UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee selected Penn State to host the 2020 Midwest Hockey Regional at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania as announced earlier Friday morning. In partnership with the PPL Center, Penn State hosted both the 2018 and 2019 Midwest regionals.
Penn State will host its third-straight NCAA hockey event the weekend of March 28-29, 2020, when four teams will converge in the NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Regional at the PPL Center in Allentown. The winner of the regional will advance to the 2020 Frozen Four in Detroit, Michigan. NCAA Men's Hockey Regionals are held in off-campus facilities.
"Penn State and the PPL Center have worked diligently to provide the best post-season tournament environment possible the past two seasons in Allentown," commented Assistant AD Michael Cross, who oversees the men's hockey program. "We appreciate the NCAA awarding us the opportunity to once again host a regional in the Commonwealth in 2020 and look forward to doing everything we can to showcase four of college hockey's best teams on their journey to the Frozen Four."
Penn State was fortunate enough to earn a trip to the Midwest Regional in Allentown during the 2018 NCAA Tournament, however, the Nittany Lions were defeated by Denver in the Midwest Regional Semifinal in front of a crowd of 7,491. Penn State would be automatically placed back in Allentown should the Nittany Lions qualify for the 2020 NCAA Tournament.
The PPL Center opened in September 2014 and is the home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League. The facility has a hockey capacity of 8,420, with a standing room capacity of more than 9,000. The Nittany Lion Basketball team defeated Drexel in the PPL Center in December, 2014.
"We are thrilled to partner with Penn State Athletics to host the NCAA DI Men's Ice Hockey Midwest Regional tournament for the third year in a row," said Spectra's Gunnar Fox, Vice President & General Manager of PPL Center. "The Lehigh Valley community continues to solidify its reputation as a hockey market and its fans have shown their support through the 2018 and 2019 Regionals hosted at PPL Center. To host an event of this caliber alongside Penn State is an absolute honor and we look forward to another exciting tournament in 2020."
FULL NCAA RELEASE
