Penn State’s Gavin McKenna has preliminary hearing for assault charge rescheduled to March 11

McKenna, who is facing three charges in connection with an altercation in State College on Jan. 31, is expected to play Friday at Michigan, according to multiple reports.

Penn State's Gavin McKenna is not due in court until March 11. All signs point to him playing in the interim.Read moreJoe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-I

by Gustav Elvin

Published Feb. 11, 2026, 12:37 p.m. ET

Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft, will be due in court next on March 11, according to Centre County Courthouse documents.

McKenna, who is facing three charges relating to an alleged assault in State College on Jan. 31, was initially set to have his preliminary hearing on Wednesday. He is alleged to have punched a 21-year-old man twice in the face, resulting in a fractured jaw that required corrective surgery. According to police, the incident occurred after a verbal exchange between the two on the 100 block of South Pugh Street in the hours after Penn State’s outdoor hockey game against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium.

The preliminary hearing’s postponement comes less than a week after prosecutors dropped an initial felony charge of aggravated assault. The Centre County District Attorney’s Office and State College Police said in a statement that “a review of the video does not support a conclusion that Gavin McKenna acted with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or with reckless indifference to the value of human life,“ which is the standard for probable cause for aggravated assault in Pennsylvania.

McKenna, 18, now faces a misdemeanor charge of simple assault, as well as charges of harassment and disorderly conduct for engaging in fighting. The simple assault charge carries a maximum of two years in prison, while fines are attached to the three charges. He remains released on $20,000 unsecured bail.

With the preliminary hearing postponed, McKenna is expected to play for the No. 6 Nittany Lions on Friday at No. 2 Michigan, according to multiple reports. That game will mark Penn State’s first action since the alleged assault. The Inquirer contacted the university’s athletic department on Wednesday to try to confirm McKenna’s availability for Friday’s game. Penn State’s regular season ends on March 6, with the Big Ten tournament set to commence on March 11, the same day as McKenna’s preliminary hearing.

“We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment,” Penn State said in a statement on Feb. 4:

McKenna’s adviser Pat Brisson has not commented publicly on the matter.

A native of Whitehorse, Yukon, the Canadian winger is ranked No. 1 on the NHL’s 2026 Central Scouting list among North American skaters. After a new rule was passed granting Canadian Hockey League players NCAA eligibility this season, McKenna left the CHL in the summer to play college hockey.

McKenna, a freshman, is one of the biggest recruits to ever play college hockey and one of the faces of the changing landscape of the sport. He has 11 goals and 32 points in 24 games this season for Penn State, which reached its first Frozen Four in school history last season and entered this season as one of the favorites to win the national championship.