“I’m back.”

Penn State women’s soccer forward Kaitlyn MacBean will return with the Nittany Lions for the 2025 season, the program announced Thursday.

The following statement was released today by Kaitlyn MacBean, returning United Soccer Coaches All-American and First Team All-B1G selection, in response to questions about her future career plans:

"I'm back."#WeAre | #PSWS pic.twitter.com/ImwfDDWhLR

— Penn State Women’s Soccer (@PennStateWSOC) May 1, 2025

MacBean is coming off one of her best seasons with the Nittany Lions where she scored 16 goals and two assists and led the team to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament before losing in a heartbreaker against the eventual champions, North Carolina. In the process, she earned All-American and All-Big Ten honors after starting in all of Penn State’s 25 matches last season.

“I am grateful for my time at Penn State and for all of the opportunities I have received thus far,” MacBean said in a statement. “This program has brought me lifelong friendships and has helped shape me into the person that I am today. I feel like there is unfinished business, so I am thrilled to be returning for my final year of eligibility in 2025. This team is special, and I am so excited to get back to work in Happy Valley!”

The veteran forward is one of the most successful players on the women’s team as she has appeared in 67 total matches and made 45 starts since her first season with the Nittany Lions in 2022. She has scored 29 goals along with nine total assists in her three seasons. In her first season, she only scored three goals before scoring 10 in 2023 and 16 last season.

“Our entire coaching staff is extremely excited to have Katilyn MacBean back with us for the 2025 season,” head coach Erica Dambach said. “Kaitlyn is one of the most dominant attacking players in the nation, and her contributions to our program over the past few years have been instrumental in our success both on and off the field. Being able to welcome back a returning All-American and First Team All-Big Ten caliber player is an opportunity we could never pass up, and we cannot wait to see all that our team can accomplish this year with Katilyn back on the field.”

MacBean’s return is a significant boost for a Penn State team that has five starters returning and is working to improve from its quarterfinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. It is coming off a 15-win season along with a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal appearance.