Women's Jersey Countdown: #2 Jeanette Bateman

Sophomore - Defender - 5'6" - Greeley, CO

One way to know that Jeanette Bateman is an effective defender is through the test generally applied to offensive linemen in football: she tends to go unnoticed. But effective she is, or she wouldn't have joined Jordin Pardoski, Paige Jahnke and Lindsay Reihl in the group of Penn State blueliners who dressed for every game in 2012-13. In 30 of the last 31, Bateman could be found on the right side of Jahnke, maybe PSU's most effective tandem - they ranked second and third on the team in blocked shots, behind only human waffleboard Micayla Catanzariti. The three-sport athlete in high school was the first player in Penn State's NCAA history with a three-assist game (January 4th against Chatham), and she scored her goal in a win over Sacred Heart on October 20, 2012. Bateman is also an outstanding student. The biomedical engineering major was co-salutatorian at Greeley West High School and is notable as one of several Nittany Lions likely to end up somewhere in medicine following graduation.

Career Statistics:
Season	GP	G	A	Pts.	PIM	PP	SH	GW	GT
2012-13	35	1	4	5	12	1	0	0	0
NCAA Career	35	1	4	5	12	1	0	0	0

Fifteen Lions Receive CHA Academic Accolades

Tess Weaver is now a member of the all-academic team in two different conferences

College Hockey America announced on Monday that 15 members of the 2012-2013 Nittany Lions women's team have been named to the CHA All-Academic Team, an honor given to student-athletes who record a grade point average of 3.0 or better during all in-season academic periods.

The Penn Staters recognized include forwards Kate Christoffersen, Hannah Hoenshell, Jill Holdcroft, Darby Kern, Emily Laurenzi, Kendra Rasmussen, Tess Weaver, Jenna Welch and Katie Zinn, defenders Jeanette Bateman, Paige Jahnke, Lindsay Reihl, Stephanie Walkom and Sarah Wilkie, along with goaltender Brooke Meyer. All except the graduated Christoffersen and Zinn, who transferred to the University of British Columbia after the season, are returning to the team in 2013-2014. Most of PSU's winners will be part of a massive sophomore class, with Zinn, Christoffersen, graduate student Reihl, senior Welch and junior Weaver the exceptions.

Christoffersen and Reihl were both picked as Big Ten Distinguished Scholars on July 10th, an award requiring a 3.7 GPA for the previous academic year. They also joined Weaver in winning Academic All-Big Ten selection in May, giving the trio the rare distinction of honors from two different conferences. Jess Desorcie, Taylor Gross and Cara Mendelson also won the latter Big Ten award which, like the CHA, requires a 3.0 GPA - but unlike the CHA measures cumulatively while also blocking freshmen from eligibility. Eighteen players of the 27 on last year's roster have now won some sort of award for their academic performance.

In all, 77 CHA players received that league's distinction, with Robert Morris' 21 leading the way. Additionally, 11 of the 77 were named co-winners of the Student-Athlete of the Year award for carrying a perfect 4.0: Kendra Broad (Lindenwood), Celeste Brown (RIT), Gina Buquet (Mercyhurst), Lauren Jones (Mercyhurst), Katelyn Scott (Robert Morris), Alison Wickenheiser (Lindenwood), Amy Stober (Lindenwood), Chelsea Witwicke (Lindenwood), Ali Binnington (RIT), Julia DiTondo (Mercyhurst) and Nicole Hensley (Lindenwood).

Here's the full release from CHA, including a list of all 77 winners:

Penn State-RIT Photo Gallery II

Photos from Saturday afternoon's visit to RIT for the CHA playoff contest between the Tigers and the Nittany Lion women. Click any photo to enlarge.

Note: Ordinarily I like to post an illustrated campus tour, but in RIT's case, I already handled some of that task back in October when the men's team played in Rochester.

The exterior of possibly the most boring building in architectural history

Much like at the Ice Pavilion, seats from RIT's coming arena are on display

Thank You Tom doesn't have quite the same ring to it

The 2012 DIII trophy - we'd hear from Kim Schlattman (no. 10, left photo) again

Clean ice...nothing better

RIT's Melissa Bromley (left) and Danielle Read waiting to get on that ice

Freshman defender Jeanette Bateman

Senior-ish defender Lindsay Reihl

Freshman forward Micayla Catanzariti

Sophomore forward Tess Weaver

Penn State-Lindenwood Photo Gallery

Photos from Friday afternoon's Penn State-Lindenwood women's game. All are by and courtesy of Steven Hass. Click for full size.

Junior goaltender Nicole Paniccia

Freshman forward Emily Laurenzi, PSU's lone goal scorer.

