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Students react to Commonwealth Campus Closures | Penn State, State College News

As Penn State prepares to close seven Commonwealth campuses in 2027, students say the decision will not only disrupt their education, but also dismantle the tight-knit communities they’ve come to call home.  Dillon Yinger said Penn State York isn’t just a place to take classes, but a community. “The smaller class sizes, the supportive faculty […]

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As Penn State prepares to close seven Commonwealth campuses in 2027, students say the decision will not only disrupt their education, but also dismantle the tight-knit communities they’ve come to call home. 

Dillon Yinger said Penn State York isn’t just a place to take classes, but a community.

“The smaller class sizes, the supportive faculty and the familiar faces on campus really made it feel like home,” Yinger, a second-year studying business, said.

Penn State York has a student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to one, and the average class size is 15 students.

“For many of us, this campus has been a great opportunity to be close to our families and support systems,” Yinger said. “Losing it would mean more than just the loss of buildings — it would be the loss of a place that truly cares about its students and their success.”

Smaller campuses mean more individualized attention from faculty to students, and it also means seeing more familiar faces on a day to day basis.

Myah Fullard said this was true at Penn State New Kensington, which had 432 enrolled students in 2024.

“In going to Penn State New Kensington, I was able to form so many new bonds, from cheerleading to just people I see everyday,” Fullard, a second-year studying psychology, said. “That has sadly had to fall short due to the recent decision.”

Fullard said she feels an instant relief walking across New Kensington’s campus.

“The campus is honestly like a family in how everyone is close to one another and that we all know each other in some way,” Fullard said. “I’m sad about the decision to close the campus.”

Sierra Hildebrand said that hearing the decision to close Penn State Wilkes-Barre was “devastating.”

“I don’t think it’s fair to the professors, that they’ve poured their hearts and souls into helping students get the most out of their academic journey there, to just be out of a job now,” Hildebrand, a fourth-year studying accounting, said. “And it’s also not fair to current sophomores, because they’ll need to transfer someplace else for their senior year.”

Now having transferred to the Abington campus, Hildebrand said she feels lost in such a large campus.

“I’ve never felt more alone at this campus,” Hildebrand said. “Nobody talks to anyone. It’s just very different.”

Over in southwest Pennsylvania, Penn State Fayette is the only baccalaureate-granting institution in the county. Emma Eckert said Penn State Fayette is a vital part of the local community.

“The campus has offered not only access to quality higher education for rural students, but also a sense of identity, opportunity, and pride for the region,” Eckert, a fourth-year studying psychology, said. “Its closure signals a significant loss, not just for current students and faculty, but for the broader community that has long depended on it for educational, cultural and economic support.”

Eckert said the Penn State Fayette community is already grieving the closure.

“We just don’t understand how a thriving campus like ours, who does so many things within the community and raises so much money for THON — the most other than the main campus — for so many years in a row is being selected to be cut over other campuses who we never hear about,” Eckert said.

Tyler Hanson said the decision to close Penn State DuBois will affect upcoming generations of students.

“This is (going to) shut down a lot of students’ options for going to school,” Hanson, a second-year studying wildlife technology, said. “They’re just (going to) go into the work field instead, which is terrible, because education is what we need in this world and not money.”

Trevor Hansen, another second-year studying wildlife technology, said he feels angry over the university’s decision to close the campus.

“I think if Bendapudi really thought it was a great deal to do it, she should have come here, walked around and talked to all the students themselves and all the faculty,” Hansen said.

Beyond the classroom, students say the closures will disrupt key parts of campus life. At Mont Alto, sports have been a major draw for students and a source of connection.

Ashlyn Vandenbree said her younger teammates on the Mont Alto volleyball team will have to scramble to figure out how to finish their degree.

“In terms of team sports, many recruits that have committed are now changing their minds and committing elsewhere, as we can not guarantee them a full four years to play,” Vandenbree, a third-year studying project and supply chain management, said. “This impacts the success of every individual team at Mont Alto and the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference, which might go away since half of the campuses are gone.”

Seated in Mercer County, Penn State Shenango is the smallest Commonwealth campus in terms of enrollment. It was created to expand higher education options in the area.

After a “nightmare” first year of college in Miami, Will Perry, his brother and their two friends transferred to Penn State Shenango.

“We already have so much more support up here,” Perry, a third-year studying business, said. “It’s just sad we can’t get it from the people who make decisions.”

