2024 NCAA Lacrosse Preview: No. 14 Penn State (Women)
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© 2024 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
© 2024 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
The 2024 Division I women's college lacrosse season kicks off February 9. As is our annual tradition, we’re featuring every team ranked in the USA Lacrosse Preseason Top 20 in the lead up to opening day. Check back to USALaxMagazine.com each weekday this month for new previews, scouting reports and rival analysis.
2023 Record: 11-7 (3-3, Big Ten)
Final Ranking (2023): No. 18
Head Coach: Missy Doherty
Assistants: Shanna Brady, Taylor VanThof, Naomi Radio, Katie Haus
In June, the Nittany Lions took a team trip to Spain and Portugal, their first such trip since 2018. It followed a season in which Penn State returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018. Big wins over Rutgers, Princeton and Maryland helped earn an at-large bid despite an RPI of 32, the lowest ever for an at-large bid.
With all but one significant player back, Penn State is determined not just to return to the NCAA tournament again, but to advance further. To do so, the Nittany Lions will need to improve an offense that ranked 65th in the country in scoring while also sustaining its top 25 defense. Taylor VanThof is the new offensive coordinator and also works with the draw takers.
“From the shooting percentage piece, she’s coming in and really being able to tweak our execution a little bit,” head coach Missy Doherty said. “I always felt like we had great chances, just we just didn’t put our shots away. She’s been great with that. We also have a couple more player weapons, too, which helps with options when you’re going in to score.”
The defense remains stout in front of a goalie position that has higher demands after finishing 58th in save percentage. Freshman Syd Manning is pushing returning starter Ashley Bowan. Whoever starts will have the advantage of five returning fifth-year players, including several defenders.
“We’re super excited about our team this year,” Doherty said. “We have a lot of people back, which is like a coach’s dream.”
Sammy Dupcak, D, Sr. (29CT, 54GB)
Ellie Hollin, D, Jr. (27CT, 31GB)
Kristin O’Neill, A, Sr. (51G, 8A)
Penn State’s defense is entirely back. Hollin, a third-team IWLCA All-American, and Dupcak were part of a defense that led the Big Ten in caused turnovers. Three-year captain Rachel Spilker is also back.
“Ellie can really absorb some of the awesome scorers we have in the Big Ten,” Doherty said. “Behind her, the defense is just really smart.”
The veteran defense reads and marks well. The biggest question is whether Bowan or Manning starts in goal.
“That position will be an interesting one,” Doherty said. “A couple more saves wins us some of those close ones from last year.”
Kelly MacKinney, A, Fr. (over 300 career points at Bridgewater-Raritan, N.J.)
Sydney Manning, G, Fr. (54% save percentage at Great Valley, Pa.)
Lilly Spilker, D, Fr. (24CT at Severna Park, Md.)
Lefty attacker Kelly MacKinney will start for an offense that returns eight of nine players who scored at least 15 points. “She’s flown under the radar. I don’t know how,” Doherty said. “She’s awesome.”
MacKinney will pair on the left side with Gretchen Gilmore, who missed the final three games of the season with a torn ACL but is expected back by preseason.
“Those two as lefties are going to be a pretty dynamic area for us on offense,” Doherty said. “We just needed some more goals on offense last year, and those two are going to be amazing.”
Graduations: Brooke Barger, A
Brooke Hoss, A, Jr. (28G, 2A)
Penn State is hoping not to rely so heavily on Kristin O’Neill, who had 20 more goals than any teammate. Brooke Hoss is one of three other returning players that had at least 25 goals, and the Nittany Lions are ready for her to make a jump.
“With more experience, she’s grown in confidence to ready to be an impact attacker,” Doherty said. “I can see her really taking off this year. She’s always done well for us, but I can see her elevating to a new role, which is exciting.
Can Penn State get back into the top three in the Big Ten? Doing so translates well nationally in a conference that boasted last year’s NCAA champion Northwestern. Penn State hasn’t been in the conference’s top three since 2018, the year after it went on to the national final four. They haven’t had the same impact nationally since then, but playing in the Big Ten gives them plenty of opportunity.
“We want to be at the highest level and beating the best teams,” Doherty said. “We needed two or three more impact attackers to come and put some goals away.”
Last year, PSU was off to a good start before an injury to Gilmore spun the Nittany Lions to losses in their final three games of the season. Gilmore is due back from her injury along with leading scorer O’Neill, who should have more help from an attack that looked more balanced in fall scrimmages with Duke and Syracuse thanks to an impact freshman attacker and another year of experience for the returning stars.
“When I’ve coached championship teams, there’s always been an air of confidence about what we’re able to do,” Doherty said. “I do really feel that from this team this year.”
“They’ve been up and down over the years. I do think they have a lot of talent. They’re a step away from all of that clicking and being a dangerous team people have to keep an eye on.”
“Penn State always has athletes. They recruit really well. What you’re starting to see with Penn State is I think there’s a different level of confidence with them when they step on the field.”
The performance of Penn State’s defense was closely tied to its ability to keep a lid on the opposition’s assist-to-turnover ratio. A ratio above 0.38 led to a winless 0-4 record for the Nittany Lions, while keeping it below that threshold flipped their record to 7-1. This statistic reveals the critical importance of Penn State’s pressure tactics in the defensive game plan. The team’s success hinged on its ability to disrupt opponents’ passing and ball-handling, which in turn played a large role in whether a given game was a PSU victory or not.
Justin Feil grew up in Central PA before lacrosse arrived. He was introduced to the game while covering Bill Tierney and Chris Sailer’s Princeton teams. Feil enjoys writing for several publications, coaching and running and has completed 23 straight Boston Marathons. Feil has contributed to USA Lacrosse Magazine since 2009 and edits the national high school rankings.
