Not long ago, the idea of women’s hockey was considered by some as a potential albatross for Penn State Athletics. It would be a likely money loser and bad for the brand.
When benefactor Terry Pegula initially brought the men’s program to life with his eight-figure donation in 2010, it was for men’s hockey. Period.
As the gift became nine figures, and the idea of a less-expensive equestrian program to balance Title IX requirements faltered, the women’s ice hockey program became a reality. The first season was 2012-13, and the squad finished 7-26-2.
It took a bit for the women’s program to find its footing, with just one winning season in the first five and there were struggles off the ice as well. All that was bad for the brand.
These days, things are different — especially so this season.
Women’s hockey will never be a money maker (it’s perhaps the most expensive per athlete sport NCAA institutions can conduct), but Penn State has become an attention-getter in a good way.
This year’s team earned a program-record 33 victories and has advanced to its first Women’s Frozen Four, which Penn State is hosting at Pegula Ice Arena this weekend. Coach Jeff Kampersal was named coach of the year Thursday, and the roster includes three Olympians — Matilde Fantin (Italy), Nicole Hall (Sweden) and gold medal winner Tessa Janecke (United States).
The Women’s Frozen Four opens Friday with No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Northeastern at 4 p.m., followed by No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 3 Penn State at 7:30 p.m. The championship game will be played a 4 p.m. Sunday.
For Penn State, the weekend offers the culmination of a special season, and an ascent to national respect, along with an outside chance at a coronation should the team somehow advance and win the championship.
It’s heady territory for the headstrong teenage program (it turned 14 this season).
Penn State has acknowledged, and maybe even embraced, it’s underdog role this weekend. Sure, it’s ranked third nationally, but it romped through its conference, Atlantic Hockey, going 22-2, and Kampersal has said what lies ahead for his program is finding ways to strengthen its regular-season schedule.
The rest of the Women’s Frozen Four includes red-clad bluebloods Ohio State and Wisconsin, who have played each other for the national championship each of the past three seasons. They have accounted for the sport’s last six national championships — Wisconsin 2025, 2023, 2021 and 2019 and Ohio State 2024 and 2022.
Northeastern played for the national championship in 2021, and the school put its first team on the ice in 1980.
Ohio State’s first championship came at Pegula Ice Arena, at the end of the season before players like Janecke, Kendall Butze, Maddy Christian and goaltender Katie DeSa arrived at Penn State and could set their goals on reaching similar heights.
As Penn State moved through its open practice on the eve of competition Thursday, it did so with a mix of confidence and comfort.
As usual, Kampersal controlled the music that piped through the speakers while the team was on the ice and as usual when there’s a birthday the team wound down its on-ice time by serenading the celebrating a teammate (in this instance freshman Danica Maynard).
The team’s home barn had been rebranded by the NCAA — providing consistency and acknowledging all four programs who will be competing this weekend. The ESPN cameras (Friday’s games air on ESPN+ and the championship game ESPNU) were in place. And the concourse coolers were stocked to quench the thirst of those who wanted the pleasure of paying about $15 a can for their alcoholic beverage of choice.
There’s a Fan Fest scheduled Friday and Penn State, which ranked sixth nationally by attracting 918 fans per game this season, hopes 3,000 or so people turn out for the nightcap national semifinal. Maybe Wisconsin, which led the nation in average attendance (2,280) and has eight championships to its credit, travels well and will boost the crowd, too.
Even with 3,000, though, that would be good for the brand — and there’s no albatross in sight.
If you’ve enjoyed this content, please subscribe to Stuff Somers Says With Steve on YouTube. Or join our newsletter by entering your email below.