Perry, his brother and their friends spoke about their freshman year experience with their old coach, who knew the baseball coach in Shenango. They then spoke with the Shenango coach, liked what they heard, came up to visit and found a place to move in.

“I wanted a fresh start, as did everyone in my house, and that’s what we got at Shenango,” Perry said. “So it’ll definitely be a place I’ll never forget.”

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Penn State’s campus closures reflect a wider national issue for land-grant universities

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Sewell’s Rocco Pelosi commits to play hockey for Boston College

While the Philadelphia area has a long history of producing top prospects on the hardwood and gridiron, the path to the NHL has been a far less charted one for hockey players. That could soon change with Sewell’s Rocco Pelosi, a standout 16-year-old whom many hockey analysts rank among the top players in the world […]

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While the Philadelphia area has a long history of producing top prospects on the hardwood and gridiron, the path to the NHL has been a far less charted one for hockey players.

That could soon change with Sewell’s Rocco Pelosi, a standout 16-year-old whom many hockey analysts rank among the top players in the world in his age group.

» READ MORE: Checking for Charity tournament provides another reminder of the closeness within the Philly hockey community

On Sunday, Pelosi, who isn’t eligible for the NHL draft until 2027, announced on Instagram that he has committed to play at Boston College under coach Greg Brown. Pelosi is expected to play the next two seasons at the United States National Team Development Program before enrolling at BC in 2027-28.

In his Instagram post announcing his future plans, Pelosi said:

“I am grateful and proud to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey and further my academics at Boston College. I would like to thank God, my family, friends, [coaches], teammates, and everyone else who has helped me along the way. #goeagles”

Pelosi’s post also contained pictures of local hockey legends Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Gaudreau, and Tony Voce, all of whom attended Boston College. Johnny, who is almost unanimously considered the greatest player ever from the area, and his brother Matthew, who also played professionally, grew up in Salem County and were killed last year by an alleged drunk driver while biking in Oldman’s Township. Voce, the first Philly native to sign with the Flyers, played three seasons for the Phantoms and later coached in the area. He died suddenly last year at age 43.

Katie Gaudreau, Johnny and Matthew’s sister, wished Pelosi well by commenting on the post:

“Congratulations!!!! The Gaudreau’s are so excited for you! #13#21

The young centerman, who grew up playing out of the Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell like his idols, will follow in their footsteps by attending Boston College, where Johnny Gaudreau and Voce both won national titles with the Eagles.

Pelosi skated the last two seasons at powerhouse boarding school Mount St. Charles Academy in Rhode Island, the alma mater of former Flyers goalies Brian Boucher and Garth Snow, and current defensive prospect Carter Amico. For Mount’s Under-15 team last year, Pelosi led the way with 65 goals and 140 points in 60 games as the program won the national championship. The year before, he put up a hard-to-fathom 87 goals and 170 points in just 64 games at the U14 level.

The pipeline from the USNTDP to Boston College to the NHL has borne significant fruit in recent years, with players like Will Smith, Cutter Gauthier, Ryan Leonard, and Gabe Perreault following that development path. James Hagens, who also spent time at Mount St. Charles and later starred for the USNTDP, was the No. 8 overall pick in this summer’s draft and figures to join this club after next season.

While the 2027 draft is still two years away, scouting experts project the 5-foot-9, 176-pound Pelosi as a top pick. Pelosi’s brother, Chris, was a third-round pick by the Boston Bruins in 2023 and will be entering his junior season at Quinnipiac. Chris Pelosi was coached and trained by Voce as a youngster.

» READ MORE: Quinnipiac’s Chris Pelosi carries his South Jersey roots and late role models wherever he goes

There could be an argument made that the younger Pelosi is the biggest hockey prospect ever from the area, as few players his age have generated this type of hype or buzz. Puck Preps regards Pelosi as the top-ranked American skater in his class.

There have been other accomplished locals, most notably Johnny Gaudreau, who defied the odds as a 5-9, 165-pound winger from South Jersey to develop into a seven-time NHL All-Star. There was also Flourtown’s Mike Richter, who backstopped the New York Rangers to the 1994 Stanley Cup and the United States to gold at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. But beyond that, NHLers have been relatively few and far between, with Tony DeAngelo, Eric Robinson, and Mattias Samuelsson the only three locals who were full-time NHLers last season.

