2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

[ZedLeppelin]

Cornell is playing in the ECAC championship.* I also read that Cornell now has inroads to Minnesota players.* Penn State used to get the non-Shattuck Minnesota girls like clockwork.

On the bright side, Kampresal was able to get Olivia Wallin for next year from Ontario and her sister plays for Princeton.* Kampresal did miss out on Brooke McQuiggie who was supposed to goto Princeton, but ended up at Clarkson.

Do you have any insight on these or the other incoming freshmen? I went looking once, quite a while ago, and could only find old stats and even then it was only for a couple of them. You would think the top tier programs would be better at keeping up on stats/highlights/etc, so D-1 coaches would have something to look at.

Madsen should have been up for most defensive forward the way she played two ways and led the team in scoring.

One of my favorite players from the time she first arrived at Penn State.

One has to figure Penn State will have a tough road in Minnesota after the Fidler Slattery situation.

Penn State is hitting Ontario hard for recruits. The location is a fit.

Bothun is coming next year from Minnesota, but goalies are always a little different.

I'm curious to see what Bothun brings to D-1 hockey. She was smart to move to boys hockey to finish her high school career.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State graduates six seniors in a few months. From a strictly on-ice hockey perspective, what does Penn State lose to graduation?

I think the biggest loss is Brooke Madsen. Madsen's playing style is going to be hard to replace, especially her relentless forecheck. She was like that from the time she first got to Penn State - all go, all the time, full speed ahead, forcing the play. As a freshman, she was paired with Laura Bowman - not a bad way to jump into D-1 hockey. She was fast, and made things happen, and a lot of players could learn a lot from her playing style. I hope there's another Brooke Madsen in the pipeline, and soon. She's been a favorite of mine from the start of her Penn State career.

Abby Welch will be missed, too. Her value to the team wasn't in points - it was in her drive, her battling on the boards, and her aggressive play. She didn't back down from anybody. There were forwards ahead of her who were obvious first line choices, and you can only have three of them there, but Welch was a solid asset no matter where she was put in the lineup. She was especially busy in front of the opposing net, ready for a deflection or to hack at a rebound. If you ever saw a Penn State player giving a ref an ear full, she had a number 10 on her back.

Katie McMillan played the first half of her career at defense and the second half at forward, and did well at both. She really began to shine as a senior forward, and it's unfortunate that she didn't get four full years to develop that side of her game, because she was really starting to show promise as a forward. She could be counted on whether she played forward or had to be put back on defense for a game, as a legitimate defender. That's an option any coach would be happy to have, and that's going to be missed.

As much as these players' hockey will be missed, I think Penn State is in good shape, with five forwards and a defender coming in as 2020-21 freshmen. Also, this team is now a 100% Kampersal team - these graduating seniors were the last who played under the previous coaching staff. No more uncoaching for Kampersal to do.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

Line combinations for 2020-21 are going to be interesting. Penn State returns eight forwards, and has five freshman forwards coming in. Natalie Heising, Shea Nelson, Katie Rankin, Amy Dobson, Rachel Weiss, Mikayla Lantto, Julie Gough, and Anna Promersberger are all back next season.

Heising, Nelson, and Rankin are all seniors next season, and the obvious top level for Penn State, but there's a ton of potential in the remaining forwards, too, and at least a couple of the incoming freshman forwards come with lots of hype. Hopefully, someone from the freshman group will show up D-1 ready and be a goal scorer...it would be great to get a couple from that group. I think Kampersal has to leave Heising and Nelson together on a line, but after that I couldn't even guess.

[Offsides Guy]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

Do you have any insight on these or the other incoming freshmen? I went looking once, quite a while ago, and could only find old stats and even then it was only for a couple of them. You would think the top tier programs would be better at keeping up on stats/highlights/etc, so D-1 coaches would have something to look at.



One of my favorite players from the time she first arrived at Penn State.



I'm curious to see what Bothun brings to D-1 hockey. She was smart to move to boys hockey to finish her high school career.

You better hope Bothun gets plenty of playing time early in her PSU career or she’ll likely bolt like she has on so many teams before to get more time in the net. And don’t get me started on the selfishness of abandoning your State-ranked HS team just to further yourself - especially after you’ve already got your D1 commitment made.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

You better hope Bothun gets plenty of playing time early in her PSU career or she’ll likely bolt like she has on so many teams before to get more time in the net. And don’t get me started on the selfishness of abandoning your State-ranked HS team just to further yourself - especially after you’ve already got your D1 commitment made.

