After more than a year off the pitch, Penn State men’s soccer is just weeks away from returning.

Jeff Cook’s team will (hopefully) take the field against Maryland on February 19, although like any other team amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot remains uncertain. With the pandemic still raging on, Cook isn’t ready to think about postseason qualification just yet.

“We have been talking a lot about staying in the present. Emotionally, it has been a grueling year for everybody,” Cook said. “And I say that to say that we’re not getting into the discussion about winning this many games. I’m getting so tired of talking about [the coronavirus], but that is the reality. We have to be healthy, have enough guys to field a team. If we get that box checked, we can then try to beat Maryland in the first game.”

Cook is entering his third season at the helm of the Nittany Lions. The former Philadelphia Union academy coach took over a team that typically floundered toward the bottom of the Big Ten table and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2019, just his second year in charge.

Penn State is now a force to be reckoned with in the conference. The Nittany Lions are beginning to get national recognition, including a No. 23 placement in Top Drawer Soccer’s preseason ranking.

“We are very excited about our group of student athletes. [We have had] a really promising start to our practices, there has been great energy,” Cook said. “I believe we have really good depth through all of our positions.”

Cook may not want to think of things such as win-loss records yet, but he knows it will be one of the toughest years to prolong Penn State’s season. Due to the pandemic, the NCAA men’s soccer bracket will be reduced from its typical 48-team tournament to either 32 or 36 sides. With roughly 20 conferences set to compete, the Nittany Lions will need to finish in the top few Big Ten spots to qualify.

“The reality is only about 12 at-large bids,” Cook said. “So it’s going to be extremely hard to make [the NCAA Tournament].”

It will be interesting to see how Penn State navigates a rare spring campaign, but there is no doubting the talent at Cook’s disposal.

The defense will once again be one of the best in the conference, led by sophomore goalkeeper Kris Shakes and future Orlando City SC center back Brandon Hackenberg. Couple that with an offense featuring preseason MAC Hermann Trophy-contending striker Liam Butts and veteran midfielders Seth Kuhn and Pierre Reedy, and you have a national challenger.

“Both sets of players will be so excited to play again, to compete. I have a lot of belief in our team,” Cook said. “I think we measure up well with other teams across the Big Ten and in the country.”

It has been a long year for collegiate athletes, but the time has finally come for Penn State men’s soccer. For the first time in a long time, the Nittany Lions enter the campaign in the national picture, and Cook is thankful that the opportunity is even a reality.

“Training changed once the schedule came out for real and we had something to work towards,” Cook said. “We are very excited. I know a lot of people at Penn State have worked hard to make this a reality, a lot of people have worked hard in the conference office to give us a schedule.”