Three Penn State Field Hockey Players Recognized as Big Ten Players to Watch
Penn State field hockey is preparing for its 63rd season, with the Big Ten naming three players from the team to its 2026 Players to Watch list. The selected players are Sienna Dunn, Ella Gaitan, and Lara Pyle.
Lara Pyle, the only returning player on the list, is entering her sophomore year after a successful freshman season where she started in 15 of 17 games, contributing an assist and two shots on goal. Before joining Penn State, Pyle won three Australian national championships and captained the Australian U16 team.
Sienna Dunn joins the Nittany Lions from England, where she played at the University of Nottingham, earning two gold medals in British Universities and Colleges Sport. She has also represented England at various youth levels, captaining the U18 and U21 teams. Ella Gaitan, previously with Maryland, had a notable tenure there with 31 starts, 14 goals, and 32 points. She was recognized on the 2024 Big Ten All-Second Team and All-Freshman Team.
Penn State will begin its season against the Virginia Cavaliers on August 28 at 4 p.m. and will also face the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on August 30 at 12 p.m. All home games are free for fans and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
