NLC Newsletter (Spring 10)

About the NewsletterVolume 30, No. 4U.Ed. ICA-10-72

The Nittany Lion Club Newsletter is a quarterlypublication sent to all Nittany Lion Clubmembers. The magazine is published bythe Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Nittany Lion Club Web Sitewww.nittanylionclub.com

Official Web Siteof Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics

www.gopsusports.com

Executive EditorsGreg Myford, John Nitardy

Assistant EditorNikki Potoczny, Mike Milliron

ContributorsPenn State Athletic Communications,

Steve Sampsell

PhotographersPenn State Athletic Communications,

Steve Manuel, Mark Selders

PrintingNittany Valley Offset, State College, Pa.

PENN STATE ATHLETICSMission Statement

Consistent with the University’s mission, theDepartment of Intercollegiate Athletics offersstudents exemplary programs that developscholarship, sportsmanship and leadership

within the educational and social environmentsof the Pennsylvania State University.

The Nittany Lion Club,comprised of Penn Statealumni and friends of theDepartment of Intercolle-giate Athletics, was es-tablished in 1959 tocreate greater interest inand financial support ofPenn State varsity athlet-ics. Members of theNittany Lion Club makepossible grant-in-aid sup-port for more than 800student-athletes each ac-ademic year and provideoperational support forthe University’s entire 29-sport intercollegiate ath-letics program.

NLC Notebook: .......................................................3Next STEP, Intentions: More Opportunities Exist................4-5Cover Story: Ben Heath Hammers Home Run Record...............6-7Tried and True: Another Penn State Tradition ........................8Academic Awards: Banquet Honors Student-Athletes ...............9Photos: A Look at Uniforms in Spider’s Web ......................10-11Big Ten Network: Many Remain Without Access ..................13Track and Field: Outdoor Conference Crown for Women ...........14Men’s Soccer: Proven Coach Takes Lead of Program................15Basketball: Opponents Set for Big Ten-ACC Challenge ...............16Lacrosse: Change for Men’s, Women’s Teams.........................17Able Assistants: Swimming, Women’s Soccer Add Coaches ........18Proud Penn Staters: Alumni Earn Awards, Honors ...............19

DEPARTMENTSSpider’s Web, 10-11Recent Gift List, 13

— Inside this Issue —

2 NLC NEWSLETTER / www.nittanylionclub.com Success with Honor

DID YOU KNOW?

71Number of student-athletes who receivedtheir diplomas duringspring commence-ment exercises inMay. Every varsitysports team wasrepresented by atleast one graduate.Also, 11 members ofthe cheerleadingsquad and sevenmembers of the

Lionettes dance teamgraduated.

35,000Number of Penn

Staters who remainwithout access to theBig Ten Network. Ifyou do not have

access and want it,contact your localcable TV provider.

— Contact Us —Phone: 1-800-NITTANY (648-8269) / E-mail: [email protected]

Mail: 157 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA 16802Ken Cutler,NLC Director

of Developmentfor Athletics,

[email protected]

John Nitardy,NLC Director of Major Gifts

and Annual [email protected]

Nikki Potoczny,NLC Assistant Director,[email protected]

Bob White,NLC Director of Marketing/Operations-Suites and ClubSeats, [email protected]

Mark Muhlhauser,NLC Major Gifts Officer,[email protected]

R.J. Gimbl,NLC Major Gifts Officer,

[email protected]

Michelle Davidson,NLC Stewardship

and Events Coordinator,[email protected]

Janine Hawk,NLC Development Assistant,

[email protected]

Mike Milliron,NLC Varsity ‘S’ and

Sport-Restricted GivingCoordinator,

[email protected]

ON THE COVERJunior catcher Ben Heath became PennState’s home run king during a record-breaking season. (Huntersville, N.C.)

NLC Staff ProfileJennifer DeAngelo

Jennifer joinedthe Nittany LionClub staff in2008. In theNLC, she workswith major gifts.She also assistswith specialprojects andprocesses paperwork and budget-related transactions. Jennifer residesin State College with her husbandTony and their daughter Annabelle.

Staff AssistantsVal Cingle, [email protected]

Jennifer DeAngelo, [email protected] Gordon, [email protected] Marsden, [email protected] McKee, [email protected] Spangler, [email protected] Ries, [email protected] Watson, [email protected] Yeaney, [email protected]

Casey Keiber,NLC Major Gifts Officer,[email protected]

Success with Honor www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 3

NLC NOTEBOOK

Summer slowdown? Not So For NLC, Members StateSuccesses

Since our last issue ...

� Senior Noam Shaham(Kfar Saba, Israel)placed sixth in the highbar with a score of14.400 at the individualevent finals of the 2010National CollegiateChampionships, earninghis first career All-Amer-ica honor in his final per-formance as a collegiateathlete.

