator gates to Jeffrey Field are located on either side of the Jeffrey Field Soccer Complex near the northeast and southeast corner flags.
GROUPS
Interested in bringing your group to Jeffrey Field for an unforgettable experience? Email Tyler Schell at tzs246@psu.edu to set up an opportunity for you and your group in Happy Valley!
BAG POLICY
There will be no restrictions on bags at Jeffrey Field, however, bags may be subject to search upon entry to the facility.
PARKING
GAMEDAY PARKING LOCATIONS
Parking on the Penn State University campus requires a valid university permit or payment of an applicable fee. Parking will be available at the Commuter Lots, which includes Stadium West, Jordan East, and Porter North.
PARKING PAYMENT OPTIONS
Free Parking:
- No charge with a valid Penn State faculty/staff or student parking permit.
Prepaid Parking via ParkWhiz:
- Reserve online at ParkWhiz (Link below)
- Rates:
- $5.60 if purchased virtually by 11:59 p.m. the day before the event
- $10 if purchased virtually past midnight on the day of the event
- View the purchased ParkWhiz pass for the available parking times for each match.
Day-of-Event Payment:
- Available via in-lot pay stations or HONK (see in-lot signage for instructions) beginning two hours before the start of each match.
- Special Event Pricing:
- If overlapping with a Bryce Jordan Center concert or show, day-of-event parking may cost up to $30 for those without a permit or prepayment.
Hourly Parking:
- Available at the East Deck for most games:
- $2 for the first hour
- $1 for each additional hour
PROMOTIONS
View the 2026 Penn State men's soccer season promotions in the attached graphic, or see the full outlined list of single-match promotions below!
SINGLE-MATCH PROMOTIONS
August 20 vs. Mercyhurst | Home Opener
August 28 vs. Brown | 11v100 Night
September 4 vs. Yale | THON Match
September 18 vs. Michigan State | Mack Brady Match
September 28 vs. UCLA | Scarf Night
October 2 vs. Ohio State | White Out presented by Miter Brands
October 28 vs. Duquesne | Senior Day presented by the Penn State Alumni Association
CONCESSIONS
FOOD & BEVERAGE OPTIONS
Penn State Athletics is proud to partner with Oak View Group to offer various concession offerings at Jeffrey Field! Please note, concessions at Jeffrey Field are available for purchase via credit/debit card only.
There is one concessions stand at Jeffrey Field located on the south side of the Jeffrey Field Soccer Complex nearest the southeast corner flag and Penn State team bench.
As a reminder, outside food and beverage is PROHIBITED at Jeffrey Field.
ACCESSIBILITY & ADA
ADA COMPLIANCE AT JEFFREY FIELD
ADA parking is available for all Penn State men's soccer home matches in the designated ADA parking spots in front of the Jeffrey Field Soccer Complex (JFSC). Entry to the ADA lot is guarded by a lot attendant. Enter the lot through the Stadium West entrance, and have either an ADA placard or license plate visible when entering the JFSC lot.
All Jeffrey Field spectator entrances are ADA compliant. ADA ramps are available to the seating areas at Jeffrey Field near the two main spectator entrances in the northeast and southeast corners of the venue.
ADA seating is available near the midfield line in both the north and south stands at Jeffrey Field.