With the Pelosi brothers coming down the pike, and other recent local draft picks like Sam Lipkin (Utah Mammoth), Tyler Boucher (Ottawa Senators), and Owen McLaughlin (Flyers), that number could soon grow.





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Official Site of The ECHL

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester Railers Hockey Club, ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, announced that the club has signed defenseman Anthony Hora to a contract for the 2025-26 season. Hora, 27, returns to Worcester for his first full season with the team. The Cheektowaga, New York native skated in 12 games for the Railers during the […]

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WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester Railers Hockey Club, ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, announced that the club has signed defenseman Anthony Hora to a contract for the 2025-26 season.

Hora, 27, returns to Worcester for his first full season with the team. The Cheektowaga, New York native skated in 12 games for the Railers during the 2024-25 season, picking up two assists. He also tallied 15 points (4g-11a) in 33 games for the SPHL’s Evansville Thunderbolts.

Prior to turning pro, Hora played three seasons of college hockey with SUNY-Brockport, registering 36 points (11g-25a) in 50 career games.



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In Frame: What might be on the ultimate football movie list?

Whenever a new sports season rolls around — specifically baseball, basketball or football — I start thinking about the movies that surround that sport. In the case of the current baseball season, for example, I wrote a story about “The Sandlot” through the eyes of its director David Mickey Evans, who also happens to […]

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Whenever a new sports season rolls around — specifically baseball, basketball or football — I start thinking about the movies that surround that sport. In the case of the current baseball season, for example, I wrote a story about “The Sandlot” through the eyes of its director David Mickey Evans, who also happens to be a Wilkes-Barre native.

Now, with professional football season just around the bend of the calendar, I’m very much in the mood to think about the quintessential football movies. Personally, I’ve always gravitated more toward the real world “NFL Films” and documentary-style football pictures, but the fictional or semi-fictional stories have a place at the table as well. Some of my favorites, mostly for nostalgia purposes, are “Gridiron Gang,” “Invincible,” and the remake of “The Longest Yard.”

Though they are among my favorites, I don’t know if any of those aforementioned films would be ones I’d recommend to people trying to understand the intensity and passion that goes into the football experience. There’s a certain heaviness to football that I think comes across in just a few films, five of which I’d like to discuss.

One thing I like about this list is that it touches on three levels of the game: high school, college and professional. I think each of those three levels represent something unique. I associate high school football with community, college with something more rowdy and spirited and the NFL with an odd balance of professionalism and bodily sacrifice. Films that strike those chords are, to me, quintessentially football.

“Brian’s Song” (1971)

We’re beginning on a down note, as “Brian’s Song,” for all of its merits, is a difficult watch on the heartstrings. Starring Billy Dee Williams and James Caan as Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo, respectively, the movie follows the Bears teammates as they work their way from training camp to NFL stardom. Sayers is a legend of the game, of course, but Piccolo’s name and story have long been remembered through this film.

“Rudy” (1993)

I’m no fan of Notre Dame football, but I can get behind “Rudy.” This is one of those ultimate underdog stories that’s very well-made and, for different reasons than “Brian’s Song,” pulls on the emotions. The passion a school and a community can have for a football team is captured perfectly, especially in the final scene. And finally, “Rudy” will always get love in this area, regardless of team allegiance, for featuring Scranton legend Jason Miller as Coach Ara Parseghian.

“Jerry Maguire” (1996)

The sole best picture nominee on our list, the core of “Jerry Maguire” is that professional undertone that exists within the world of sports. Jerry Maguire the titular sports agent, portrayed by Tom Cruise, grows to become something more meaningful than a suit to his clients. Within the football world is a deeply human tale, which is all brought together with the iconic “You complete me”/”You had me at ‘hello’” exchange. In that, “Jerry Maguire” does sports and romance well, and treats both sides of the narrative coin with respect.

“Remember the Titans” (2000)

A favorite for people in my generation, “Remember the Titans” is formulaic in its approach to football and racial politics, but it does a fine portrayal of balancing the two to form something charming. The early morning run in Gettysburg is obviously the highlight, and it does speak to the larger cultural impact sports can have. The titular team is representative of both the sacrifices made in the past, and the hope that a better future can be achieved. It’s nothing if not earnest.

“Friday Night Lights” (2004)

Before diving into the television show “Friday Night Lights,” which premiered in 2006, give some attention to this film of the same name and source material. The high school football experience was never explored so vividly until 2004. It’s a vibe that many shows and movies — sports-centric or not — have attempted and failed to emulate. Fun fact: According to executive producer Jim Whitaker in a conversation at Wilkes University, the rapper Eminem was originally eyed for a role in the “Friday Night Lights” film, as they had previously worked with each other on “8 Mile.” Let’s leave it there.

