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By John Crawford Senior Journalist John Crawford A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately […]

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By John Crawford

John Crawford

Senior Journalist

John Crawford

A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.





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Gavin McKenna’s Commitment Cements NCAA Hockey Supremacy

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College roundup: CU wrestling stays unbeaten | Local

EWING, N.J. — The Castleton University wrestling team remained undefeated, beating nationally-ranked The College of New Jersey 21-17. The Spartans were leading the No. 13 team in the nation by just one point —18-17 — heading into the heavyweight bout to end the evening. After falling behind and trailing late in the third period, Chance […]

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EWING, N.J. — The Castleton University wrestling team remained undefeated, beating nationally-ranked The College of New Jersey 21-17.

The Spartans were leading the No. 13 team in the nation by just one point —18-17 — heading into the heavyweight bout to end the evening. After falling behind and trailing late in the third period, Chance LaPier registered a critical takedown to claim a one-point win by decision, propelling Castleton to victory.



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NHL super prospect Gavin McKenna makes his college decision between Penn State, Michigan State

The greatest prospect of his generation has decided on his college hockey home. Gavin McKenna will be attending Penn State University, according to Elite Prospects insider Cam Robinson. It’s a massive decision in the college hockey world, as McKenna chose the Nittany Lions over his other finalist, Michigan State. Advertisement McKenna had also considered Michigan […]

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The greatest prospect of his generation has decided on his college hockey home.

Gavin McKenna will be attending Penn State University, according to Elite Prospects insider Cam Robinson.

It’s a massive decision in the college hockey world, as McKenna chose the Nittany Lions over his other finalist, Michigan State.

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McKenna had also considered Michigan and Denver before narrowing his list down.

It’s a groundbreaking decision in general, because players of McKenna’s ilk generally haven’t chosen to be NCAA hockey players before. It’s a bit like if Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby had chosen to play in the Big Ten the year before they were drafted.

MORE: Red Wings forward announces shock NHL retirement at age 28

McKenna is currently the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The superstar forward has been playing with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.

In 56 games for the Tigers in 2024-25, McKenna had 129 points, including 41 goals. He added 38 points (nine goals) in 16 playoff games.

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The young Canadian could have lots of different reasons for choosing to go to college, including the potential benefits of NIL for earning income before even reaching the NHL ranks.

But regardless of his reasoning, it’s a massive decision.

Penn State will immediately have national championship expectations. McKenna will also be a bit easier to watch in the U.S. as teams potentially tank for the generational prospect.

And on campus in Happy Valley, he’s sure to be an instant sensation, a shooting star for a year before he goes off to bigger and better things.

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Inside the $5.1M College Football NIL Deal

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Penn State Hockey Is Becoming a Destination for Top CHL Players

Penn State generated one of the great stories in NCAA men’s hockey last season, rising from the bottom of the Big Ten standings to make the first Frozen Four in program history. In his 13th season as the Nittany Lions’ head coach, Guy Gadowsky not only swelled the pride of alumni but also turned Penn […]

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Penn State generated one of the great stories in NCAA men’s hockey last season, rising from the bottom of the Big Ten standings to make the first Frozen Four in program history. In his 13th season as the Nittany Lions’ head coach, Guy Gadowsky not only swelled the pride of alumni but also turned Penn State hockey in a new direction.

Penn State has been active in the offseason player-acquisition market, which now includes CHL players for the first time in NCAA hockey history. With a burst of momentum, and a strong budget, Penn State has become destination for CHL players who want to play college hockey before beginning their NHL careers. One of those young players recently became the first Nittany Lion selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.

Here’s a look into the players Penn State has earned commitments from since the game-altering rule change of November 2024.

RELATED: How Penn State is capitalizing on the new era of college hockey

Defenseman Jackson Smith

After weeks of rumors, 5-star prospect Jackson Smith committed to the Nittany Lions on June 15. Smith is a left-handed defenseman and one of the best athletes the NCAA will have to offer next season. He plays a strong two-way game, shutting down opponents in his own zone and quickly generating offense with his blazing 200-foot speed. 

Smith, 18, was selected 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in this year’s draft, becoming the Nittany Lions’ first first-round pick. He likely will be a first-pair defenseman for Penn State next season. 

