Three Nittany Lions earned preseason All-Big Ten accolades, the conference announced Thursday.

Juniors Aiden Fink and Mac Gadowsky were both named to the preseason First-Team All-Big Ten. Gadowsky and Fink were both 2025 Top-10 Hobey Baker finalists.

Freshman Gavin McKenna marks the third Nittany Lion recognized, as he was named to the preseason Second-Team All-Big Ten.

PRESEASON ALL-B1G AWARDS

1st-Team Aiden Fink & Mac Gadowsky

2nd-Team Gavin McKenna

Coaches' Poll:
1. Michigan State
𝟐. 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄
3. Minnesota
4. Michigan
5. Wisconsin
6. Ohio State
7. Notre Dame

READ https://t.co/dRtCZEpPLL#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/YDkXbLG3AW

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) September 25, 2025

Fink earns preseason accolades for the second consecutive season after being named preseason Second-Team All-Big Ten last year. Fink collected 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points in the 2024-25 season, averaging 1.41 points per game, which was fourth best in the country.

Gadowsky enters his first season of Big Ten Hockey after two seasons with Army West Point. Last year, he collected 42 points with 16 goals, the most by any defenseman in the country.

Gavin McKenna enters his first season of collegiate play and was the only rookie recognized in this year’s preseason rankings. He is the expected No. 1 overall pick for the 2026 NHL Draft.

The conference also announced its preseason coaches’ poll, in which Penn State came in at No. 2 in the seven-team poll. The Nittany Lions sit behind two-time reigning Big Ten Ice Hockey Champions, Michigan State. This is the program’s highest preseason ranking since 2020, after nearly capturing a conference title in the 2019-2020 campaign.

Earlier this week, USCHO announced its first national preseason rankings, in which Penn State came in at No. 5 – the program’s highest preseason ranking ever.

The preseason https://t.co/2QgdyNoa0Z Division I Men’s Poll is here! pic.twitter.com/sFJfyG9WuK

— USCHO.com (@USCHO) September 22, 2025

Puck drop for the Nittany Lions is only eight days away, as Penn State hits the road to open the 2025-26 season at No. 14 Arizona State, on October 3. The Nittany Lions are set to host their home opener in Pegula Ice Arena against Clarkson on October 9.