Mariana Forteza Site


<p>Thousands of people flocked to downtown State College on a sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community.</p>



<p>Presented by Centre LGBTQA Support Network, Downtown State College Improvement District and State College Borough, the third annual State College Pride <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/community/parade-festival-among-state-college-pride-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">included</a> a parade of colorful floats and marchers through town and a festival in Sidney Friedman Park, among other events throughout the weekend.</p>



<p>State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, served as grand marshal of the parade and festival. A frequent visitor to Centre County, Kenyatta is the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.</p>



<p>He called 2023 &#8220;probably the most important year for Pride in a really long time,&#8221; noting a vocal anti-LGBTQ contingent and legislation in a number of states, particularly related to transgender individuals. </p>



<p>&#8220;In this moment, in this Pride year, what we are doing right now, showing up with joy in our hearts, showing up for and with each other in real community, that is critical right now,&#8221; Kenyatta said. &#8220;Because this is actually what our communities look like. This is actually where most people are&#8230; Do not believe the noise and the nonsense that most people are as hateful and vitriolic as some of the politicians who unfortunately get elected&#8230;. For Pride, it’s really critical for us as a community that we recognize our joy does not exist in contrast to their hatred.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-kenyatta-lane-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424953"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, State College Pride grand marshal, and Judge Timika Lane lead the 2023 Pride parade. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Pennsylvania, Kenyatta said, should aspire to be the best place to live, raise a family and retire for everyone, including LGBTQ people.</p>



<p>&#8220;We deserve to be happy, to be joyous, to be just who you are every single day, no matter what they’re talking about, no matter what they’re doing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You just be who the hell you are.&#8221;</p>



<p>State College Mayor Ezra Nanes acknowledged that some in attendance may be feeling scared, worried or uncertain because of events nationally. </p>



<p>&#8220;It’s OK to feel that,&#8221; Nanes said. &#8220;I want you to know that me, Ezra Nanes, my family, the Borough of State College, we are here for you. We will always be here for you. We’re going to keep building on the amazing work that you’ve already done, that we’ve already done together.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-3-1024x751.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424937"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-8-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424942"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Nanes issued a proclamation last week declaring June as Pride Month in the borough, and as the parent of an LGBTQ child, he called Pride &#8220;not just principle,&#8221; but also personal.</p>



<p>&#8220;One of the greatest joys in life, whether you’re a parent or a sibling or just an adult with a child in your life that matters, is supporting that child in discovering who they are,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think that’s a really important principle of what Pride is, that we all believe in helping people discover themselves, not telling them who they should be.&#8221;</p>



<p>State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Lemont, said Pride is also personal for him and his family and called it a &#8220;joyful occasion.</p>



<p>&#8220;This represents the absolute best of what State College is and can be,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This sets the standard for what every day should be like. You are not only seen, you are not only accepted, but you should be celebrated and you should be loved. If we could bottle today and make every day like that, wouldn’t this be a better world, a better place to be?&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-1-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424935" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424935"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-2-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424936" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424936"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-4-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424938" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-4-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424938"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-5-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424939" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-5-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424939"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-6-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424940" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-6-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424940"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-7-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424941" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-7-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424941"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-10-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424944" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-10-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424944"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-11-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424945" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-11-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424945"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-12-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424947" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-12-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424947"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-16-scaled.jpeg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424957" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-16-scaled.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-424957"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-15-scaled.jpeg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424956" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-15-scaled.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-424956"/></a></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pride-2023-14-scaled.jpeg"><img decoding="async" data-id="424955" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-14-scaled.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-424955"/></a></figure>
<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption"><em>Scenes from the 2023 Pride parade in downtown State College. Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Timika Lane, a Philadelphia judge who is running for Pennsylvania Superior Court in November, emphasized the importance of individuals making their voices heard to ensure all are treated with dignity and respect.</p>



<p>&#8220;We have to decide in Pennsylvania, what is it going to be? Are we going to be a place of love or are we going to be a place of hate?&#8230; Your voice matters,&#8221; Lane said.</p>



<p>Kenyatta urged those in attendance to be true to themselves, knowing that it will inspire someone else to do the same.</p>