Junior forward Jenna Welch

Freshman forward Hannah Hoenshell

Sophomore forward Jess Desorcie

Laurenzi

Freshman defender Paige Jahnke protects Paniccia

Freshman defender Jeanette Bateman

Senior (sort of) defender Lindsay Reihl

Junior forward Taylor Gross

Reihl and Desorcie sandwich Lindenwood's Alyssa West

W: Penn State 1 at Syracuse 4

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // SUathletics.com recap

SUathletics.com photos

Former Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart once famously declared in Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964) that "I know it when I see it." Stewart, as many of you may know, was speaking about hardcore pornography, but he just as easily could have been referring to the progress of the 2012-2013 Nittany Lions women's hockey team.

That progress, much like pornography, sometimes evades clear definition. On Saturday afternoon against Syracuse (14-11-1, 8-3-1 CHA) and repeating a pattern seen earlier in the season, Penn State (7-16-1, 1-10-1 CHA) was outshot 55-15. Things like scoring chances and zone time aren't available, but I imagine the proportions would be similar. But that's rarely the whole story, and it certainly wasn't this time around.

Taylor Gross helps Celine Whitlinger defend the PSU net from Syracuse's Allie LaCombe.

The simple fact is this: but for a late empty-net goal by Julie Knerr of Syracuse, PSU outscored the Orange over the last 48:30 of the game. The 1-0 margin was thanks to Jill Holdcroft - Does she have a fan club? If so, I want in - the scrappy State High alumna. Holdcroft, in adding the icing to a fantastic weekend, took a feed from Shannon Yoxheimer after a nice play at the line, swooped in on SU goalie Jenesica Drinkwater, and scored on her own rebound after the initial shot was saved.

Syracuse, of course, won the game with three early goals. First Nicole Ferrara put back a Margot Scharfe rebound just as an early penalty expired, then Kallie Goodnough rippled twine off of a loose puck kicked back into the slot, and finally, Jacquie Greco made it 3-0 early on a power play one-timer. The Orange also built an early 9-0 shots lead during the scoring run.

Penn State's mental toughness won from that point on, though. Celine Whitlinger, who ended with 51 saves, shut the door the rest of the way. The defense generally reduced the quality of the chances by SU's talented top two lines (although Whitlinger was certainly spectacular when that wasn't the case). And PSU's offense, while not very prolific, did develop some opportunities.

The entire situation reminded me of two games earlier this season:

• On November 11th, Robert Morris jumped on PSU for three first-period goals at the Ice Pavilion. However, Nicole Paniccia shut things down from there, and Micayla Catanzariti's third-period goal provided a glimmer of hope in an eventual 4-1 loss.
• On December 1st at Mercyhurst, an early Taylor Gross blueline takeaway led to a Jess Desorcie rebound goal and first blood against the juggernaut Lakers, a lead that PSU held through the midpoint of the opening period.

Do those things, or the fact that the Nittany Lions scored against Syracuse after being shut out in the first three games of the season series, look like much on the outside? No, not really. But for those paying close attention, they're the type of glimmers that show a young program in development. I'll spare the tired cliche about crawling before walking before running, but it's true. Take any winning team in sports, look back to before it was a winning team, and I guarantee you'll find a set of milestones and moments - sometimes isolated games within seasons, sometimes isolated plays within games - that indicated they were on the right track. I'm a skeptic by nature and don't always pick them up as they're happening, but I'm seeing them with Penn State women's hockey.

Here's the live blog for the latest step in the journey:

W: Penn State 4 vs. Chatham (NCAA DIII) 0

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // Chatham.edu recap

New lineup, same result.

Josh Brandwene made massive changes to his team for Saturday's rematch with NCAA Division III Chatham - in the end, every player on the roster saw ice over the weekend - but the Nittany Lions (7-12-1, 1-8-1 CHA) rolled once again, this time by a deceptively close 4-0 score.

Considering Penn State's entire top line of Shannon Yoxheimer, Jess Desorcie and Taylor Gross, as well as lethal Hannah Hoenshell, got the night off, a duplicate of Friday's 10-0 romp would probably be asking too much. Still, other than the goal count, the gaudy stats remained in place against a Cougars team that only had 13 players available. PSU rifled 71 shots on Chatham goalie Kaitlynn Smith and allowed only 16 against Celine Whitlinger and Brooke Meyer (who closed out the final 7:26 of the game). Of those 16 CU shots, only four came from beneath the dots. Emily Laurenzi's 12-3 record in the faceoff circle led the way to a 30-11 advantage on a team level.

It was Laurenzi's line, which included Jenna Welch and Katie Zinn, that accounted for three of the four goals. Zinn opened things up 5:07 into the game by slipping a wrister through from the left wing circle. A Cougar defense that blocked 32 shots and Smith - despite issues controlling the puck all game long - kept Penn State at bay until late in the second period, when Madison Smiddy's point bomb on net was dropped by Smith, allowing Welch to push it home. PSU finally cracked things open in the final period when a turnover deep in the Chatham zone allowed Zinn and Welch in behind everyone, with the Canadian feeding the Texan for her second of the night. Jill Holdcroft closed things out 58 seconds after Welch's second with a putback of her own rebound.

