Penn State has 10 new players on their women's hockey roster losing a massive chunk of their core to the PWHL. Despite that, head coach Jeff Kampersal has been impressed with what he's seen on ice at camp, and the Nittany Lions' prospects this year.
For the past four seasons, Penn State had a locker room filled with veterans growing together. It was a group headlined by 2026 PWHL Draft picks Tessa Janecke, Leah Stecker, Katie DeSa, Madelyn Christian, Kendall Butze, Katelyn Roberts, and Mya Vaslet.
This season, the roster welcomes 10 new faces as Penn State looks to make it five straight Atlantic Hockey America titles and NCAA national championship appearances.
With the players back on campus for weeks already, the Penn State women's hockey team, according to head coach Jeff Kampersal, is already beginning to round into shape, although there is still much to be done.
"They look good, we're happy where they're at coming over the summer break. Everyone's excited," Kampersal said in a preseason AHA media availability. "We have 10 new faces, and so, there's probably goning to be a lot more coaching happening this year, and then, continue to focus on the culture and make sure that our returning players get the younger ones to do things the way that we want it."
Penn State is returning several key players including Abby Stonehouse, Mikah Keller, Grace Outwater, Danica Maynard, Matilde Fantin, Nicole Hall, Taya MacDonald, and Madison Campbell, and they also have one of the more promising recruiting classes in NCAA women's hockey headlined by Sofia Ismael, Kylie Amelkovich, and Morgan Stickney.
"Every year's a challenge, and just trying to, in the beginning of the year, trying to fit pieces together to see who works with who," Kampersal said.
"A lot of the players that we have, they come from good programs, which is good, they're winners, and they are captains maybe where they've been, but their teams, in terms of play, have had the puck a lot, so you know, we've got to work on their defensive side of things, angling, and get them to play, get them to think differently than maybe how they've played."
Penn State opens with an exhibition against RIT before facing Ohio State and Robert Morris. Kampersal said he hopes his roster will be settled in and hitting their stride by the time their series against Robert Morris rolls around.
Kampersal and the Nittany Lions know that there will be bumps along the way this season without the veterans they lost. But that's where Kampersal says Penn State's staff is prepared to put in the extra work to continue the program's climb, which last season included their first ever Frozen Four appearance. How far they go this season will depend on how quickly Penn State's returning players and staff can help their rookies integrate and adapt.
"The players that we have, coming in have played in high-level games, like U-18 Series, or Nationals, or Canadian Provincials," said Kampersal. "They've played, they've played big games, obviously not at the magnitude.hat the graduating group did, but they, we expect them to come in and do really well. Again, like I mentioned in the beginning, like, they're going to have to focus on certain habits to be their best, and get a little stronger, and get used to the contact along the walls, and things like that."
"We definitely expect a change, obviously, because we lost a lot, but it's a positive change, too, where as coaches, and then as our returnees, it's now on them to sort of bring the younger players along, and so far, so good. And as coaches... we're going to sort of dig deeper and work on habits and actually get into the coaching part again."
