Iowa-born Bryce Johnson had already played hockey in Topeka, Kan., St. Cloud, Minn., and Omaha, Neb., before he turned 21 this summer.

Now that the 2011-12 season has arrived, Johnson finds himself as a member of the Penn State men’s team after transferring from St. Cloud State University.

Like many other Icers, Johnson is looking forward to next season, when PSU moves up to NCAA Division I competition. This year, he’s one of two D-I transfers playing at Penn State.

On the ice, the forward is known for his speedy skating ability. When Johnson is away from the rink, he’s drawn to rap music.

We recently asked him which favorites can be found in his iPod:

• Mac Miller: "He’s a laid-back rapper from Pittsburgh."
• Lil Wayne
• Chris Brown: "He’s more of a singer-rapper, but it’s soft rap. It’s nice to listen to that every once in a while."

Rap isn’t necessarily king inside the Icers’ dressing room.

“We have an iPod in there, and whoever decides they want a song puts it on,” Johnson said. “A lot of guys out here listen to techno, so I’ve been getting into that. It isn’t very big where I’m from.”