The Nittany Lions will now hit the road for the next four games (closing out a stretch of ten away games in 12 bridging the semester break) beginning with games against the ECAC's Union Dutchwomen in Schenectady, NY next Friday and Saturday.

Bigger Than It Looks

In some ways, this is a boring home weekend jammed in before a huge one where 2012 NCAA tournament team Air Force and 2012 CHA tournament champ Robert Morris come to the Ice Pavilion.

But in other ways, and quite frankly ones more important than optics, it's vital.

The Calm Before the Storm

For the women (2-5-1, 0-3-1 CHA), who will play Sacred Heart (3-4-0, 1-3-0 NCAA Division I) tonight at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., there's a simple reality that has followed and will follow them all season: first-year DI programs with 17 freshmen don't have much room for error. That sentence can refer to moments within games - for instance, the missed clearing attempt that led to the tying goal in a draw with RIT the last time out - or it can refer to the schedule as a whole.

Home games against Sacred Heart that precede games against the reigning league champs and six straight road games to close out the fall semester certainly qualify as "no margin for error" in the larger context.

Jeanette Bateman scored her first career goal two weeks ago at Sacred Heart

The Nittany Lions and Pioneers, of course, met just two weeks ago and split. SHU held on for a 2-1 win on October 19th before Penn State bounced back the next day behind six different goal scorers. It should be said that PSU held a decisive shooting advantage in both games.

Still, Sacred Heart is sort of the Alabama-Huntsville of women's hockey. They struggle to schedule as an independent, and as a result, generally play a mix of DI, DIII and ACHA teams (recall that they hosted - and split with - the Lady Icers last season). In their only game since their hosting PSU, they were blanked 4-0 by DIII St. Anselm. Make no mistake, even as a first-year DI with 17 freshmen, Penn State is ahead of Sacred Heart on the food chain. And given that reality, anything less than a home sweep would hurt, particularly considering what the next five weeks has in store. In short, it's a possible get-right weekend, and the Nittany Lions need to take advantage of it.

Penn State, as usual, will rely heavily on CHA Player of the Month nominees Shannon Yoxheimer (six goals, two of which came against SHU) and Nicole Paniccia (2.64 GAA, 1.51 in the two games with SHU) to continue to build on the momentum from that 2-2 tie with favored RIT last Friday. On the other hand, no Pioneer has more than three points in their five games, although the one with three is Sara Hanna, who recorded two of them - featuring a game-winning goal - against PSU.

Dirt on Their Shoulders

The men, on the other hand, have some things to prove against an NCAA Division III team.

I could probably end the post right there, couldn't I?

The Nittany Lions (4-2-0, 4-1-0 NCAA DI), on balance, have been a pleasant surprise this year. Following an opening overtime loss to AIC - one that could easily be written off to drawing the hot goalie card in the form of 61-save man Ben Meisner - PSU has rolled off four straight wins against DI competition. Included in that run are the back half of the AIC series, the huge win at RIT's homecoming in front of 10,556 fans and a sweep at Army and at Sacred Heart last weekend. No, those teams aren't Boston College, Michigan and Cornell (even RIT, a solid program most of the time, has been disappointing so far), but for PSU to be consistently reeling off wins against any DI program is a major achievement six games into the NCAA era.

But there's that one game.

That game, of course, is a 3-0 shutout at the hands of DIII Buffalo State (1-1-1, 0-1-1 SUNYAC), Saturday night's opponent, on October 19th at the Buffalo State Sports Arena. From a BSC perspective, the game was a program definer in front of a record crowd. From a PSU perspective...ugh. I'm sure you'll appreciate my leaving out the finer points of what transpired that evening.

Casey Bailey and Penn State's forwards will again seek to swarm an opposing goaltender - although hopefully with better results than against Ben Meisner and AIC in the last men's game at the Ice Pavilion.

One of the more curious aspects to that game is that the Bengals are not an elite DIII program like St. Norbert, Oswego, Norwich or even future opponent Neumann. In fact, since opening their season with the win over PSU, they've only managed a loss and a tie at home against SUNYAC rivals Brockport and Geneseo. But for that one night, they were world beaters.

Guy Gadowsky has admitted to a possible focus issue in that game, with the showdown in Rochester looming the next day. And while the rematch might set up in a somewhat similar fashion with Air Force in town next weekend, it's probably a safe bet that PSU will be out for blood. Here's what the coach told the media Thursday afternoon on that point.

"It's interesting, we're not going to say much but we're interested in the response from the locker room. I think they might be pissed and I think they'll want to atone for what happened last time."

At momentum-shifting points in games, David Glen, Kenny Brooks and Curtis Loik tend to be on the ice. The trio (which was actually broken up in the last game, against SHU) has added offense to their usual grinding efforts that don't always appear on the scoresheet, with six goals and 14 points so far. P.J. Musico has starred in net - he's been the goalie for all four of PSU's wins - and he's been aided greatly by defensemen Nate Jensen, Mark Yanis and Luke Juha. From Buffalo State's standpoint, they'll need another big game from Kevin Carr in net if they hope to shock the higher-division team for a second time.

