Andrew Sturtz ‘20 enters his second season as assistant coach at his Alma Mater in 2024-25 after joining Guy Gadowsky’s staff in July 2023. In his first season back in Hockey Valley Sturtz improved the Nittany Lion powerplay by nearly four percent as the 19.7 percent success rate was the best in three seasons with the 26 powerplay tallies ranking as the most in a single season since 2019-20. Sturtz helped Penn State to a trio of top-15 victories including the 200th win in program history at No. 12 Michigan in November.
Sturtz helped guide freshman Aiden Fink to the single season powerplay goals record with eight, a mark good for second in the Big Ten and 14th in the nation. Fink was also the only unanimous selection to the B1G All-Freshman team and the first Penn State representative in eight seasons, his 34 points ranked as the third most by a Nittany Lion freshman all-time while his 19 assists and 15 goals were good for second and fifth, respectively.
Sturtz also saw junior Dylan Lugris earn the 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award as college hockey’s finest citizen. Lugris became just the second Nittany Lion to receive a national award joining PJ Musico, the 2015 Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award winner.
The Buffalo, New York native played for the Nittany Lions from 2015-18 leading Penn State to the 2017 Big Ten Tournament Championship, its first in program history, and its first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018 before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators following his junior season.
Sturtz left Hockey Valley in 2018 as Penn State’s all-time leading goal scorer and just the second Nittany Lion ever to eclipse 100 career points. He currently ranks first all-time in shorthanded goals (9), second in goals (54), seventh in points (104) and 10th in assists (50) while his 0.94 points per game in 111 total games played is good for fourth all-time.
Prior to signing his NHL entry-level contract at the conclusion of the 2017-18 season, he registered 40 points on 14 goals and 26 assists as a junior making him one of just seven players all-time to register a 40-point season as a Nittany Lion. His 22-goal sophomore campaign remains tied for the second-most goals in a single-season all-time while his 26 assists from 2017-18 are tied for the seventh-most in a single-season.
Sturtz completed his bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Management in the summer of 2020 while playing professionally in the ECHL.
Sturtz battled through injuries during the majority of his five-year professional career and officially announced his retirement following the 2022-23 season. Over parts of three seasons in the American Hockey League, Sturtz played in just 35 games with the Belleville Senators scoring four goals while adding seven assists for 11 points.
Sturtz entered the 2020-21 season with the Rapid City Rush in the ECHL registering 28 points (10 G, 18A) in 33 games before suffering another debilitating injury that sidelined him for nearly 18 months before he made a comeback for the 2022-23 campaign.
Sturtz began the year with the Orlando Solar Bears before a trade sent him to Toledo leading the Walleye on a deep playoff run. In 64 total games during the 2022-23 season, Sturtz scored 27 goals while adding 14 assists for 41 points.