UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania – Penn State women's hockey head coach Jeff Kampersal was named a finalist for the 2020-21 CCM/AHCA Women's Ice Hockey Division I Coach of the Year as announced Thursday, March 18.
Kampersal was named the 2020-21 CHA Coach of Year for the first time earlier in March to qualify as a finalist for the award, which includes the individual conference coach of the year winners and those coaches whose teams qualified for the NCAA semifinals. The full list can be found at the AHCA's release.
The Nittany Lions completed their best season in program history under Kampersal's guidance with a 16-3-2 overall record and the program's first ever CHA regular season title.
In his fourth season in Happy Valley, Kampersal's team has seen steady improvement before breaking through with its .810 winning percentage in the 2020-21 season. Kampersal became Penn State's coaching wins leader during the season and holds that mark with 52 wins. His 379 wins are the sixth most among active Division I coaches and seventh most all time.
Kampersal's team excelled under his leadership with the team on the ice earning several individual honors. A record seven Nittany Lions were named to the All-CHA teams, including freshman Kiara Zanon winning Penn State's first National Rookie of the Year honor and CHA Player of the Year. Freshman goaltender Josie Bothun was also named CHA Goaltender of the Year and finishing third in the National Goaltender of the Year voting.
The Nittany Lions set numerous team records both offensively and defensively this season. Penn State's 3.43 goals per game shattered the previous program best of 2.11 back in 2016-17 and was the best mark in the conference. Similarly, the Nittany Lions' scoring defense was great, allowing just 1.52 goals per game, also a program-best and the lowest average in the CHA.