W: Penn State 6 at Sacred Heart 1

Box score // GoPSUSports.com recap // SacredHeartPioneers.com recap

Daily Collegian recap

Josh Brandwene's primary goal this season is to improve every day, and for the team to be playing its best hockey of the season at tournament time.

Things like "better" and "progress" aren't always easily measured. In fact, as recently as Friday's series opener, I argued that a 2-1 loss to Sacred Heart could be considered forward movement. No rationalization is needed, however, when the Nittany Lions move from that defeat into a 6-1 win the next day to snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 2-4-0 (0-2-0 CHA).

The offensive explosion from a team that had only scored seven times in the previous five games (and just twice after the season-opening 5-3 win over Vermont) was thanks mostly to a suddenly-lethal power play. After going 0-for-19 to start the season, it connected three times in the first 32 minutes of the game to give the Nittany Lions more than enough offense.

That's not to say that the game didn't have a few tense moments, though. Taylor Gross and Shannon Yoxheimer scored on PSU's first two attempts with the advantage to give the Nittany Lions a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. However, early in the second period, and on a SHU power play...

Casey Stathopoulos (Waltham, MA) knocked in loose puck on a scrum in front of the net, set up by Sara Hanna (Lino Lakes, MN) and Sarah Delaney (Whittman, MA) at 4:03.

Fortunately...

Penn State answered about eight minutes later, once again on the power play, as Jeannette Bateman knocked down a clearing attempt at the blue line and skated in for an unassisted goal at 12:00.

Jess Desorcie and Hannah Hoenshell tallied 26 seconds apart early in the final period to crack the game open, and Jordin Pardoski added a finishing touch with 1:39 remaining. Madison Smiddy and Jenna Welch each had a pair of assists in the contest.

Notably, Nicole Paniccia started in goal Saturday to break up what had been a straight rotation between her and Celine Whitlinger to this point. Paniccia didn't give Brandwene any reason to regret the move, stopping 25 of 26 Pioneer attempts.

While the flood of NCAA-era firsts has slowed significantly six games into the season, this game still provided a healthy share, including:

• As mentioned, the power play goals were the first three.
• Bateman, Hoenshell and Pardoski all scored their first collegiate goals.
• The game was Hoenshell's PSU and NCAA debut after she missed the early stages of the season with a sprained ankle.
• Desorcie's goal was her first at the NCAA DI level.
• Cara Mendelson also made her NCAA debut, and is now able to say that the Nittany Lions do quite well when she plays.
• Lindsay Reihl notched her first NCAA point, an assist on Desorcie's goal.

The Nittany Lions return to the Ice Pavilion Thursday and Friday for what should be a fascinating series with RIT, last year's NCAA Division III national champions who are also playing their first season at the DI level. The Tigers are 3-3-0 following a 3-0 win over Yale at Rochester's Blue Cross Arena Saturday afternoon, just before the PSU men upset RIT in the nightcap.

Three Stars: May 21-27

3. Black Hawks lose 5-2 in Clark Cup final
(wcfcourier.com)

2013 goalie Eamon McAdam, the last Penn State recruit to still be playing, now isn't thanks to his team's loss to Green Bay in the decisive game five of the USHL's Clark Cup finals (I suppose he'd be done either way, but whatever).

To be honest, I'm kind of glad the Black Hawks lost. Their winning would have put me in the awkward spot of having to write a post about McAdam winning a championship - awkward because he's Waterloo's backup and recorded zero minutes in the playoffs. Since his teammates lost, he just gets this. During the regular season, McAdam was 11-7-0 with a 3.50 goals against average and a 0.882 save percentage, helping Waterloo to third place in the Western Conference.

The pride of Perkasie, PA is the top returning goalie on what should be a strong team again next year, as starter Stephon Williams is headed to Minnesota State for the coming season.

2. Breaking Down Penn State's Inaugural D1 Hockey Schedule
(Black Shoe Diaries)

Penn State hockey releases inaugural Div. 1 schedule; Nittany Lions to play in Philly 
(Broad Street Hockey)

Unfortunately, there's not a ton out there on the schedule announcement offering more than a reshuffling of PSU's release, but I'll give BSD - whose entry was written by friend of TYT Nate Wells - and BSH shouts (like they need them from me) for these posts, which at least offer opinions like...

While the on-campus home games leave something to be desired - there are only six against D1 teams - Penn State's inaugural season had both challenges and winnable games alike. Playing 8 of the 12 Atlantic Hockey teams (arguably the weakest college hockey conference) will be a good barometer for the Lions early in the year while series against Big Ten foes Michigan State and Wisconsin will give motivation when they are conference rivals next year.

...and...

