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2025-26 Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State reposted a CSSHL (Canadian Sport School Hockey League) tweet on incoming freshman defender Danica Maynard, with some good-looking stats:

-- Two-time CSSHL champion
-- U18 Women's Gold Medal
-- 2024-25 CSSHL Top Defenseman
-- CSSHL Most Career Assists
-- CSSHL Third In Career Points
-- CSSHL Most Career Games Played

That takes a little of the sting out of losing Karolina Hengelmuller to concussions.
 
So far, the transfer portal doesn't show a single player picked up by Penn State, and in fact shows the loss of forward Stella Retrum to Vermont. Also, goalie Lauren Barbo is still in the portal but hasn't been picked up by anyone. Add to this the loss of defender Karolina Hengelmuller to concussions, and the 2025-26 roster looks a little different than it did at the beginning of this thread.

Defense
Leah Stecker
Kendall Butze
Grace Tullock
Taya Macdonald
(Freshman) Danica Maynard -- (Kelowna Prep/Team Canada U18)
(Freshman) Shelby Shane -- (Philly Jr. Flyers)
(Freshman) Sophie Morrow -- (Shattuck-St. Mary's)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forwards
Tessa Janecke
Mya Vaslet
Katelyn Roberts
Maddy Christian
Grace Outwater
Abby Stonehouse
Mackenna Walsh
Nicole Hall
(Freshman) Mikah Keller -- (NAHA)
(Freshman) Matilde Fantin -- (HC Lugano/Italy U18/Italy National Team)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Goalies
Katie DeSa
Lauren Barbro (maybe)
Madison Campbell (Durham West Jr. Lightning)
Lauren Hernick (Philly Jr. Flyers)

Three full lines of forwards, plus one, and three full lines of defense, plus one. Both sets could use a couple more players, so I'm kind of surprised there have been no transfer pickups. That doesn't always mean anything, as there have been summer "welcome to Penn State" announcements before, so we'll see.

The forwards look very solid...the defense looks a little sketchy. Leah Stecker and Kendall Butze are solid, but behind them is a very young group, so they're going to have to get on board in a hurry. I'm hoping Jeff Kampersal can find a veteran defender or two from somewhere...if not from the transfer portal, then maybe Europe. I don't know how that process works.
 
ZedLeppellin said:
Three full lines of forwards, plus one, and three full lines of defense, plus one. Both sets could use a couple more players, so I'm kind of surprised there have been no transfer pickups. That doesn't always mean anything, as there have been summer "welcome to Penn State" announcements before, so we'll see.
Click to expand...

Last year they announced transfer signings on May 20 & 22 -- I'm hoping for some updates soon! Given Retrum transferring and Hengelmuller retiring, they are almost certainly going to have a few incoming transfers.
 
Stecker had to play all year with MacDonald, and that pairing held up. Stecker took a big step forward this past year and the odds are MacDonald has a second year jump. Butze had a nice year last year, but Garcia has graduated, so she will have to get used to playing in a pairing with someone else.


Desa received an invite to the USA camp for the first time and it is well earned so you know she will be getting ice over the summer, so it may foretell a slight bump in her save percentage as a senior.
 
It is May 21 and Penn State finally announced a transfer signing -- grad student forward Taylor Lum from Saint Lawrence. She played for China in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.
 
My prediction is that Lum will really help with increasing the number of team blocks. St.Lawrence is very pesky on blocking shots and she has been a large part of that peskiness.
 
PSUfan said:
It is May 21 and Penn State finally announced a transfer signing -- grad student forward Taylor Lum from Saint Lawrence. She played for China in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.
Click to expand...
She must have seen something she liked the past two seasons vs Penn State in the NCAA regionals. Likewise, Jeff Kampersal got a good look at her game the past two tournaments, too. Her stats may not scream "scoring dynamo", but she may be an Alyssa Machado type forward, and I really liked Machado's game.
 
And the 2025-26 schedule is out: https://x.com/PennStateWHKY/status/1930294332059169078/photo/1

Delaware starts their D1 program this season in the AHA, with Allison Coomey at the helm. Fittingly, their first conference game is against Penn State.

I love that Penn State starts off against St. Lawrence, who has ended Penn State's NCAA tournament two years in a row. You know Penn State is jacked about how the tournament ended for them last year, so they're going to be chomping at the bit for another shot at St. Lawrence.
 
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I don't see any Showcases or Tournaments. St Lawrence, Northeastern, Cornell, OSU and Vermont fill out the schedule. St Lawrence graduated Hustler which has to be a positive for PSU. Kampersal is sticking to his mantra of playing a tough out of conference schedule.
 
ZedLeppellin said:
It's the middle of June (Happy Father's Day), and the dry season for any Penn State hockey news, so it's good to see Penn State putting out a new video:

Click to expand...

I thought that was a pretty great video to mark the day the coaches can call recruits.

1- they hammered their message that they’ve been 3x league champs (crying emoji here)

2- the freebird music was imo a subtle reminder that the right player can thrive in the AHA and on Team USA. Edit: oh wait totally different song, I’m apparently just conditioned to equate this team with Team USA now.

I have to admit Janecke is one of my favorite players right now, except against Mercyhurst. I think it’s awesome how’s she’s elevated the program, represented the league, stayed loyal to one college program, and found success with Team USA.

My daughter is a softball/hockey player like Janecke (and Coyne) were in high school. Whenever I even think of having her quit one to focus on the other I quickly remind myself, NOPE.
 
Lindsay said:
2- the freebird music was imo a subtle reminder that the right player can thrive in the AHA and on Team USA. Edit: oh wait totally different song, I’m apparently just conditioned to equate this team with Team USA now.
Click to expand...
A knock off of Aerosmith's "Dream On" which fits the promo video quite well...
 
Lindsay said:
I thought that was a pretty great video to mark the day the coaches can call recruits.

1- they hammered their message that they’ve been 3x league champs (crying emoji here)

2- the freebird music was imo a subtle reminder that the right player can thrive in the AHA and on Team USA. Edit: oh wait totally different song, I’m apparently just conditioned to equate this team with Team USA now.

I have to admit Janecke is one of my favorite players right now, except against Mercyhurst. I think it’s awesome how’s she’s elevated the program, represented the league, stayed loyal to one college program, and found success with Team USA.

My daughter is a softball/hockey player like Janecke (and Coyne) were in high school. Whenever I even think of having her quit one to focus on the other I quickly remind myself, NOPE.
Click to expand...
Smart move on your daughter.

Yes, the glossy production producer did a nice video. Penn State is all over the board on their brand marketing. Unrehearsed videos, videos with someone writing skits and then the high level video that just dropped with sound effects and Aerosmith. I still think the unrehearsed videos resonate best with the prospective players. The high polished stuff probably resonates with the parents.

Mercyhurst has a solid pipeline from Stoney Creek and Finland and has a great coach.

Enjoy the rest of your summer Zed and Lindsay.
 
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