The Calgary native will quarterback the first power-play unit, something Gadowsky has been searching for the past several years. Stu Barnes, Smith’s Tri-City American’s coach, spoke highly of his former player before the draft.

“He’s a big guy who’s a very good skater, good on his edges, very elusive for his size,” Barnes told NHL.com. [He’s] able to skate the puck out of the defensive zone, out of trouble and then transport it down the ice and be very efficient offensively.”

Jackson Smith poses for photos after the Columbus Blue Jackets selected him in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Jackson Smith is selected as the 14th overall pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Forward Lev Katzin

The Nittany Lions landed a commitment from USHL forward Lev Katzin on Oct. 17, 2024. A month later, the left-shot forward signed an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the Guelph Storm, furthering his junior career. 

The move intensified his development, as Katzin joined a competitive CHL league before his eventual tenure at Penn State. Katzin’s 2024-25 season with the Storm was headlined by consistency. Katzin (5-8, 176 pounds) was a point-per-game player despite his size, recording 16 goals and 32 assists in just 44 contests. 

In April, Katzin participated in the U18 World Juniors, where he competed alongside incoming Nittany Lion defenseman Smith for Team Canada. Katzin ranked third on the club in points with 10, just below Braeden Cootes (Vancouver) and Brady Martin (Nashville), who were first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. 

Katzin brings top-notch playmaking and elite hockey IQ to Penn State. 

Defenseman Nolan Collins

Nolan Collins was the first athlete Gadowsky recruited from the CHL. A big-bodied defenseman, Collins (6-4, 216 pounds), was a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The Whitby, Ontario, native, competed in four seasons in the OHL, tallying 91 points (22 goals and 69 assists) in 229 games. Collins looks to be Penn State’s top right-handed defenseman. 

Goaltender Josh Fleming

After spending four years in the QMJHL, Josh Fleming announced his commitment to Penn State on Jan. 21. Fleming was the lone goaltender Gadowsky acquired via the CHL. He played in 133 games for the Acadie-Bathurst Titans and is coming off his best season. The Montréal, Quebec, native, recorded a .908 save percentage and 3.08 goals-allowed average in 53 contests. 

Fleming will serve as the backup netminder for Penn State behind transfer Kevin Reidler. 

Forward Shea Van Olm

Gadowsky’s second official CHL commitment was Shea Van Olm, who committed on Jan. 13. Van Olm is one of Penn State’s more eye-catching recruits following his 2024-25 season with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL. The 20-year-old winger nearly eclipsed the 100-point mark last year, leading the WHL in goals with 49 and finishing ninth in points with 92. 

Van Olm helped lead the Chiefs to a championship appearance against McKenna’s Medicine Hat Tigers, eventually falling in five games. He finished sixth in postseason scoring with 31 points. 

The Calgary native makes a living standing netfront and will likely man the left wing alongside last year’s Big Ten leading scorer, Aiden Fink. 

Forward Luke Misa

Just when everyone thought Penn State was done with CHL recruits, Gadowsky earned a commitment from Misa on May 5. Misa (5-10, 176 pounds) is a slightly below average-sized center but compensates with his dynamic speed. The Ontario native is dangerous in transition, particularly with his playmaking vision, creating a multitude of high-danger chances. 

Misa tore up the OHL last year, posting 85 points, 31 goals and 54 assists in 67 games. He immediately slots in as Penn State’s most dynamic center.

Misa’s commitment started a whirlwind of rumors circulating Penn State and some of the most premier prospects, including his brother Michael, who was the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. Michael Misa recently competed in the San Jose Sharks’ development camp.

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WOMEN'S SOCCER

GENEVA — When legendary William Smith soccer head coach Aliceann Wilber announced her retirement, a vacancy of national proportions was opened. While the position has been filled with a William Smith soccer alumna in Laura Burnett-Kurie, the program, school and even the NCAA soccer world will never forget the contributions made by Wilber. At this […]

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WOMEN'S SOCCER

GENEVA — When legendary William Smith soccer head coach Aliceann Wilber announced her retirement, a vacancy of national proportions was opened. While the position has been filled with a William Smith soccer alumna in Laura Burnett-Kurie, the program, school and even the NCAA soccer world will never forget the contributions made by Wilber.

