Penn State Lady Lions basketball

Last updated
Penn State Lady Lions
Basketball current event.svg 2025–26 Penn State Lady Lions basketball team
Penn State wordmark.svg
University Pennsylvania State University
First season1965
Athletic director Patrick Kraft
Head coach Carolyn Kieger (6th season)
Conference Big Ten Conference
Location University Park, Pennsylvania
Arena Bryce Jordan Center
(capacity: 15,261)
Nickname Lady Lions
ColorsBlue and white [1]
   
Uniforms
Kit body thinsidesonwhite.png
Kit body basketball.svg
Kit shorts blanksides2.png
Kit shorts.svg
Home
Kit body thinwhitesides.png
Kit body basketball.svg
Kit shorts whitesides.png
Kit shorts.svg
Away
NCAA tournament Final Four
2000
Other NCAA tournament results
Elite Eight1983, 1994, 2000, 2004
Sweet Sixteen1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2014
Appearances1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
AIAW tournament appearances
1976
Conference tournament champions
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996
Conference regular-season champions
1985, 1986, 1991, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2013, 2014

The Penn State Lady Lions basketball team represents Pennsylvania State University and plays its home games in the Bryce Jordan Center. In 2013, the Lady Lions became just the 12th program in NCAA Division I history to reach 850 wins. [2] Penn State has won 8 regular season Big Ten titles and the first 2 Big Ten tournament titles in 1995 and 1996. Prior to joining the Big Ten, the Lady Lions competed in the Atlantic 10 conference. [3] The Lady Lions have 25 NCAA tournament appearances as of 2014, the most in the Big Ten. The team's best post-season finish came in 2000 when the Lady Lions reached the Final Four before losing to eventual champion UConn. The Lady Lions captured the WNIT title in 1998 defeating Baylor 59–56 in Waco, Texas. Notable alumni include WBCA First Team All-Americans Suzie McConnell, Susan Robinson, Helen Darling, and Kelly Mazzante. ESPN correspondent Lisa Salters is the shortest player in Lady Lions history at 5'-2".

Contents

Current coaching staff

PositionNameYearAlma mater
Head coach Carolyn Kieger 2019 Marquette University (2006)
Assistant coach Terri Williams 2022 Penn State (1991)
Assistant coachSharnee Zoll-Norman2022 Virginia (2008)
Assistant coachTiffany Swoffard2023 Austin Peay State University (2002)
Assistant coachPam Brown2019 UNC Charlotte (2006)
Assistant coach Natisha Hiedeman 2023 Marquette University (2019)
Director of Program DevelopmentKatie Glusko Sosnoskie2023 West Virginia (2006)

Pink Zone at Penn State

Annually, the Lady Lions don pink jerseys in support of several organizations that fight breast cancer in what is now known as the "Pink Zone at Penn State" game. The Lady Lions were the first Division I team in the nation to wear pink jerseys, [4] a growing trend in athletics. Then-head coach Rene Portland developed the idea in 2006 with money from the Big Ten Conference, and the first game (termed the "Think Pink" game) occurred in February 2007 against Wisconsin. [5] In 2012, the Pink Zone at Penn State raised a record $203,000 to distribute to its beneficiaries. [6]

