The 8th annual Rethink the Rink Make-a-thon tackled an essential aspect of player safety: hand protection. Over the course of a week, four student teams designed cutting-edge hockey glove prototypes, pushing the boundaries of material innovation.
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The Winning Design: Inspired by an Armadillo
The green team's winning prototype was inspired by the physical characteristics of an armadillo.
The Green Team took home the top prize with an innovative glove featuring:
A flexible notch system that reduced finger stress by 20%
A semi-rigid wrist cuff providing enhanced protection without sacrificing mobility
Multi-layered padding strategically placed to absorb and distribute impact forces
Lightweight, high-durability materials that enhance comfort and longevity
Enhanced grip texture on the palm to improve stick handling while maintaining protection
The 2025 Rethink the Rink cohort.
The winning team, pictured from left to right: Zachary Kushnir, Emily Sohn, Samyukta Athreya and Sameeksha Dangi.
During the weeklong Make-a-Thon, students created hockey glove prototypes using Covestro materials.
“Hand safety is critical in everything we do – in sport, at work, and in daily life. The students’ innovations have the potential to impact not just hockey, but hand safety across industries.”
Samir Hifri
Chairman and President, Covestro LLC
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Make-a-thon in action:
Safety from the neck down: Tackling neck protection in the 2024 Make-a-Thon
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Make-a-Thon 2023
Taking a shot at foot safety: 2023 Rethink the Rink Make-a-Thon
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Make-a-thon 2022
The 2022 make-a-thon featured an “assist” from PPG and Athletica Sports Systems.
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Make-a-thon 2021
Three giants of sports, innovation and technology - The Pittsburgh Penguins, Carnegie Mellon University and Covestro - teamed up for the fourth time in a continuing innovation partnership to make hockey safer at every level.
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Rethink the Rink
Powerhouse innovation collaboration between Covestro, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carnegie Mellon University aims to make hockey safer at all levels
