# 2024 Penn State Nittany Lions women's soccer team

The 2024 Penn State Nittany Lions women's soccer team represents Pennsylvania State University during the 2024 NCAA Division I women's soccer season and the 2024 Big Ten Conference women's soccer season. It is the program's 31st season fielding a women's varsity soccer team and their 31st season in the Big Ten Conference. The 2024 season is Erica Dambach's 18th year as head coach.

## Background

The 2024 season is the Nittany Lions' 31st as a varsity soccer program, and their 31st in the Big Ten Conference. The team is led by 18th-year head coach Erica Dambach, a former head coach for the Harvard program.

## Player movement
### Recruiting class

| Name | Hometown | Club |
| Nicole Crane F | Glen Rock, New Jersey | World Class FC |
| Riley Cross MF | Chatham, New Jersey | PDA |
| Emma Fassora D | Louisville, Colorado | Real Colorado |
| Hannah Jordan MF | Texas | Solar Soccer Club |
| Lily Phillips MF | Wilmington, Delaware | Penn Fusion SA |
| Kennedy Ring F | New York | World Class FC |
| Anna Babcock F | Sedro-Woolley, Washington | Crossfire Premier SC |
| Emma Johnson MF | Indiana | Indy Eleven Pro Academy |
| Elayna Kocher F | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Penn Fusion |
| Paige Pasinski MF | Phoenix, Arizona | SC del Sol |
| Marlee Raymond D | Cumming, Georgia | United Futbol Academy (GA) |
| Olivia Robinson F | Scotch Plains, New Jersey | STA |
| Lily Selvy GK | OFallon, Missouri | Lou Fusz Athletic |
| Layla Tomezak MF | Michigan | Nationals |

## Preseason
### Preseason Big Ten poll

Penn State was predicted to finish 2nd in the Big Ten Conference.
Coaches' Poll :
| Predicted finish | Team |
| 1 | UCLA |
| 2 | Penn State |
| 3 | Michigan State |
| 4 | Nebraska |
| 5 | USC |
| 6 | Wisconsin |
| 7 | Rutgers |
| 8 | Iowa |
| 9 | Ohio State |
| 10 | Indiana |
| 11 | Michigan |
| 12 | Northwestern |
| 13 | Washington |
| 14 | Minnesota |
| 15 | Illinois |
| 16 | Purdue |
| 17 | Maryland |
| 18 | Oregon |

## Squad
### Roster

    As of 8 Sep 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 00 | GK | USA | Amanda Poorbaugh |
| 1 | GK | USA | Mackenzie Gress |
| 2 | MF | USA | Molly Martin |
| 3 | MF | USA | Olivia Damico |
| 4 | DF | USA | Kayleigh Herr |
| 5 | DF | USA | Keegan Schmeiser |
| 6 | GK | USA | Kealey Titmuss |
| 7 | FW | USA | Amelia White |
| 8 | FW | USA | Jolie Farmer |
| 9 | FW | USA | Nicollette Kiorpes |
| 10 | MF | USA | Olivia Borgen |
| 11 | MF | USA | Jordan Fusco |
| 12 | DF | USA | Bella Ayscue |
| 14 | FW | USA | Kaitlyn Macbean |
| 15 | MF | USA | Devon Olive |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | FW | USA | Awbrey Culpa |
| 17 | MF | USA | Ava Minnier |
| 18 | DF | USA | Kaelyn Wolfe |
| 19 | MF | USA | Katie Scott |
| 20 | MF | USA | Natalie Magnotta |
| 21 | FW | USA | Frankee Flesher |
| 22 | MF | USA | Rowan Lapi |
| 24 | FW | USA | Elle Kershner |
| 25 | DF | GER | Mieke Schiemann |
| 27 | FW | IRL | Rebecca Cooke |
| 28 | DF | USA | Ginger Fontenot |
| 26 | DF | USA | Kara Ogden |
| 30 | FW | USA | Addison Hess |
| 31 | MF | USA | Julia Raich |
| 32 | MF | USA | Natalie Wilson |