�Women's soccer soph-omore midfielder Chris-tine Nairn (Arnold, Md.)and incoming freshmanforward Maya Hayes(Livingston, N.J.) werenamed to the U.S. rosterfor the 2010 FIFA U-20World Cup. The duo willbegin Cup play in Ger-many from July 13 toAug. 1.

� Three Penn Statefencers earned runner-up finishes at the 2010North American Cup.Doris Willette(Lafayette, Calif.) tooksecond in the women’sfoil, younger brotherDavid Willette(Lafayette, Calif.) tooksecond in the men’s foiland AleksanderOchocki (Clark, N.J.)finished second in themen's saber.

�Wrestler QuentinWright (Wingate, Pa.)claimed the 185-poundnational title at the 2010University World TeamTrials in ColoradoSprings, Colo. Wright, aredshirt sophomore thiscoming year, downedCornell’s Mack Lewnesin the finals.

Kickoff Times Set for Football Games

Summer must really slow down with noathleic events—ha—not for the NittanyLion Club and Penn State IntercollegiateAthletics staff.

We’ll have dozens of alumni and friendson campus for the men’s football fantasycamp, probably even more for the first-year women’s camp and, of course, thou-sands of young student campers visitingfor our popular summer sports camps.

Coaches, staff and even some student-athletes remain on campus to help withthose events. Some student-athletes willbe taking class and preparing for their up-coming season.

Those not on campus might be travellingto compete regionally, nationally and inter-nationally. Also, we’re welcoming severalnew coaches to the Penn State family thissummer, so it’s an exciting time for themand for those of us who will make themfeel at home in Happy Valley.

All of those people benefit from the support of NittanyLion Club members. Your contributions make our 29-sport athletics program—which does not use anyPennsylvania tax dollars and is a self-sufficient or-ganization—possible.

Of course, it’s also an important time for NLC mem-bers.

With the transfer portion of the STEP program com-plete, we now need you to tell us what you plan to doin regard to football tickets for 2011. Those intentionsmust be declared by Sept. 1, 2010.

If you have questions, let us know. We’re here tohelp, and we’re used to being busy. Feel free to con-tact us by e-mail or phone and we’ll help you withquestions about your account or the process.

Have a good summer! We are .... Penn State!— John Nitardy

Penn State’s first two homegames of the 2010 footballseason, against YoungstownState (Sept. 4) and KentState (Sept. 18), have beenset for noon kickoffs with na-tional television coverage.

Overall, times have been setfor six games the upcomingseason. Announced gamesare:� Sept. 4 vs. Youngstown

State, Noon, Big Ten Network� Sept. 11 at Alabama, 7

p.m., ESPN� Sept. 18 vs. Kent State,

Noon, ESPN or ESPN2� Oct. 2 at Iowa, 8 p.m.,

ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC� Oct. 9 vs. Illinois, Noon,

ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC� Oct. 30 at Michigan, 8

p.m., ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC

Future games may be se-lected by the networks underthe six and 12-day provisionsof their contracts with the BigTen Conference. Penn Stateplayed eight games onESPN, ESPN2 or ABC lastseason. The Nittany Lionsalso played four games onthe Big Ten Network.

Penn State is 51-13 since thestart of the 2005 season, tiedfor the nation's No. 7 winningpercentage (79.7) over thatspan. The Nittany Lionsearned their second consec-utive 11-2 record last season,capped by a win over LSU inthe Capital One Bowl, PennState’s fourth bowl victory inthe past five seasons. PennState posted its 23rd finalTop 10 ranking under Hall ofFame coach Joe Paterno.

Coach Ed DeChellis greets visitors to the Coaches vs. Cancer Golf Tournament.(Photo by Mark Selders)


MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Next STEP: All Members Must Declare 2011 IntentionsHundreds of Nittany LionClub members participatedin the first part of the SeatTransfer & Equity Program(STEP) by transferringtheir football ticket privi-leges to family and friendsduring the past few monthsand ensuring that the ex-citement of Penn Statefootball would remain intheir families for years.

Their support also pro-vided new revenue to In-tercollegiate Athletics thatwill be used for improve-ments and upgrades atBeaver Stadium in the fu-ture.

Now, all season ticketholders and Nittany LionClub members who havefootball tickets must par-ticipate to declare theirintentions for 2011 bySept. 1, 2010.

The 2011 season marksthe first during which NLCdonations will be deter-mined by seat location in-side Beaver Stadium. Members who chooseto sit closer to midfield will pay more per seatthan those seated in the end zones. (Pleasesee chart on next page).

STEP in 2011 is NOT an above-and-beyondcontribution or separate from annual gifts tothe Nittany Lion Club.

