Back Where it Began: Pedrie and Sturtz Reunite on Hockey Staff

For Penn State hockey fans, the names Vince Pedrie and Andrew Sturtz remind them of grit, energy and culture that helped shape the Nittany Lion hockey program.

Both were key pieces in the team’s 2017 Big Ten Championship run, and now, after professional playing careers, they find themselves back in Hockey Valley as coaches alongside Guy Gadowsky.

“I think it’s fantastic because they were the guys that built this program with the culture, also with the success and milestones along the way,” Gadowsky said. “They have pride in this program because they built it.”

Sturtz is entering his third year on staff, already leaving his mark as the architect of a power play that finished third in the Big Ten last season, converting at nearly 24%.

For Penn State’s all-time leading goal scorer, coaching alongside the same staff that once guided him has become a realized dream.

“I’ve learned so much from Guy. He’s a legend in the game,” Sturtz said. “And you add in [Juliano] Pagliero, [Keith] Fisher and George Lewis, I’ve learned so much from them.” 

That growth doesn’t just come from mentorship, however, but also from adversity.