BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Senior alternate captain Liam Folkes (Scarborough, Ontario) became the third different Nittany Lion to ink a professional contract this offseason after agreeing to terms on a two-year American Hockey League contract with the Bakersfield Condors the team announced on Tuesday afternoon. Bakersfield is the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers.
"Mr. Clutch has scored a number of huge goals in our program history. Early in his college career he made the decision to become a complete player; it's very fitting that guys like that get rewarded for their commitment," mentioned head coach Guy Gadowsky. "We are thrilled and excited for Folkesy and look forward to watching him score more huge goals at the next level."
After being in and out of the lineup early in his career, Folkes scored one of the biggest goals in program history with his double-overtime, game-winning goal as a freshman during the 2017 Big Ten Championship against Wisconsin. The senior would then miss just a single game over his final three seasons in Hockey Valley registering 90 points on 42 goals and 48 assists in 110 games including the fourth-highest single-season point total in program history with 42 as a junior in 2018-19.
Earlier this season, Folkes became the eighth Nittany Lion in program history to reach the 100-point mark finishing his career tied for seventh on the all-time points list with 103 while his 48 goals and 55 assists are the fifth and ninth most all-time, respectively. Folkes' 137 games played are tied for the eighth most in program history.
The Scarborough, Ontario native always had a flare for the dramatic and holds career records with eight goals and 16 points in 11 Big Ten Tournament games including a single-tournament record 10 points in 2019 on four goals and six assists in five games. Folkes was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team twice (2017, 2019) in his four years at Penn State becoming the only Nittany Lion to be recognized twice.
"The facilities at Pegula Ice Arena are state of the art and helped me further my development these past four years and I'm looking forward to what the future holds," commented Folkes. "Thank you, Penn State, for giving me the chance to grow as an athlete and an individual. WE ARE!"
FULL BAKERSFIELD RELEASE
