2017 NCAA Top 10 Countdown: No. 4 Penn State

Penn State: This Year's Team To Beat?

The freshmen of Penn State's 2014 national championship squad are now seniors, and they’re ready to take another crack at it.

Last Season


24-10, 14-6 Big Ten
NCAA Regional Semifinals (3-2 loss to Nebraska)

The Players


Returning Stars

Abby Detering | 6-foot | Senior | Setter
Ali Frantti | 6-1 | Senior | Outside Hitter
Tori Gorrell | 6-2 | Redshirt Sophomore | Middle Blocker
Keeton Holcomb | 5-7 | Junior | Defensive Specialist
Simone Lee | 6-1 | Senior | Outside Hitter
Lainy Pierce | 5-8 | Senior | Defensive Specialist
Heidi Thelen | 6-2 | Senior | Opposite
Haleigh Washington | 6-3 | Senior | Middle Blocker
Bryanna Weiskircher | 6-0 | Redshirt Junior | Setter
Kendall White | 5-5 | Sophomore | Libero

Biggest Losses

None

The Newcomers

Cami May | 6-2 | Freshman | Opposite
Michaela Putnicki | 6-1 | Freshman | Outside Hitter

Preseason Matches To Watch


Texas A&M Tournament | College Station, Texas
Sept. 1 vs. Stanford
Sept. 2 at Texas A&M

Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge | Champaign, Illinois
Sept. 8 vs. Colorado
Sept. 9 vs. Stanford

Outlook


Penn State is bringing back all of its starters for 2017. With an all-star senior class, featuring Haleigh Washington, Simone Lee, Ali Frantti, Abby Detering, Lainy Pierce, and Heidi Thelan, the Nittany Lions will be rich in leadership and experience.

We saw flickers of how good this Penn State team can be last year when the Lions defeated then-No. 1 Minnesota early in the conference season and finished the year ranked fourth in the Big Ten. Against Nebraska in the NCAA tournament, Penn State won the first two sets, before losing in five.

Add to the mix Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year Michaela Putnicki and Cami May, one of the top 50 recruits in the class of 2017, and you’ve got a Penn State team with depth as well as experience.

Prediction


The 2017 senior class won a national championship in 2014, and they are hungry to return to the final four. Behind the leadership of Lee, Frantti, and Washington, this team is our pick to win the Big Ten and make it to Kansas City.


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