For example, an NLC member who is cur-rently giving $200 and has two seats in theblue zone ($100 per seat) would not be re-quired to give any more money to keep theirseats in 2011.

Instead, three factors will determine a mem-ber’s annual contribution when purchasingfootball tickets for 2011. They are:� the quantity of season tickets the donor

wishes to purchase (as is currently the case);� whether the donor would like additional

benefits (such as preferred or reserved park-ing); and� the desired location(s) of season tickets.

For many members of the NLC, the imple-mentation of STEP for 2011 changes nothing.

About 55 percent of the seats in the stadiumwill remain at the current $100 per-seat dona-

tion level and will notbe impacted by theprogram—in terms ofhow much NLC mem-bers pay for the seats.

So, in order to bestprepare for 2011—and implement acustomer-controlled,ticket-selectionprocess for 2011 assoon as this fall—NLC members mustnotify IntercollegiateAthletics if they plan to retaintheir tickets for 2011 by Sept.1, 2010.

Members may keep their exist-ing tickets, upgrade or downgrade.

They also may choose to relinquish their tick-ets. If members do not respond by Sept. 1,2010, that lack of response will be considereda choice to relinquish their tickets.

Also, the STEP program provides some first-ever flexibility for NLC members who holdseason tickets. Specifically, a member who

wants to donate at their existing level, $100per seat for example, may “upgrade” andhave the right to change seats within theirlevel without increasing the amount of theirdonation. Best of all, members in that situa-tion may consider moving seats without losingrights to their existing seats.

That’s part of a customer-controlled, onlineticket process that will allow NLC members toselect their own seats based on NLC points.

More information onlinewww.GoPSUsports.com/step

Inside and outside Beaver Stadium, gamedays pro-vide an exciting atmosphere to share with familyand friends. (Photos by Mark Selders)


MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Key Dates

July 1, 20102011 NLC membershipyear begins.

July 1, 2010to Sept. 1, 2010

2010 season ticket hold-ers are required to sub-mit seating intentions for2011.

November 2010to December 2010

2010 season ticket hold-ers who must relocatewill select new seatinglocation for 2011.

Feb. 1, 20112011 NLC donationdeadline; donationamounts to reflect STEPparticipation.

March 2011to May 2011

2011 NLC members willparticipate in seat selec-tion process based uponregistered seat inten-tions and 2010 NLCpoint order.

The Athletic Ticket Office will notmake those selections.

“It’s really one of the more excit-ing portions of STEP,” said Asso-ciate Director of Athletics GregMyford. “It’s a response to whatour membership wants and utiliz-ing technology for their benefit.

“Once everyone has declared their inten-tions, we’ll notify members who may thengo online and pick their seats in their newgiving level. They’ll do so in order basedon Nittany Lion Club points. Plus, theprocess will show them where the seatsare and even a view of Beaver Stadiumfrom those seats.”

Implementing that technology takes a bitof time, which makes the Sept. 1, 2010,deadline for NLC members to declaretheir intentions for 2011 vital.

All of the changes for 2011 (a home foot-ball season that includes games against

Alabama, Iowa and Ohio State), are partof necessary changes for Penn State’soverall intercollegiate athletics program.Penn State is committed to a broad-based, 29-sports department—a self-sus-taining unit that operates without moneyfrom other parts of the University or thestate of Pennsylvania.

Also, STEP allows Penn State to pursue“Success with Honor” while aligning itselfwith peer institutions. Penn State is oneof the only major programs in the countrythat currently does not align football sea-son ticket locations with donor giving. Acomparison of Penn State to otherschools may be found atwww.GoPSUsports.com/step online.

Nittany Lion Club points are a true reflection of the generous and loyalsupport of individual members to support our student-athletes. Prioritystatus is enjoyed by NLC members for the purpose of procuring football,

men’s basketball and women’s basketball tickets and seating.

Members are given first priority to purchase ticketsbased on their point totals.

Points are assigned as follows:1 point for each $50 contributed since becoming a member;

2 points for each year of NLC membership;5 points for Penn State alumni (maximum of 5 per membership);

10 points for lifetime members of Alumni Association (one time only);10 points for lettermen in a varsity sport at the University Park campus.

NLC POINTS


COVER STORY

Power-Packed PerformanceA healthy Ben Heath smacks the most home runs in Penn State history

A routine approach throughout the season led to a record-breakingperformance for Penn State catcher Ben Heath, who smacked morehome runs in 2010 than any other Nittany Lion player in the baseballprogram’s 135-year history.

More than 1,050 student-athletes have earned letters since Penn Statefirst fielded a team in 1875 and none have delivered the long ball asconsistently in a single season as Heath.

