STATE COLLEGE, Pa., December 11, 2001 - The Penn State men's lacrosse team will be back on the field beginning Feb. 24, 2002, when the Nittany Lions open the season with a tough game in South Bend, Ind., to face Notre Dame. Highlighting the 2002 slate are eight home games, including a clash with ECAC Champion Georgetown.
The Fighting Irish, who advanced to the NCAA Tournament semifinals last year, will kick off another challenging schedule for the Nittany Lions. Penn State will be looking for its first ECAC crown and first-ever NCAA Tournament berth this year.
The Lions open the eight-game home schedule with Air Force on Mar. 4. That game kicks off a three-game homestand, including the ECAC Conference opener against the Hoyas on March 9, followed by Cornell on March 16.
Penn State will travel to UMBC (March 23) and Navy (April 12) for ECAC contests. The league now features six teams with the winner of the league earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Besides the Hoyas, the Lions host Massachusetts (March 30) and Rutgers (April 20) in ECAC action.
Other key matchups on the 2002 schedule are a contest at Hobart on April 6, a home game against Bucknell on April 23 and the regular-season finale against Virginia on April 27. Hobart has a strong lacrosse tradition. The Lions pulled out a one-goal win last year in an exciting matchup. The Cavaliers and the Bison were both NCAA Tournament participants last year.
Prior to the start of the season, Penn State will also host two exhibition games. Former Nittany Lions will be on Holuba Field to face current Nittany Lions on Feb. 2. On Feb. 9, the Lions will play Division III power Gettysburg for an exhibition before a final preseason tune up against Lehigh and Drexel on Feb. 16 at a site that has yet to be determined.
Coach Glenn Thiel returns three starters from last season, which saw the Nittany Lions end with a 7-6 record.
2001 PENN STATE MEN'S LACROSSE SCHEDULE
| Sat., Feb. 2 | ALUMNI GAME | 3 p.m. |
| Sat., Feb. 9 | GETTYSBURG (ex.) | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Feb. 16 | Lehigh/Drexel (ex.) | 11 a.m. |
| Sun., Feb. 24 | at Notre Dame | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Mar. 2 | at Fairfield | 1 p.m. |
| Mon., Mar. 4 | AIR FORCE | 3 p.m. |
| Sat., Mar. 9 | GEORGETOWN | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Mar. 16 | CORNELL | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Mar. 23 | at UMBC | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Mar. 30 | MASSACHUSETTS | 1 p.m. |
| Wed., Apr. 3 | DELAWARE | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Apr. 6 | at Hobart | 1 p.m. |
| Fri., Apr. 12 | at Navy | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Apr. 20 | RUTGERS | 7 p.m. |
| Tues., Apr. 23 | BUCKNELL | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Apr. 27 | VIRGINIA | 1 p.m. |
| Apr. 11-12 | NCAA Tournament First Round
at Brown University or University of Delaware |
| Apr. 18-19 | NCAA Quarterfinals
at Hofstra University or Johns Hopkins University |
| Apr. 25 | NCAA Tournament Semifinals
Hosted by Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. |
| Apr. 27 | NCAA Tournament Championship
Hosted by Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. |
CAPS indicates home game at Holuba or Jeffrey Field
