By Bernie Ryan
On January 18, 2026, Hockey Valley will once again host one of its most meaningful events, the 4th Annual Sled Hockey Classic. More than a game, the Classic has become the primary fundraiser for the State College Coyotes sled hockey team and a powerful symbol of what happens when able-bodied and adaptive athletes come together with a shared love of sport.
What makes this event truly special is its origin. The Sled Hockey Classic was created by Dylan Lugris, a player on Penn State’s premier NCAA Division I men’s hockey team. His idea was simple but bold: put his teammates—and even his coach—into sleds and challenge the Coyotes on their own ice. To understand the value of this event, and why it continues to grow, it helps to step back and look at how these two teams developed independently—and ultimately came together.
The Rise of Penn State Hockey
For decades, Penn State athletics was defined primarily by football. Winters were a waiting period, a pause between bowl season and spring practice. That changed dramatically in 2012, when Penn State hired Coach Guy Gadowsky to transform the university’s club hockey program into a Division I varsity program.
The results were historic. In just five seasons, the Nittany Lions became a national force, winning their first Big Ten Championship in 2017. Penn State hockey had arrived, bringing with it a new culture—one rooted not just in wins and losses, but in character, leadership, and community.
The Birth of the State College Coyotes
While Penn State hockey was celebrating its early success, another team was quietly taking shape just a few miles away.
In 2017, DJ and Alexis Wilson founded the State College Coyotes, a sled hockey team for adaptive athletes of all ages which include Penn State students. DJ’s connection to sled hockey was deeply personal. He grew up playing the sport as an able-bodied athlete after his brother—who has a physical disability—was introduced to sled hockey through a physical therapist. When DJ attended Penn State, he regularly traveled back to Philadelphia to play sled hockey, but he saw an opportunity to build something closer to home.
That opportunity became reality when DJ received a $30,000 grant from USA Hockey and Labatt, through the Labatt Pass It Forward program, to start a sled hockey team in State College. The Coyotes began with just a handful of players and a big vision: to create access, community, and competitive opportunity for adaptive athletes in central Pennsylvania.
When Two Worlds Met
In 2022, the paths of these two programs officially crossed. Members of the Penn State men’s varsity hockey team began attending Coyote practices, jumping into sleds and learning the game from a completely new perspective.
For the Coyotes, it was energizing and validating. Watching elite Division I athletes struggle, adapt, and ultimately improve in sleds leveled the playing field in a way few experiences can. It brought to life USA Hockey’s motto: “Hockey is for Everyone.”
Learning went both ways. The Penn State players shared their hockey IQ and technical knowledge, while the Coyotes demonstrated resilience, creativity, and the truth that there is more than one way to skate. What began as a visit quickly became a partnership grounded in mutual respect.
The Birth of the Sled Hockey Classic
Inspired by these shared experiences, Dylan Lugris took the next step. In 2023, he organized the first Penn State Sled Hockey Classic, rallying his teammates and coaches to compete against the Coyotes in a fundraiser game.
The impact was immediate and lasting. Funds raised through the Classic allowed the Coyotes to join the Northeast Sled Hockey League (NESHL), opening the door to higher-level competition and long-term program growth.
Though Lugris graduated last year, his legacy remains strong. His example of leadership and service has been passed down to the current Penn State team, who are now planning the 4th Annual Sled Hockey Classic for January 18, 2026.
A Culture Built from the Top
Much of this success traces back to Coach Guy Gadowsky. His leadership has fostered a culture where community engagement and empathy are not side projects, but core values. The fact that Penn State’s athletes organize and run the Sled Hockey Classic year after year speaks volumes about the environment he has created—one where success is measured not only by championships, but by impact.
More Than a Game
The partnership between Penn State Varsity Hockey and the State College Coyotes stands for the absolute best of sport: able-bodied and adaptive athletes’ side by side, learning from one another, and proving that hockey—and athletics more broadly—can transcend physical limitations and life’s challenges.
The Sled Hockey Classic is an invitation to see that truth firsthand. Join us on January 18, 2026, and experience how sports can unite a community, expand opportunity, and remind us all that the game belongs to everyone.
Rise Above, Penn State Adaptive Sports Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 was established in 2024 to support Penn State’s effort to restart their adaptive sports program. The Coyotes players that are part of Rise Above and PSU students are Max Malec, Angel Guzman, & Ryan Poccirillo.
