Penn State Nittany Lions women's ice hockey
Encyclopedia
The Penn State Nittany Lions women's ice hockey or Penn State Lady Icers is a college ice hockey program that represents the Penn State University. The Nittany Lions hockey program is currently designated as a varsity club sport and competes at the ACHA Division I
level and are currently a member of Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League
(ECWHL). They play at the Penn State Ice Pavilion
Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
.
in 1996. During the program's tenure at the ACHA Division I
level the team has made the ACHA tournament 6 times, including the 2002 ACHA Women's Final Four.
(NCAA) Division I level along with men's ice hockey team
with the completion of a new 6,000-seat ice arena
to replace the undersized and aging 1,350-seat Penn State Ice Pavilion
Over the summer of 2010 it was reported that Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and Terrence Pegula
, a PSU alumnus, billionaire hockey fan, and possible large donor visited Minnesota’s
hockey facilities
and the new on-campus Notre Dame Ice Arena
currently under construction at Notre Dame
and other CCHA schools. On September 17, 2010 it was officially announced the men's and women's ice hockey programs will move to the NCAA Division I level for the 2012-13 season. The men's team will compete as an independent team until the new arena is completed in Spring of 2014, with the possibility of opening as early as December 2013.
In May 2011 the university announced the hiring of Josh Brandwene as the first varsity women's hockey head coach. Brandwene replaces Mo Stroemel, who served as heard coach of the ACHA DI team accumulating a record of 36 wins, 59 losses, and 3 ties in four seasons with the Lady Icers. On June 21, 2011, it was announced that Stroemel and Gina Kearns would join the Penn State coaching staff as assistants. Stroemel will help Penn State transition to NCAA Division I for the 2012-13 season. Gina Kearns was the assistant coach of the Neumann University Knights and coached there from 2009 to 2011.
In September 2011, Penn State women's ice hockey was accepted into College Hockey America
, becoming the fifth member of the conference after Wayne State
abruptly ended their women's hockey program, dropping conference membership to only four teams for the 2011-12 season. The Nittany Lions were accepted for admission into the CHA for 2012–13 season, their first season in the NCAA.
American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
level and are currently a member of Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League
Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League
Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League is an American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I club level hockey-only college athletic conference for women's hockey teams.-Membership:*University of Massachusetts Amherst*University of Rhode Island...
(ECWHL). They play at the Penn State Ice Pavilion
Penn State Ice Pavilion
The Penn State Ice Pavilion is an 1,350-seat ice arena on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University located in University Park, Pennsylvania. The ice arena includes an NHL regulation sized 200' x 85' ice sheet as well as a 45' x 55' studio ice sheet....
Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
University Park, Pennsylvania
University Park, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated community in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the location of the flagship campus of the Pennsylvania State University....
.
ACHA years
The Penn State Lady Icers began play at the non-NCAA level in the American Collegiate Hockey AssociationAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
in 1996. During the program's tenure at the ACHA Division I
American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
level the team has made the ACHA tournament 6 times, including the 2002 ACHA Women's Final Four.
Move to NCAA
After years of speculation the program will move to the National Collegiate Athletic AssociationNational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I level along with men's ice hockey team
Penn State Nittany Lions men's ice hockey
The Penn State Nittany Lions men's ice hockey, also known as the Penn State Icers, is a college ice hockey program that represents the Penn State University...
with the completion of a new 6,000-seat ice arena
Penn State Ice Arena
The Pegula Ice Arena is a planned 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena in University Park, Pennsylvania on the campus of Penn State University. The planned arena is currently in the preliminary stage with hopes to begin construction in 2011. The ice arena is planned to open in 2013 to replace the...
to replace the undersized and aging 1,350-seat Penn State Ice Pavilion
Penn State Ice Pavilion
The Penn State Ice Pavilion is an 1,350-seat ice arena on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University located in University Park, Pennsylvania. The ice arena includes an NHL regulation sized 200' x 85' ice sheet as well as a 45' x 55' studio ice sheet....
Over the summer of 2010 it was reported that Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and Terrence Pegula
Terrence Pegula
Terrence M. "Terry" Pegula is an American businessman. Pegula founded East Resources, a natural gas drilling company, before selling the company to Royal Dutch Shell for approximately $4.7 billion....
, a PSU alumnus, billionaire hockey fan, and possible large donor visited Minnesota’s
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
hockey facilities
Mariucci Arena
Mariucci Arena is the home arena for the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team of the University of Minnesota. The arena is located on the Minneapolis campus and seats approximately 10,000 fans...
and the new on-campus Notre Dame Ice Arena
Notre Dame Ice Arena
The Compton Family Ice Arena is a 5,022-seat, two-rink ice facility in Notre Dame, Indiana on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The arena saw its first game on October 21, 2011. The ice arena replaced the 2,857-seat rink in the north dome of the Edmund P...
currently under construction at Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
and other CCHA schools. On September 17, 2010 it was officially announced the men's and women's ice hockey programs will move to the NCAA Division I level for the 2012-13 season. The men's team will compete as an independent team until the new arena is completed in Spring of 2014, with the possibility of opening as early as December 2013.
In May 2011 the university announced the hiring of Josh Brandwene as the first varsity women's hockey head coach. Brandwene replaces Mo Stroemel, who served as heard coach of the ACHA DI team accumulating a record of 36 wins, 59 losses, and 3 ties in four seasons with the Lady Icers. On June 21, 2011, it was announced that Stroemel and Gina Kearns would join the Penn State coaching staff as assistants. Stroemel will help Penn State transition to NCAA Division I for the 2012-13 season. Gina Kearns was the assistant coach of the Neumann University Knights and coached there from 2009 to 2011.
In September 2011, Penn State women's ice hockey was accepted into College Hockey America
College Hockey America
College Hockey America is a women's college ice hockey conference in the United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The conference is currently made up of four women's teams in New York and Pennsylvania....
, becoming the fifth member of the conference after Wayne State
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
abruptly ended their women's hockey program, dropping conference membership to only four teams for the 2011-12 season. The Nittany Lions were accepted for admission into the CHA for 2012–13 season, their first season in the NCAA.
Lady Icers in Professional ice hockey
- Andrea Lavelle - Beatrice Aeros of the National Womens Hockey League