<p>&#8220;If we lift each other up, if we encourage each other to be brave, if we remind ourselves that we are the majority of this commonwealth, that we are the majority of this nation, when we do that then we will continue to pull this nation closer to making the ideals of freedom, justice and fairness real for everybody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love, no matter how you worship or choose not to, here in Pennsylvania it’s about you getting a fair shot and a fair shake. We’re going to keep doing that together.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-9-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424943"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>State College Pride has grown substantially since it was first held in 2021. Last year it drew an estimated 4,000 people and organizers expected that number would increase again for the third edition.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.centrelgbtqa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre LGBTQA Support Network</a> (CLSN), which was founded in 2014, has been instrumental in that, as well as in providing resources year round. Sue Marshall, a founding member and current board secretary, said planning for next year&#8217;s Pride will start next week.</p>



<p>In the shorter term, however, CLSN will be celebrating another advancement. A long-planned LGBTQ center for downtown State College will open sometime in August at the corner of Calder Way and South Pugh Street, Marshall said.</p>



<p>&#8220;We can’t wait,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We will have a big opening celebration.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-anchor-arrow-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Community members danced while Anchor &amp; Arrow played at the 2023 State College Pride festival on Saturday, June 10, in Sidney Friedman Park.</em> <em>Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>


‘Showing Up with Joy in Our Hearts.’ State College Celebrates Pride


<p>There may be just one person who claims not to know who will start at quarterback for Penn State football when the team begins its season against West Virginia on Sept. 2.</p>



<p>While Drew Allar has been set as the presumed successor to longtime starting quarterback Sean Clifford since the day that he stepped onto Penn State’s campus in January 2022, James Franklin didn’t declare a winner to the Nittany Lions’ quarterback competition with 86 days until the season opener.</p>



<p>“We have competition at every single position, every single year, returning starter or not,” Franklin told the media on Thursday. “I think that’s the right thing to do.”</p>



<p>Allar’s competition at the position is Beau Pribula, who, like Allar, was a member of the Nittany Lions’ recruiting Class of 2022. The difference between the two was that Allar was a five-star recruit by the time he arrived on campus. Pribula was a three-star.</p>



<p>More recently, Allar took snaps behind Clifford in the 2022 season. The youngster played in enough games that he was unable to take a redshirt season. By contrast, Pribula didn’t take a snap in a Penn State game until the Blue-White Game in April, when he attempted 22 of his 27 passes with second-string players.</p>



<p>Franklin’s hesitation to name a starter isn’t surprising. Entering his 10th year with Penn State, Franklin wants competition at the position. It’s likely that Allar will only stick around Penn State for two more years. Franklin will need someone to step up when the Ohio native is gone.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-statecollege-com wp-block-embed-statecollege-com"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-sports/no-starting-quarterback-yet-dont-worry-franklin-history-suggests-late-august-announcement/
</div></figure>



<p>It’s a situation that Franklin has had before. From 2016-17, he had running backs Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders on the same roster. Barkley was a shout for a Heisman candidate in college, and when Sanders turned pro, he reached last season’s Super Bowl as the starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles.</p>



<p>At Penn State, Barkley was the evident starter. But Franklin said that competition between the two made them both better. If Franklin has his way, the same will happen to Allar and Pribula.</p>



<p>“I think at times there may have been some frustration with that, but I truly believe that type of competition in college really set them up to be successful in the NFL,” Franklin said. “[Barkley] always had somebody behind him trying to take reps away from him. And [Sanders], as a young player, was trying to overtake [Barkley]. So I think that is a healthy position to be in.”</p>



<p>Franklin also has to answer the question of how he’ll use each quarterback. As Mike Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach said at the same press conference, each quarterback has different styles. Gameplans have to be tailored to those styles.</p>



<p>Allar’s been described as a quarterback who’s steady in the pocket. Teammates have raved about his ability to place passes in locations where only a receiver can catch them. Allar can be mobile but his arm is what really sets him apart from the pack.</p>



<p>Pribula, however, is described as athletic. He’s the quarterback that Franklin and Yurcich could turn to when they need to push a pile or in a situation that calls for a mobile quarterback. He’s the Nittany Lions’ alternate.</p>



