UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 2 Penn State Women’s Volleyball is gearing up for an exciting weekend as they prepare to host an NCAA Regional at Rec Hall for the first time since 2017. The Nittany Lions will take on Marquette in a Regional Semifinal match this Friday. The match is scheduled to begin thirty minutes after the earlier contest between Creighton and Texas, which starts at 1 p.m.
The winners from Friday’s matches will move on to the Regional Final, set for this Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Fans can catch both matches live on ESPN2, while the Sunday final will air on ESPN.
This week’s competition marks the 36th NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance for Penn State out of a possible 44 tournaments. The Nittany Lions have a rich history at Rec Hall, going 71-3 in NCAA Tournament matches held there. Furthermore, they have won a total of seven national titles in their volleyball program.
Under head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, this will be Penn State’s third NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance. The team holds a strong postseason record of 6-2 with her at the helm.
In terms of how they got here, Penn State grabbed an automatic bid to the tournament after finishing the season with a remarkable 29-2 record and clinching their first Big Ten title since 2017. They opened the NCAA Tournament with a convincing 3-0 win over Delaware State and followed that up with a 3-1 win against North Carolina, powered by a standout performance from Jess Mruzik.
Marquette, the Nittany Lions’ opponent, earned their spot in the tournament with a 23-8 record. They advanced after defeating Florida Gulf Coast and the 17th-ranked Utah, thanks in part to Aubrey Hamilton’s impressive double-double in their last matchup.
Historically, Penn State has a good track record against current Big East teams, boasting a 67-6 record. The Nittany Lions will be looking to add to that success this Friday against Marquette, whom they previously defeated in their only meeting back in 2013.
With an impressive home winning streak of 22 matches at Rec Hall and a passionate fanbase behind them, the Nittany Lions will aim to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament this year.
PARKING ADVISORY: Fans are encouraged to check the university’s website for important parking information related to this weekend’s event.
