Penn State Nittany Lions field hockey explained

Penn State Nittany Lions field hockey
Founded:	1964
University:	Pennsylvania State University
Conference:	Big Ten Conference
Location:	State College, Pennsylvania
Coach:	Charlene Morett
Tenure:	28th season
Stadium:	Penn State Field Hockey Complex
Capacity:	750
Nickname:	Nittany Lions
Ncaachampion:	1980 (AIAW), 1981 (AIAW)
Ncaarunnerup:	1979 (AIAW), 2002, 2007
Ncaafrozenfour:	1982, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2007, 2022
Ncaatourneys:	1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022
Conference Tournament:	1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2012, 2016
Conference Season:	1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2022

The Penn State Nittany Lions field hockey team is the intercollegiate field hockey program representing Pennsylvania State University. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), although it was also previously a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). The Penn State field hockey team plays its home games at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex on the university campus in State College, Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions captured the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national championship twice, in 1980 and 1981, and have won 10 regular-season conference titles as well as eight conference tournament championships. While Penn State has qualified for the NCAA tournament 30 times, and has made seven appearances in the semifinals and two in the championship game, it has never won the NCAA national championship. The team is currently coached by Charlene Morett.

History

Field hockey has been a varsity sport at Penn State since 1964. In 1980 and 1981, the Nittany Lions won back-to-back Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national championships.^[1] Penn State played in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) between 1988 and 1990, and has been a member of the Big Ten Conference since 1992.^[2] The team has won 10 regular-season conference titles (three in the A-10 and seven in the Big Ten) as well as eight conference tournament championships (two in the A-10 and six in the Big Ten).^[3] The Nittany Lions have appeared in the NCAA tournament 30 times, including seven appearances in the semifinals and two in the championship game, but have never won the NCAA national championship. Penn State is currently coached by Charlene Morett, who is in her 28th season as the program's head coach.^[4] Before Morett's tenure began in 1987, the Nittany Lions had previously been coached by Pat Seni (1964–68), Nancy Bailey (1969), Tonya Toole (1970–73), and Gillian Rattray (1974–86).

Season-by-season results

Year	Head Coach	Overall	Conf.	Pct.	Conf. Place	Conf. Tourn.	Postseason
1964	Pat Seni	4–0	–	–	–	–	–
1965		1–3–1	–	–	–	–	–
1966		1–2–1	–	–	–	–	–
1967		3–2	–	–	–	–	–
1968		2–2–1	–	–	–	–	–
1969	Nancy Bailey	3–3	–	–	–	–	–
1970	Tonya Toole	1–5–1	–	–	–	–	–
1971		5–3	–	–	–	–	–
1972		4–3–1	–	–	–	–	–
1973		3–2–3	–	–	–	–	–
1974	Gillian Rattray	5–2–2	–	–	–	–	–
1975		6–4–2	–	–	–	–	–
1976		9–3–2	–	–	–	–	–
1977		8–8	–	–	–	–	–
1978		13–1–3	–	–	–	–	–
1979		18–3	–	–	–	–	AIAW Runner-Up
1980		20–0–2	–	–	–	–	AIAW Champions
1981		19–2–1	–	–	–	–	AIAW Champions
1982		14–6	–	–	–	–	NCAA Final Four
1983		14–3–5	–	–	–	–	NCAA 2nd Round
1984		14–8–1	–	–	–	–	NCAA 1st Round
1985		16–4–1	–	–	–	–	NCAA 1st Round
1986		18–5–2	–	–	–	–	NCAA Final Four
1987	Charlene Morett	14–5–2	–	–	–	–	NCAA 1st Round
1988		15–6–1	2–0		1st (West)	2nd	NCAA 2nd Round
1989		18–3–1	4–0–1		1st	1st	NCAA 1st Round
1990		21–4	4–1		T1st	1st	NCAA Final Four
1991		18–3–1	–	–	–	–	NCAA Final Four
1992		16–5–1	8–2		2nd	–	NCAA 2nd Round
1993		20–2	9–1		1st	–	NCAA Final Four
1994		13–7–2	6–3–1		2nd	T3rd	NCAA 2nd Round
1995		15–9	6–4		T2nd	1st	NCAA 2nd Round
1996		14–9	6–4		T2nd	1st	NCAA 1st Round
1997		18–6	7–3		T1st	1st	NCAA 2nd Round
1998		18–5	8–2		1st	1st	NCAA 2nd Round
1999		17–5	8–2		2nd	T3rd	NCAA 1st Round
2000		17–6	5–1		2nd	2nd	NCAA 1st Round
2001		12–7	3–3		T4th	T5th	–
2002		19–5	4–2		3rd	T3rd	NCAA Runner-Up
2003		18–7	3–3		4th	2nd	NCAA 2nd Round
2004		10–10	3–3		4th	T5th	–
2005		17–4	6–0		1st	T3rd	NCAA 1st Round
2006		16–6	4–2		T2nd	2nd	NCAA 2nd Round
2007		16–8	3–3		4th	T3rd	NCAA Runner-Up
2008		13–7	5–1		1st	T3rd	NCAA 1st Round
2009		7–13	1–5		T6th	T3rd	–
2010		14–6	4–2		3rd	T3rd	NCAA 1st Round
2011		17–6	4–2		3rd	1st	NCAA 2nd Round
2012		18–4	5–1		1st	1st	NCAA 2nd Round
2013		13–6	5–1		T1st	T3rd	NCAA 1st Round
2014		16–6	5–3		4th	T3rd	NCAA 2nd Round
2015		9–10	4–4		T4th	T3rd	-
2016		17–2	6–2		2nd	1st	NCAA 1st Round
2017		16–4	6–2		T2nd	2nd	NCAA 2nd Round
2018		12–6	6–2		3rd	T5th	NCAA 1st Round
2019		8–12	4–4		T5th	2nd	-
2020		7–7	5–2		2nd	T5th	-
2021		14–6	6–2		T2nd	T3rd	NCAA 1st Round
2022		17-4	7–1		1st	T3rd	NCAA Final Four