<p>However Franklin plays the two quarterbacks, it will likely be some time before Penn State fans have an answer to the question that’s hung over the program for more than a year. Franklin noted that he wanted Clifford to compete for a starting role for the six years that the recent&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/04/29/sean-clifford-drafted-no-149-overall-by-green-bay-packers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NFL draftee</a></strong>&nbsp;spent in Happy Valley. The same will apply to Allar.</p>



<p>If Franklin has 86 days to name a starter against the Mountaineers, he may just use all 86.</p>


‘We Have Competition at Every Single Position’: Penn State Quarterback Question Still Unanswered


<p>Former MLB and sports television executive Tony Petitti will be the Big Ten’s next commissioner, the conference&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://bigten.org/news/2023/4/12/general-tony-petitti-named-seventh-commissioner-of-the-big-ten-conference.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a></strong>&nbsp;on Wednesday afternoon. Petitti is set to become the seventh commissioner in the league&#8217;s history.</p>



<p>The Big Ten commissioner position came open when Kevin Warren, Petitti’s predecessor, announced his intention to vacate the position and&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/01/12/big-ten-commissioner-kevin-warren-named-chicago-bears-president-and-ceo/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">become the Chicago Bears’ team president and CEO</a></strong>&nbsp;in January.</p>



<p>“At this important and transformational time in collegiate athletics, it is truly my great honor to be chosen by the Council of Presidents and Chancellors as the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference,” Petitti said. “I am energized to work alongside the best athletics directors, coaches, conference staff and board in the country as – together – we continue to elevate the academic and athletic experiences and resources for our 14, soon-to-be 16, world-class universities with nearly 10,000 incredible student-athletes. Thank you to the extraordinary people and places that have led me to this next challenge in my career. I am ready to get to work for the Big Ten Conference community.”</p>



<p>Petitti previously served as the COO of Major League Baseball, as well as multiple other sports media executive positions. Included among Petitti’s other noteworthy experiences are stints as NBC Sports’ senior vice president of negotiations, president of sports and entertainment at Activision Blizzard, and overseeing CBS’ coverage of March Madness and the Super Bowl.</p>



<p>“I would like to thank all the candidates who spent time with us during the commissioner search process as each illustrated outstanding leadership qualities and a breadth of experience,” University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines said. “The Big Ten Conference is in an extraordinary position of strength. Tony’s capabilities to navigate the complexities of changing marketplace environments, history as a collaborative leader, and passion for academics and collegiate athletics made him the right leader, at the right time, for the Big Ten Conference.”</p>



<p>Petitti will assume his new role amid a&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2022/08/18/big-ten-finalizes-media-rights-deal-between-fox-cbs-nbc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new media rights deal</a></strong>&nbsp;for the conference,&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://theathletic.com/3518414/2022/08/18/big-ten-tv-deal-details-rights/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a></strong>&nbsp;worth over $8 billion. The agreement, organized by Warren in August 2022, will place Big Ten football on CBS, FOX, and NBC. He will begin his tenure on May 15.&nbsp;</p>


Tony Petitti Named Big Ten Commissioner

Penn State Athletics: Q&A with Success with Honor Executive Director Kerry Small


<p>The cruelty of hockey is that goals are instantaneous. There is no opportunity to digest what is happening, most everything in sports develops and unfolds. You can watch a running back sprint down the field and score a touchdown. Even shots in basketball take a second or two. But a goal, an overtime goal? You snap your fingers and everything is different.</p>



<p>So as Penn State fell to Michigan 2-1 in the first minute of overtime on Sunday night there were few that have sucked the life out of the Nittany Lions as quickly as that one did, Mackie Samoskevich racing into the offensive zone, ripping a shot to the right of Penn State goalie Liam Souliere and into the back of the net. Penn State&#8217;s dreams of a first-ever Frozen Four trip there one moment and gone the next.</p>



