Andrew Pace
The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, with the women's basketball team known as the Lady Lions. The Lady Lions have reached the NCAA tournament more than any other Big Ten team with 25 appearances as of 2014. They have won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten Tournament Championships, but have never won a national championship. The closest they came was in 2000 when they reached the Final Four. The Penn State Nittany Lions football team, on the other hand, has won two national championships, in 1982 and 1986.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Has Penn State ever won a national championship in basketball? | No, but the women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions, has reached the NCAA tournament more than any other Big Ten team with 25 appearances as of 2014. The Lady Lions have won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten Tournament Championships. |
| Has Penn State ever won a national championship in any sport? | Yes, Penn State has won 2 national championships in football, in 1982 and 1986. They have also won 36 national team titles in non-NCAA sports. |
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What You'll Learn
Penn State Nittany Lions
The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, with the exception of the women's basketball team, which is known as the Lady Lions. The school colours are navy blue and white, and the school mascot is the Nittany Lion, a mountain lion named after nearby Mount Nittany.
The Lady Lions have been more successful than the men's basketball team, often qualifying for the women's NCAA tournament, and reaching the Final Four in 2000. They have reached the NCAA tournament more than any other Big Ten team, with 25 appearances as of 2014. The Lady Lions have won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten Tournament Championships, with their most recent postseason championship win being the 1998 Women's National Invitation Tournament.
The Nittany Lions football team has a rich history in college football, with two consensus national championships in 1982 and 1986, four Big Ten Conference Championships, 13 undefeated seasons, and 53 appearances in college bowl games. The team ranks seventh among NCAA Division I college football programs in all-time total wins.
In addition to the two national championships, there are also five unclaimed national titles in the Nittany Lions' history, in 1911, 1912, 1969, 1981, and 1994. These unclaimed titles were awarded by publications or outlets other than the AP or other respected sources, and are not recognized by the university.
The Nittany Lions have a strong following and attract tens of thousands of visitors to their campus, particularly for football games in Beaver Stadium. The university also had its most representatives participating in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, with 21 participants earning eight medals.
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Lady Lions women's basketball team
The Lady Lions, the Penn State women's basketball team, have been more successful than their male counterparts. They have reached the NCAA tournament more than any other Big Ten team, with 25 appearances as of 2014. The Lady Lions have won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten tournament Championships.
The Lady Lions' best post-season finish was in 2000 when they reached the Final Four, but lost to eventual champion UConn. They also won the WNIT title in 1998, defeating Baylor 59-56 in Waco, Texas. In 2013, the Lady Lions became the 12th program in NCAA Division I history to reach 850 wins. They play their home games in the Bryce Jordan Center.
The Lady Lions were the first Division I team in the nation to wear pink jerseys, a growing trend in athletics, in support of several organizations that fight breast cancer. In 2012, the Pink Zone at Penn State raised a record $203,000 to distribute to its beneficiaries.
Penn State has a large football following and attracts tens of thousands of visitors to its campus. The Nittany Lions football team has won two consensus national championships in 1982 and 1986, four Big Ten Conference Championships, and has had 13 undefeated seasons.
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1982 and 1986 consensus national championships
The Penn State Nittany Lions represent the Pennsylvania State University in college football. The Nittany Lions compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as part of the Big Ten Conference. The team's home games are played at Beaver Stadium, located on the University Park campus in Pennsylvania.
The Nittany Lions have had numerous on-field successes, including two consensus national championships in 1982 and 1986, four Big Ten Conference Championships, 13 undefeated seasons, and 53 appearances in college bowl games. The team has a post-season bowl record of 32-20-2 and ranks seventh among NCAA Division I college football programs in total wins.
The 1982 and 1986 consensus national championships were won under the leadership of head coach Joe Paterno, who served as Penn State's head coach for 46 seasons. Paterno's teams posted non-losing records in all but five seasons and appeared in 37 bowl games, winning 24 of them. During his tenure, Paterno also served as Penn State's athletic director from 1980 to 1982.
In addition to the football team's successes, Penn State has also excelled in other sports. The women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions, has been more successful than their male counterparts, with 25 NCAA Tournament appearances as of 2014, the most of any Big Ten team. The Lady Lions have also won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten Tournament Championships.
Penn State has also won national championships in field hockey, men's and women's soccer, wrestling, and women's volleyball. The university had its highest representation at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, with 21 participants earning eight medals.
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1911 and 1912 retroactive national championships
The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, except for the women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions. The Penn State Nittany Lions team also represents the Pennsylvania State University in college football.
The 1911 and 1912 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball teams represented Penn State University during the 1911–1912 college men's basketball season. The team finished with a final record of 8–5. The 1911 and 1912 teams were awarded retroactive national championships by the National Championship Foundation, which are recognized by the NCAA. Head coach Dick Harlow brought a new form of defence, trying to go in-between or around offensive blockers rather than trying to overpower them.
The 1911 and 1912 seasons were also among the school's 13 undefeated seasons, with the team going 8–0–1 and 8–0 in 1911 and 1912, respectively. The 1912 team only conceded six points throughout the entire season. The team was selected as co-national champion by the National Championship Foundation, an NCAA-designated major selector.
The Lady Lions, the women's basketball team, have had more success than their male counterparts, often qualifying for the women's NCAA tournament. They reached the Final Four once in 2000 and have won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten tournament championships. The most recent postseason championship won by Penn State was the 1998 Women's National Invitation Tournament.
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36 national team titles in non-NCAA sports
The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, with the women's basketball team known as the Lady Lions. The school colours are navy blue and white, and the school mascot is the Nittany Lion, a mountain lion named after nearby Mount Nittany.
The Lady Lions have been more successful than the men's team, often qualifying for the NCAA tournament, and reaching the Final Four in 2000. They have won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten Tournament Championships.
The Nittany Lions football team has a rich history in college football, with two consensus national championships in 1982 and 1986, four Big Ten Conference Championships, 13 undefeated seasons, and 53 appearances in college bowl games. The team has also produced several Olympic athletes, including women's volleyball stars Megan Hodge and Christa Harmotto, who earned silver medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
In addition to the football team's success, Penn State has won 36 national team titles in non-NCAA sports, including:
- 2005-06: Field Hockey, Football, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Volleyball
- 2008-09: Field Hockey, Football, Women's Soccer, Women's Outdoor Track & Field, Women's Volleyball
- 2009-10: Women's Cross Country, Women's Soccer, Women's Indoor Track & Field, Women's Outdoor Track & Field, Women's Volleyball
- 2013-14: Women's Basketball, Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Women's Indoor Track & Field, Women's Outdoor Track & Field, Women's Volleyball, Wrestling
- 2016-17: Football, Women's Soccer, Wrestling, Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's Outdoor Track & Field
These non-NCAA sports include athletics, swimming, wrestling, and various ball sports.
The Nittany Lions have a strong following, especially for their football team, and the university's athletic programme has achieved notable success across a range of sports.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lady Lions, the Penn State women's basketball team, have won 8 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 2 Big Ten Tournament Championships. However, they have never won a national championship.
Yes, the Penn State Nittany Lions football team has won two national championships, in 1982 and 1986.
Yes, the women's field hockey team won the AIAW national championships in 1980 and 1981.
The school colors of Penn State are navy blue and white.
The name of the Penn State mascot is the Nittany Lion, after nearby Mount Nittany.
