UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Lady Lions have announced that seniors Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.), Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) and Marisa Wolfe (Ford City, Pa.) will serve as team captains for the 2012-13 season. Nickson will serve in the captain role for the third consecutive season, while Wolfe is a captain for the second straight year. Bentley claims her first team captain honor.
Bentley was on the All-Big Ten first team for the second-straight season after finishing second in the Big Ten and in the Top 20 nationally in steals, averaging 3.0 per game. The Big Ten All-Defensive team choice led Big Ten action with 49 steals in 16 games. She is the first Lady Lion to lead the league in steals since Jess Strom paced the conference in back-to-back years in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Additionally, Bentley was 11th in the conference in scoring (14.1), fourth in assists (4.7) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4). She enters her senior season 10th on Penn State’s career assists list (455), 15th in scoring (1,335) and 12th in steals (216).
Nickson missed nine games and large portions of three other contests last season as she fought through a series of injuries, but still averaged 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. She was named to the NCAA Tournament Kingston All-Region team after tallying 19 points, five rebounds and two steals against eventual National Semifinalist Connecticut. In Big Ten play, Nickson was eighth in rebounding (7.5) and 10th in field goal percentage (.455). She is a three-time team captain for the Lady Lions.
Wolfe was limited by injury last year, but was a valuable asset during her stints on the court. The senior forward accounted for a career-high 3.6 points per game to go along with 2.4 rebounds. She also connected on 49.2% of her shots from the field, which led the team.
The Lady Lions open their 2012 season with an exhibition game against former Penn State standout Jess Strom and the California (Pa.) Vulcans on Sat., Nov. 3. Penn State’s regular-season opener is slated on Sun., Nov. 11 against Howard at the Bryce Jordan Center, where the Lady Lions will raise their 2012 Big Ten Championship banner.
Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 800-NITTANY. Season tickets are $99 for adults and $50 for youth (12 and under), this includes a Nittany Lion Kids Club Membership for 2012-13. The PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions’ Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions’ Pink Zone game.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.
