UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State has been selected to host seven national or regional championship events as the NCAA announced site selections for championships from 2023-26 on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Three national championships will be contested at University Park venues with the 2023 National Collegiate Men’s Gymnastics Championships, the 2025 National Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Fencing Championships and the 2026 Women’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four.
The championship events Penn State has been selected to host from 2023-28 are:
- 2022, 2023 and 2025 NCAA Men’s Hockey Regionals (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
- 2023 National Collegiate Men’s Gymnastics Championships
- 2025 National Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Fencing Championships
- 2025 National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Regional Championships
- 2026 National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four (semifinals and final)
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host seven NCAA championship events in the 2023-26 cycle,” said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour. “To give our student-athletes an opportunity to compete in an NCAA event in their home venue and in front of our passionate and amazing fans is an honor. We are also excited to continue our relationship with the PPL Center in Allentown to bring NCAA Men’s Hockey Regionals to the state of Pennsylvania.”
2023 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships Returns to Rec Hall
Penn State will host the National Collegiate Men’s Gymnastics Championships at Rec Hall for the first time since 2013. The championships will be held April 14-15, 2023. Rec Hall, which has a storied history involving men’s gymnastics, will host the championship event for the ninth time, the most of any venue in the nation. The Nittany Lions, whose 12 NCAA titles are tied for the most by any Division I program, won NCAA titles at their home venue in 1960 and 2007.
2022, 2023 & 2025 Men’s Hockey Regionals Set for PPL Center in Allentown
Penn State will serve as the host institution for the 2022, 2023 and 2023 NCAA Hockey Regionals to be played at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In partnership with the PPL Center, Penn State hosted both the 2018 and 2019 Midwest regionals and were set to host the 2020 Allentown Regional, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PPL Center opened in September 2014 and is the home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League. The facility has a hockey capacity of 8,420, with a standing room capacity of more than 9,000.
Pegula Ice Arena Slated to Host 2026 Women’s Frozen Four
Pegula Ice Arena will serve as the host for the 2026 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. Penn State is set to host their first Frozen Four in 2022 at Pegula Ice Arena.
2025 Fencing Championships Awarded to Penn State
Penn State was awarded the opportunity to host the 2025 National Collegiate Fencing Championships. The Nittany Lions are slated to host the 2021 championships. The 2021 event will mark the fourth time Penn State has hosted the national tournament (2018, 2009, 1991). Penn State Nittany Lion fencing team has won 13 combined NCAA championships since 1985 and had nine second-place finishes. A total of 22 Penn Staters have won a combined 32 national titles.
NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Regionals Back at Penn State in 2025
Penn State will host the 2025 National Collegiate Regional Championships at Rec Hall on April 3-5, 2025. This marks the 15th time the Nittany Lions will host an NCAA regional, most recently in 2018. Penn State was scheduled to host a 2020 NCAA Regional, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA regional format includes a dual meet on day one, two quad meets on day two and a quad meet on day three. The top two finishers from day three will advance to the NCAA championships.