Penn State Athletics Faces Disappointing Year

High expectations turned into crippling letdowns across multiple sports programs.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:11am

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The 2025-26 season was supposed to be a golden year for Penn State athletics, with the football team on the brink of the national championship, the men's hockey team making a Frozen Four run, and the women's volleyball team coming off a national title. Instead, almost every major program either failed to capitalize on momentum or backslid inconceivably, leading to a wave of coaching changes and a year of high expectations turning into crippling disappointment.

Why it matters

Penn State is one of the most prominent athletic departments in the country, and this disastrous season across multiple high-profile programs has shaken the university's sports landscape. The cascade of losses, coaching changes, and player transfers raises questions about the long-term direction of Nittany Lions athletics.

The details

The football team, expected to contend for a national title, instead spiraled to a 6-game losing streak that led to the firing of longtime coach James Franklin. The men's hockey team, favored to win its first national championship, was derailed by key injuries and off-the-field issues. Women's volleyball, the defending national champions, struggled with the loss of a star player and finished tied for 6th in the Big Ten. Both the men's and women's basketball teams had disappointing seasons, with the women's team costing their head coach her job.

  • The football team's season-defining loss to Oregon came in late September.
  • James Franklin was fired on October 12 after the team's 2-5 start.
  • The men's hockey team suffered a major setback in early February when captain Dane Dowiak suffered a season-ending injury.
  • The women's volleyball team lost star player Izzy Starck to a mental health-related transfer just before the season opener.
  • The women's basketball team finished 4-16 in Big Ten play, leading to the dismissal of head coach Carolyn Kieger.

The players

James Franklin

The longtime head coach of the Penn State football team, who was fired in October after the team's disastrous 2-5 start.

Dane Dowiak

The captain of the Penn State men's hockey team, who suffered a season-ending injury in early February as the team's Frozen Four hopes unraveled.

Izzy Starck

An All-American sophomore on the Penn State women's volleyball team, who stepped away from the sport for mental health reasons early in the season.

Carolyn Kieger

The former head coach of the Penn State women's basketball team, who was fired after the team's 4-16 Big Ten record.

Pat Kraft

The Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at Penn State, who has not hesitated to make coaching changes in the wake of this disastrous athletic year.

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What they’re saying

“This wasn't the year we expected, but we have to learn from it and come back stronger next season.”

— Terry Smith, Interim Head Coach, Penn State Football

“Injuries and off-the-field issues really derailed what we thought could be a special season for this program.”

— Guy Gadowsky, Head Coach, Penn State Men's Hockey

What’s next

Penn State will embark on a new era of athletics leadership, with several high-profile coaching hires expected in the coming months to turn around the struggling programs.

The takeaway

This disappointing year across Penn State's athletic department has shaken the university's sports landscape, leading to a wave of coaching changes and raising questions about the long-term direction of the Nittany Lions' programs. The administration will need to make strategic hires to restore the high expectations that defined this failed 'golden year'.