<p>Eventually the Nittany Lions will find some solace in how they played on Sunday in front of a sold-out PPL Center in Allentown. They will appreciate the goaltending of Souilere who made 41 saves, the defensive unity, and a power play &#8211; Penn State&#8217;s only of the postseason &#8211; finding a pulse when it needed to the most. The Nittany Lions will find pride in the fact they faced a Michigan team loaded with NHL draftees and hold their heads high for finding a way to keep the nation&#8217;s best offense in check for basically the entire game.</p>



<p>But they will also lament what could have been. Because it seemed inevitable Michigan was going to score, a 0-0 first period only delaying that truth. And then as Connor MacEachern slammed home a shot with just over a minute to go in the second period to put Penn State head 1-0 on the power play , suddenly it seemed entirely possible that Michigan <em>wasn&#8217;t </em>going to score, no matter the chances, no matter the opportunities.</p>



<p>Of course as Michigan tied the game with 12:09 to go in regulation the inevitability of the Wolverines&#8217; offense took shape and Penn State&#8217;s budding upset hopes and aspirations of a trip to Tampa Bay for the Frozen Four seemed ever so slightly further away. Then again, as the clock wound down to zeroes and the teams headed to overtime, anything was possible.</p>



<p>But the most probable outcome eventually occurred. Michigan &#8211; laden with talent from a pipeline Penn State may never crack &#8211; leaned on its talent and found a goal when it mattered most.</p>



<p>For Penn State the conclusion of a 22-16-1 season comes with both the regret of what might have been and as well as the positives associated with a very necessary return to success after back-to-back wayward years. The Nittany Lions did a lot of things well in 2022-23 and will have plenty to build on in the year ahead. When it really needed to, Penn State regained its footing for the first time since the COVID-19 impacted season and Guy Gadowsky will find plenty of positives within that fact.</p>



<p>All the same, overtime hockey is a cruel way to go out, and the Nittany Lions won&#8217;t soon forget the feeling of a season ending in an instant. </p>


Penn State Men’s Hockey: Nittany Lions Fall 2-1 in Overtime to Michigan in Second Round of NCAA Tournament


<p>Three years ago, gathered in a team meeting room trying to digest the news, Penn State men&#8217;s hockey knew what it had lost. For a team with unquestionable potential, the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the opening days of the COVID-19 pandemic also meant the end to the Nittany Lions&#8217; very real national title hopes.</p>



<p>In the seasons since, Penn State struggled to find the mojo that fueled the program&#8217;s quick transformation from an exciting new attraction in town to one of the best offenses in America. In the wake of that season the Nittany Lions failed to score — their calling card — struggled to defend and struggled to find their way on and off the ice. It was a slog, and a grind that made everyone at Pegula Ice Arena question if they had missed their opportunity and if the opening chapter of Division I hockey at Penn State was about to close.</p>



<p>In what may have felt like the 11th hour, hope began to show its face last season as the Nittany Lions started to look more and more familiar. Scoring, defending and playing the style of hockey fans and onlookers had grown accustom to seeing. Now in 2022-23 a Penn State team led by the remaining players from that COVID-19 season looked to enter Friday afternoon&#8217;s NCAA Tournament game against Michigan Tech eager to prove that a late season slump was not what this Penn State team would be remembered for. In a way, they were there to avenge the postseason that never was.</p>



<p>And as the Nittany Lions rolled past Michigan Tech 8-0 on Friday evening in Allentown for the biggest shutout victory in NCAA Tournament history, Penn State made sure to return from a three-week break with fresh legs and a renewed sense of what this team could still accomplish &#8211; what the ghosts of Nittany Lions&#8217; past could not.</p>



<p>Tyler Paquette opened the scoring for Penn State just 2:12 into regulation in front of a very pro Penn State crowd in Allentown as the Nittany Lions took the ice faster and harder than their Michigan Tech counterparts. The Huskies would get a single power-play chance in the opening 20 minutes of play but dominance by Penn State in the neutral zone and solid goaltending by Liam Souliere kept the game at a 1-0 margin through 20 minutes. He would stop all 22 shots he faced through the afternoon.</p>



