Penn State Altoona's women's soccer team huddles up during a match against Franciscan.
Penn State Altoona Athletics offers recent news about its men's and women's soccer teams and the women's volleyball team.
Men’s soccer
Penn State Altoona men's soccer was voted into third place in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference's (AMCC) 2017 preseason coaches' poll, which was released last Monday.
Penn State Behrend, the AMCC champions in 2016, was selected to the top of the poll with seven first place votes. Medaille College, which was second in the conference standings last fall, was predicted to again place second this season.
Penn State Altoona men's soccer finished third in the AMCC regular season standings last season. The Lions enjoyed a strong 2016 campaign, going 11-8-1 overall with a 6-2-1 mark in the AMCC. The team reached the semifinal round of the AMCC Tournament and also earned a berth into the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Division III Championship Tournament for the first since since 2009. With a strong group of returners this fall, eighth-year head coach Patrick Taylor will look to keep the Lions on track for continued success.
Named as "Players to Watch" for Penn State Altoona this upcoming season were senior midfielder Seth Murrelle (Sayre, Pennsylvania/Sayre) and junior forward Jordan Crist (Alum Bank, Pennsylvania/Chestnut Ridge).
Murrelle was a second team All-AMCC selection last season. He finished second on the Lions in goals scored (7) and assists (4), and he was third on the team in points (18), shots attempted (39), and shots on goal (17).
Crist was a third-team All-Conference pick last fall. He tied for third on Penn State Altoona in goals scored (6) and shots on goal (17) while ranking fourth on the team in points (13).
Women’s soccer
The Penn State Altoona women's soccer team was picked ninth in the 2017 edition of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference's annual preseason coaches' poll.
Penn State Behrend, which won its 12th conference title in 2016, was predicted to repeat as AMCC champions this fall. Pitt-Greensburg, which finished in second place in last year's regular season standings, was voted into second place in the poll. Pitt-Bradford, the third place team in the 2016 standings, was selected third.
Penn State Altoona women's soccer posted a 4-12-1 overall record in 2016, including a 1-7-1 mark in the AMCC. Led by eighth-year head coach Pam Snyder Etters, the Lady Lions will look to find success this fall with a young roster.
Named as a "Player to Watch" for Penn State Altoona this season was senior forward Shoshana Mahoney (Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania/Lake-Lehman). Mahoney was a second team All-AMCC pick last season after leading her team in goals scored (10), points (22), shots attempted (70), and shots on goal (45).
Women’s volleyball
The Penn State Altoona women's volleyball team was voted into second place in the 2017 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference preseason coaches' poll.
Defending AMCC champion Pitt-Bradford was voted first in the poll. La Roche College, which tied for third place in last season's regular season standings, was picked to finish third in this year's poll.
Penn State Altoona women's volleyball placed second in the 2016 regular season standings. The Lady Lions went 13-14 overall, including an outstanding 8-1 record in the AMCC. The team reached the conference championship match and also earned a berth into the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Division III Championship Tournament.
Head coach Phil Peterman, who is entering his 10th year at the helm of the Penn State Altoona women's volleyball program, will look to guide his team on another AMCC Tournament run this fall. The Lady Lions' roster includes a deep and talented group of returners who are poised to keep the team on a path of success this fall.
Named as "Players to Watch" for the Lady Lions this season were junior outside hitter Kelsey Bristol (Troy, Pennsylvania/Troy) and sophomore middle hitter Josie Stovall (Palmyra, Pennsylvania/Palmyra).
Bristol was a first-team, All-Conference selection last season. She ranked third in the AMCC in kills (300), kills per set (3.09), points (347.0), and points per set (3.6). Bristol was also fifth in the conference in service aces (38) and aces per set (0.39), while finishing sixth in digs (451) and digs per set (4.65).
Stovall was a third team All-AMCC pick last year. She was 12th in the conference in points (236.5), 14th in points per set (2.4) and solo blocks (13), 15th in kills (181), 16th in hitting percentage (.195), kills per set (1.87), and total blocks (48), and 17th in block assists (35).