In Frame is a weekly arts and entertainment column focusing on everything from pop culture and new movie releases to the local arts and culture found right here in NEPA. News reporters Sam Zavada and Margaret Roarty contribute to this column.



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Penn State men’s hockey schedule finalized for 2025-26 season | News, Sports, Jobs

Penn State’s Dane Dowiak (19) passes around Boston University’s Jack Harvey (12) during the first period in a semifinal game in the NCAA Frozen Four men’s college hockey tournament, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in St. Louis (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) UNIVERSITY PARK — The Big Ten recently announced its complete 2025-26 men’s hockey schedule with each […]

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Penn State’s Dane Dowiak (19) passes around Boston University’s Jack Harvey (12) during the first period in a semifinal game in the NCAA Frozen Four men’s college hockey tournament, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in St. Louis (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

UNIVERSITY PARK — The Big Ten recently announced its complete 2025-26 men’s hockey schedule with each team playing each other a total of four times, twice at home and twice on the road.

Penn State, which announced its 10-game, non-conference schedule last month, opens Big Ten play with four-straight road contests beginning in Columbus against Ohio State with a Thursday-Friday series on Oct. 30-31 leading into the Penn State-Ohio State football game on Saturday, Nov. 1.

PSU then travels to Michigan State for a series at Munn Ice Arena on Nov. 7-8 before entertaining Michigan at Pegula Ice Arena on Nov. 14-15. Penn State then closes out its first half slate at Minnesota with a pre-Thanksgiving series on Nov. 21-22.

The Nittany Lions open the second semester with three of four series at home during January, beginning with back-to-back against Minnesota (Jan. 9-10) and Notre Dame (Jan. 16-17). Following a trip to Wisconsin (Jan. 23-24), Penn State welcomes Michigan State to town for a Saturday-Sunday affair on Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

Following a bye week, PSU travels to Michigan on Feb. 13-14 before hosting Ohio State on Feb. 20-21. The Nittany Lions then close out February at Notre Dame on the 27-28 before wrapping up the regular season at home against Wisconsin on March 5-6.

Big Ten Tournament play then opens with the new format in 2026 as a single-game quarterfinal will be played on the campuses of the higher seeds on Wednesday, March 11 before the two semifinal matchups on March 14 and the Big Ten championship on either March 20 or 21.

PSU wrestlers shine

UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State wrestlers Mitchell Mesenbrink and Rocco Welsh both won gold medals at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Ascuncion, Paraguay, on Friday.

Mesenbrink won gold at 74 kg., and Welsh won gold at 86 kg.

Earlier last week, five members of the Penn State wrestling team came away with medals at the United World Wrestling U20 World Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria.

True freshmen PJ Duke and Marcus Blaze won U20 gold, true freshman William Henckel brought home silver, and Cole Mirasola and Connor Mirasola earned bronze medals.

Duke won at 70 kg. Duke began the tournament with three straight wins to advance to the gold medal bout.

He met Alexandr Gaidarl of Moldova in the finals. Duke took an early lead then responded after Gairdarl tied the bout late, scoring the last two points of the match to post a thrilling 7-5 win.

Blaze won at 61 kg. He notched a 10-0 tech over Sandro Hungerbuehler of Switzerland, got a DQ victory over Armenia’s Sargis Begoyan and teched Askat Toktomatov of Kyrgyzstan 11-1.

He met UWW’s Magomedkhan Magamedkhanov in the semifinals and rolled through his opponent, notching a 15-4 technical superiority victory. In the finals, Blaze took on Iran’s Ahora Khateri and rolled over the Iranian in a 10-0 technical superiority to win gold.

Henckel earned the silver medal at 79 kg. Henckel reeled off three straight wins to advance to the semfinals. He beat Amit Amit of India in the semis, 5-4, but fell to Iran’s Mahdi Yousefi Hajivar, 8-6, in the title bout.



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Brianna Decker continues transition from playing to coaching in being hired as PWHL Frost assistant | Associated Press

Difficult as it was for Brianna Decker to accept her hockey playing career being cut short at 30 by a devastating left leg injury at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, the United States national team forward was comforted in knowing she already had a Plan B in coaching. Following six years as an assistant in […]

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Difficult as it was for Brianna Decker to accept her hockey playing career being cut short at 30 by a devastating left leg injury at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, the United States national team forward was comforted in knowing she already had a Plan B in coaching.