That’s in part because he does almost everything consistently when itcomes to baseball.

“At this level, a routine that works for every guy is important and he’sgot one. He’s got a stretching routine, a warm-up routine, things hedoes every day before the game,” said coach Robbie Wine. “He has acertain number of swings he takes and a way he goes about his busi-ness, specifically.

“A big part of that is mental makeup and he makes it all work for him.”

Heath, a junior from Huntersville, N.C., grabbed the role as the team’sstarting catcher early in the season. He had shared duties behind theplate in 2009 before a quadriceps injury cut his sophomore seasonshort.

Entering this season, he worked to make the spot his own with an al-tered approach at the plate and the benefit of abundant experience be-hind it.

As a batter, Heath widened his stance and worked to remain patientwhenever possible, trying to go deeper in the count when necessary.He also adjusted his swing a bit, working to keep his hands back andbring his hips and hands through the hitting zone more efficiently—in-creasing the torque and whip of his swing to better drive balls.

“It was good to come to the park every day knowing I was going toplay. In terms of expectations, I put a lot of work in with my swing and Iknew I was going to have a chance to put up some numbers,” Heathsaid. “Being hindered by injuries last year, I had a chance to work andimprove and it just paid off.

“My approach to hitting has changed a lot since I arrived at PennState. In high school, lots of times you just ‘don’t want to get cheated’and just ‘get a good swing,’ but the coaches have helped me a lot tomature in my approach. We use more video and I understand my me-chanics better. I just have a much better plan at the plate.”

That plan produced a school-record 19 home runs. His 18th, a driveover the right field fence at the Metrodome during a game against Min-nesota, broke the previous record set by Dave Simononis in 1978.

Ben Heath was all smiles this season. He widened his batting stance a bit, worked to be more patient and set the single-season home run record at Penn State.


COVER STORY

Heath’s 19th, which gave him a two-homer cushion on the record, wasa drive to almost straightaway center field at Medlar Field at LubranoPark during a season-ending series against Michigan.

He was so caught up in his routine, and inworking to improve each day, that the record al-most snuck up on him. He knew he was havinga good season, but he was more worried aboutcontinually honing his skills and helping theteam improve.

“Getting the record never really occurred to me,but it is kind of cool to have it,” Heath said.

Heath was more than a power presence at the plate. He was a com-plete hitter. He finished the season with a .369 batting average and a.747 slugging percentage. He also shared team highs for doubles (16)and walks (31)—another testament to his patience, and to opponentspitching around him whenever possible.

“Later in the year you could hear the other teams talking about him,”Wine said. “From where I’m at, as the third-base coach, when we’rehitting, it’s pretty clear when they’re trying to avoid somebody who theyknow is a good hitter.”

He’s a good catcher, too. A physical presence at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, heemerged as a team leader behind the plate, someone the coaching staffallowed to call his own games (a rarity in Division I college baseball) andset a tone for the entire team because of his approach to the game.

Again, a testament to routine—and that’s a routine of success that car-ries over to the classroom, where Heath, a kinesiology major, also

thrives. In so many ways, he’s a poster boy for the type of student-ath-lete Wine wants to build the Penn State program around.

“He’s a solid student-athlete,” Wine said. “He bought into the approachand practiced it every day. He made a routinework for him—it’s the same thing guys who be-come professional ballplayers do. In Ben’scase, it was good for our other younger playersto see that and see it working. And doing that incollege is tougher than in the pros because youdo have to go to class. Ben did that, too.”

In Heath’s case, though, the record-setting sea-son might be his swan song at Penn State. He was selected in the fifthround of the Major League Baseball draft on June 8 by the HoustonAstros and the financial windfall and overall opportunity that comeswith professional baseball might be hard to resist.

Wine hopes Heath does what’s best for him, and judging by his on-fieldabilities, as well as his ability to make good decisions, the coach thinkshe will.

“Hey, it’s tough for the program, but we want to have the kind of play-ers who have those kinds of seasons and careers and can getdrafted,” Wine said. “If he signs a contract, he’s going to be smart toget the rest of his education paid for—and he will come back and gethis degree. He only has a few credits remaining.

“If he stayed, certainly, he’d be someone we could build around andpoint to, but we can already do that. He’s proven the kind of successsomeone can have here.”

Heath was a second-team All-American and a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Award (nation’s best player) and Johnny Bench Award (nation’s best catcher).

Getting the record never reallyoccurred to me, but it is kind of coolto have it.”

— Ben Heath


MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Another Tradition—Common Courtesy, Mutual RespectFall Saturdays in HappyValley have changed forthe better in several waysin recent years, with a banon drinking outside BeaverStadium once footballgames begin as well asrules prohibiting the use ofglass bottles by tailgaterson grassy areas outsidethe stadium.

