Busting Brackets
Fansided

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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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: A general view of the court before the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: A general view of the court before the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Putting In Work

At the time of their signing, the Penn State class of 2023 was ranked #18 in the nation by ESPNW HoopGurlz. After the departure of Coach Washington, point guard Madison Greene decided to stay in the Buckeye state and left the Lady Lions with one top 100 recruit, Makenna Marisa. In a Post Gazette Varsity Xtra column, penned by Sarah K. Spencer, Coach Kieger recounted her initial reaction to watching Makenna work out. “…This kid can play.”  Spencer deftly pens the article and establishes that Marisa can immediately impact the Lady Lions. She was a highly recruited player and had offers from 2018 National Champion Baylor.

Summertime Workouts

In late July, Makenna was sweating it out with her teammates, on New Jersey beaches under a scorching sun and the watchful eye of Assistant Director for Sports Enhancement, Gregory Miskinis. Fellow freshman and three-star recruits Jayla James, Mya Bembry and Anna Camden were gritting through the workout with the rest of the team. Summertime workouts are an opportunity for team building. In early August, Coach Kieger separated the team into Blue and White factions and let them compete against each other. The Lady Lion Basketball Twitter account fed followers constant updates, of the teams progress. This post from Junior Guard Kamaria McDaniel sums up the Summer experience.

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