With the 2026-27 college sports calendar drawing ever closer, I thought I would take some time to profile Penn State hockey’s incoming freshman class, starting with goaltender Ryder Fetterolf.
The Skinny
Height: 6’
Weight: 185 pounds
DOB: January 5, 2008 (age 18)
Catches: Left
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
NHL Draft: 2026 4th round (125th overall) by Carolina Hurricanes
2025-26 Stat Line: .923 save percentage, 2.07 GAA, 6 shutouts, 29-9-3 record
2026-27 Outlook
It will be very difficult for Fetterolf to take the net from Josh Fleming,
who was one of the most impressive freshman goaltenders in the NCAA last season. Fetterolf was the OHL Goaltender of the Year in 2025-26 and put up very impressive numbers in Ottawa, but he will be facing more experienced skaters in the NCAA.
Penn State split goaltending starts 50/50 between Fleming and Kevin Reidler for most of the 2025-26 regular season, but with a clear starter going into the season, the Nittany Lions are not likely to split starts quite as evenly. Fetterolf should start a few games during the non-conference schedule to give Fleming some rest before Big Ten play begins. If Fetterolf impresses early in the season, he could become more of a factor in conference play. His future looks bright, but I am not expecting him to play more than one-third of Penn State’s games.