I don't know anything about her history, other than her switching to boys hockey. I have bad news for her, though, if she thinks she's going to be the starting goalie as a freshman. 100% sure that's not going to happen.

[Reddington]

I don't know anything about her history, other than her switching to boys hockey. I have bad news for her, though, if she thinks she's going to be the starting goalie as a freshman. 100% sure that's not going to happen.

I like all the recruits. Hopefully, PSU did their homework.

Lappan played for Kingston and put up big numbers at Kingston. Zanon leads the PwHl in scoring , but maybe hurt now based on her inactive status in the playoffs. I think Lappan had a quieter year at Colgate than Weiss at PSU. Meanwhile, Weiss played with Serdachny who is also at Colgate last year and Weiss maybe had 43 pts and Serdachny might of had 53. Serdachny had a monster year at Colgate. Lanto and Smigliani played together last year in Detroit and had similar numbers last year and again Lanto was quiet and Smigliani had a bigger year for Colgate.

Colgate is more offensive than PSU could explain some of it.

Machado seems to be a penalty machine, but has pretty good numbers.

Bothun will get time, I'm sure Kampresal promised it. Burke came out of nowhere. Brenneman is still lurking.
One thing is for sure: Burke wore down with to much playing time. It will be nice to have options.

Lobdell will fit in just like Uihleen.


Gangarosa, Hemminger, Uihleen and Rolph all will be back.

I'm thinking a result similar to UConn. A step forward two years ago, a step back last year and a big step forward this year.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

I like all the recruits. Hopefully, PSU did their homework.

I like that there are five forwards, so hopefully someone in the mix is a goal scorer. It will be five new offensive styles to put into the lineup and see where they work best. More than anything, I'd like to see lines set up and left alone, so they can form some chemistry.

One thing is for sure: Burke wore down with too much playing time. It will be nice to have options.

Lobdell will fit in just like Uihleen.

Gangarosa, Hemminger, Uihleen and Rolph all will be back.

Don't forget Jessica Adolfsson will be back next season, too, so the defense is looking very good next season.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

Lots of prior discussion regarding the PSU pep band attending the women's games.* I went to the ECAC semi final games today in Ithaca, and can tell you that Clarkson's pep band really made the environment fun.* They apparently travel with to away games unless the weather prohibits it. * I don't see how a school the size of Clarkson can obtain a commitment from 20 students, while PSU cannot outside of one game per season.

If you asked the powers-that-be at Penn State why they can have the band at every men's hockey game, and never at a women's hockey game, I'm more than sure they'd have a tidy excuse all lined up and ready to use. It's just one of a few things I'd love to see changed at Penn State women's hockey games. Oh oh...you opened a Pandora's box here (I'm just going to blow off some steam).

Let's start with parking. You know, parking at the hockey arena...for a hockey game...with a hockey ticket. If there is anything else going on nearby (usually basketball across the street), basketball fans get to use the small hockey arena parking lot and the basketball facility parking lot, and hockey fans have to go somewhere else to find parking. Why can't the basketball fans park somewhere else when their lot fills up? That makes no sense to me. They're as close to the "alternate parking" at Beaver Stadium as hockey fans are - it's right across the street from them. And who builds a 6000-capacity hockey arena and doesn't build a parking deck to go with it, for the 6000 fans?

Another weird Pegula Ice Arena policy: once you go in, you can't leave the arena without having to buy a new ticket to get back in. Don't forget anything in your car. Don't think about some fresh air between periods. And, god forbid, don't be a smoker who wants a quick smoke outside between periods. What's the point of a policy like that? You already paid the asking price to be there, so Penn State already got your money. Who cares if you come and go, as long as you hold on to your ticket to show them? It's got to be a money thing, in some odd way or another.

