Eleven wins, 20-plus awards, four PLL prospects, a Big Ten Tournament run and an NCAA Tournament appearance all jam-packed into one 2024 college lacrosse season.
The four-month journey to return to Philadelphia began in the heart of winter for the Nittany Lions with two preseason scrimmages.
The matchups against Bucknell and Army fueled the excitement around the No. 4-ranked blue and white team that flashed its capabilities retained from the 2023 NCAA semifinal run — a run embedded into fans' minds after they were one missed call away from a championship appearance.
As the calendar page flipped to February, opening day arrived against an unranked Colgate squad that shot out of the gates.