It shouldn't really be looked at as a negative: It's their first season in Division 1, they're going to be bad, and power schools don't want to play weak teams. It's just the way it is. But if you had any hopes of Penn State making some sort of miraculous at-large bid to the national tournament in their first season, this schedule isn't going to get them there.

There are things to like, there are things to not like. Sounds like life.

1. John Lynch Foundation: Jeanette Bateman
(YouTube)

Two weeks ago, a picture of incoming women's player Jeanette Bateman receiving $10,000 in scholarship money from the John Lynch Foundation was buried somewhere in the middle of "Best of the Rest." Turn that picture into a 2:00 video of Bateman basically introducing herself? Yeah, I'll bump that up a few.

Best of the Rest



Inspiring words from Joe Battista
(YouTube)

Can someone please tell me which phone records these ridiculous vertical videos?

Anyway, here's a brief clip of the Hockey Czar from the PSU Alumni Leadership Conference two weekends ago.

Penn State will be a new rival for Buckeyes
(Columbus Wired)

Since the days of Villanova, Niagara College, Michigan-Dearborn, Ohio and Delaware are gone (or soon to be gone in OU's case), Penn State needs a new archrival. That one team you hate over all others, and they hate you on the same level. The one where you say "I'd gladly go 4-30, as long as the four come against them" (even if that's not entirely true) and do silly things like refuse to speak or type that team's name. And unlike in football, I think it has a shot of happening for NCAA men's hockey.

In football, Penn State is the other woman in a rivalry love triangle involving Ohio State and Michigan. There have been and will be years where PSU-OSU means more than OSU-Michigan. That affair from 2005-2009 - which took place while Michigan was on an extended business trip to Irrelevantistan - was quite fun. But at the end of the day, even after promising to end things, the Buckeyes will always end up back with their wife, leaving PSU to the domain of angry texting and futile attempts to break them up.

The good news? Michigan's married to Michigan State in hockey. Anything you see saying otherwise comes from people who don't follow the sport closely and assume Michigan pairs off with Ohio State for everything. While it's hard to just declare a rival and have it be so (these things need time to develop), there are reasons to be encouraged.

INCH 10 For 13: The Teams
(Inside College Hockey)

At least one outlet says that Penn State's playing two top 10 teams next year. Just don't click the link to their picks from last season at the bottom of the page.

Ice Hockey Announces Class Of 2016
(suathletics.com)

Syracuse has joined Mercyhurst and Lindenwood among the womens' CHA rivals in announcing their incoming recruiting class. So half down, half (Penn State, Robert Morris and RIT) to go.

Sorry ladies, your monopoly on the ACHA cheerleading scene is over.

2012-13 Ice Hockey Cheerleading Squad Announced
(lindenwoodlions.com)

Speaking of Lindenwood, it sounds as if Iowa State will no longer have the only hockey cheerleaders in the ACHA. LU does a good job sharing resources between their hockey programs, so I have to assume that they'll swing between the ACHA men and the NCAA DI/CHA women.

Speaker lineup for 2nd annual Coaches Conference includes three Stanley Cup champions
(The Coaches Site)

In case you wanted to know where Guy Gadowsky will be on July 20th and 21st, he has a speaking gig in Joe Sakic's hometown.

2011-12 Girls Hockey Season - Our Seniors
(nationalsportsacademy.com)

A rundown of the NSA senior girls hockey players, which includes Emily Laurenzi, of course.

Four-year player Emily Laurenzi has become one of the most influential players on the team. Laurenzi has, “hard work and commitment on the ice [that] easily sets her apart from other players” and “you will never find her taking a shift off .” After four years Laurenzi has accumulated seventy-eight goals, two hundred and three assists, and played two hundred and ninety games. Her hard work earned her a place on Penn State’s brand new Division One girls program, becoming the first recruit in the history of their program. Laurenzi is “excited for something new since she has been [at NSA] for a while, but will miss it.” 

I assume it was a coach and not Laurenzi saying that her hard work and commitment sets her apart, but it's never mentioned. I should be nice though - Laurenzi co-wrote the entire piece.

UPDATE: Laurenzi tells me that the quoted words not from her are from NSA coach Kelli Vossler. So there you go!

Monday's roundup: Livonia Ladywood wins Catholic A-B softball title
(Detroit News)

Jordin Pardoski, another incoming women's recruit, doesn't suck at lacrosse either.

Rochester 11, Farmington 8: Jessica Leininger had four goals and Katie Krako and Jordin Pardoski each had two goals and one assist for Rochester (13-3, 6-0 OAA White). Lauren Anderson had three goals for Farmington (4-10, 4-2).

PIAA basketball finals leaving Penn State, returning to Hershey; Giant Center to keep wrestling

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/05/24/3206927/piaa-basketball-finals-returning.html#storylink=cpy

(Centre Daily Times)

Just to review, Wisconsin moved their hockey series with PSU to a Sunday and Monday (February 24th and 25th) to avoid conflict with their state high school wrestling tournament. They're also relocating their March 8-9 home series with St. Cloud State to Madison's Alliant Energy Center - the Badgers' home ice from 1967-1998 - to clear the Kohl Center for their state high school basketball tournament. Penn State, meanwhile, blew their gig hosting PA's high school basketball tournament because someone can't read the instructions on a request for proposals.

