Penn State Hockey’s Historic Draft Bonanza
Penn State’s hockey program saw unprecedented success in the 2026 professional drafts. Tessa Janecke became the highest-drafted Nittany Lion ever when PWHL Las Vegas selected her third overall after a record-setting career of 89 goals, 112 assists, and an Olympic gold medal. Freshman sensation Gavin McKenna is now the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs, having led the Big Ten in scoring and shattered nine program records. Overall, Penn State could place more than ten players in the NHL and PWHL drafts, capping off a season that included the women’s team’s first Frozen Four appearance and numerous individual accolades.
Move over Cinderella—Penn State’s hockey squad just turned into the ball. Janecke skated into the record books like she’d strapped rockets to her skates, while McKenna apparently spent his freshman year learning how to score goals in his sleep. Next thing you know, they’ll be drafting players before they’re even born. It’s only a matter of time before local recruiters camp outside maternity wards with clipboards and “Future Nittany Lion” pins. But hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, draft ‘em.
Final X Frenzy: Nittany Lions Clash on the Mat
Final X returns to Newark’s Prudential Center to determine the U.S. freestyle wrestling squad for the 2026 World Championships. Four current or former Penn State wrestlers and two NLWC members will vie in best-of-three bouts, including the marquee Luke Lilledahl vs. Spencer Lee rematch. Other highlights feature Marcus Blaze’s showdown with Jax Forrest, Levi Haines and Zain Retherford’s bids to rejoin Team USA, and world champions Kyle Dake and Kyle Snyder in heavyweight showdowns. Fans can stream the event on FloWrestling or grab tickets via Ticketmaster.
Who knew that squeezing into spandex and flinging your opponent onto a mat could generate more hype than a capped World Cup match? Penn State’s grapplers are turning Newark into a lion den, and you can almost hear the mats begging for mercy. Meanwhile, Lilledahl and Lee will settle their score for the umpteenth time, because nothing says “America” like two grown men wrestling for bragging rights. So grab your popcorn—preferably the kind you can watch from the safety of your sofa, because those takedowns are brutal.
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