Following six years as an assistant in the developmental ranks with USA Hockey and at Minnesota’s Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school, Decker is going pro. The member of the 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame induction class is joining head coach Ken Klee’s staff with the two-time defending PWHL champion Minnesota Frost, the team announced Monday.

“My passion for hockey has not changed since I retired,” Decker told The Associated Press last week.

“I’m very OK with not playing any more. I’ve come to terms. I’ve enjoyed coaching quite a bit, almost as much as playing,” she added. “I want to have a great influence on these players that are going through this league.”

The 34-year-old Decker joins the Frost after three seasons as associate head coach at Shattuck, and four stints with Team USA’s Under-18 squad, where she coached up-and-coming stars such as Caroline Harvey, Haley Winn, Casey O’Brien and Hannah Bilka.

Familiar faces

Helping ease her transition to the PWHL is Decker’s familiarity with the Frost in replacing Mira Jalosuo, who was hired to coach at St. Cloud State.

Decker is reuniting with former U.S. teammates in captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, forward Kelly Pannek and defenseman Lee Stecklein. Decker previously played under Klee, who coached the U.S. national team to gold-medal victories at the 2015 and ’16 world championships. And she has ties to Frost assistant coach Chris Johnson, who’s father Mark coached Decker at Wisconsin.

“She has a remarkable record of success, leadership and vision both on and off the ice that will make her a huge asset for our team,” Klee said, noting he’s kept in touch during Decker’s time at Shattuck.

Klee foresees Decker focusing in part on developing the Frost’s younger players, while noting his veterans were excited to hear the news of her hiring.

“They know how driven she is to try to help and get better,” Klee said.

Accomplished career

From Wisconsin, Decker is a three-time Olympian and six-time gold-medal winner at the world championships. Her career essentially ended after breaking her leg and tearing ligaments in her ankle in Team USA’s Olympic-opener against Finland in 2022.

Upon retiring a year later, Decker’s 68 career points in the world championships ranked third at the time among U.S. players. She was a two-time National Women’s Hockey League MVP, voted college hockey’s top player in 2012 and won a national title at Wisconsin a year earlier.

In launching her coaching career with the U.S. U-18 squad in 2019, little did Decker realize how valuable the experience would become sooner than anticipated.

“Coaching and playing at the same time benefited me as a coach. It’s allowed me to transition a little bit easier,” Decker said. “I didn’t expect my playing career to be done like that. … But once I got on the ice, being able to impact players, it was really rewarding.”

Hall of Fame resume

Decker’s hiring coincides with her induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in a class that also includes Montreal Victoire general manager Danièle Sauvageau — the first women inducted in the builder’s category.

Decker laughed when asked whether being a Hall of Famer might help get her message across as coach.

“I guess it helps. I guess it might add more pressure, too, right? So I really got to know what I’m talking about,” Decker said.

“The one thing I learned is it didn’t matter if it was a dad in jeans coaching you or a hall of famer. You have to respect them, as you can always learn one thing from them,” Decker said. “And that’s what I’m hoping I can do is help these kids learn some things they don’t know.”


AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



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Bowdoin Welcomes Back Al Washco as Assistant Men’s Ice Hockey Coach

Story Links BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin College Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Al Washco ’23 as assistant coach for the men’s ice hockey program. Washco returns to Brunswick following the departure of Sean Walsh, who has accepted a position at Alaska Fairbanks. A Polar Bear from 2018–23, Washco appeared […]

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BRUNSWICK, Maine – The Bowdoin College Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Al Washco ’23 as assistant coach for the men’s ice hockey program. Washco returns to Brunswick following the departure of Sean Walsh, who has accepted a position at Alaska Fairbanks.

A Polar Bear from 2018–23, Washco appeared in 91 games, recording 26 goals and 35 assists. As a senior, he tallied seven goals and 13 assists, helping Bowdoin capture the 2023 NESCAC Championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. He graduated that spring with a degree in Government & Legal Studies and a minor in Russian.

After college, Washco pursued a professional career in Europe, competing for the Zweibrücken Hornets (Germany) and Les Bisons de Neuilly-sur-Marne (France) before injuries cut his career short. A native of Aston, Pa., he attended The Gunnery School from 2015–18.



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