Sept. 28, 2015
By Maria Canales, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Freshman forward Andrew Sturtz is poised to make an immediate impact during the Penn State men's hockey 2015-16 season. After two successful years with the Carleton Place Canadians of the CCHL, Sturtz is ready for the challenging but rewarding transition into college hockey.
Sturtz, known for his effectiveness in front of the net, tallied 72 points in 58 regular-season games during the Canadians' 2014-15 campaign. Head coach Guy Gadowsky emphasized that Sturtz has been a player that Penn State was highly motivated to recruit.
"He was on the radar for a long, long time," said Gadowsky. "He has been someone that we've been very excited about for a while."
There are many reasons for the program to be excited about such a coveted recruit. Sturtz was named CCHL MVP and CJHL Player of the Year in 2013-14 by leading the league in scoring (104 points). Sturtz has made a major impact in the CCHL and he hopes the success he has seen will transition well in to NCAA-caliber games.
"It's obviously a big jump from [CCHL] to college, speed and strength wise," said Sturtz. "But [my teammates] are helping me out a lot and I look forward to seeing what I can do at this level, whatever role that is."
Gadowsky hopes that Sturtz's established talent blends in quickly with returning players like Dylan Richard and David Glen. The 2014-15 Big Ten Coach of the Year had taken his time studying Sturtz and his development before giving him the nod to be a Nittany Lion.
During the 2013-14 season with the Canadians, Sturtz was a standout team member, but his stats leveled-out during the 2014-15 campaign. This didn't deter Gadowsky however, but instead reflected opportunity to develop the young player.
"If you talk to his coaches and people around their junior program they said that he was a much better all around player [in the 2014-15 season], so he's the guy for us," said Gadowsky. "We're absolutely looking for some of that offense because we know that he can do it at high levels."
For Sturtz, the transition into college life off the ice has been equally as challenging as on the ice.
"It was tough for me at first," said Sturtz. "I battled with trying to find places a lot and I kept getting lost."
Once he found his way around campus, navigating hockey practices and workouts was something veteran team members helped Sturtz with. Sturtz has quickly fallen in to pace with the Penn State hockey ways.
"Adjusting to the hockey part of being here has been great," said Sturtz.
Being one of eight freshmen on the team this year, Sturtz has been able to learn from and bond with both his rookie and veteran teammates alike. He explained that even on his first visit to Penn State before committing, the players made Happy Valley feel like home.
"A big thing for me was when I came to visit all the guys came up to introduce themselves to me," said Sturtz. "You don't get that a lot at other schools, which shows this team has good character. I liked what I saw right when I got here and I knew this is where I wanted to play hockey."
Veteran players made Sturtz feel welcome during his first visit to Penn State and now those players have become his teammates. Sturtz explained who on the team he has become close with and who has given him a few pointers about transitioning to college life.
"Since I got here, David Glen is a good guy I look up to," said Sturtz. "He's good on the ice and off the ice, he's a good role model. Also, David Goodwin and Luke Juha are good players but also good students and I look forward to taking after their lead as the years go on."
With the Nittany Lions set to open their season this weekend, all of Sturtz's training will be put to the test. His offensive prowess will be something coaches and fans will be looking toward to help the Nittany Lions this season. If his hard work training for the season pays off, Sturtz will be an impactful player during his first season with Penn State.
"He someone that we're looking for to putting the puck in the net but also helping us with our identity," said Gadowsky. "He's someone we're very, very excited about."