Jackson Bell
Staff Writer
At the inception of Penn State NCAA Division I in 2013, the goal was always to reach the Frozen Four, and that goal became a reality last night in Allentown, PA. The program was built from the ground up, and at long last, the Nittany Lions won on the biggest stage imaginable. After being 0-3 in program history in regional final games, the dam was broken after a 3-2 overtime win over #3 University of Connecticut Huskies with 2:04 left in overtime number one.
The Lions had a battle against two worthy Hockey East contenders, but first, they had to deal with the #1 University of Maine Black Bears. Penn State would stand tall after surrendering the first goal of the game four minutes into it. They then rattled off five unanswered goals to defeat the Black Bears 5-1 on Friday. This led to the victory on Sunday in overtime when Charlie Cerrato fed Mat Dimarscio a behind-the-back pass from the slot to seal the frozen four for Penn State.
It has taken a long time for Penn State hockey to get to their first Frozen Four. This decade-long process is built on recruiting, player development, and a commitment to excellence. When Penn State was a club program, the ultimate goal of the university was to get the program to compete at the BG10 level, and that eventually happened in 2014 when they joined the conference. Now having an opportunity at Frozen Four and to compete for a National Championship is what the university foresaw all those years ago.
As Penn State was being put on the map, the winning eventually came when they won their first Big Ten championship in 2017. After the winning started to come, the identity of the program showed its head. It became known for its fast-paced, aggressive offensive style, which appealed to skilled forwards looking to make an impact at the college level. This leads to the recruitment process and how to get players to come to Penn State who fit that identity.
In a recent interview with Spittin Chiclets, former Penn State captain Christian Berger said, “This university has the largest alumni network in the country and that should make it easy for players to come here and compete.”
Penn State offers a lot to its athletes and the alumni network is an important piece of that.
Penn State team atmosphere has been a full-program effort, with contributions from players, coaches, and support staff. Cole Hiesey is a junior student manager and has seen how these players have worked so hard to get to this moment.
“The work these guys put in every day is incredible. They push each other in practice, and that’s translated to success on the ice,” Hiesey said.
Sophomore student manager Will Pries also added, “This team has a special bond. They trust each other, and that’s been a huge part of why they’ve made it this far.”
As the Frozen Four is ahead against Boston University, Penn State is in its biggest challenge of the year. The Nittany Lions have been playing their best hockey of the season, and they have an opportunity to enjoy the moment and make program history.