### Personnel

Front office :
| Athletic Director | Patrick Kraft |
| Coaching staff ||
| Head Coach | Erica Dambach |
| Associate Head Coach | Ann Cook |
| Associate Head Coach | Tim Wassell |
| Assistant Coach | Declan Doherty |
| Director of Operations and Performance Leadership | Kara Cook |
| Support staff ||
| Associate Director of Athletic Training Services | Andra Thomas |
| Assistant Director of Athletic Performance | Brianna Kanz |

## Schedule

| Date Time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Team events | Opponent events | Site (Attendance) City, State |
| Exhibition ||||||||
| August 8* 1:00 PM | | St. John's | –– | –– | –– | –– | Jeffrey Field University Park, PA |
| Pre-season ||||||||
| August 15* 7:00 PM, BTN | | No. 8 Texas Tech | W 4-0 | 1-0-0 | J. Fusco 7' K. MacBean 17' R. Lapi 25' (penalty) A. Kulpa 44' | None | Jeffrey Field (1275) University Park, PA |
| August 22* 5:30 PM, BTN+ | | No. 21 Virginia | L 1-2 | 1-1-0 | K. MacBean 15' K. MacBean 40' L. Evans 72' | M. Cagle 54' M. Cagle 66' | Jeffrey Field (1603) University Park, PA |
| August 25* 1:00 PM, BTN+ | | West Chester | W 5-0 | 2-1-0 | L. Evans 7' K. MacBean 22' J. Fusco 36' O. Smith 51' R. Lapi 78' | None | Jeffrey Field (1283) University Park, PA |
| August 29* 6:00 PM, BTN+ | | West Virginia | W 3-1 | 3-1-0 | J. Fusco 5' K. MacBean 32' A. Kulpa 67' J. Fusco 59' | S. Brown 43' | Jeffrey Field (1450) University Park, PA |
| September 1* 7:30 PM, BTN+ | | at No. 19 Saint Louis | W 2-1 | 4-1-0 | K. MacBean 3' K. MacBean 13' | E. Le 47' (penalty) | Hermann Stadium (1759) St. Louis, MO |
| September 5* 4:00 PM, BTN+ | | at Princeton | W 1-0 | 5-1-0 | J. Fusco 34' | None | Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium (982) Princeton, NJ |
| September 8* 1:00 PM, BTN+ | | at No. 23 Georgetown | T 0-0 | 5-1-1 | K. MacBean 45' | None | Shaw Field (1241) Washington, DC |
| Regular season ||||||||
| September 12 7:00 PM, BTN+ | | Michigan | W 6-0 | 6-1-1 | L. Evans 11' J. Fusco 28' R. Lapi 36' O. Smith 47' K. MacBean 54' J. Fusco 71' O. Smith 33' | None | Jeffrey Field (1103) University Park, PA |
| September 15* 1:00 PM, BTN+ | | Columbia | W 2-1 | 7-1-1 | K. MacBean 15' O. Smith 42' K. MacBean 55' | L. Gonzalez 52' | Jeffrey Field (987) University Park, PA |
| September 19 8:00 PM, BTN+ | | Northwestern | W 1-0 | 8-1-1 | J. Fusco 67' | None | Jeffrey Field (1194) University Park, PA |
| September 22 2:00 PM, BTN | | No. 5 Michigan State | L 0-1 | 8-2-1 | L. Evans 30' | A. Young 76' | Jeffrey Field (1389) University Park, PA |
| September 26 6:30 PM, BTN+ | | at No. 18 Iowa | L 1-2 | 8-3-1 | K. MacBean 54' | M. Carter 15' R. King 63' | Iowa Soccer Complex (345) Iowa City, IA |
| September 29 8:00 PM, BTN | | at Nebraska | W 1-0 | 9-3-1 | R. Lapi 77' | None | Hibner Stadium (821) Lincoln, NE |
| October 4 7:00 PM, BTN+ | | Rutgers | T 1-1 | 9-3-2 | J. Fusco 38' J. Fusco 50' | E. Hansen 62' | Jeffrey Field (1284) University Park, PA |
| October 10 6:00 PM, BTN+ | | at Maryland | W 5-0 | 10-3-2 | K. MacBean 7' J. Fusco 19' O. Smith 33' L. Evans 59' A. Kulpa 66' | None | Ludwig Field (672) College Park, MD |
