UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Junior post players Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) and Marisa Wolfe (Ford City, Pa.) have been selected as the Penn State Lady Lion Basketball team captains for this season. Nickson will serve as team captain for the second-straight season.
After sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, Nickson returned to the court with a vengeance where she accounted for 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Starting the final 27 games of the season, the redshirt junior was ninth in the Big Ten in rebounding and 14th in free throw percentage (.795). Nickson finished second in the league in field goal percentage with a .521 effort on the year and was third in offensive rebounds (3.2). Additionally, she tallied six double-doubles on the season.
Wolfe earned her first eight collegiate starts last season and finished the year averaging 2.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. The junior was outstanding from the free throw line, going 17-for-20 (.850). Wolfe also tallied a career-best eight assists, 12 steals and five blocked shots.
In addition to Nickson and Wolfe, the Lady Lions return a solid base from last year’s NCAA Tournament team with 10 letterwinners back in the fold. Among the four returning starters are Nickson, junior All-Big Ten selections Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas), as well as senior guard Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.).
The Lady Lions, who will face Bloomsburg in an exhibition on Sat., Nov. 5, open their season with the Lady Lion Classic on Fri., Nov. 11 and Sun., Nov. 13 at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State faces Washington State in the tourney opener at 6 p.m. Friday, while Middle Tennessee State takes on UNC-Wilmington at 8 p.m. Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 814-867-2557. Season tickets are $117 for adults, $52 for youth and $91 for seniors. Single game tickets go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 11. PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, including one for the Coaches vs. Cancer game and one for the Pink Zone game, that can be redeemed for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets in any combination.
The 2012 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 26 as the Lady Lions take on Minnesota in the Bryce Jordan Center. Last year, the Lady Lions donated nearly $200,000 for breast cancer causes. This year’s fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital and Lewistown Hospital. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.gopsusports.com/pinkzone. The WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pinkzoneatpennstate.