STATE COLLEGE — In the first game at Rec Hall in the 2026 calendar year, the Penn State Nittany Lions (7-9, 0-5 Big Ten) fell to the No. 9 Michigan Wolverines (13-2, 4-1 Big Ten), 105-65, on Thursday evening.

Redshirt junior center Gracie Merkle and sophomore guard Kiyomi McMiller led the way on the offensive front for the Nittany Lions. Merkle, the nation’s leader in field goal percentage, finished as Penn State’s top scorer with 18 points on the night with an 81% finish from the field with a team-high seven rebounds.

McMiller made half of her shots against Michigan, shooting seven-of-14 to combine for 15 points and rounded out with seven assists and five boards. Both McMiller and Merkle have scored at least 10 points in all but one game this season.

McMiller has now scored at least 10 points in 15 out of 16 games played this season. Merkle has done the same at a similar efficiency, she has scored double-digits in all but one game this season.

Despite the loss, Penn State still leads the all-time series by a 32-23 margin.

Penn State is now 17-8 in games played against Michigan in Happy Valley. McFadden scored 10 points for the second time this season and in her career, her performance against Michigan marks the first time she has notched two or more threes in a single game.

Merkle started the fourth with her ninth bucket of the evening. Shaelyn Steele earned her first point of the evening from the free throw line and Nyla McFadden secured a bucket from beyond the arc to highlight a quick six points by Penn State. Steele grabbed another bucket in between two sets of free throw opportunities by Michigan and McMiller added another jumper to surpass double-digit scoring.

Steele secured pair of free throws and back-to-back McMiller midrange jumpers pushed the Lady Lions over the 60-point threshold. McFadden closed out the fourth quarter for Penn State with a three and a pair of free throws that ended the game, 105-65 in favor of Michigan.