UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Eleven student-athletes who played for Penn State’s Division I club hockey team in 2011-12 have been added to the Nittany Lions’ roster for the 2012-13 season, head coach Guy Gadowsky announced Thursday. The 2012-13 campaign will mark Penn State’s first at the varsity level since 1946-47.
The 11 additions include forwards Jacob Friedman (West Bloomfield, Mich.), Michael Longo (Allison Park), Michael McDonagh (Wilmington, Mass.), Tommy Olczyk (Long Grove, Ill.), George Saad (Wexford) and Eric Steinour (Carlisle); defensemen Brian Dolan (Havertown), Rich O’Brien (Furlong) and Peter Sweetland (Newton); and goaltenders Matt Madrazo (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) and PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.).
"All of the returning players on this roster have demonstrated a high level of work ethic and commitment to their academics, our hockey program and Penn State," said Gadowsky. "We take ‘Success with Honor’ seriously, and these student-athletes have proven to represent themselves accordingly."
The newcomers join Taylor Holstrom (Yorba Linda, Calif.), Nate Jensen (Shorewood, Minn.), Bryce Johnson (Grimes, Iowa) and Justin Kirchhevel (Brookings, S.D.) – four transfers with NCAA Division I experience who were unveiled as the first four varsity team members in September 2011. In 2011-12, all 15 played for Penn State’s club program under Gadowsky, who served as the team’s head coach during its NCAA transition.
With the addition of the 10 incoming freshmen who signed National Letters of Intent during the November early-signing period, the 2012-13 roster currently sits at 25.
The Nittany Lions will compete as an independent for the 2012-13 campaign before joining the newly-created Big Ten Hockey Conference, along with Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin, beginning in the 2013-14 season.
In addition, Penn State will open Pegula Ice Arena – a 200,000-square foot, 6,000-seat state-of-the-art facility – prior to the 2013-14 campaign. Construction for the future home of Penn State Hockey began in early February.