Penn State women’s soccer climbed four spots to No. 10 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll Wednesday afternoon. The Nittany Lions earned the No. 14 spot in the preseason poll three weeks ago, and since their two season-opening games against Georgetown and Duquesne, jumped to the 10th-highest ranked team nationally.

A competitive 2-2 tie against then-No. 14 Georgetown and a confident 3-0 shutout against Duquesne propelled Penn State to its new ranking with the help of newcomers Penelope Hocking and Amelia White.

Hocking, along with Ally Schlegel, Payton Linnehan, and Elle Kershner, lit up the offensive line for the Nittany Lions. Hocking, a USC transfer and former Pac-12 Forward of the Year, tallied four shots against Duquesne and created several opportunities for her teammates in her first two matches for Penn State.

As for White, the true freshman notched two assists in the books in the Nittany Lions’ opening week of play. She showcased consistency throughout the two games, tallying an assist in each, along with a valuable tenacity in the lineup.

White also earned Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week honors after her performances against Georgetown and Duquesne. Payton Linnehan, now a senior, was the most recent Nittany Lion to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2019.

The Nittany Lions’ next matchup is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 24, at Jeffrey Field against West Virginia. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Jeffrey Field is lined up to host a doubleheader on Thursday night, as the Penn State men’s soccer team is scheduled to kick off against Rhode Island at 8:30 p.m. immediately following the women’s matchup.