My big individual gripe: no mini tabletop tripods at hockey games. Why? Because it's considered "professional equipment". A little tabletop tripod the length of your forearms is considered professional equipment. I completely understand a ban on regular full-size tripods, because the user would have to block walkways around the seating to set that up and stand behind it. I get it, and I agree with banning those. But a tabletop tripod?
I sit at the top row of seating, at concourse level, where there are rolling seats and a countertop all the way around. A tabletop tripod takes no more room than your arms do if you have your elbows up on the countertop. It blocks nobody's view. You use it from your seat. I don't get that one at all.
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It must be the off-season for Penn State fans...I sound grumpy

[Reddington]

If you asked the powers-that-be at Penn State why they can have the band at every men's hockey game, and never at a women's hockey game, I'm more than sure they'd have a tidy excuse all lined up and ready to use. It's just one of a few things I'd love to see changed at Penn State women's hockey games. Oh oh...you opened a Pandora's box here (I'm just going to blow off some steam).

Let's start with parking. You know, parking at the hockey arena...for a hockey game...with a hockey ticket. If there is anything else going on nearby (usually basketball across the street), basketball fans get to use the small hockey arena parking lot and the basketball facility parking lot, and hockey fans have to go somewhere else to find parking. Why can't the basketball fans park somewhere else when their lot fills up? That makes no sense to me. They're as close to the "alternate parking" at Beaver Stadium as hockey fans are - it's right across the street from them. And who builds a 6000-capacity hockey arena and doesn't build a parking deck to go with it, for the 6000 fans?

Another weird Pegula Ice Arena policy: once you go in, you can't leave the arena without having to buy a new ticket to get back in. Don't forget anything in your car. Don't think about some fresh air between periods. And, god forbid, don't be a smoker who wants a quick smoke outside between periods. What's the point of a policy like that? You already paid the asking price to be there, so Penn State already got your money. Who cares if you come and go, as long as you hold on to your ticket to show them? It's got to be a money thing, in some odd way or another.

My big individual gripe: no mini tabletop tripods at hockey games. Why? Because it's considered "professional equipment". A little tabletop tripod the length of your forearms is considered professional equipment. I completely understand a ban on regular full-size tripods, because the user would have to block walkways around the seating to set that up and stand behind it. I get it, and I agree with banning those. But a tabletop tripod?
I sit at the top row of seating, at concourse level, where there are rolling seats and a countertop all the way around. A tabletop tripod takes no more room than your arms do if you have your elbows up on the countertop. It blocks nobody's view. You use it from your seat. I don't get that one at all.
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It must be the off-season for Penn State fans...I sound grumpy

The bad news for Kampresal is Muzzerall just upended Wisconsin with most of somebody else's players. Muzzerall goes to the head of the class for having an effect on a program. I'm not going to throw Morey into the mix because she was already on the staff of Princeton.


Adolffson - we shall see - the Olympics in two years, mediocre stats at PSU, season ending surgery and Sweden may want to rehab her and train her. Adolffson is the same age as the graduating seniors and Heminger and Gangarosa both had better years stat wise than Adolffson did last year.

[oggie]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

You better hope Bothun gets plenty of playing time early in her PSU career or she’ll likely bolt like she has on so many teams before to get more time in the net. And don’t get me started on the selfishness of abandoning your State-ranked HS team just to further yourself - especially after you’ve already got your D1 commitment made.

http://https://www.mngirlshockeyhub....bseason=645879
https://www.mnhockeyhub.com/roster_p...bseason=641336
Here are the stats for Allyn Gohener the Forest Lake goalie this past season and Josie Bothun
I think she made the right move. Gohener saw 19 shots a game this past year and was a finalist for goalie of the year. She would have been buried behind Bothun
Bothun 27 a game. Boys better quality hard to argue. Don't hate, Vetter, Pellici, Skavnak are all comitted D1 that are playing boys.
I think it is funny elite level boys leave to go play Juniors all the time and don't get roasted but a girl wants to better herself and has success over the past two years and you hate. If anything it was an unselfish act. I guess it is how you look at things.
To me it was win win for both girls.

[Reddington]

http://https://www.mngirlshockeyhub....bseason=645879
https://www.mnhockeyhub.com/roster_p...bseason=641336
Here are the stats for Allyn Gohener the Forest Lake goalie this past season and Josie Bothun
I think she made the right move. Gohener saw 19 shots a game this past year and was a finalist for goalie of the year. She would have been buried behind Bothun
Bothun 27 a game. Boys better quality hard to argue. Don't hate, Vetter, Pellici, Skavnak are all comitted D1 that are playing boys.
I think it is funny elite level boys leave to go play Juniors all the time and don't get roasted but a girl wants to better herself and has success over the past two years and you hate. If anything it was an unselfish act. I guess it is how you look at things.
To me it was win win for both girls.

