Support The Daily Orange this holiday season! The money raised between now and the end of the year will go directly toward aiding our students. Donate today.

Before Syracuse’s first game against then-No. 6 Minnesota Duluth on Sept. 25, Emma Gnade wasn’t sure where she’d fit into her new team’s lineup.

After losing Tatum White, its most consistent face-off taker from last season, it was unknown who’d center SU’s top two lines ahead of its season opener. On the Orange’s first line, the obvious choice was Nea Tervonen, who’d already proven herself in 2024-25 as a strong option on faceoffs by raking in nearly 50% of her draws. The second was much more of a mystery.

In just her first career game, Gnade was given the chance to secure that role. Slotted between wingers Jackson Kinsler and Stella Costabile, she finished her collegiate debut with seven draw wins and three shots on goal versus one of the nation’s most formidable teams. Gnade’s debut, while not earth-shattering, gave SU’s coaching staff the confidence to start her at center the following night. She’s shared that role with Tervonen ever since.

“I didn’t know I’d be (on the) first or second line, so you just honestly gotta work your way up at practice. They never said before that it was just going to be given,” Gnade said.

That responsibility is nothing new for Gnade. She became accustomed to it during her time with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite hockey program, where she spent most of her high school career honing her craft at an NHL-caliber training facility. That experience prepared her to transition to SU, where she now leads the team with seven goals and 12 points as a freshman.

A native of Fenton, Missouri, Gnade first settled into the girls hockey scene as a member of her hometown travel team, the St. Louis Jr. Blues. The program’s location was convenient for her and her family, but Gnade eventually outgrew it. As she approached high school, she searched for a program that would challenge her in ways the Jr. Blues couldn’t.

Emma Gnade and her teammates pose with Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. Gnade spent several years with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite hockey program, honing her craft at an NHL-caliber training facility. Courtesy of Mylee Serkis

Gnade reached out to Kathy Pippy, who founded what became the Penguins Elite girls’ program. Pippy convinced her to try out for the team, and the up-and-coming forward was instantly hooked. So, Gnade spent the 2020-21 season with Penguins Elite.

By the end of that year, Gnade knew she wanted to go all in on the Penguins. But due to the program’s high-demand schedule for high schoolers, she would no longer be able to live at home. Like her other out-of-town teammates, she moved to Pittsburgh with a host family who lived a short drive away from the Penguins’ UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Through her relocation, Gnade attended North Catholic High School (PA) — minutes down the road from the rink — which offered shortened school days from Monday through Thursday so players could develop academically and on the ice. Gnade also often missed school on Fridays due to weekend tournament travel.

“All the teachers and everyone at our school knew our situation,” former Penguins Elite defender Isabel Powers said. “If we had a really busy schedule and couldn’t get something done on time, they were pretty easygoing on that.”

Up until her senior year, Gnade’s routine remained largely the same. The first four days of her week, she usually arrived at the rink around 1:30 p.m., where she’d spend the rest of her day training under the program’s Excel Hockey Academy and alongside her teammates during regular practices. If she arrived early enough, she could even catch a glimpse of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins wrapping up practice.

Zoe Grimes | Design Editor

Certain days were dedicated to specific skills, like power skating or shooting. Gnade’s squad often went up against other boys’ and girls’ Penguins Elite teams in scrimmages, where Gnade set herself apart as a gritty, aggressive center. However, not all of Gnade’s on-ice exercises were traditional.

After returning from a weekend slate, Gnade’s coaches would occasionally line players up at one side of the rink with exercise bands. In what became known as “Band Mondays,” players were instructed to wrap the bands around themselves and another teammate and pull each other down the ice as fast as possible. If coaches noticed anyone moving too easily, they’d grab onto their band to add some extra resistance.

Whenever Gnade had extra ice time, she made it count. Because face-offs weren’t emphasized at Penguins Elite, she often asked coaches to drop pucks for her and sought out other players to go up against her in the dot.

Gnade’s development continued off the ice as well, where her coaches emphasized a balance between strengthening muscles and preventing injury during lifting sessions. She was also given access to coach-led film sessions that were separated by position.

As Gnade improved, her in-game impact became hard to ignore. Through her defensively-minded playstyle and knack for lighting the lamp, she cemented her identity as a 200-foot player with the program one game at a time.

Emma Gnade cuts through defenders against Minnesota Duluth. Gnade’s tallied 12 points thus far in her freshman campaign. Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer

Sometimes, Gnade would even be called up to play on older Penguins teams. Her explosive play soon caught the attention of coaches and scouts, and in August 2023, she became one of the first of her teammates to announce her college commitment.

“Emma always made sure that everyone on the ice knew what was happening. We were all clear on what she was trying to do for the face-off, who she was winning it to, and it definitely helped us have a lot of success,” former Penguins Elite forward Avery Saba said.

The 2023-24 campaign was Gnade’s last in a Penguins uniform. She spent her senior year of high school back home with her family, where her years of training translated into standout performances with both Lindbergh High School (Missouri) and the Belle Tire Hockey Club.

So far, she’s continued to stand out with SU. Amid a roster bubbling with freshman talent, Gnade has proven to be one of the Orange’s most reliable forwards. Her three multi-point games lead all Syracuse freshmen, with her natural hat trick against RPI on Nov. 29 serving as the exclamation point.

“She’s fearless. She’s such a learner of the game, so she really understands. When we make an adjustment with her, she does it right away. We’re really happy with where her game is right now,” SU associate head coach Heather Farrell said.

Without key contributors White and Bryn Saarela, one of the biggest questions Syracuse faced entering 2025-26 was how it would replicate last season’s offensive firepower.

Building off what she learned from her experience with Penguins Elite, Gnade has helped the Orange quell that concern.

“I would credit a lot to them, just because they gave me that exposure to what it was like to play in college,” Gnade said.

Published on December 4, 2025 at 12:42 am
Contact Matthew: mgray06@syr.edu | @ma77hew_gray