Goals from Ally Schlegel, Mieke Schiemann, and Penelope Hocking propelled the Nittany Lions over the Hawks, along with three saves from goalkeeper Katherine Asman.
"The quality we showed in creating and scoring the goal was excellent, and I think we're capable of doing that more often."
Despite a 1-0 lead for the majority of the match, the Nittany Lions couldn't recover after a Rhode Island penalty kick conversion.
After serving as vice-captains last season, Kuhn and Mangione will officially lead the Nittany Lions this upcoming season.
The trophy is annually given to the National Player of the Year.
In addition to climbing four spots in the national rankings, freshman Amelia White earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.