Not that I really care. If anything, I disagree with Wisconsin's position and feel that UW should come first at UW facilities. Priority on booking dates is a big reason why it's beneficial to have your own facility in the first place. Remember the uproar when Penn State basketball was forced to practice in the IM Building due to a Bon Jovi concert at the Jordan Center? Well, I like Bon Jovi better than I like high school basketball, put it that way. I just found the contrast amusing, that's all. Carry on. Somewhere else, I'm done with this post.

Three Stars: May 7-13

Cara Mendelson (right) requests your assistance.

3. @lukejuha04
(Twitter)

The star defense recruit, who struggled with injuries all season, has finally been cleared to play. Juha's last game action was November 13, 2011 at the World Jr. A Challenge and his last contest with the BCHL's Vernon Vipers was on October 28th, so this qualifies as both fantastic and long-awaited news.

2. Coaches Caravan
(Penn State Alumni Association)

To be honest, I'm kind of sick of hearing about the Coaches Caravan. But we're in the last week of it, highlighted by the entry of Guy Gadowsky and Josh Brandwene, so now-ish would probably be a decent time to register if you haven't already and want to attend (except the Altoona one, you probably missed that by the time you read this). Tickets for Nittany Lion Club and alumni association members are $40, non-members are $55. Here's the schedule. Get at me if you'll be in Cleveland.

Monday, May 14 - Altoona, PA (7:30 a.m.), Pittsburgh, PA (6:00 p.m.)
Tuesday, May 15 - Youngstown, OH (11:30 a.m.), Cleveland, OH (6:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, May 16 - Erie, PA (11:30 a.m.), Buffalo, NY (6:00 p.m.)

Gadowsky will attend all six of those stops, while Brandwene will only be in Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

1. Help the kids of Rwanda
(gofundme.com)

I'll let Lady Icer Cara Mendelson explain:

My friend Katelyn and I are taking a mission trip to Rwanda, Africa on May 23rd! We picked Rwanda because it is an extremely poor country that could really use our help. With the genocide just over 15 years ago, these people are looking to rebuild their lives. Any small donation can make a huge difference. In our case, the money raised is going to the funding of a school in which we will be working at while we are there. Thanks so much to all of you for your support!

You heard her - get on it.

Best of the Rest

Could Penn State help celebrate the groundbreaking for this edifice?

RIT's Shelby Vakiener raises bar
(Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

While I'm sure Ms. Vakiener is an outstanding lacrosse player, I'm more concerned with the sidebar on this one, titled "RIT HOCKEY Arena Update."

More than $8 million in private donations have been secured for RIT’s Gene Polisseni Center, which has an estimated total cost of $30 million to $35 million. The school wants to raise $15 million through fundraising and will pay off the remainder of construction costs through revenue generated from the venue, [RIT director of university news Paul] Stella said. 

There is no official date for ground-breaking, though speculation is that it may take place during Brick City Weekend, RIT’s homecoming event Oct. 19-21. The Tigers men’s hockey team plays Penn State at Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester Community War Memorial on Oct. 20.

Heeeey...that's us! By the way, RIT plans to open their arena during the same 2013-2014 season as the PIA. They just now selected an architect, Canadian firm BBB Architects. Better get cracking, guys.

Replay: Chat with Michigan State hockey coach Tom Anastos
(Detroit Free Press)

Ever wonder why a program like Michigan State would schedule a first-year program when a) they don't have to, since the Big Ten doesn't start until 2013-2014 and b) they get no credit in the pairwise rankings for doing so? Wonder no more.

I believe that while we are always trying to do what's in the best interest of Michigan State, when you're at a school like ours, we also need to play a leadership role in helping our sport grow. Regardless of the impact of games with PSU next season on our PWR, we believe its the right thing to do...both for the good of the sport, as well as to help a new hockey-playing member of the Big Ten.

The entire chat is worth a read for Anastos' thoughts on the Big Ten, not to mention the interesting tidbits on a future opponent.

Bondra Commits to Michigan State
(The Munn Minute)

I'm thinking when Penn State and Michigan State get together this season, there should be a game beforehand for the hockey dads from the two teams. We already had 1984 Olympic teammates Chris Chelios (MSU's Dean and Jake), David Jensen (PSU's Nate) and Ed Olczyk (PSU's Tommy) in the mix. Now toss in Peter Bondra, who didn't play for Team USA but who did score 503 goals in the NHL.

Jon Gruden, John Lynch honor student athletes at Mile High
(Denver Post)

Yep, that's incoming women's recruit Jeanette Bateman receiving $10,000 of scholarship money from NFL legend John Lynch. Nicely done.

