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Penn State Women’s Basketball: Coach Carolyn Kieger energizes program

By Robert Kennedy

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 12: Cheerleaders for the Penn State Nittany Lions support their team against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first round of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 12, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 12: Cheerleaders for the Penn State Nittany Lions support their team against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first round of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 12, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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TUCSON, AZ – MARCH 17: An official holds a ball during the game between the Temple Owls and the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second round of the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at McKale Center on March 17, 2011 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ – MARCH 17: An official holds a ball during the game between the Temple Owls and the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second round of the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at McKale Center on March 17, 2011 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Carolyn Kieger is the new head coach Penn State Women’s basketball. What should be expected of the Lady Nittany Lions in the future?

On April 3rd, Coach Carolyn Kieger left her Alma-mater to take the reigns of the Penn State Lady Lions Basketball program. Over a five year period at Marquette University, the coach earned three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, two Big East regular season and one Big East Tournament Championship. For Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour, Coach Kieger’s resume sparkled with Big East Coach of the Year accolades as well as profundity of underclass player development. The coaches first Marquette recruiting class consisted of five top 150 recruits.

Those foundation building players paved the way for the successes that were to follow. Coach Kieger was hired by Sandy Barbour on April 3rd and the Penn State Athletic Director introduced her new coach to Nittany Nation, on April 12th. The A.D. was hopeful that she had found the right leader for a program in desperate need of a rebuild. She was hopeful that Carolyn Kieger could repeat her Big East Conference success, now at a Big Ten School.

Coach Kieger’s opening remarks to the audience in attendance at the Bryce Jordan Center, emphasized the winning tradition that Penn State had established during the 80’s through the new millennium. The old traditions will be augmented by her focus on an up-tempo, playing style.

She stated that Penn State Wrestling coach Cael Sanderson and his NCAA Championship Wrestling program was her choice to emulate. “It is my intention to follow his lead. His program is the model for all NCAA sports right now…” Coach Sanderson has won eight NCAA Division One Wrestling Championships, in a ten-year span. The new Penn State Women’s Basketball coach has set high achievement goals, and her new fans are eager for success.

The Lady Lion faithful were starving for new leadership. A proud program hadn’t tasted B1G or NCAA Tournament post-season success, since the 2013-2014 season. That year, they finished first in the B1G and they made the NCAA tournament round of the Sweet- Sixteen. The following six years, the Lady Lions best finish was seventh in the B1G and they made it to the WNIT third round.

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