For those who don the Blue & White, Penn State becomes something much larger than just a college hockey program - it becomes a place that sticks with you long after you hang the skates up.
That bond is what drew current assistant coaches Andrew Sturtz and Vince Pedrie back to Happy Valley.
First, both played as teammates during the Nittany Lions’ Big Ten Tournament championship run in 2017, they now find themselves both behind the bench guiding the next generation of Penn Staters.
While their coaching roles are relatively new, the connection to the community is anything but,
“My three years as a student were by far the best three years of my life,” Sturtz said. “Even signing an NHL deal, nothing comes close to the three years I had at Penn State, with the players I was with, the people in the community I met. You can’t explain Happy Valley until you actually experience it.”
Sturtz points out that passion isn’t just about hockey, it’s baked into the culture of Happy Valley.
“When you get to us, the atmosphere that Pegula brings every night, it’s just different,” he said. “I think the energy in the air in Happy Valley and just the pride, the passion and commitment behind the sports teams, that’s what I love about this place, it’s really special.”
That sense of pride and passion was a pull that Pedrie couldn’t ignore when the chance to return came up.
“It was something I’d thought about more than anything, so I was super excited,” he said.
But it’s not just the job, it was the feeling - one that sets Penn State apart from anywhere else.
“It’s the hockey community, but it’s also just Penn State in general,” Pedrie said. “There’s something about this entire university that’s unique, and that’s why you see 100,000 people show up on a football Saturday. People are so proud to be Penn Staters.”
The current crop of student-athletes share this pride with the program’s notoriety heightened by last season’s historic run to its first-ever Frozen Four.
“Even just walking around campus, people recognize you and know who you are,” junior forward Reese Laubach said. “People love the hockey team. There’s a ton of support everywhere you go.”
That pride is the reason alumni stay connected long after their playing days and why old friendships become lifelong bonds.
Sturtz, who served as the Best Man in Pedrie’s wedding, knows how rare it is to carry that personal connection into the professional chapter both former players now share.
“For me to have a best friend on staff, it’s going to be a fun ride,” Sturtz said. “Back then, we were both driven to sign NHL contracts, and we did it. Now, as coaches, our goal is the same - to win national championships.”
That pursuit isn’t just about trophies. It’s about adding to a tradition that has grown exponentially in just over a decade.
Sturtz and Pedrie have seen how Pegula Ice Arena fills, how loud the Roar Zone gets and how fans of all ages have embraced hockey in a football-first town.
“Once you step away from it, you realize how special it really is,” Pedrie said. “Guys try to find any way they can to come back, it’s that kind of place.”
Laubach also quickly pointed to the impact his fellow students have on the program.
“It’s a ton of fun to play in front of the Roar Zone,” Laubach added. “All the home games, the loudest student section in college hockey. The support we get here is unbelievable. We love it.”
For Sturtz, the ultimate payoff would be helping Penn State cross that final box off the checklist set in place back in 2012 - capturing a national championship.
“I get chills just thinking about it,” he said. “Penn State is a monster in athletics. We win national championships.”