Season-by-season results through the end of the 2022 season^[5] ^[6] ^[7] ^[8]

Awards and accolades

National championships

Before the advent of NCAA field hockey, Penn State won two AIAW national championships, in 1980 and 1981. Since the NCAA has sanctioned field hockey, the Nittany Lions have appeared in the NCAA tournament 30 times, including seven appearances in the semifinals and two in the championship game, although they have never won the NCAA national championship.

Year	Coach	Opponent	Score	Record
1980	Gillian Rattray			20–0–2
1981	Gillian Rattray		5–1	19–2–1

Conference championships

Penn State has won 10 conference titles, three in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) and seven in the Big Ten Conference.

Year	Coach	Conference Record	Overall Record	Conference	NCAA Result
1988		2–0	15–6–1		NCAA 2nd Round
1989		4–0–1	18–3–1	A-10	NCAA 1st Round
1990		4–1	21–4	A-10	NCAA Final Four
1993		9–1	20–2		NCAA Final Four
1997		7–3	18–6	Big Ten	NCAA 2nd Round
1998		8–2	18–5	Big Ten	NCAA 2nd Round
2005		6–0	17–4	Big Ten	NCAA 1st Round
2008		5–1	13–7	Big Ten	NCAA 1st Round
2012		5–1	18–4	Big Ten	NCAA 2nd Round
2013		5–1	13–6	Big Ten	NCAA 1st Round
10 Conference Championships 3 A-10 Championships, 7 Big Ten Championships

National Player of the Year winners

width=	Year	width=	Player
1982	Brenda Stauffer

All-Americans

width=	Season	width=	Player	width=	Remarks
1977
1978	Chris Larson
1978	Charlene Morett	Second first-team selection
1979	Candy Finn
1979	Jeannie Fissinger
1979	Charlene Morett	Third first-team selection
1979	Jan Snyder
1980	Candy Finn	Second first-team selection
1981
1982	Tracy Houston
1982	Judy Mahaffey
1982	Brenda Stauffer	Second first-team selection
1985	Mary McCarthy
1985	Chris Vitale
1986	Mary McCarthy	Second first-team selection
1987	Tami Worley
1988	Lisa Bervinchak
1988	Tami Worley	Second first-team selection
1989	Kristen Winters
1990	Chelle Frates
1990
1990	Kristen Winters	Second first-team selection
1991	Susann Bisignaro
1991	Michelle Brennan
1991	Stacy Gilburg
1991	Christine McGinley
1991	Jen Stewart
1991	Eleanor Stone	Second first-team selection
1992	Becca Main
1992	Christine McGinley	Second selection
1992	Amy Stairs
1992	Jen Stewart	Second selection
1993	Kristie Benedict
1993	Chris Blais
1993	Becca Main	Second selection
1993	Christine McGinley	Third selection; Second first-team selection
1993	Shelly Meister

width=	Season	width=	Player	width=	Remarks
1994	Chris Blais	Second selection
1994	Sharon Kuntz
1994	Jill Pearsall
1995	Jen Coletta
1995	Meghann Spratt
1996	Heather Gorlaski
1996	Tara Maguire
1997	Heather Gorlaski	Second selection
1997	Kim Hicks
1997	Dawn Lammey
1997	Sonje Volla
1998	Traci Anselmo
1998	Heather Gorlaski	Third selection; Second first-team selection
1998	Dawn Lammey	Second selection
1998	Jamie Smith
1998	Sonje Volla	Second selection
1999	Traci Anselmo	Second selection
1999	Maegan Gaile
1999	Tracy Larson
1999	Mandy Robinson
2000	Traci Anselmo	Third selection; Second first-team selection
2000	Kiley Kulina
2000	Jill Martz
2001	Kiley Kulina	Second selection
2001	Timarie Legel
2001	Jill Martz	Second selection
2002	Kelly Concini
2002	Heather Conroy
2002	Timarie Legel	Second selection
2002	Jill Martz	Third selection; Second first-team selection
2003	Heather Conroy	Second first-team selection
2003	Timarie Legel	Third selection
2003	Neilye Stoner