Browning played boys and girls as a junior and a senior.

The boys shoot harder and are more creative.

Bothun's problem is going to be the prep school mafia factor. If you want to make USA hockey you almost always have to go-to prep school. Of course, you are not really getting a scholarship if you have to pay for prep school upfront. Then, the colleges realize that you paid for prep school and then don't offer a full ride.

[Offsides Guy]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

http://https://www.mngirlshockeyhub....bseason=645879
https://www.mnhockeyhub.com/roster_p...bseason=641336
Here are the stats for Allyn Gohener the Forest Lake goalie this past season and Josie Bothun
I think she made the right move. Gohener saw 19 shots a game this past year and was a finalist for goalie of the year. She would have been buried behind Bothun
Bothun 27 a game. Boys better quality hard to argue. Don't hate, Vetter, Pellici, Skavnak are all comitted D1 that are playing boys.
I think it is funny elite level boys leave to go play Juniors all the time and don't get roasted but a girl wants to better herself and has success over the past two years and you hate. If anything it was an unselfish act. I guess it is how you look at things.
To me it was win win for both girls.

Don't try to sell us that she left the girls' team to give the second-string goalie more playing time. That's a load of crap. These goalies left solely to further their own interests. When there's a viable girls' team to play on, I just feel the girls should play on that team (that includes not leaving your hometown team for a private school as well). It makes the team better and it makes the girls' sport better. When the most talented players stay in their hometown girls' programs, it leads to more program success which typically begets more participation at the youth levels and which continues to grow the sport which benefits all female players of all ages. Is a great player obligated to do this? Certainly not. For me it's about the bigger picture. And I'm not just talking hypothetically. I lived this as my daughter who had ample opportunity to leave but stayed and saw it absolutely had a positive impact beyond her statistics and D! scholarship. I would also add these players can certainly find opportunities to play with boys in the spring, summer and fall if they feel that will improve their game.

Finally, yes, this is a soapbox issue for me which I realize many will disagree. I see windmills in my future.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

Being about as far away as possible from having any personal experience with this, I can see merit in both sides. It's easy to understand a goalie wanting to face the most challenging high school opposition as possible to prepare for what she will face at the D-1 level. That just makes sense, if she wants to have any chance of competing for the starting job in college. At the same time, there is certainly value in a talented player staying local and keeping that success and attention local, inspiring younger girls in the region to pursue the same, which grows the sport. I know this all sounds wishy-washy, but I don't have a dog in the fight.

I guess where you land on this one depends on what personal experience you have with it.

[Reddington]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Women's Hockey Public Relations is going into a tizzy because Abby Welch, the face of Penn State is graduating. They will have to find someone else for half of the pictures. Yes, she was also tenacious on the forecheck. I think the team missed the line of Abby Welch, Meike Meuieller and Shea Nelson the most this year. They were a very disruptive line. Even though Shea Nelson had her best year statisically and even had a high faceoff percentage this year, I think she is more valuable as a forechecker to the team. The thing about forechecking, you need two on the same line to do it and this year it was missing. Hopefully, one of the recruits has the length of Meuieller coming in.

I noticed that Zed has a couple new videos out there: sauce and cam3. Keep the videos coming.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

Even though Shea Nelson had her best year statisically and even had a high faceoff percentage this year, I think she is more valuable as a forechecker to the team. The thing about forechecking, you need two on the same line to do it and this year it was missing. Hopefully, one of the recruits has the length of Meuieller coming in.

That's one big thing I'm going to miss about Brooke Madsen - her forecheck. But you're right; she was always the last one out of the offensive zone, and on her own, but she forced the play. Alyssa Machado, one of the incoming freshman forwards, is supposed to be an aggressive forward, so maybe she has a good forecheck to her game, too. Is that something you can teach by the time a player is college age, or is that too big a change to their style?

I noticed that Zed has a couple new videos out there: sauce and cam3. Keep the videos coming.

I'm going to try over the summer, probably in vain, to talk some sense into Penn State and get them a little less anal about cameras/equipment at Pegula Ice Arena. Just saying "no tripods", and not even considering their size, is a bit overboard. Shooting hockey videos is pretty new to me, but it's fun.