Derek Ross
(Google+)

From the "for what it's worth" department. I don't know Mr. Ross other than through his getting pinged by my network of Google Alerts. His StalkerNet entry lists him as a Systems Administrator in the PSU registrar's office.

Just came out of a presentation on the new Pegula Ice Rink at PSU. That facility is going to be pretty amazing. I'm not even a huge hockey fan like +Bradley Snyder is, but I'm excited to go to games.

Looks like Tim Hortons is 99% confirmed to be the facilities food vendor. (He said don't tweet that. I didn't. This is G+.)

He added this comment underneath:

Tickets are dirt cheap too 8 bucks. If you want high roller tickets that includes club access and an included meal its only 45 bucks. Would be a nice evening.

Anyone have a problem with $8 tickets? Didn't think so.

White should act fast to add hockey at UB
(Buffalo News)

UB-to-DI was a hot rumor a while back, but now it has been reduced to "this would be a great hockey school, and we should do it ASAP...now who's got some money?" columns. I think Penn State spent about 30 years in that phase, so don't hold your breath. Although, it would be a good idea for Buffalo to act now, because...

Report: Hockey East wants Connecticut as 12th member for 2013-14
(USCHO)

Hockey East, now at ten members, is adding Notre Dame from the dissolving CCHA in 2013-2014. UConn, on the other hand, would leave a still-in-existence conference behind, Atlantic Hockey. AHA would be down to 11 members, and is a perfect geographic and competitive fit for a new program at Buffalo. Everyone wins. Well, except Alabama-Huntsville, but that's a whole 'nother thing.

Wolverines Unveil Redesigned Jerseys for 2012-13 Season
(mgoblue.com)

If not for Michigan's tendency to tweak their unis (seemingly) every year, I'd say that this is what the Wolverines will look like the first time they play Penn State. Regardless, I love these. I already felt like UM's whites were one of the best jerseys in college hockey, and now they have blues to match, along with the addition of the Big Chill throwbacks to the regular set.

Niagara's no longer in the game
(Buffalo News)

Two Buffalo News articles in one Three Stars, neither of which really has anything to do with Terry Pegula? Sure. This one's the definitive word on the demise of the Niagara women's program, as far as I'm concerned.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference Names Joe Novak Director of Hockey Operations
(denverpioneers.com)

Zzzzz...suffice it to say that I wouldn't include this story in a January Three Stars post.

Three Stars: January 16-22

3. Greeley teen Jeanette Bateman earns hockey scholarship to Penn State
(Greeley Tribune)

I usually save articles about future players for Commit Cycle, but then again, the articles usually aren't also about future biomedical engineers with a 4.3 GPA.

Special thanks to pennstatewomenshockey.com for posting this one.

2. Morrisville, Neumann given postseason bans for financial aid violations
(USCHO)

Pegula Ice Arena? Expected. Max Gardiner? Exciting, but recruits happen. The true shock bombshell of the week goes to Neumann, an opponent of both the Icers and Lady Icers this season, for receiving the pimp hand from the NCAA.

Neumann’s violations include awarding the majority of international student scholarships to student-athletes during the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years, according to the NCAA. The Knights were sentenced to two years of probation, a $10,000 fine and a postseason ban.

At Neumann, a school financial aid program called the Canadian International Student Initiative Grant was used almost exclusively by men’s and women’s hockey players. In the four-year span, those grants went to student-athletes in all but one case.

It's highly unlikely that we'll cross paths with NU again, but in the event that we do, here's hoping for some creative chant concerning this situation during the national anthem. Karma's brutal, eh?

1. Joe Paterno passes away
(Lions 247)

I'm not sure he'd appreciate it, but among Paterno's immeasurable contributions to Penn State: this blog. Without him, I can say with near certainty that I would have pursued my education elsewhere. Rest in peace, Coach.

Best of the Rest

On the Fly, Jan. 21: UCF, FGCU Split; 16 in Row for PSU
(hockeyyall.com)

The Ice Lions kept rolling with a blowout of Delaware Saturday night.

Penn State scored five times in the first period, backed off the gas in the second and accelerated in the third for a 9-3 victory over Delaware and the Ice Lions’ 16th consecutive win.

It also boosted their Mid-Atlantic College Hockey North Division-leading record to 9-0-0-0. Overall, the Ice Lions are 21-2-0-0.

Penn State’s top two scorers, Chris Lewis and Jim Recupero, led the Ice Lions on the scoresheet with a pair of goals each. Recupero, who paced the ACHA DII Selects in scoring in Europe during the semester break, added an assist to give him 99 career points.

PSU is down to just four regular season games left: January 28th vs. Rowan, February 3rd at Pittsburgh, Feburary 4th vs. Monmouth and February 11th vs. St. Joseph's. The Ice Lions have already defeated each of those teams this season, with the 5-1 result over Rowan standing as the closest of those games. Also of note - the ranking that determines autobids to nationals will be out February 11th and PSU presently sits in the No. 2 slot in the Southeast (which, if this was February 11th, would get the Ice Lions through to nationals). Basically, barring a monumental upset, Josh Hand's squad seems headed to Fort Myers, FL on March 16th.



