Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Women's Ice Hockey

One of the winningest and most respected coaches in women’s ice hockey history, Jeff Kampersal has elevated Penn State women’s hockey to unprecedented heights and enters his 10th season leading the Nittany Lions in 2026-27. Kampersal is a five-time Atlantic Hockey America Coach of the Year and a four-time finalist for the AHCA National Coach of the Year award. After leading Penn State to a Frozen Four appearance and one of the most successful seasons in program history in 2025-26, he was named both the AHCA and USCHO National Coach of the Year. Under Kampersal's leadership, Penn State has emerged as a national power. He guided the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022-23 and has since led the Nittany Lions to four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths. Over the last four seasons, Penn State has amassed 100 victories, the most in any four-year stretch in program history. The 2025-26 season marked another milestone in the program’s rise. Penn State captured its fourth consecutive AHA Tournament championship and fifth consecutive regular-season title while earning the #3 overall seed in the NCAA Women’s Hockey Tournament. The Nittany Lions hosted an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in school history, secured their first NCAA Tournament victory and advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time. The Frozen Four run proved historic on multiple levels. Penn State not only reached the national semifinals but also hosted the 2025-26 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four at P

Jennifer Wakefield enters her third season on the Penn State coaching staff in 2026-27. In her first two seasons in Hockey Valley, the team set a new program record for single season wins in both years. PSU earned its fourth-straight AHA Tournament title after securing its fifth consecutive regular season championship in 2025-26. Wakefield helped the Nittany Lions to a historic campaign in 2025-26. After their fourth repeat as AHA Tournament Champions, the team earned the no. 3 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, hosting their first-ever game in the big dance. Penn State won its quarterfinal matchup over UConn to advance to the program’s first Women’s Frozen Four which was hosted inside Pegula Ice Arena. The Nittany Lions set new single-season program records in seven categories throughout the momentous campaign. The team earned a slew of awards in Wakefield’s second year in Happy Valley. In addition to nine All-Conference selections, Penn State earned five major AHA awards including Tessa Janecke, who repeated as the Player and Forward of the Year. Janecke was also tabbed to first team All-USCHO and garnered first team CCM/AHCA All-American honors. Freshman Danica Maynard earned a third team All-USCHO nod and was placed on the All-Rookie team. Multiple Nittany Lions collected AHA postseason honors in Wakefield’s first season with the program. Janecke earned AHA Player and Forward of the Year, Kendall Butze was named AHA Best Defenseman and Katie DeSa took home AHA Goaltende

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 2025. Newkirk played an instrumental role in player development, helping guide Penn State to a fourth straight AHA Tournament title and its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025–26. Over the last four seasons, Newkirk has elevated the Penn State offense in all facets. The Nittany Lions have scored at least 121 goals in every season she has been on staff, including 165 in 2025–26, which ranked fourth nationally. Five new single-season program records were also broken in 2025-26, including 252 assists (fourth in the nation), 417 points (fourth), 34 power-play goals (fifth), and 1,505 shots. Penn State also led the country in shorthanded goals in both 2024–25 (nine) and 2025–26 (eight). Newkirk also helped produce four AHA Players of the Year, including Kiara Zanon (2022–23) and Tessa Janecke, who earned the honor three times (2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26). Janecke also earned First Team All-USCHO and CCM/AHCA First Team All-America honors in 2025–26, and was named CHA Rookie of the Year in 2022–23. Newkirk also played a key role in Janecke’s rise to national prominence, as she became Penn State’s first-ever top-three finalist for the 2025–26 Patty Kazmaier Award after finishing as a top-10 finalist in both 2023–24 and 2024–25. In 2025–26, Newkirk also helped develop three forwards who were selected for the 2026 Winter Olympic

Head coach Jeff Kampersal added Moe Bradley as an assistant coach in June 2025 and she enters her second season with the Nittany Lions in 2026-27. Bradley helped Penn State to a historic season in her first year in Happy Valley. Penn State captured its fourth consecutive AHA Tournament championship and fifth consecutive regular-season title while earning the #3 overall seed in the NCAA Women’s Hockey Tournament. The Nittany Lions hosted an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in school history, secured their first NCAA Tournament victory and advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time. Penn State not only reached the national semifinals but also hosted the 2025-26 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four at Pegula Ice Arena, setting both a program attendance record and a Women’s Frozen Four attendance record with 5,176 fans in attendance. The Nittany Lions established new single-season program records in goals, assists, points, shots, power-play goals, shutouts and goals-against average while recording the most victories in a single season in school history. Another landmark moment came on January 30, 2026, when Penn State played its first outdoor game at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions defeated Robert Morris, 3-0, before a crowd of 1,828 fans. The 2025-26 season also featured one of the most decorated individual campaigns in program history. Tessa Janecke became Penn State’s first Olympic gold medalist, helping Team USA defeat Canada in overtime of the gold-