Penn State men’s hockey continues to have an offseason of change as longtime athletic trainer Justin Rogers announced recently that he was leaving the program for a new opportunity. Penn State posted the job opening on its career website Wednesday morning.
“Words can not even begin to express how thankful I am for the last nine years in Happy Valley,” Rogers said on an Instagram post. “The athletes I have cared for the staffs I have worked with, and friendships I have made have been truly incredible. Thank you to everyone who will forever be a part of my heart.”
Rogers joined the program in 2012 and has been a longtime bench staple ever since. Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky had frequent praise for Rogers during the most recent season in which the Nittany Lions navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertain health and safety restrictions around the athletic department.
“I’ve got to say it again, Justin Rogers, honestly, I mean he deserves so much credit,” Gadowsky said this past season. “And I think [he’s a big part] of how things went. How he went about things – Penn State, the athletic department and university as well for allowing us to do this and keeping us safe and I’m speaking personally as well. Really the the amount of effort, time and resources they put into that can’t be overstated.”
Rogers is the third noteworthy departure on Penn State coaching or support staff to leave the program this offseason. He joins volunteer assistant coach Andrew Magera, who left for a larger role in the USHL as well as longtime assistant coach Matt Lindsay who left the program for the same role at UMass.
Gadowsky hired Juliano Pagliero to fill Lindsay’s role on the bench while as of Wednesday a potential replacement for Magera had yet to be announced.
