Coming off an AHA Championship and No. 1 ranking in the Preseason AHA Coaches Poll, the Nittany Lions open the year holding the eighth spot in the USCHO Preseason Division I Women’s Poll, the highest USCHO preseason ranking in program history.

Penn State is the only AHA team ranked in the preseason poll. However, the team will face multiple ranked opponents in St. Lawrence (No. 9), Northeastern (No. 15), Cornell (No. 4), and Ohio State (No. 2).

For the third straight year, Tessa Janake was named the Preseason Player of the Year after leading Penn State with 24 goals and 29 assists and becoming the program’s all-time points leader.

Janake, a Patty Kazmaier Award top-10 finalist, headlines four Nittany Lions on the Preseason All-AHA Team alongside Katie DeSa, Kednal Butze, and Katelyn Roberts. DeSa, the reigning AHA Goaltender of the Year, set a program record with 27 wins last season.

Penn State will open its season at home against No. 9 St. Lawrence at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 25. The game will be streamed on BTN+.