Penn State may be favored again in the Big Ten, but the challengers are coming at them fast and furious. Here is a look at each team.

Brief Bio: Big Ten

2011 League Champions: Penn State
2011 Tourney Champions: Illinois
Forward of the Year: Maya Hayes, Penn State
Defender of the Year: Jenna Carosio, Illinois
Midfielder of the Year: Vanessa DiBernardo, Illinois
Goalkeeper of the Year: Michele Dalton, Wisconsin
Freshman of the Year: Taylor Uhl, Minnesota

Teams (Overall/Conference Record)

Penn State (21-5-0/10-1-0)

Erica Walsh’s Nittany Lions are striving for a record 15th consecutive Big Ten championship, and there’s no reason to think this year’s team won’t be in the thick of it again.

“This group has come into its own,” Walsh said. “It’s  a squad with a ton of experience, strong leadership and quite a few very good players.”

Among those are forward Maya Hayes, who scored an astonishing 31 goals in 2011. Hayes begins the season in Japan with the U20 Women’s National Team, along with fellow attacker Taylor Schram, who scored 12 goals and recorded 12 assists of her own.

The early absence of such firepower doesn’t seem to phasing the Nittany Lions as newcomers Mallory Weber and Costa Rican youth national team player Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez Cedeno are showing a lot of promise early.

Defender Lexi Marton and midfielder Maddy Evans willb e called upon for on-field leadership, with Tani Costa, the tean’s leading scorer in 2010, back from an ACL injury. Corey Persson is another freshman who can make an early difference.

Walsh said the team plans to keep Schram and Hayes in the team family loop as much as possible, including Skype calls to Japan from the team lockerroom

Illinois (17-5-2/8-2-1)

Head coach Janet Rayfield and offensive leader Vanessa DiBernardo start the season in Japan with the U20 Women’s National Team  (check out Rayfield’s blog from Japan), but interim coach Jeff Freeman said the team is still prepared for the season opener.

Vanessa and Janet were gone in the spring so fortunately this is not new to us,” Freeman said. “Janet was here for the first nine days of preseason and I was able to spend a lot of time with her and she could get things started in the direction she wanted to go.”

Freeman credited great senior leadership on the team with helping a number of newcomers blend in quickly. Forwards Niki Read and Megan Pawloski will be important offensive figures, especially with DiBernardo gone early. Shayla Mutz, Kassidy Brown and Christina Farrell will be instrumental on the defensive side of things. Steph Panozzo’s goalkeeping was a big reason why the Illini won the Big Ten Tournament, and she returns as well.

Taylore Peterson, Nicole Breece and Tailor Smith are among freshmen who could made a big impact early.

Michigan State (14-6-1/7-4-0)

Offensive juggernaut Laura Heyboer is gone, but Tom Saxton’s Spartans both return and bring in a lot of talent.

Forward Olivia Stander is a top offensive player in her own right, and Chelsea Peterson returns to an attacking midfielder role. Jordan Mueller is also back in midfield while Annie Steinlage, Kelsey Mullen and Kelsey Kassab will once again be key in the defensive end. A number of good in-state recruits will be vying to make an impact as well.

Wisconsin (10-7-3/5-3-3)

Paula Wilkins’ Badgers will have to go through 2012 without one of the league’s best players in Alev Kelter-Perusse, who is competing for a spot on the national ice hockey team as the runup for the Winter Olympics begins in that sport.

Coupled with some injuries, the team could be in a bit of a jam as the season begins, but Wilkins remains optimistic.

“This team has more grit than we’ve ever had,” she said. “There are a lot of talented players in each part of the field.”

For starters, the forwards for Wisconsin, Cara Walls and Paige Adams, have developed a very good understanding

“Their runs off the ball are fantastic,” Wilkins said. “They spent the spring building a great relationship and I almost don’t have to coach them anymore.”

In the back line, Alexandra Heller and Lindsey Johnson serve as anchors, while in midfield, Monica Lam-Feist, a Canadian youth national teamer,  is ready to pull the strings.

“She is a very technical player,” Wilkins said. “It will be her show in midfield.”

Minnesota (9-10-2/5-4-2)

Stefanie Golan is the new head coach for the Golden Gophers, who return nine starters including 2011 redshirt Tamara Strahota, an experienced defender.

Big Ten freshman of the year Taylor Uhl returns to the front line and goalkeeper Cat Parkhill will once again be a key to the team’s fortunes.

Nicole Baier, Lauren Bauer and Marissa Price are among other returning starters.

Iowa (13-4-3/5-4-2)

Cloe Lacasse is a big-time player. Her 12 goals and six assists last season on ly begins to tell the story of the impact she made on the Big Ten and for Ron Rainey’s Hawkeyes in a breakout season.

Other key returnees for Iowa include Dana Dalrymple, Jade Grimm and Alex Melin.

Ohio State (12-9-2/5-5-1)

Lori Walker’s Buckeyes lose offensive mainstay Paige Maxwell, but leading scorer Tiffany Cameron is back along with important offensive cogs Danica Wu and Kiiri Kuld. Kristen Niederhaus will be key in midfield and Rachel Middleman steps into the goalkeeping spot. Michela Paradiso is a top national recruit and could supply some offensive energy for Walker’s team.

Michigan (9-8-2/4-6-1)

Greg Ryan’s Wolverines will miss three players early due to the FIFA U20 World Cup. Top offensive threat Nkem Ezurike and defensive leader Shelina Zadorsky will play for Canada, while starting midfielder Christina Murillo is on the Mexico roster.

Among other key returnees for Michigan are Kayla Mannino, Tori McCombs, Meghan Toohey and goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer.

Purdue (7-11-2/4-6-1)

Rob Klatte’s Boilermakers are looking to rebound from a tough season, and some new players will be key to the effort.

Freshman forward Makaela Nellams has impressed in the preseason, as has Louisville transfer Jordan Pawlik.

Alex Hairston, Chinyelu Asher, Hadley Stuart and Mollie Kuramoto are back among the team’s leading scorers from 2011. Jordan Frick in defense and Clara Kridler in goal are other key returnees.

Nebraska (7-10-1/4-7-0)

John Walker’s Cornhuskers lose goalscoring stalwart Morgan Marlborough but still have the talents of Jordan Jackson and Stacy Bartels in the attack.

Caroline Gray in midfield and Emma Stevens in goal are also back, but a number of departing starters will need to be replaced.

Indiana (6-12-1/2-8-0)

Offensive leaders Orianica Velasquez and Lisa Nouanesengsy are back for Mick Lyon’s Hoosiers.  Abby Smith and Becca Zambon will return as midfielder starters.

Northwestern (2-16-1/1-9-1)

The Wildcats scored 13 goals and allowed 44 in 2011, and that translated to a poor won-loss record. Now Michael Moynihan takes over in Evanston after a very successful run at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The lifting will be heavy and the project is not short-term, but watch for this program to begin rising. Kate Allen is the leading returning scorer.