Aquino, Penn State Have Sky-High Expectations for 2026

On most days, Hunter Aquino is reserved.

If you ran into him at a restaurant in State College, you might not notice him at all, opined Penn State offensive coordinator John Haus. The same can be said if you peek into the Nittany Lions locker room.

That all changes when he crosses the white lines.

When the helmet goes on, the switch flips — and suddenly the quiet sophomore attackman becomes the emotional current that runs through Penn State’s offense.

“The passion he has, it just radiates and it goes on to everybody else,” Haus said. “To me, that’s one of the greatest things about him. I think he's a fantastic talent and an unbelievable lacrosse player, but I think his ability to just inspire others is something that he really brings to the table.”

Aquino’s edge spilled into public view after a 13-7 win over Princeton on Feb. 14, when a postgame interview on the Big Ten Network caught him mid-adrenaline.

“We dont have one guy this year,” Aquino said on the broadcast. “We have f****** 10. Sorry for cursing, but we have 10 guys that can just do everything.”

That game provided Aquino something to carry with him as the season has progressed.

“I was ready to play another one,” he said. “I just love talking about my guys. I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing without them.”

Since starting this year on attack, Aquino has averaged 2.4 goals per game and scored at least three goals during each of the first three games of the season. He leads Penn State with 17 points and is already four goals shy of the 16 he scored as a freshman.

Despite his slender 6-5 frame that could be more befitting for a midfielder, Haus said Aquino’s move down low was part of the plan.

Aquino credited his fellow goal scorers down low, including freshman Jack Iannantuono and redshirt sophomore Liam Matthews, for making his transition feel seamless. He had special praise for junior Kyle Lehman, who Aquino said has the IQ and leadership of a fifth year.  

Within a few practices, Haus and head coach Jeff Tambroni looked at each other and thought  they saw something special in Aquino.

“I remember the first couple practices of TJ Malone’s career,” Haus said. “Coach Tambroni and I looked at each other in the middle of practice at one point and we’re like, ‘Wow, this kid’s going to be special.’ And you got the same feeling with Hunter.”

After losing Malone to graduation following the 2024 season, the Nittany Lions’ staff needed a new “alpha” on attack. Their leading goal scorer opposite Malone was midfielder Matt Traynor, and it didn’t take long for him to assume Malone’s old role as the go-to option.

That opened up a spot in the midfield for Aquino.

“I think that was probably one of the best things that ever happened for Hunter, was his ability to just play midfield,” Haus said.

It took Aquino just three games to get into the Nittany Lions’ first midfield line, and the rest was history. He finished 2025 as Penn State’s leader in assists.

“He was surrounded last year by a lot of seniors like Matt Traynor, like Ethan Long, like Will Peyton, who really helped his growth,” Haus said. “They had been through it. They had seen a ton of things here at Penn State — all three of those guys had played midfield and played attack.”

So, after they graduated and Haus had mixed in a couple different options at attack in the fall, it became a “no brainer” who would be the replacement.

“He went down to the attack, and then from there, we were never looking back,” Haus said. “He was comfortable. He looked good. And we wanted to make sure our best players were on the field for the most of the game.”

Aquino remembered his first scrimmage against Penn and said his run at his new spot “flowed perfectly.”

His belief that he belonged in Nittany navy and white started long before his recruiting.

Aquino grew up in a Penn State family. His mother, sister, brother, grandparents and uncles are all Nittany Lions. His house in Easton, Pa. is decked out in Penn State gear and memorabilia, and he grew up attending football games in Happy Valley.

Still, his first commitment was to Army.

“When he decided to commit before Sept. 1, that was a little bit of a challenge for us,” Haus said. “We tend to honor those commitments to the student-athlete themselves and the other institution, but in this case, we just felt like we never had a chance to actually recruit him.”

He has military ties through his family, too, and the extra two months the military academies get in recruiting helped reel Aquino in. But when Penn State came calling on Sept. 1, it was hard to not take a visit.

“Something hit his heart that day, and he ended up committing before he even left campus,” Haus said.

The coaching staff informed the team of Aquino’s commitment after he watched practice that day and the jubilation commenced.

“To see the smile on that kid’s face, and then see the energy around our guys in terms of the celebration was something I will never forget, and it was a pretty cool experience,” Haus said.

Aquino’s fit at Penn State goes beyond family. He referenced the coaching staff’s “brick-by-brick” mentality they instill into the team and how he’s jelled into it.

After starting this season 1-2 with two unexpected losses to Villanova and Navy, that message sharpened. The schedule is one of the nation’s toughest and doesn’t allow for self-pity. They’ve swept their Ivy League slate of Princeton, Yale and Cornell, but North Carolina, Maryland and Ohio State, among other Big Ten rivals, await the Nittany Lions.

“I truly believe we’re not going to lose a single game from here on out,” Aquino said with conviction.

The once-reserved sophomore is now the emotional barometer of an offense that believes its ceiling stretches beyond the next opponent, and maybe beyond that, too.

“The sky is the limit,”  Aquino said.