It’s almost time for Penn State men’s soccer, folks.

While fans have spent the past few months missing the blue and white, head coach Jeff Cook and the team have been hard at work finalizing the pieces for a return to the Big Ten Championship. Trying to improve from last year’s NCAA Tournament snub, here’s what’s in store for the Nittany Lions this season.

Where The Nittany Lions Left Off

The last time we saw the Nittany Lions play, they heartbreakingly fell to Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament Final.

Penn State finished its season 10-4-5 overall, 5-3-3 in the Big Ten, in a strong showing. The Nittany Lions missed the NCAA Tournament after Indiana was the only team to reach that stage of the postseason from the Big Ten.

Offseason

Penn State lost some key players in the offseason, with Peter Mangione, Kris Shakes, and Femi Awodesu all graduating and entering the pros.

Mangione started all 19 games, leading the team with 10 goals and 4 assists, captaining the Nittany Lions side. The captain was picked up by FC Cincinnati 2, the MLS Next affiliate of FC Cincinnati.

Fellow captain Awodesu played in 18 games, grabbing three goals and six assists while ensuring the back line proved a problem against all opponents. He joined Houston Dynamo’s second team after a standout preseason.

Behind Awodesu in the net was Shakes, who started in all 19 games, allowing only 15 goals while racking up 64 saves over the season. He is ranked third all-time in program history with a cumulative 273 saves. The netminder signed a professional contract with the USL’s New Mexico United back in February.

A handful of other players left the Nittany Lions, the most notable being defender Alex Stevenson, who graduated after five seasons, and midfielder Quentin Flowers, who entered the transfer portal.

Key Returners

While last year’s captains and goalkeeper may have graduated, there are countless key players returning to the squad.

Up top, Samson Kpardeh and Atem Kato played decent roles last season, combining for three goals and four assists.

Leading the midfield, Caden Grabfelder and Freddie Bell had standout true freshman seasons, with both being named in the top 100 freshmen by Top Drawer Soccer. Grabfelder tallied three goals and three assists, named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Bell recorded 10 starts and two assists, with both expected to take on bigger roles in their second year.

Van Danielson is another strong name returning to the pitch, with the super sub having the chance to step into a starting role after Mangione’s departure. Averaging only 37 minutes per game last season, Danielson scored four goals, second in the team. He’s proven himself as a goalscorer and has the chance to become the leader going into the season.

Sean Bettenhausen and Ben Liscum also return in the midfield as strong, proven squad players.

Back in the defense, star Matthew Henderson will return for his junior year after starting all 19 games last season, contributing to seven clean sheets. Henderson is a versatile player, scoring one goal and assisting five, and will be a strong anchor in the back line this year.

Samuel Ovesen, Mohamed Cisset, and Morgan Marshall all contributed to the defense’s success last season and will return with strong experience.

Incoming, Noteworthy Players

Penn State has a slew of exciting incoming freshmen and experienced transfer players to add to the strong competition for the starting eleven.

Kojo Dadzie is entering from Brown where he has played for the last four seasons, scoring seven goals in 2023 on attack.

Michael Hewes switched Pennsylvania teams, coming to Penn State after captaining Penn last season. Hewes notched 15 goals and four assists in his 30 career stats.

Chase Oliver also joins the midfield from Wake Forest, where he recorded seven goals and seven assists through his 66 appearances.

Colgate goalkeeper and graduate student Andrew Cooke also made the switch to Happy Valley with a .600 save percentage and 123 saves in 40 appearances.

While the incoming freshman class may lack collegiate experience, there is no question about their power and accolades.

Attacker Bryce Flowers was a unanimous All-State and All-League forward as he led the New England Revolution to the MLS Next Cup Championship two years in a row. His brother Tyler also joins in the same recruiting class, as he anchored the team as a defensive midfielder in the championship, proving both Flowers as winners.

Sebastian Delacruz will bring a strong presence to the defense, after playing for USL League Two club West FC where he led with eight assists and was selected for the 2023 MSL Next All-Star game.

What’s Next?

Penn State will open its seventh season under Cook at reigning National Champions Clemson on Thursday, August 22. The Nittany Lions will return home to play Army for their home opener on Sunday, August 25.