‘Historic moment.’ Penn State hockey teams to play in Beaver Stadium this winter
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- Penn State men's and women's hockey teams to play in Beaver Stadium Jan. 31
- Games mark stadium's first hockey events amid multi-year renovation project
- Move reflects rising national profile of both Penn State hockey programs
Penn State will host something other than football in Beaver Stadium this winter.
The Nittany Lions’ two hockey programs will each play in the venue for the first time following the conclusion of the football season, with the women’s team playing Robert Morris before the men’s team takes on Michigan State on Jan. 31.
The matchups will take place despite Beaver Stadium being in the middle of a reconstruction project that will continue until the beginning of the 2027 football season.
In a news release, Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft called it a “historic moment” for the hockey program, fans and entire Penn State community.
“To bring the excitement of college hockey to Beaver Stadium is truly special,” he said. “Having our men’s program face a premier Big Ten opponent in Michigan State and our women’s program face Robert Morris on this stage reflects the incredible growth and national profile of Penn State Hockey and provides an unforgettable experience for our student-athletes, alumni and fans. We can’t wait to see Hockey Valley come alive in Beaver Stadium.”
The women’s team advanced to the NCAA regional semifinal last season, while the men’s team made it to the Frozen Four. Since the end of the season the men’s team has added multiple NHL-level talents, including generational player Gavin McKenna, who is widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Both hockey teams open their seasons this fall. The women’s team will face St. Lawrence on Sept. 25 in Pegula Ice Arena in a rematch of the regional semis. McKenna and the men’s team will face Arizona State on the road in Tempe on Oct. 3 to open their season. They will have their home opener the following week on Oct. 9 when they take on Clarkson in Pegula Ice Arena.
In the news release, both men’s hockey coach Guy Gadowsky and women’s hockey coach Jeff Kampersal thanked Kraft and the athletic department for making the outdoor games a reality.
“This opportunity is momentous and historical for Penn State Hockey,” Kampersal said. “Considering all the legendary moments the men in black shoes and basic blues have created on this turf, WE ARE looking forward to creating some of our own and making Penn State proud.”
Kraft has said for years that Beaver Stadium can and should be a venue for other events outside of football. In April 2024, the stadium became a concert venue for the second time in its history when country star Luke Combs performed there in front of 80,000 people, and a beer festival was held on the field a month later.
As part of major projects at Beaver Stadium, the Penn State board of trustees approved $70 million in May 2023 partly to winterize the stadium so it could withstand colder temperatures for College Football Playoff games, and the first home playoff game was held there last December.
More information about the hockey games at Beaver Stadium is expected this fall.
This story was originally published August 29, 2025 at 11:03 AM.
