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No. 11/11 Women’s Ice Hockey Battles No. 5/5 Northeastern to Open 2023-24 Slate

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 11th-ranked Penn State women's ice hockey team is eager for their 2023-2024 season as they are coming off their 2023 College Hockey America (CHA) tournament championship win. The Nittany Lions will take the ice for the first time this season against fifth-ranked Northeastern on Saturday, September 23 at 3 p.m.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
Dates: Saturday, September 23 | Sunday, September 24
Place: Matthews Arena | Boston, Mass.
Time: Saturday: 3 p.m. | Sunday: 2 p.m.
Watch: Saturday| Sunday
Live Statistics: All games
Game Notes: Penn State (PDF)

HISTORY

  • Penn State is facing Northeastern for the first time in the programs history.
  • The Nittany Lions have faced Hockey East teams 49 times in the programs history and tally a record of 15-22-12.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES

  • Northeastern enters the 2023-24 season following a 34-3-1 record in 2022-23 and a 24-2-1 tally in Hockey East play.
  • The reigning Hockey East tournament champs advanced to the Frozen Four in 2022-23 where they fell to Ohio State in the semifinal game.
  • The team returns their top goaltender Gwyneth Philips who tallied a record of 34-3-1 and GAA of 0.81 with a save percentage of .962.
  • On offense, the Huskies return forward Katy Knoll who was fourth on the team in points with 34 off 18 goals and 16 assists.

SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

  • Penn State kicks the season off at Northeastern Sept. 23 and 24 at 3 p.m. and 2 p.m.
  • The Nittany Lions will face UConn on Sept. 29 and 30 for their 2023 home opener.
  • The Blue and White start an away-streak at Colgate on Oct. 6 and 7.
  • Penn State faces their first conference opponent at Syracuse on Oct. 28 and 29.
  • The Nittany Lions face Mercyhurst, who they previously defeated to win the CHA Championship, on Nov. 17 and 18.
  • Penn State takes the ice in Pegula once again versus Robert Morris.
  • Penn State reigns in the new year at home versus Union on Jan. 5 and 6.
  • The Nittany Lions close out the season in Pegula versus RIT on Feb. 16 and 17.

STATE IN THE RANKS

  • Penn State is starting off the season ranked first in the CHA coaches' poll for the second consecutive season.
  • The Nittany Lions have secured the number 11 spot in the USCHO Preseason Rankings.

NEW KIDS ON THE ICE

  • The Nittany Lions welcome two freshmen: Stella Retrum and Karolina Hengelmüller.
  • Retrum joins the team from Maple Grove, Minn. as she was the captain in 2021-2022 and named MVP in the same season of the Maple Grove Senior High School team. 
  • During her time at Maple Grove, she appeared in three state championships, and was named to All-Conference teams three times.
  • Hengelmüller comes to Happy Valley from across the pond in Austria. She went to the Okanagan Hockey Academy and was a member of the Austrian National Team from 2019-2022.
  • Hengelmüller participated in the Olympic Qualification Tournament in 2021 and at the Youth Olympic Games in 2020, winning a bronze medal.
  • Graduate students Alva Johnsson and Maggie MacEachern are joining the Blue and White this season.

KAMPERSAL APPROACHING 100 WINS

  • Head coach Jeff Kampersal is on track to hit 100 wins at Penn State as he currently sits at 97 as the Nittany Lion head coach.
  • Kampersal sits as having the sixth most wins among division I women's hockey coaches with a record of 424-327-95.
  • Kampersal captured his 400th career win last season at Boston College on October 14.

PRESEASON CHA AWARDS

  • The Nittany Lions were picked to finish first for the second straight season in the 2023-24 College Hockey America Preseason Poll.
  • Along with being voted first in the preseason coaches' poll as a team reigning CHA and National Rookie of the Year Tessa Janecke earned her second career preseason honor as she was named the Preseason Player of the Year which was voted unanimously by the other five head coaches.
  • Freshman Karolina Hengelmüller earned her first career preseason honor as she was selected as the association's Preseason Co-Rookie of the Year.
  • Headlining the coaches' Preseason All-CHA Team were Janecke and senior defenseman Lyndie Lobdell. Also receiving votes by the conference coaches were graduate forward Julie Gough, senior goaltender Josie Bothun, Hengelmüller, and graduate defenseman Maggie MacEachern.


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