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The Penn State Nittany Lions are the 12th team in our 2019 schedule preview series and the first team from the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions finished 8-6 in 2018 and 2-3 in Big Ten play. Penn State failed to make the NCAA Tournament in 2018 but also didn’t have Grant Ament for the entire season due to an injury.
Here’s their entire 2019 schedule:
Penn State’s 2019 Schedule
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Special Notes |
| 1/19 | Lafayette | Penn State | Scrimmage |
| 1/26 | Army West Point | Penn State | Scrimmage |
| 2/2 | Villanova | Penn State | |
| 2/9 | Robert Morris | Penn State | |
| 2/16 | Penn State | Stony Brook | |
| 2/23 | Penn State | Yale | First meeting since 2013 |
| 3/2 | Penn | Penn State | |
| 3/8 | Cornell | Penn State | In Charlotte, NC |
| 3/10 | Penn State | Jacksonville | In Charlotte, NC, First ever meeting |
| 3/23 | Penn State | Cleveland State | |
| 3/31 | Penn State | Maryland | Big Ten |
| 4/7 | Ohio State | Penn State | Big Ten |
| 4/13 | Penn State | Michigan | Big Ten |
| 4/20 | Johns Hopkins | Penn State | Big Ten |
| 4/27 | Rutgers | Penn State | Big Ten |
Who’s In?
- Yale Bulldogs (2/23)
- Jacksonville Dolphins (3/10)
Who’s Out?
- Hobart Statesmen (15-8 W)
- Furman Paladins (16-5 W)
- Fairfield Stags (17-13 W)
Average Winning Percentage From 2018 Teams
- Overall: .605
- Nonconference: .584
- Big Ten: .638
Circle These Dates
- 2/2 (vs. Villanova): Last year’s season-opener was a sign of things to come for Penn State. Despite holding a five-goal lead, the Wildcats stormed back to tie the game up in the fourth before John Kluh score the game-winner in overtime. Just like they ended the season, the Nittany Lions lost that important game in the extra session. Let’s hope the gorgeous Panzer Stadium will be the site of this game.
- 2/23 (at Yale): A big nonconference matchup in New Haven pits a very good offense and a very good defense. Another matchup to watch is at the faceoff X between Gerard Arceri and TD Ierlan. Extra possessions will be big in this game, and a Penn State win would be huge for their NCAA Tournament chances.
- 3/8 (vs. Cornell in Charlotte, NC): This was the game where many put the Nittany Lions away for the season and gave way to the return of the Big Red. Things have changed since this meeting, especially with teams finding ways to stop Jeff Teat. Cornell may have found a way to get him open this year, but it will be really vital to stop any production coming from one of the top players in the country.
- 4/13 (at Michigan): Last year’s game against the Wolverines ended in overtime, with Michigan coming out on top. That pretty much ended any hope of Penn State making the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines have built their program for the past two years and are due for a breakout year very soon. This should be a pivotal conference game for both teams.
- 4/27 (vs. Rutgers): The Scarlet Knights are always trying to work their way to the NCAA Tournament. But they’ve come up short in the past three years. Rutgers won last year in Piscataway, but the Nittany Lions took the 2017 meeting at home by six goals. Senior night at Panzer Stadium should be a fun one.
For other schedules and team rosters, check out our Men’s Division I matrix.