In addition, enhancementshave taken place in andaround the stadium. Theyinclude improvements toparking areas as well asupgrades to facilities—alldesigned to make the ex-perience more enjoyablefor fans.

“We always want to enhance the experiencesomeone has when they come to the game,”said Greg Myford, associate athletic director.“It’s what I call ‘driveway to driveway,’ fromtheir home and back. What do they experi-ence? How can we make it better?

“Any way we can help with travel, entering theparking lot, enjoying all that’s around the sta-dium or tailgating if that’s what they choose todo, we want to do it.”

Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics relies on acore of full-time and game-day employees tomake that happen—and those people havebeen largely responsible for helping imple-ment changes in recent years.

At the same time, those who come to thegames (Nittany Lion Club members, otherPenn Staters or just general sports fans mak-ing an one-and-only trip to Happy Valley) can,and must assist with a long-standing PennStat tradition—creating an enjoyable atmos-phere that thrives because of common cour-tesy and mutual respect.

When more than 110,000 people converge oncampus, a group sensibility helps make theday more enjoyable for everyone.

“We, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics,have a great responsibility in delivering thebest experience we can, but we can only dothat as well when our fans take hold of somelevel of responsibility as well,” Myford said.“What we all have to remember is that whatwe do impacts somebody else’s experience insome way.

“Penn Staters perhaps more than others any-

where else know that. We’ve built a Saturdaygameday experience based on generations offamily and friends coming here and knowinghow to conduct themselves. People enjoysharing time with others and they do so in alargely responsible manner.

“We need to work together to maintain andprotect that. That’s who we are.”

As football season again nears, that commoncourtesy-mutual respect approach remains anarea of emphasis.

Festivities, food and friendliness accuratelydefine much of what happens in Happy Valleyon fall Saturdays and officials hope to main-tain and expand that approach whenever pos-sible.

For example, in recent years, that collectiveeffort has made Penn State a model for effi-ciency. Recycling efforts implemented andsupported by University officials have beenwell accepted by tailgaters, who have usedfree bags for trash and recyclables and sepa-rated their garbage, making the cleanupprocess easier after the game and keepingthousands of pounds of materials out of thelandfill.

Tailgaters have also responded well to thepolicy implemented in 2006 that prohibited al-cohol at tailgate parties in the lots around sta-dium between kickoff and the final whistle.

An ongoing request from IntercollegiateAthletics for tailgaters in grass lots is that theyuse plastic beverage bottles and containersinstead of glass whenever possible. The useof plastic—especially in grass lots used for

intramural sports—can helpwith recycling while en-hancing safety for PennState students who lateruse those same fields forintramural sports.

“All Penn Staters can takepride in creating an atmos-phere that promotes enjoy-ment and responsibility. Itis, without a doubt, all partof the Greatest Show inCollege Football,” said JohnNitardy of the Nittany LionClub. “We all play a part inmaking every Saturdayspecial, the Penn StateWay.”

Areas of concern as theseason begins center on

possible traffic congestion, because of noonstarts at the beginning of the season and forHomecoming, and keeping many areas inparking lots clear for potential access byemergency vehicles.

“It’s all a matter of everyone working togetherand practicing that common courtesy-mutualrespect approach,” Nitardy said. “Peoplecertainly want to have a good time, and wewant people to enjoy gameday, but in all thelots around the stadium we have to maintainaccess routes for emergency vehicles. Wehave to keep the aisles and roadways clear.

“At the same time, because of the noon starts,almost everyone will be arriving at about thesame time. We encourage people to be pa-tient with the process. For later kicks, arrivaltimes get spaced out a bit more.”

Early season games also often provide an op-portunity for Nittany Lion Club members toshare their tickets with friends, making it pos-sible for some who would not regularly attendPenn State games to enjoy an early seasonnon-conference game. That’s a wonderful op-portunity for those who cannot regularly at-tend, and something to keep in mind for fansmore accustomed to making the trip.

Season ticket holders who share their ticketsand/or parking permits also should rememberthat they are responsible for the behavior ofthose who use them.

Season ticket holders may lose their ticketprivileges and/or parking if their behavior (orthe behavior of those who use their tickets)causes problems in and around BeaverStadium.

Tailgaters who maintain a reasonable space in driving areas and bag and separate their recyclables andtrash provide a fast and safe route if an emergency vehicle needs to visit the lot and shorten the cost andtime necessary for cleanup after home games. While University officials enforce such rules, Nittany LionClub members and others can practice an approach of common courtesy and mutual respect to help.


SAAB BANQUET

A record total of 334 awards were presented as Penn State student-athletes were honored at the 23rd SAAB Annual Academic Achieve-ment Awards Banquet in the Bryce Jordan Center.