<p>The game was never closer, a three-goal period blew the doors off what was briefly a close game as Penn State scored 4:34 into the middle frame as eight different Nittany Lions found the back of the net over the span of regulation. Jarod Crespo, Ashton Calder and Christian Berger did the work in the second period while Kevin Wall and Chase McLane did their damage in the third period. Wall&#8217;s third period tally came with 3:02 gone by in the final frame giving Penn State a goal within the first five minutes of each period on Friday.</p>



<p>Penn State will play Michigan on Sunday. A trip to the Frozen Four on the line, a little bit more revenge to rack up in the process.</p>


Penn State Men’s Hockey Routs Michigan Tech 8-0 to Advance in NCAA Tournament


<p>Penn State men&#8217;s hockey has officially made the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history and the first time since 2018. The Nittany Lions will face Michigan Tech at 5 p.m. on Friday at the PPL Center in Allentown, with the airing on ESPNU.</p>



<p>While Penn State&#8217;s participation in the NCAA Tournament was already known prior to Sunday&#8217;s field announcement, seeding within its Allentown Regional and opponent was unknown. Penn State is technically the No. 2 seed in the four-team regional and was guaranteed to play in Allentown as the host school. The NCAA Tournament field is selected by a rankings system and not a selection committee. Seedings and location are a product of a predetermined process. Penn State will host the Allentown regional again in 2025. Being a host school does not result in an automatic postseason bid.</p>



<p>The Nittany Lions will join No. 1 seed Michigan in Allentown with the Wolverines facing Colgate on Friday night following Penn State&#8217;s opening round matchup. The winner of each game will take the ice with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line, Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2. This year&#8217;s Frozen Four will take place in Tampa Bay. Penn State beat Michigan just once in four regular season meetings this year, but lost in overtime and scored at least three goals in the two other defeats.</p>



<p>Penn State finished the regular season No. 8 in the PairWise rankings and a 21-15-1 record overall. Michigan Tech finished the year No. 10 in the PairWise, having gone 24-10-4 as a member of the CCHA and finishing second in the conference behind Minnesota State.</p>


Penn State Men’s Hockey to Face Michigan Tech in Opening Round of NCAA Tournament This Weekend in Allentown


<p>The stakes for Penn State women&#8217;s hockey were simple on Saturday afternoon. Win and the Nittany Lions would make their way to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Lose, and Penn State would watch at home in spite of a <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-hockey/penn-state-womens-hockey-a-win-away-from-history-on-saturday/">27-8-2 record.</a></p>



<p>With 14:41 to go in overtime, Julie Gough made sure that history didn&#8217;t need to wait for another year, flipping a shot into the back of the net to beat Mercyhurst 2-1 for a CHA Championship and a ticket to the postseason.</p>



<p>While shots are not always indicative of quality, Penn State won the game on the its 37th of the game while holding Mercyhurst to just 19 on the evening. Gough would get the assist on Penn State&#8217;s first tally of the night getting a pass to Eleri MacKay who slammed home a shot from between the circles to put the Nittany Lions ahead 1-0 just four minutes into the second period. Penn State goalie Josie Bothun otherwise stood tall the entire afternoon, backstopping a solid defensive effort by the Nittany Lions who have now won 11-straight games en route to a CHA Championship. Penn State was also dominant in the faceoff circle winning 42 of the game&#8217;s 69 drops at the dot.</p>



<p>Mercyhurst would tie the game with about eight minutes to go in the middle frame, sending the teams to a season-defining third period. Neither team would bend or break in the final frame, sending the game to extra time. The rest was in fact history.</p>



<p>Penn State will wait until noon on Sunday to find out its seeding and regional location for the NCAA Tournament. The Frozen Four is located in Duluth, Minnesota. The tournament is slated to begin on Friday, March 10. </p>


Overtime Victory Gives Penn State Women’s Hockey First NCAA Tournament Bid in Program History


<p>The situation is straightforward: Penn State women&#8217;s hockey will face Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon in the CHA Tournament Championship with a trip the NCAA Tournament on the line. For the Nittany Lions a win would send the program to the postseason for the first time in its history, a moment of no small consequence for head coach Jeff Kampersal and Penn State.</p>