All-time season results

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Marie Litner (Independent)(1965–1970)
1965Marie Litner 3–1
1966Marie Litner 3–2
1967Marie Litner 2–3
1968Marie Litner 4–2
1969Marie Litner 3–3
1970Marie Litner 5–1
Marie Litner:20–12
Mary Ann Domitrovitz (Independent)(1971–1974)
1971Mary Ann Domitrovitz 6–2
1972Mary Ann Domitrovitz 4–3
1973Mary Ann Domitrovitz 3–5
1974Mary Ann Domitrovitz 5–3
Mary Ann Domitrovitz:17–13
Pat Meiser (Independent)(1974–1980)
1974–75Pat Meiser 7–7EAIAW Mid-Atlantic Tournament
1975–76Pat Meiser 10–10 AIAW First Round
1976–77Pat Meiser 13–8EAIAW Mid-Atlantic Tournament
1977–78Pat Meiser 21–5EAIAW Mid-Atlantic Tournament
1978–79Pat Meiser 21–8EAIAW Mid-Atlantic Tournament
1979–80Pat Meiser 20–14EAIAW Mid-Atlantic Tournament
Pat Meiser:92–52
Rene Portland (Independent, Atlantic 10 (1982–1991), Big Ten (1992–Present))(1980–2007)
1980–81Rene Portland 19–9EAIAW Mid-Atlantic Tournament
1981–82Rene Portland 24–6 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Atlantic 10 Conference
1982–83Rene Portland 26–7 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1983–84Rene Portland 19–126–22nd NCAA first round
1984–85Rene Portland 28–57–11st (tie) [3] NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1985–86Rene Portland 24–812–41st (tie) [3] NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1986–87Rene Portland 23–716–22nd NCAA second round
1987–88Rene Portland 20–1311–74th NCAA second round
1988–89Rene Portland 14–1412–64th
1989–90Rene Portland 25–715–33rd NCAA second round
1990–91Rene Portland 29–217–11st NCAA second round
Independent
1991–92Rene Portland 24–7 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Big Ten Conference
1992–93Rene Portland 22–614–43rd NCAA second round
1993–94Rene Portland 28–316–21st NCAA Elite Eight
1994–95Rene Portland 26–513–31st NCAA second round
1995–96Rene Portland 27–713–32nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1996–97Rene Portland 15–128–86th
1997–98Rene Portland 21–138–87th WNIT Champions
1998–99Rene Portland 22–812–42nd NCAA second round
1999-00Rene Portland 30–515–11st NCAA Final Four
2000–01Rene Portland 19–1011–54th NCAA first round
2001–02Rene Portland 23–1211–52nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2002–03Rene Portland 26–913–31st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2003–04Rene Portland 28–615–11st NCAA Elite Eight
2004–05Rene Portland 19*-1113–33rd NCAA first round
2005–06Rene Portland 13–166–107th
2006–07Rene Portland 15–167–95th
Rene Portland:606*-236271–95
Coquese Washington (Big Ten)(2007–2019)
2007–08Coquese Washington 13–184–1410th
2008–09Coquese Washington 11–186–127th
2009–10Coquese Washington 17–148–106th WNIT First Round
2010–11Coquese Washington 25–1011–52nd NCAA second round
2011–12Coquese Washington 26–713–31st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2012–13Coquese Washington 26–614–21st NCAA second round
2013–14Coquese Washington 24–813–31st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2014–15Coquese Washington 6–243–1513th
2015–16Coquese Washington 12–196–1211th
2016–17Coquese Washington 21-119-77thWNIT Third Round
2017–18Coquese Washington 16-166-1011th WNIT First round
2018–19Coquese Washington 12-185-1312th
Coquese Washington:209–16998–111
Carolyn Kieger (Big Ten)(2019–Present)
2019–20Carolyn Kieger 7–231–1714th
2020–21Carolyn Kieger 9–156–1311th
2021–22Carolyn Kieger 11–185–1312th
2022–23Carolyn Kieger 14–174–14T–12th
2022–23Carolyn Kieger 19–129–9T–6th WBIT
Carolyn Kieger:60–8525–66
Total:1,007–563 (.641)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

* The Lady Lions finished 19–11 in 2004–05, but three wins were credited to assistant head coach Annie Troyan.

