History will be made on Penn State’s biggest stage – Beaver Stadium – as Penn State is bringing its ice hockey programs to the gridiron at the iconic venue.

For the first time, Hockey Valley is invading Beaver Stadium to make history on ice. Both the Nittany Lion men’s and women’s hockey teams will play a game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 31.

The men will take on Big Ten powerhouse Michigan State, while the women will face in-state foe Robert Morris in the doubleheader.

The outdoor hockey games have long been a goal for athletic director Patrick Kraft, who wants to bring more non-football events to Beaver Stadium. The ongoing $700 million revitalization project to the facility has an eye toward improving luxury seating and other improvements for such events.

Beaver Stadium, which opened in 1960, seats 106,572. It is the second largest stadium in the United States; Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., seats 107,601.

Michigan blanked rival Michigan State, 5-0, in the “Big Chill at the Big House” in 2010 in front of 113,411 fans. That easily bested the previous record set by Michigan State when the Spartans tied Michigan 3-3 in the “Cold War” held at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., in 2001.

This first-of-its-kind hockey showcase at Penn State follows a 2024 concert from country megastar Luke Combs, who drew more than 80,000 fans to the iconic University Park facility.

“This is a historic moment for Penn State Hockey, our fans and the entire Penn State community,” Kraft said. “To bring the excitement of college hockey to Beaver Stadium is truly special.

“Having our men’s program face a premier Big Ten opponent in Michigan State and our women’s program face Robert Morris on this stage reflects the incredible growth and national profile of Penn State Hockey and provides an unforgettable experience for our student-athletes, alumni and fans,” Kraft added. “We can’t wait to see Hockey Valley come alive in Beaver Stadium.”

Penn State hockey has built plenty of excitement over the past five months. The Nittany Lion men overcame a winless nine-game start in Big Ten play to reach the NCAA Tournament and eventually the first Frozen Four in program history.

Then, Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky hit the recruiting trail harder than anyone else in the country, landing superstars Jackson Smith, the first first-round NHL Draft pick in program history, and Gavin McKenna, the consensus top overall pick in the 2026 draft. Several other Canadian talents joined the Nittany Lions thanks to an NCAA rule change this year.

The Penn State men begin their highly anticipated season — with national title hopes — on Oct. 3 at Arizona State.

“Our team and so many Penn Staters are extremely excited about this game in Beaver Stadium,” said Gadowsky, the only head coach the Division I program has ever had. “It has been consistently asked of me since I arrived at Penn State, and I want to send thanks to Coach (James) Franklin for sharing his home with us, as well as Dr. Pat Kraft, Vinnie James, and the entire Penn State Athletics Department for making it happen. We can’t wait to take the field.”

The Nittany Lion women’s team set a program record with 31 wins last season, which saw a third-straight conference championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Led by star Tessa Janecke, Penn State gets its season rolling on Sept. 25 against St. Lawrence University.