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‘Really special’: Tessa Janecke, the 3rd overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft, returns to Penn State for ceremonial puck drop alongside fellow draftees

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA — Tessa Janecke returned to Pegula Ice Arena on Friday — the building where she had spent the past four years playing and helping develop the program from the ground up. But this time, she wasn’t stepping…

By Jenny Karamus · RMNB

Published: Monday, 28 September 2026 at 12:07 AM

Key Things to Know

Tessa Janecke and six fellow PWHL draftees participated in a ceremonial puck drop at Penn State.
Janecke was drafted third overall in the 2026 PWHL Draft by expansion team PWHL Vegas.
All seven Penn State players who declared for the 2026 draft were selected by PWHL teams.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Penn State captain Tessa Janecke returned to Pegula Ice Arena on Friday for a ceremonial puck drop ahead of the Nittany Lions' matchup with Ohio State. Janecke, who was selected third overall by expansion team PWHL Vegas in the 2026 draft, was joined on the ice by six former Penn State teammates and fellow PWHL draftees.

All seven graduating Penn State players who declared were drafted into the league, including Leah Stecker, Maddy Christian, Katelyn DeSa, Katelyn Roberts, Kendall Butze, and Mya Vaslet. Janecke departed Penn State as the program's all-time scoring leader with 201 points after leading the team to its first Frozen Four appearance in 2026.

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