Penn State began their 2017 campaign with a 3-0 start at the West Virginia Tournament with wins over Tennessee-Martin, Delaware and West Virgina. This season will be tough for Penn State, as they will face Stanford twice, as well as a packed Big Ten Conference slate.
The impending goal for any team is to make the NCAA Tournament and win the title. Penn State’s head coach, Russ Rose, has accomplished this feat a number of times, knowing what it takes to win and build a successful team.
“I always think there are high expectations in programs that have had great success over the course of time. You hope that’s why players come to your institution to continue a tradition, as opposed to some schools that say since they don’t have one they want to start one of their own. I look at it as these guys came here to be apart of the success that we’ve had,” said Rose.
Rose knows a thing or two about success, having won seven national titles in his 39 seasons at Penn State. The first came in 1999 over Stanford in a three set sweep, while his next four came consecutively from 2007-10. In those four years, the Nittany Lions took down Stanford twice, Texas and California. His next two came consecutively as well, with a win over Wisconsin in 2013 and BYU in 2014.
Both players in attendance of the press conference, seniors Haleigh Washington and Ali Frantti know what it is like to finish the season with a big win and disappointment. Three seasons ago, their freshman year, they took home the NCAA National Title over BYU. The disappointment in 2016 came when they lost a five-setter to Nebraska in the Sweet Sixteen, ending their run for a second national title.
The Nittany Lions has a tough upcoming schedule, as they will take on the defending national champions, Stanford and Texas A&M at the Texas A&M Tournament.
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