The awards total, for student-athletes with a 3.0 grade-point averageor higher in 2008-09, was the highest since theevent began in 1988. The previous high was333 total awards for the 2006-07 academic year.

The Nittany Lion women’s soccer team was pre-sented with the team award for highest grade-point average during the 2008-09 academicyear to highlight an outstanding year for PennState student-athletes.

The women's soccer team, coached by Erica Walsh, earned its thirdhighest team GPA award since the academic honors event began.

Sponsored by the Milton and Lois Morgan Academic Support Centerfor Student-Athletes and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB),the 334 awards were presented to 254 student-athletes for their aca-demic accomplishments in 2008-09. In 2006-07, 262 student-athleteswere recognized.

The event was held in conjunction with National Student-Athlete Day.

Presentations also were made to a record-tying 88 seniors who had a3.0 or higher cumulative GPA through the Spring 2009 semester. The88 total tied the number of seniors that were honored from 2003-04and was an increase of 15 from Spring 2008.

The members of Penn State’s 29 varsity programs combined to earnan overall 3.09 grade point average in 2008-09. Eighteen teamsearned a grade point average of 3.0 or better.

The performance of Penn State's 14 women's programs was particu-larly notable, earning a combined 3.26 GPA during 2008-09. There areapproximately 800 Penn State student-athletes on 29 varsity teams.

Former Penn State football student-athlete Adam Taliaferro was theguest speaker at the awards dinner.

SAAB presented a special recognition award to Scott Kretchmar, who

has served as Penn State’s faculty athletics representative to theNCAA for the past 10 years. His appointment ends on June 30.

The Varsity “S” Awards were presented to the women’s and men’steams with the highest team GPA. This year’s recipients were the

women’s and men’s soccer teams.

The Nittany Lion Club presented its True GritAward to two student-athletes for overcomingadversities during their careers. The recipientswere Lady Lion senior Meggan Quinn (RedLion) and senior Nittany Lion basketball playerAdam Highberger (Blairsville). Both players re-turned to the hardwood after rehabilitating seri-ous knee injuries.

The SAAB Award (Student-Athletes Above and Beyond) were pre-sented for the third time. The recipients were women’s track and fieldsenior Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) and senior women's lacrosseplayer Margo Josephs (Reisterstown, Md).

The THON awards were presented to the student-athlete and teamthat raised the most donations for the Four Diamonds Fund andTHON. The recipients were senior women’s golfer Lindsay Cullen(Allen, Texas) and, for the second consecutive year, the women’slacrosse team.

The CHAMPS Cup Awards for community outreach were presented forthe fifth time, with winners selected for squads with 20 or fewer mem-bers (women's basketball for the fifth consecutive year) and squadswith more than 20 squad members (football-offense for the third con-secutive year).

Eight Penn State student-athletes were recognized for graduating fromthe Athletic Director's Leadership Institute, a program that has 50 stu-dent-athlete participants.

Penn State's student-athletes, who have captured 23 Big Ten Champi-onships during the past four-and-a-half years and eight NCAA titles inthe past three years, consistently have been among the nation's mostsuccessful in earning their degrees.

Team members from the 29men’s and women’s varsity sportsteams combined to earn an overall

3.09 grade point average.

True Grit Award recipients Meggan Quinn from the women’s basketball team (left photo) and Adam Highberger from the men’s basketball team (right photo) with John Nitardy ofthe Nittany Lion Club and Director of Athletics Tim Curley at the 23rd SAAB Annual Academic Achievement Awards Banquet. (Photo by Mark Selders)

Record Number of Student-Athletes Earn 3.0 GPAs

10 NLC NEWSLETTER /www.nittanylionclub.com Success with Honor

From afar, the jerseys Brad “Spider” Caldwell (left)and Kirk Diehl help maintain for the football teamlook pretty much the same as always. But a closer

look reveals some significant changes—just since 1993when Penn State entered the Big Ten Conferenceand started using Nike as its exclusive provider.

The Nike patch was directly on theshoulder for just one year, 1993.And after that, the “Swoosh” logo

was the company’s only visiblepresence on jerseys—and it

moved to the chest/neck area.

In 1995, jerseys were split along the sides (top photo). By 2001(above), the split had moved to the middle of the front and backpanels—a position that was designed to allow a more ergonomicallyappropriate movement.

Enhanced freedom of movement and speed representthe goal for much of the tinkering in designs and fabrics

through the years. A change of the shoulder area(photos left and right from 1995 and 2009, respectively)shows more smaller pieces of fabric around the joint toallow ease of movement. More players have moved totighter “linebacker” sleeves as well. At the same time,

the Swoosh has moved closer to the neck line.

