Feb. 6, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
By Tyler Feldman, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - What makes NCAA Division-I sports so attractive are the distinct areas student-athletes travel to and from to play for one team. Junior forwards Hannah Bramm and Hannah Hoenshell embody the diversification seen in collegiate athletics.
While Bramm hails from Tampa, Fla., Hoenshell's roots originate in Plano, Texas. Collectively, the two Hannah's have each ushered in a unique edge to the Penn State women's hockey team.
"The neat piece for us as a team and family is just the geographical diversity," said head coach Josh Brandwene. "It just makes for fun conversations and fun stories, and they're just a huge part of our team."
Different Places. Similar Beginnings.
You would think that growing up in southern states would make it difficult to find places in the area to play hockey, but that was not the case for Bramm and Hoenshell.
"My brother, who is two years older than me, was watching the Olympics, and he wanted to figure skate, said Bramm. "So then we both started figure skating when I was three. And then after a couple months we decided to play hockey."
"I started skating when I was three," said Hoenshell. "My dad grew up in Nebraska, and he always liked hockey. Basically he started me skating, and my younger brother was playing hockey. He got hockey skates, and I wanted hockey skates. From there I started playing."
Like many women who want to play hockey, Bramm and Hoenshell each played with boys up until their teenage years.
"I played [hockey] with boys up until I was 13," said Hoenshell. "Then I switched to girls. There was one girl's team in Dallas, Texas, and I played for that team until I graduated. We played against boys, but it was just non-checking.
A similar scenario played out for Bramm, as well.
"I played boy's [hockey] until I was a sophomore in high school, so around 15," said Bramm. "Then I went to NAHA, North American Hockey Academy, for my last three years of high school, and that was in Vermont."
Penn State Living
Despite their similar starts from notable vacation hot spots, Bramm and Hoenshell arrived in Happy Valley in different ways.
Hoenshell was recruited and chose to don the Blue and White sweaters from the start. After playing six years for the Alliance Bulldogs hockey club in Dallas, she decided to take her talents to Penn State.
"When I was looking at schools, I wanted a good school with academics and big-time football, which coming from Texas, that's a big deal; the new rink, too," said Hoenshell. "Everything was perfect about [Penn State]."
For Bramm, she played her first two years of college hockey at Minnesota-Duluth. Just last spring she transferred to Penn State, noting that the academics and team were a strong fit for her.
Coming from climates warmer than University Park, both enjoy late summer, fall and spring in Happy Valley, but both have had to adjust to the cold, winter months.
When asked if she misses the warm weather, Bramm joked, "Yes, haha, I wasn't meant for the cold at all."
When asked how she deals with the cold, Hoenshell replied, "Just gotta live through it."
Diversification
With Minnesota, California, Florida, Colorado, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Ontario all represented on the Penn State women's hockey team, together they are one, big, diverse family.
Brandwene credits Hoenshell and Bramm for bringing the southern flare to the squad.
"Well credit to both of them," said Brandwne. "They're just incredibly hard working. They've spent an entire career loving the game and getting better at it. It's that work ethic that has gotten them to this level and allowing them to flourish at this level."
One area that has certainly created fun conversations among the team is the taste buds that the Hannah's bring to the table.
"There's just some diversity in food choices like key lime pie and maybe a little bit of southern barbeque in there," said Brandwene. "Again, it makes for a fun, family atmosphere."
The Nittany Lions are hungry to finish the season strong, facing CHA foe Lindenwood on the road this upcoming weekend.