Makenna Newkirk returns to Penn State for her fifth season in 2026-27 and her second as Associate Head Coach after being elevated in July 2026.
Newkirk brings several great intangibles to the Penn State program. Newkirk has played an instrumental role in the development of players which led to a fourth-straight AHA tournament title and fourth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. During her first four years at Penn State, she helped produce four AHA Players of the Year in Tessa Janecke (2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26) and Kiara Zanon (2022-23), while also leading Janecke to AHA Forward of the Year honors in three consecutive seasons as well as her CHA Rookie of the Year award in 2022-23. She also helped Janecke become the program’s first-ever top three Patty Kazmaier finalist in 2025-26 after being a top 10 finalist in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
Over the past three seasons, Newkirk has elevated the Penn State offense in all facets. The Nittany Lions have scored at least 121 goals in every season Newkirk has been on the coaching staff, including a nation’s fourth best in 165 this past season. In 2025-26, the Nittany Lions achieved five new offensive single-season program records. In addition to a new school best 165 goals, Penn State produced 252 assists which ranked fourth in the nation, 417 points ranking fourth in the country, 34 power play goals which was fifth across the nation and 1,505 shots.
Newkirk mentored Janecke to AHA Player and Forward of the Year titles in 2025-26 in addition to her first team All-USCHO selection and first team CCM/AHCA All-America nod.
The Nittany Lions are unphased playing down a woman. The team scored eight shorthanded goals in 2025-26 and nine in 2024-25 which led the country in both campaigns.
A former Boston College team captain and star student-athlete, Newkirk joined the Nittany Lions after spending the 2021-22 season with Brown women's hockey in the ECAC.
She had a positive impact behind the bench for the Bears, as Brown finished the campaign with their best overall record in the last five seasons, including their most wins in ECAC play since 2008-09 and highest finish in the ECAC standings in a decade. During her time at Brown she mentored current Boston Fleet (PWHL) forward Shay Maloney.
Newkirk also served as a mentor to Caroline Harvey at the North American Hockey Academy prior to her time on Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
The Scottsdale, Ariz. native shined in her collegiate career at Boston College from 2015-19 as one of the most consistent point producers and playmakers in the nation. She finished her BC career ranked fifth on the program scoring list in points (189), sixth in goals (73), third in assists (116) and fourth in game-winning scores (14) and was a two-time captain.
Newkirk also competed for USA Hockey on the U22 National Team, was an invitee to the Olympic Tryouts for the 2018 Pyeongyang Winter Games and also attended three National Team Festivals.
She was the seventh overall draft pick in the 2019 NWHL Draft and played two seasons in the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association in the New Hampshire Region.
Newkirk's additional coaching experience includes time with the North American Hockey Academy at the U16 and U19 levels. She also was an assistant coach for Milton Academy in 2019-20.