Source: [7]

Postseason results

NCAA Division I

YearSeedRoundOpponentResult
1982 #4First Round
Sweet Sixteen		#5 Clemson
#1 USC		W 96-75
L 70-73
1983 #5First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		#4 NC State
#1 Cheyney
#2 Old Dominion		W 94-80
W 73-72
L 60-74
1984 #8First Round#1 Old DominionL 65-87
1985 #3First Round
Sweet Sixteen		#6 UNC
#2 Ohio State		W 98-79
L 78-81
1986 #3First Round
Sweet Sixteen		#6 NC State
#2 Rutgers		W 63-59
L 72-85
1987 #5First Round#4 Ole MissL 75-80
1988 #9First Round
Second Round		#8 La Salle
#1 Auburn		W 86-85
L 66-94
1990 #7First Round
Second Round		#10 Florida State
#2 Virginia		W 83-73
L 64-85
1991 #1Second Round#8 James MadisonL 71-73
1992 #3Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#11 DePaul
#2 Ole Miss		W 77-54
L 72-75
1993 #3Second Round#6 GeorgetownL 67-68
1994 #1First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		#16 Fordham
#9 Kansas
#4 Seton Hall
#6 Alabama		W 94-41
W 85-68
W 64-60
L 82-96
1995 #2First Round
Second Round		#15 Jackson State
#7 NC State		W 75-62
L 74-76
1996 #2First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#15 Youngstown State
#10 Kent State
#6 Auburn		W 94-71
W 86-59
L 69-75
1999 #8First Round
Second Round		#9 Virginia
#1 Louisiana Tech		W 82-69
L 62-79
2000 #2First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four		#15 Youngstown State
#7 Auburn
#3 Iowa State
#1 Louisiana Tech
#1 Connecticut		W 83-63
W 75-69
W 66-65
W 86-65
L 67-89
2001 #6First Round#11 TCUL 75-77
2002 #4First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#13 Chattanooga
#5 FIU
#1 Connecticut		W 82-67
W 96-79
L 64-82
2003 #4First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#13 Holy Cross
#5 South Carolina
#1 Tennessee		W 64-33
W 77-67
L 58-86
2004 #1First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		#16 Hampton
#8 Virginia Tech
#5 Notre Dame
#2 Connecticut		W 79-42
W 61-48
W 55-49
L 49-66
2005 #4First Round#13 LibertyL 70-78
2011 #6First Round
Second Round		#11 Dayton
#3 DePaul		W 75-66
L 73-75
2012 #4First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#13 UTEP
#5 LSU
#1 Connecticut		W 85-77
W 90-80
L 59-77
2013 #3First Round
Second Round		#14 Cal Poly
#6 LSU		W 85-55
L 66-71
2014 #3First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		#14 Wichita State
#11 Florida
#2 Stanford		W 62-56
W 83-61
L 57-82

AIAW Division I

The Nittany Lions made one appearance in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 0–2.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1976 First Round
Consolation First Round		 Delta State
Southern Connecticut State 		L, 46–88
L, 51–63

Awards and honors

Atlantic 10 awards

Big Ten awards

National and regional awards

Wade Trophy

  • 1992, Susan Robinson

Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award

CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year

Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year

  • 1991, Susan Robinson

WBCA Coach of the Year

USBWA Coach of the Year

Black Coaches & Administrators Female Coach of the Year

References

  1. ↑ "Design Essentials". Brand.PSU.edu. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  2. ↑ "2012–13 Penn State Lady Lion Basketball" (PDF). Grfx.cstv.com. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  3. 1 2 3 Waterman, Tom, ed. (2015). 2015-16 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Media Guide. Richmond, Virginia: Atlantic 10 Conference. p. 77. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  4. ↑ "State College, PA – Penn State Women's Basketball: Lady Lions Volunteer Time at Pink Out Day". Statecollege.com. 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  5. ↑ "Pink Zone game growing - the Daily Collegian Online". www.collegian.psu.edu. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "2012 Pink Zone Donates Record ,000 to Breast Cancer Charities – Penn State Official Athletic Site". Gopsusports.com. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  7. ↑ "All-Time Results" (PDF). Grfx.cstv.com. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.