Penn State men’s hockey defenseman Jackson Smith was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team, and the Nittany Lions were ranked seventh in the conference’s preseason coaches poll, the Big Ten announced Wednesday.

Smith enters his sophomore campaign after earning All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors last year. He recorded 26 points on 11 goals and 15 assists in 35 games, with his 11 goals setting a Penn State single-season record for a defenseman.

Smith joined Minnesota senior Evam Murr as the two defensemen selected to the Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team. Michigan freshman Landon DuPont and Wisconsin sophomore Luke Osborn earned first-team honors.

Penn State’s seventh-place projection comes one year after the Nittany Lions were ranked second in the preseason poll before finishing third in the Big Ten.

The Nittany Lions head into the season with significant roster turnover after Gavin McKenna, Aiden Fink, Matt DiMarsico, Charlie Cerrato, and Kevin Reidler signed NHL contracts during the offseason, and JJ Wiebusch, Nic Chin-DeGraves, and Cade Christenson left through the transfer portal.

Among the newcomers brought in to help replace the lost production are Justin Poirier, Kale Dach, Kaden Pitre, Marco Mignosa, Shea Busch, Justin Larose, and Ryder Fetterolf.

Penn State opens its season against UConn on Friday, October 9, in the Ice Breaker Tournament.