Joe Battista
(YouTube)

JoePa and JoeBa have something in common besides the structure of their nicknames. Do you know what it's like to devote your entire adult life to one purpose? Neither do I. That's why this interview (from the first intermission of the West Virginia game Friday, just after the Board of Trustees approved Pegula Ice Arena) is so compelling, despite my not even remembering anything Battista said. I spent the whole of it fixed on his expression. However happy we all are, he has to be roughly all of us put together, then multiplied by 30. And you can tell.

Kurt Collins Maintains Steady Rise as Icers Ready for NCAA
(statecollege.com)

I can't say enough about the job Collins has done this year after I considered him a bubble player to even be on the team. Glad to be wrong, and here's a nice feature worthy of his play.

Is the Big Ten Conference Good for College Hockey?
(chicagonow.com)

Haven't had one of these in quite a while.

UND lands Omaha recruit
(Grand Forks Herald)

File Chris Wilkie as one of those who got away after he committed to North Dakota last week.

Wilkie is a skilled forward who leads [the Omaha Lancers U16] with 46 goals, 69 assists and 115 points in 45 games. He also had interest from Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, Michigan, Nebraska-Omaha and Penn State.

Shifting Big Ten hockey to neutral site would eliminate WIAA conflict
(Wisconsin State Journal)

Andy Baggot gets a solid whine on about the format of the Big Ten tournament (3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5 in best-of-threes at the higher seed's rink, winners meet 1 and 2 at the top seed's venue for the semifinals and final). His solution? Hold it at a venue that's convenient to one of the six teams, St. Paul, MN's Xcel Energy Center. Solid call, bro.

UAH to provide less than 50 percent of budget for revived hockey program
(al.com)

Long story short, Huntsville gets to keep a hockey team, but they'd better start averaging more than 1,466 people per game.

@MarkHorgas
(Twitter)

The Pegula Ice Arena renderings? Fun, but largely theoretical. Actual work towards building a hockey arena at the site is taking place, and it's time to turn our attention to that.

Brandwene Brings In Bateman

Colorado Select Girls Hockey announced Wednesday that forward Jeanette Bateman is Penn State-bound next season.

The second commitment of the season [for the CSGHA] took place this morning November 16th when senior forward Jeanette Bateman signed her NLI to play for Penn State after graduating from Greeley West High School in the spring! The soon-to-be Nittany Lion plans on studying Biomedical Engineering as well as play on the inaugural women's hockey team of Penn State.

Jeanette, an NHS scholar athlete who also plays on the varsity girls' basketball and soccer teams of Greeley West High School, is the 2nd Assistant Captain to garner a collegiate commitment this season.

Jeanette Bateman

Forward
Colorado Select 19U
5'6", 125 pounds
Greeley, CO
DOB 5/1/1994

Colorado Select 19U site

Season   Team                   Lge    GP    G    A  Pts  PIM
-------------------------------------------------------------
2010-11  Colorado Select 19U    Tier 1 44   14   22   36   10
2011-12  Colorado Select 19U    Tier 1 15    2    2    4    0

Bateman's team plays in the JWHL, along with Emily Laurenzi's National Sports Academy, and they're off to a slow start compared to last season at 3-10-2 (3-5-1 in JWHL games). Bateman's points per game are also off last year's pace - although she is still third on the team in scoring. Two of her four points came in a 6-1 league win over the Minnesota Thoroughbreds on October 9th.

2010-2011, however, was quite a different story. While an 18-23-5 overall record might not blow anyone away, consider that it was 13-11-3 on December 23rd, when four-year CSGHA player Elizabeth Turgeon, a former teammate to many on last season's squad, was killed in an automobile accident. The team was understandably rattled from that point, but ultimately pulled together in time for a magnificent finish to the season.

At the USA Hockey Tier 1 19U national championships, Bateman was one of Colorado's stars as the team took home bronze medals. She scored twice in an overtime loss to the Madison Capitols in group play and added four assists in the next game, a win over the New Jersey Rockets. The three points from those contests were enough for a berth in the knockout rounds, and while Colorado bowed out in the semifinals, Bateman scored the team's only goal against eventual champion Shattuck St. Mary's. In all, her seven points were 11th best in the tournament and most on the team.

I'm probably not doing justice to the 2010-2011 edition of the Girls in Blue here, so I encourage you to head over here for the full story.

Bateman came up as a hockey player largely through the CSGHA, and played for its 16U, 14U and 12U teams as well.

Her profile on the CSGHA website, combined with the brief release that opened the post, paint a picture of a true student-athlete. A graduate of Greeley West High School, Bateman carried a 4.20 GPA, was perpetually on the high honor roll (as one might expect with a 4.20 GPA) and won several other academic awards.