| October 13 3:00 PM, BTN+ | | Minnesota | W 3-2 | 11-3-2 | J. Fusco 21' O. Smith 49' K. MacBean 79' O. Smith 53' | S. Davis 12' T. Carter 44' | Jeffrey Field (1011) University Park, PA |
| October 17 9:00 PM, BTN | | at No. 10 UCLA | T 0-0 | 11-3-3 | K. MacBean 45' | None | Wallis Annenberg Stadium (2043) Los Angeles, CA |
| October 20 6:00 PM, BTN+ | | at No. 9 USC | L 1-2 | 11-4-3 | K. MacBean 57' L. Evans 61' | N. Gray 33' C. Wilson 70' | Dignity Health Sports Park (2030) Carson, CA |
| October 27 12:00 PM, BTN | | at No. 21 Ohio State | L 1-4 | 11-5-3 | K. MacBean 73' E. Dambach 85' | J. Bonham 18' S. Jones 61' A. Poremba 74' K. Dudukovich 85' K. Dudukovich 90' | Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (1122) Columbus, OH |
| Big Ten Tournament ||||||||
| November 1* 7:30 PM, BTN+ | (10) No. 22 | at (7) Minnesota First Round | W 1-0 | 12-5-3 | M. Schiemann 88' K. Herr 79' | K. Childers 88' | Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium (462) Saint Paul, MN |
| November 4* 3:00 PM, BTN | (10) No. 22 | vs. (2) No. 9 UCLA Quarterfinals | L 0-1 | 12-6-3 | M. Martin 22' | N. Fraser 35' B. Marin-Valencia 52' J. Perry 86' | Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium (215) Saint Paul, MN |
| NCAA Tournament ||||||||
| November 16* 6:00 PM, ESPN+ | (4) No. 22 | Stony Brook First Round | W 8-1 | 13-6-3 | K. Macbean 8' B. Ayscue 16' J. Raich 36' R. Cooke 41' K. Scott 51' R. Cooke 63' A. Kulpa 87' A. Kulpa 87' | L. Setteducate 57' | Jeffrey Field (693) State College, PA |
| November 22* 2:00 PM, ESPN+ | (4) No. 22 | vs. (5) No. 7 TCU Second Round | W 1-0 | 14-6-3 | K. Macbean 46' | none | Seminole Soccer Complex Tallahassee, FL |
| November 24* 2:30 PM, ESPN+ | (4) No. 22 | vs. (8) Vanderbilt Sweet 16 | W 3-1 | 15-6-3 | A. Kulpa 41' N. Wilson 58' R. Lapi 65' | C. Betts 7' | Seminole Soccer Complex Tallahassee, FL |
| November 29* 12:00 PM, ESPN+ | (4) No. 22 | vs. (2) No. 8 North Carolina Elite 8 | * | * | * | * | Dorrance Field Chapel Hill, NC |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from United Soccer Coaches. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||||

## Awards and honors

| Recipient | Award | Date |
| Jordan Fusco | TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week | August 20, 2024 |
| Kaitlyn MacBean | TopDrawerSoccer National Player of the Week | September 3, 2024 |
| Kaitlyn MacBean | Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week | September 3, 2024 |
| Mieke Schiemann | Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week | September 17, 2024 |
| Mackenzie Gress | Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week | October 15, 2024 |
| Erica Dambach | Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame | October 24, 2024 |
| Kaitlyn MacBean | First-Team All-Big Ten | October 31, 2024 |
| Jordan Fusco | Second-Team All-Big Ten | October 31, 2024 |
| Mieke Schiemann | Second-Team All-Big Ten | October 31, 2024 |
| Devon Olive | Big Ten Sportsmanship Award | October 31, 2024 |

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| United Soccer | 4 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 22 | | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released |
| Top Drawer Soccer | Not released | 7 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 12 | | |