SomethinNew fabrics and technology have changed those age-old,


In 1999, Nike moved fromportal mesh to micro mesh,

provided a tapered side paneland the jerseys also gotlonger—with this size 56

stretching 34 inches from thebottom of the white collar tothe bottom of the front panel.

Also, numbers were sewnon instead of silkscreened.

Jerseys were longer—32 inches in front, compared to 28 inches—from 1995 to1997 (left photo) than they have been since 2007 (right photo). These days

they’re also a half-pound lighter and made of fabric that does not hold moisture.That keeps them light, but also makes them harder to keep tucked into pants

(because they’re somewhat slippery) or grip to tackle.

ng Specialblue-and-white jerseys significantly in just a few seasons.


STUDENT-ATHLETES

Four Penn State student-athletes were named ESPN The MagazineAcademic All-District 2.

Senior men’s volleyball middle hitter Max Lipsitz (Williamsville, N.Y.)and senior women’s gymnast Brandi Personett (Katy, Texas) werenamed to the first team while senior field hockey player Amy Bonen-berger (Palmyra, Pa.) and sophomore men’s gymnast Miguel Pineda(Galloway, Ohio) earned second-team accolades.

It was the second honor of Lipsitz’s career as he picked up first-teamAcademic All-District accolades in 2008. Lipsitz recently earned his fi-nance degree, graduating with a 3.43 grade point average (GPA). Inhis final season with the men’s volleyball team, Lipsitz guided the Nit-tany Lions to their sixth NCAA Championship appearance.

The team finished the season 24-8, including an undefeated 10-0record in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. Lipsitz wasnamed an AVCA First Team All-American for the second straight year,was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team and ledthe nation with a .524 hitting percentage. He led the Nittany Lions inblocking (1.42 blocks per set) and averaged 3.61 kills per set.

Personett picked up her second Academic All-District honor after earn-ing second-team laurels in 2009. Personett, who holds a 3.77 in nurs-ing, is a five-time, first-team All-American and finished second in thenation on floor at the 2010 NCAA National Championships. Sheearned All-America status on beam in 2008, floor in 2009 and beam,floor and the all-around this season.

A four-time All-Big Ten First Team selection, Personett was honored asthe Big Ten Gymnast of the Year for the second year in a row at the2010 Big Ten Gymnastics Championship and was a five-time Big Ten

Gymnast of the Week during hersenior season. Personett wasone of four finalists for the HondaAward for women’s gymnastics.

Bonenberger is a three-time Aca-demic All-Big Ten honoree. A2009 team captain, Bonenbergerfinished fifth on the team witheight points, scoring two goalsand tallying four assists. Shealso posted a career-best twoassists in the opening roundupset of Ohio State and earneda spot on the Big Ten All-Tourna-ment Team for the second timein her career. Bonenberger holdsa 3.87 GPA in kinesiology andmovement science.

Pineda competed in every meet in 2010, anchoring the men’s gymnas-tics team on pommel horse and still rings. He earned 11 top-three fin-ishes in three different events, capturing four still rings titles and oneparallel bars title. A 2009 CGA First Team All-American Scholar Athlete,Pineda finished the season ranked No. 8 in the nation in the still rings.Pineda has a 3.99 GPA in science, the highest GPA among District 2second-team honorees.

To be nominated for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District consid-eration, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve with at leasta 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale), and must be a sophomore inboth athletic and academic standing.

Four Earn Academic All-District Recognition

Max Lipsitz earned first-team honors for thesecond time. (Photo by Mark Selders)


GIVING

We are pleased to announce these gifts and pledgesof $25,000 and above to our “For the Future: TheCampaign for Penn State Students.” We sincerelythank the donors who, through their generosity, madethese important funds a reality.

