Sept. 7, 2015
By Maria Canales, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's hockey will once again be backed by one of the most dedicated student sections in the country, the Roar Zone. On Sept. 3, the student ticket sales for men's hockey season tickets sold out in a mere five minutes.
Selling 1,000 student tickets in single digit minutes for two consecutive years is an extremely admirable feat. It reflects not only the University's dedication to excellence, but also the student body's interest in the fast-paced sport.
Among the student ticket sales were many freshmen seeking to attain season tickets for the very first time. But a large number of ticket sales went to students who were eager to be a part of yet another successful season of Penn State hockey.
"I've had season hockey tickets for one year, but had gone to a few games the year before coming up from Altoona," said junior Jordon Hodder.
Hodder, who hails from New York, grew up a fan of hockey. When he transferred from Altoona to University Park his sophomore year, buying season hockey tickets was high on his list of things he wanted to do. After a successful first season in the student section, Hodder was excited to return once again.
"The atmosphere is crazy for every game," said Hodder. "It's a great time watching Big Ten college hockey and some of the best teams in the country."
Another upperclassman that was attracted to the atmosphere was senior Anthony Duivenvoorde, who's had men's hockey season tickets for the past two years.
"It's definitely the atmosphere," said Duivenvoorde. "Hockey fans are a unique breed of people and having a group together [at the games] makes every dollar worth it."
Duivenvoorde thought that finishing out his senior year by once again returning to the student section was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
With several memorable games from past seasons in Pegula Ice Arena, including a dramatic win over Michigan during the 2014-15 campaign, students look forward to certain promising matchups during the season.
"The games I'm looking forward to most are the Michigan and Ohio State games," said Hodder.
Conference games usually prove the most popular among students because it's a chance to witness such a competitive level of college hockey. Students also enjoy the season's Big Ten games because it's another opportunity to give some notable rivals a hard time.
This season's schedule also includes a few high-profile non-conference matchups. One game this coming season in particular is proving popular among Penn State students.
"The chance to [give a hard time to] Notre Dame will be a fun game to be a part of," said Hodder.
Whether it is a conference matchup or not, the Roar Zone will be ready with their chants and taunts. The heckling is what many students enjoy, but it's all in good fun.
Duivenvoorde enjoys being part of the student section because he gets to cheer on his Nittany Lions, but also because he knows how important the fans are to the game day atmosphere.
"Knowing Coach Guy and the players enjoy [the Roar Zone] as much as we do makes it even that much better," said Duivenvoorde.
Head coach Guy Gadowsky is known for verbalizing his support and admiration for the dedicated student fan base Penn State hockey has. Often times, Gadowsky can be seen around campus interacting with students and promoting the team he loves so much.
For many students, the Roar Zone gives them the opportunity to be part of an organization to watch the sport they love with fellow fans of the game.
Duivenvoorde will be spending his senior year in the student section and says it's one of the things he'll miss most about Penn State after he graduates.
"It was awesome to be a part [of the Roar Zone] from the start and being able to brag to friends about it makes it memorable," said Duivenvoorde.
Other members of the famed student section still have a few more seasons left to enjoy, and for those students it's time they will not take for granted.
Hodder said, "Every game is different which makes it fun to see what will happen when the puck drops."
Being a season ticket holder as a student comes with many opportunities to be a part of Penn State hockey history. One-thousand strong, the student section comes alive every time the team hits the ice.