<p>&#8220;This year I&#8217;ve tried to stay out of the way with our team and we&#8217;re very fortunate to have a group that really enjoys one another &#8211; they set the standards back in the spring,&#8221; Kampersal said on Thursday. &#8220;And they&#8217;ve followed those standards. They&#8217;ve kept people to them. As coaches, we try to guide them hockey wise but try to stay out of the way as well. Even on a week like this, it just it&#8217;s a regular week. We try to get one or two things done that were focusing on for the weekend. [It&#8217;s a] monumental game for the program but we&#8217;re not really thinking like that. We&#8217;re just sort of thinking it like it&#8217;s another week for us.&#8221;</p>



<p>Of course it&#8217;s one thing for Kampersal to say that and another thing for the Nittany Lions to totally ignore the moment in front of them. Penn State women&#8217;s hockey has long felt like a program not quite hitting its potential given the facilities it has to work with, a fact the result in no small part the outcome of <a href="https://www.collegian.psu.edu/features/former-penn-state-womens-hockey-players-allege-emotional-abuse-by-current-head-coach-josh-brandwene/article_6440c3fe-ef35-11e5-a8c6-2b9904aa8e15.html">ineffective coaching and scandal</a>. Under Kampersal&#8217;s watchful eye Penn State&#8217;s success has culminated in his sixth year with a 26-8-2 record this season, the Nittany Lions entering Saturday&#8217;s contest on a 10-game winning streak.</p>



<p>Nearing 30 wins, it&#8217;s hard to imagine a team like Penn State not making the tournament even if it were to lose on Saturday, nevertheless the relative weakness of the CHA has often rendered Penn State&#8217;s record less meaningful than its counterparts in other conferences, especially in a tournament just 11 teams deep. In 2020-21, Penn State went 16-3-2 and was left out of the postseason partially as a result of its CHA schedule. The perception of any conference is a challenge for any team in any sport, but as Penn State manages to navigate an entire season about as deftly as one can reasonably expect, it begs the question if the CHA is the longterm home for Penn State women&#8217;s hockey.</p>



<p>Winning on Saturday is a step in the right direction, but perhaps also a gradual step towards change, both with how Penn State supports women&#8217;s hockey and the landscape of the sport at-large.</p>



<p>&#8220;I would like the landscape to change,&#8221; Kampersal said. &#8220;But that requires like a lot of a lot of things. It&#8217;d be nice to have two other Big Ten programs start. But beyond that, like to answer your original question, [New Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft] has come in and has a lot of energy with him. You can tell that he wants to win. And he wants to support the student athletes and give them the best experience but also the best sort of prep items to prepare them to win. We&#8217;ve seen improvements, like on our end and just in terms of like women&#8217;s hockey, which have helped our athletes along their their process this year.&#8221;</p>



<p>&#8220;Travel and things like that will help us like if the school makes a decision to support travel a little bit better, which I think they will that&#8217;ll help us in the future &#8230; We have a new commissioner in the CHA which will add some energy to our league as an overall perspective. The whole landscape &#8211; I wouldn&#8217;t necessarily say it&#8217;s up in the air but there&#8217;s a lot of things that could happen from our point of view &#8211; we have to take care of our own business but winning on Saturday is huge for many reasons, but it also gives us leverage to talk about the future.&#8221;</p>



<p>But one thing at a time, the Nittany Lions have to win Saturday. The puck drops at 2 p.m. at Pegula Ice Arena.</p>


Penn State Women’s Hockey A Win Away From History On Saturday


<p>The stakes for Penn State women&#8217;s hockey were simple on Saturday afternoon. Win and the Nittany Lions would make their way to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Lose, and Penn State would watch at home in spite of a <a href="https://www.statecollege.com/articles/penn-state-hockey/penn-state-womens-hockey-a-win-away-from-history-on-saturday/">27-8-2 record.</a></p>



<p>With 14:41 to go in overtime, Julie Gough made sure that history didn&#8217;t need to wait for another year, flipping a shot into the back of the net to beat Mercyhurst 2-1 for a CHA Championship and a ticket to the postseason.</p>



