The Picton, Ontario native has seen year-over-year growth, and in only her second collegiate season, she picked up 40 points in 34 games while helping the Nittany Lions capture their fourth consecutive AHA Championship.
Coming off a 74-point season in the U22 Elite league, Grace Outwater had plenty of reason to feel good about her game heading into her collegiate career at Penn State.
The Picton, Ontario native spent her junior career in Ottawa, including the final two years with the Ottawa Senators Women's Hockey Club, where her game really began to take shape.
"Especially at the Lady Sens program with Dana Mulvihill and Hannah. Those were two coaches that really helped me to become the player I am today and really led me to being confident and competitive," Outwater said. "They showed me that they believed in me, and I think that's what has shaped me throughout the last two years there."
In her first season with the Nittany Lions, Outwater posted 26 points in 38 regular-season games, finished tied for fourth in plus/minus at +24, earned a spot on the All-AHA Rookie Team, and was a finalist for Rookie of the Year.
"My first year at Penn State, it was obviously hard, but knowing you have to go in and just be confident. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past, but you need to be confident, and you're there for a reason. They recruited you for a reason, so show them what you can do, and put your head down and work, and you'll see where it takes you."
That mentality paid off. Outwater saw her goal total jump from 16 to 24 in her second season, her plus/minus climb to +37, and she finished the regular season with 40 points in 34 games. She claimed the AHA Scoring Champion title, was named to the All-AHA First Team, and helped Penn State capture their fourth consecutive AHA Championship.
And that growth, year over year, can be directly tied back to why she chose Penn State in the first place.
"Coming here was such an awesome decision because the facilities, everything, the coaching staff has been awesome. Our rink is incredible. Our gym is incredible. And then we have so much stuff that we have access to, and that's really helped me with my game," she said. "I'm able to fully focus on what I need to do. Now I get to work on skills all the time and have a trainer throughout the season, and also being able to look at video with our team, and then individually with the coach has really helped me with my game overall."
Two seasons into her collegiate career, Grace Outwater looks like exactly the player Penn State thought they were getting. And given the success she's already seen on the ice, there's every reason to believe she's just getting started.