Four Penn Staters Set to Participate in Beijing Olympics

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Once again Penn State will be represented on the world stage as the top athletes and coaches as the Beijing 2022 Olympics open Thursday. Four participants with Penn State ties will represent two countries in the XXIV Olympics Winter Games. For exclusive content and information on Penn State’s Olympians, visit GoPSUsports.com’s Olympics website.

The Opening Ceremonies for the Beijing 2022 Olympics take place Friday, Feb. 4 and the closing ceremonies are Sunday, Feb. 20.

The first Penn Stater in action is former Nittany Lion women’s hockey standout Jessica Adolfsson, who is playing for her native Sweden, when Swedes take on Japan Thursday, Feb. 3 at 3:40 a.m. (ET). 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 Tuesday, Feb. 8 with the gold medal game taking place on Thursday, Feb. 17.

On Thursday, Feb. 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 Sunday, Feb. 13 with the gold medal game taking place on Sunday, Feb. 20.

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 on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 10:35 p.m. (ET), while the free dance is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 6 at 9:30 p.m. (ET). The ice dance medal will be awarded Sunday, Feb. 13 at 8:15 p.m. (ET).

Penn State’s Beijing 2022 Olympians

                                                                                                                 Graduation Year or

Name                               Sport                           Country                       Last Year of Comp.

Jessica Adolfsson              Women’s Hockey          Sweden                        2021

Allison Coomey                 Women’s Hockey          USA (team scout)          Current Assistant Coach

Alex Dawes                       Men’s Hockey               USA (video coach)         Current Director of Operations

Kaitlin Hawayek                 Ice Dance                     USA                             Current World Campus Student

–NITTANY LIONS–