At this spring’s annual gathering of William Smith soccer alumni, Hobart and William Smith President Mark Gearan announced a fundraising effort to name the William Smith soccer head coach position in honor of Wilber.

The campaign was jump-started by a generous $500,000 lead gift from Trustee Calvin “Chip” Carver Jr. (’81) and his wife, Anne DeLaney, bringing HWS halfway to the $1 million goal that will permanently endow the position in Wilber’s name.

“The continued generosity and commitment of Chip and Anne to Hobart and William Smith are truly remarkable,” Gearan said. “From scholarships and facilities to mental health initiatives, they have supported every facet of the student experience. Their latest gift is a tribute to the transformational power of athletics — and to a coach who has shaped generations of Herons.”

A former Wall Street executive, Carver has served on the HWS Board of Trustees for 23 years, where he currently chairs the Financial Management Committee. The head coach of softball at Pingry School in Basking Ridge, N.J., Carver has volunteered as an assistant coach for the William Smith soccer program for about a decade. He says he first got involved with the team “because I wanted to learn as much as I could about coaching from one of the best coaches in the United States — Aliceann Wilber. And I was not disappointed. I have become a better coach just as all of those that have had the privilege to interact with AA have become better players, students and people.” He hopes the couple’s leadership gift will motivate others.

“Equally inspiring to Chip and Anne,” Gearan added, “is the care, commitment and sustained excellence Aliceann demonstrated throughout her career, teaching life lessons through soccer while building one of the most successful and respected programs in the nation.”

Wilber launched the William Smith soccer program in 1980 and led the Herons through 44 seasons, amassing a record of 657-147-74, including 40 consecutive winning seasons. No one in NCAA Division III women’s soccer history has more coaching wins, and only former North Carolina head coach Anson Dorrance has more wins at any level of NCAA women’s soccer.

Under Wilber’s leadership, the Herons made 34 NCAA tournament appearances, including an active streak of 17 consecutive bids. The Herons advanced to the national semifinals 12 times and played in the national championship match six times, capturing the 1988 and 2013 national championships.

Since the Liberty League’s founding in 1995, William Smith has captured 19 conference titles under Wilber’s leadership, including 15 of the past 17 seasons.

In the classroom, Wilber’s Herons collected 20 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American awards, including two Scholar Players of the Year. Her student-athletes also account for 19 of HWS’ 73 Academic All-Americans.

Wilber was inducted into the Heron Hall of Honor in 2002, the West Valley Central School Hall of Fame in 2014, the United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame in 2019, and the SUNY Brockport Hall of Fame in 2020.

Carver and DeLaney, a licensed clinical social worker, have been engaged with the HWS community for more than 40 years. Their philanthropy has supported student wellness, the arts, sciences, technology, scholarships and athletics. In 2012, they established the Calvin R. Carver Lecture and Student Support Fund to bring to campus speakers focused on inclusivity, resilience, mental health and social justice, and to assist students facing health challenges.

Their support has also helped enhance athletic facilities, including the Carver-DeLaney Family Press Box at Cozzens Field (2017) and the Carver-DeLaney Suite for William Smith Soccer (2023).

Carver attended Pingry, where both he and DeLaney graduated. At Hobart, he played baseball and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. Upon completion of his MBA at the NYU Stern School of Business, Carver spent his career managing financial derivatives and leading e-commerce innovations at firms including Goldman Sachs, SwapsWire, Inc. and IHS Markit.

“This gift from Chip and Anne will have a great impact on the William Smith soccer program and our Heron student-athletes,” said Brian Miller, associate vice president and director of athletics. “It’s a fitting tribute to Aliceann for the deep and lasting impact she has had on Herons – as scholars, athletes and exceptional individuals.”

The effort to name the William Smith soccer head coach position is part of “Further Together: The Campaign for Our Third Century,” a comprehensive fundraising initiative to enhance the HWS student experience. For more information, contact Director of Development for Athletics Morgan Ewert at 315-781-3956 or by email or visit hws.edu/together.

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