<p>While shots are not always indicative of quality, Penn State won the game on the its 37th of the game while holding Mercyhurst to just 19 on the evening. Gough would get the assist on Penn State&#8217;s first tally of the night getting a pass to Eleri MacKay who slammed home a shot from between the circles to put the Nittany Lions ahead 1-0 just four minutes into the second period. Penn State goalie Josie Bothun otherwise stood tall the entire afternoon, backstopping a solid defensive effort by the Nittany Lions who have now won 11-straight games en route to a CHA Championship. Penn State was also dominant in the faceoff circle winning 42 of the game&#8217;s 69 drops at the dot.</p>



<p>Mercyhurst would tie the game with about eight minutes to go in the middle frame, sending the teams to a season-defining third period. Neither team would bend or break in the final frame, sending the game to extra time. The rest was in fact history.</p>



<p>Penn State will wait until noon on Sunday to find out its seeding and regional location for the NCAA Tournament. The Frozen Four is located in Duluth, Minnesota. The tournament is slated to begin on Friday, March 10. </p>


Penn State Hockey

<div data-aaad="true" 
data-aa-adunit="/22181265/stc_mob_300v_5" 
class="adapex-mobile adapex-300-250 text-center">
</div>



<div data-aaad="true" 
data-aa-adunit="/22181265/stc_300v_1" 
class="adapex-desktop-tablet adapex-300-250 text-center"></div>



<div class="sidebar-accuweather">
    <div id="accuWeatherConnectApp" style="margin: auto; width: 300px; height: 530px"></div>
    <script src="https://www.accuweather.com/widgets/connect/bootstrap.js" data-partner="web_lazerpro_con_adc" data-key="1c7a30ab4a4b447687bf90d9e3f9a789" data-layout="vertical" data-adtype="connatix-elements" data-strategy="standard" data-connatixplayerid="8a4f35c9-33b1-44b5-a2bc-6bd4150d25b5" data-location="335315" async></script>
    
</div>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="/weather/">State College Weather</a></div>
</div>



<div data-aaad="true" 
data-aa-adunit="/22181265/stc_mob_300v_6" 
class="adapex-mobile adapex-300-250 text-center">

</div>



<div data-aaad="true" 
data-aa-adunit="/22181265/stc_300v_2" 
class="adapex-desktop-tablet adapex-300-250 text-center">
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is trending widget</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Upcoming community events</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Recent columns</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Vehicle of the day</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CTA</h2>



<p></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Favorite Links</h2>


<nav class="is-vertical wp-block-navigation is-layout-flex wp-container-core-navigation-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex" aria-label="Footer"><ul class="wp-block-navigation__container  is-vertical wp-block-navigation"><li class=" wp-block-navigation-item s:33:&quot;s:25:&quot;s:17:&quot;a:1:{i:0;s:0:&quot;&quot;;}&quot;;&quot;;&quot;; wp-block-navigation-link"><a class="wp-block-navigation-item__content"  href="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/brand-guide/"><span class="wp-block-navigation-item__label">Brand Guide</span></a></li><li class=" wp-block-navigation-item s:33:&quot;s:25:&quot;s:17:&quot;a:1:{i:0;s:0:&quot;&quot;;}&quot;;&quot;;&quot;; wp-block-navigation-link"><a class="wp-block-navigation-item__content"  href="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/core-values/"><span class="wp-block-navigation-item__label">Core Values</span></a></li><li class=" wp-block-navigation-item s:33:&quot;s:25:&quot;s:17:&quot;a:1:{i:0;s:0:&quot;&quot;;}&quot;;&quot;;&quot;; wp-block-navigation-link"><a class="wp-block-navigation-item__content"  href="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/contact-us/"><span class="wp-block-navigation-item__label">Contact Us</span></a></li></ul></nav>


<div data-aaad="true" 
data-aa-adunit="/22181265/stc_300v_3" 
class="adapex-desktop-tablet adapex-300-250 text-center">
</div>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button">See news happening?</a></div>
</div>



<div data-aaad="true" 
data-aa-adunit="/22181265/stc_sticky_siderail" 
class="adapex-desktop-tablet adapex--sticky adapex-300-250 text-center">

</div>