width=	Season	width=	Player	width=	Remarks
2004	Amanda Eckert
2004	Bekah Hostetler
2005	Natalie Berrena
2005	Sara Cahill
2005	Kiersten Wood
2006	Jen Beaumont
2006	Annelise Legel
2006	Jen Long
2006	Kiersten Wood	Second selection
2007	Jen Long	Second selection
2007	Allison Scola
2007	Mallory Weisen
2007	Kiersten Wood	Third selection; Second first-team selection
2008	Jen Beaumont	Second selection
2008	Jen Long	Third selection; Second first-team selection
2008	Allison Scola	Second selection
2010	Kelsey Amy
2010	Ayla Halus
2010	Jessica Longstreth
2011	Kelsey Amy	Second selection
2011	Laura Gebhart
2011	Ayla Halus	Second selection
2012	Kelsey Amy	Third selection; Second first-team selection
2012	Laura Gebhart	Second selection
2012	Brittany Grzywacz
2013	Laura Gebhart	Third selection
2013	Brittany Grzywacz	Second selection
2014	Laura Gebhart	Fourth selection
2014	Taylor Herold

Olympians

width=	Olympics	width=	Player	width=	Country
1980	Chris Larson
1980	Charlene Morett
1984	Chris Larson
	Charlene Morett
	Brenda Stauffer

Individual honors through the end of the 2014 season^[9]

Stadium

Penn State has played its home games at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex since its opening in 2005. The complex has a seating capacity of 750, and boasts an advanced field watering system as well as floodlights that allow for the playing of night games. Built adjacent to Bigler Field, the former home of the Nittany Lions field hockey program, the Penn State Field Hockey Complex has witnessed success both on the field and in the stands; in both 2005 and 2006, Penn State did not lose a home game all season, while in 2006 the school finished fifth in the country in home attendance (2006 was the first year that the NCAA kept attendance statistics for field hockey). Before the Nittany Lions field hockey team moved to the complex in 2005, it had previously played at four other venues: Pollock Field (1964–75), Lady Lion Field (1976–88), Holuba Hall (1989–95), and Bigler Field (1996–2004).^[10]

Notes and References

Web site: 2014 Penn State Field Hockey Yearbook. Penn State Athletics. Issuu. 3 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141112181404/http://issuu.com/gopsusports/docs/2014_fh_yearbook. 12 November 2014.
Web site: Women's Field Hockey Record Book. Atlantic10.com. Atlantic 10 Conference. 3 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141111223804/http://www.atlantic10.com/fls/31600/pdfs/fhocrecords.pdf?CONTENT_ID=981062&DB_OEM_ID=31600&DB_OEM_ID=31600. 11 November 2014.
Web site: Big Ten Field Hockey Record Book. BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. 3 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141024054906/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/big10/sports/w-fieldh/auto_pdf/2014-15/misc_non_event/FHRecordsBook.pdf. 24 October 2014.
Web site: Charlene Morett-Curtiss. GoPSUsports.com. Pennsylvania State University. 3 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140925204932/http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/w-fieldh/mtt/charlene_morett_curtiss_304190.html. 25 September 2014.
Web site: 2014 Field Hockey Standings. BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. 5 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006214847/http://www.bigten.org/sports/w-fieldh/spec-rel/w-fieldh-standings.html. 6 October 2014.
Web site: 2014 Big Ten Conference Field Hockey Tournament. MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. 5 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141205203135/http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-fieldh/spec-rel/big-ten-2014.html. 5 December 2014.
Web site: Three Big Ten teams make 2014 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament. BTN.com. 9 November 2014 . Big Ten Network. 5 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141205203547/http://btn.com/2014/11/09/three-big-ten-teams-make-2014-ncaa-field-hockey-tournament/. 5 December 2014.
Web site: 2014 Division I Field Hockey Tournament. NCAA.com. National Collegiate Athletics Association. 5 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141114204441/http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/fieldhockey/d1/2014. 14 November 2014.
Web site: Eleven Big Ten Players Earn NFHCA All-America Honors. December 1, 2014. BTN.com. Big Ten Network. 5 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141205212906/http://www.bigten.org/sports/w-fieldh/spec-rel/120114aab.html. 5 December 2014.
Web site: The Penn State Field Hockey Complex. GoPSUsports.com. Pennsylvania State University. 3 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141007165021/http://www.gopsusports.com/facilities/astroturf-field.html. 7 October 2014.