Main Story

No. 19 Penn State heads into a two-game road weekend against No. 13 Indiana and No. 6 Iowa on a seven-game winning streak. The Nittany Lions have surged into the national rankings under first-year coach Hannah Prince, powered by Ella Gaitan’s scoring, Sienna Dunn’s playmaking and a defense led by goalkeeper Aby Deverka.

By the Numbers
  • 7 straight wins, including 3 in overtime.
  • 11 goals and 24 points for Gaitan, both team highs.
  • 19 saves for Deverka, the Big Ten’s leading total at the time of the report.
  • 4,752 home fans this season, the nation’s highest total; average attendance is 526.
  • 192 career saves for Deverka, 8 shy of 200.
Yes, But

Penn State’s momentum faces a major test: Indiana is ranked No. 13, and Iowa is No. 6. Both have potent attacks, with Indiana’s Molly Stutte and Celia Arroyo Cabezudo each scoring 8 goals, while Iowa’s Frederique van Cleef leads her team with 16 goals.

State of Play
  • Penn State is ranked No. 19 for the first time since September 2025 and has reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2022.
  • The Nittany Lions have two ranked wins under Prince and sit No. 14 in RPI, based on games through October 19.
  • Gaitan earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after scoring all 4 of Penn State’s goals against Michigan and in the Ohio State shootout.
  • Home attendance leads the nation, while the average ranks second nationally.
What's Next

Penn State faces Indiana first, then closes the weekend against Iowa. The back-to-back ranked matchups will test whether the Nittany Lions can carry their winning streak and recent form against elite competition.

Bottom Line

Penn State has built real momentum, but this weekend is a high-stakes measure of how far the first-year coaching era has advanced: a strong showing against two top-15 opponents could solidify the Nittany Lions’ national standing.