Penn State will once again be represented on the world stage as top athletes and coaches as the 2022 Beijing Olympics open. Four participants with Penn State ties will represent two countries in the Winter Games. For exclusive content and information on Penn State’s Olympians, visit GoPSUsports.com’s Olympics website.
The opening ceremonies for the 2022 Beijing Olympics take place on February 4, and the closing ceremonies are February 20.
The first Penn Stater in action will be former Nittany Lion women’s hockey standout Jessica Adolfsson, who is playing for her native Sweden, when the Swedes take on Japan at 3:40 a.m. (ET) on February 3. Adolfsson is the first Olympian in Penn State women’s hockey history. Following Sweden’s game, current Penn State women’s hockey assistant coach Allison Coomey and Team USA will face Finland at 8:10 a.m. (ET). Coomey is serving as a team scout for Team USA. The preliminary rounds will continue through February 8, with the gold medal game taking place on February 16.
On February 10, current Penn State men’s hockey director of operations Alex Dawes and Team USA men’s hockey will open action against China at 8:10 a.m. Dawes is serving as the video coach for Team USA. The preliminary rounds will continue through February 13, with the gold medal game taking place on February 19.
Current Penn State World Campus student Kaitlin Hawayek earned a spot on Team USA along with partner Jean-Luc Baker to compete in ice dance. Hawayek is competing in her first Olympic Games after she and Baker finished third in U.S. trials in January. Ice dance prelims begin with rhythm dance at 10:35 p.m. (ET) on February 4, while the free dance is scheduled for February 7. The ice dance medal will be awarded at 8:15 p.m. (ET) on February 14.