Donors Scholarship/Naming OpportunityAnonymous........................................................................Lasch Football Building Naming Opportunity—Player Development Director’s OfficeAnonymous ..................................................................................Lasch Football Building Naming Opportunity—John Bruno Jr. Hall of HonorsAnonymous ...........................................................................................................................................................Endowed Football ScholarshipDouglas Barszcz ............................................................Barszcz Family Football Program Endowment in Honor of Michael and Patricia BarszczHarold and Dolores Brake...........................................................................................................................................................Blue Band TowerWilliam and Denise Burns......................................................Corey Matthew Burns and Kevin Michael Burns Program Endowment for FootballMark Callihan .............................................................................................Mark Callihan Family Program Support Fund for Women’s VolleyballJohn J. and Kathleen Wooley Collins .................................................Maureen C. Collins Endowed Program Support Fund for Women’s SoccerMichael J. Farrell .......................................................................................................................Michael J. Farrell Endowed Football ScholarshipFrank and Lisa Guadagnino .........................................................................................................................................................Men’s VolleyballAndrew and Michelle Ward Holzwarth ......................................................................Holzwarth-Ward Endowed Women’s Volleyball ScholarshipMel Kling................................................................................Lasch Football Building Naming Opportunity—Mel Kling Assistant Coach’s OfficeRobert H. and Patricia B. Krebs.................................................................................Krebs Family Endowed Program Support Fund for FootballJoe and Mary Ann Matyaz ...................Lasch Football Building Naming Opportunity—Mary Anne and Joe Matyaz Academic Counselor’s OfficeBarry and Faith Pennypacker ..................................................Amanda and Adam Pennypacker Trustee Scholarship for Intercollegiate AthleticsJ. Annetta Pierce .............................................................................................................Richard and Annetta Pierce Women’s Basketball AwardA. Duer Pierce Jr. ....................................................................................................................................Bud Pierce Men’s Lacrosse ScholarshipGustavo and Elisa SanRoman................................................................................SanRoman Family Endowed Women’s Volleyball ScholarshipStephen R. Smith and Eileen Baumgarten Smith.........Stephen R. Smith and Eileen Baumgarten Smith Endowed Men’s Basketball ScholarshipMargaret A. Sulkowski..................................................................Edward A. Sulkowski Athletic Training Scholarship in Intercollegiate AthleticsMichael and Deborah Tanitsky...............................................................................Michael and Deborah Tanitsky Baseball Program EndowmentRobert and Eleanor Weirman.............Robert C. and Eleanor Strauss Weirman Family Endowed Athletic Scholarship in Intercollegiate Athletics

Opportunities exist to endow scholarships in specific sports or an area that meets your interest. Of course, all suchopportunities provide tax benefits. If you would like information on how to participate, please call us at (814) 863-GIFT (4438).

Less than three years after launch, the BigTen Network is available on 300 cable andsatellite providers that carry the network to ap-proximately 75 million homes in the UnitedStates and Canada, including 38 states and19 of the top 20 U.S. markets.

A handful of cable systems in Pennsylvaniastill do not carry the network, and Pennsylva-nia’s access to the Big Ten Network is thelowest among all states that are the home of aconference member.

A combined total of more than 35,000 PennState alumni live in communities served bythese four providers, in addition to thousandsmore current Penn State students and fans.

Among the cable systems that do not carrythe Big Ten Network in Pennsylvania are Arm-strong, Blue Ridge, Metrocast and AdamsCable. Customers of these four cableproviders missed more than 100 Penn State

athletic events on the Big TenNetwork during the 2009-10academic year. Twenty-fourPenn State teams have ap-peared on the network, in-cluding football (four games,plus Blue-White Game), Nit-tany Lion basketball (16),Lady Lion basketball (nine),the three-time NCAAwomen’s volleyball champi-ons (seven) and 20 moresquads.

The Big Ten Network is avail-able on cable in 60 of 67Pennsylvania counties.

Penn Staters who do not have cable accessto the Big Ten Network, can make frequentand regular contact with their cable providersvia phone call, e-mail and/or letter in order forthere to be a possibility of your provider

adding the network prior to the start of the fallsports season.

A “channel finder” at www.bigtennetwork.comprovides information about cable providers whocarry the network across Pennsylvania and inmajor markets across the United States.

35,000 Penn Staters Without Access to Big Ten NetworkTo contact cable providers to request the Big Ten Network:

Armstrong Cable: (724) 283-0925 and (877) 277-5711E-mail: www.agoc.com/Contact.aspx

Blue Ridge Cable: (610) 826-2551 and (800) 222-5377E-mail: www.brctv.com/customer_care/contact/channelrequest.php

Metrocast Cable: (570) 802-5642 and (800) 633-8578E-mail: www.metrocastcablevision.com/contact_form.cfm

Adams Cable: (570) 282-6121 and (888) 222-0077E-mail: www.adamscable.com/digital/contact.php


WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

‘Triple Crown’ Completes Stellar Year for Speedy SquadBolstered by a total of six individual and tworelay titles, the Nittany Lion women’s trackand field team completed its “triple crown” runfor the 2009-10 academic year by winningteam title at the Big Ten Outdoor Champi-onships.

The victory was the third consecutive outdoorconference win for the Nittany Lions, whoclaimed all three possible Big Ten titles—cross country, indoor and outdoor—during2009-10.

Individual highlights were provided by seniorFawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) and junior ShavonGreaves (Lakewood, N.J.), who claimed twoindividual wins each and ran important legson the winning 4x100- and 4x400-meter re-lays.

“The women were absolutely phenomenal allweekend,” said Coach Beth Alford-Sullivan.“This team has accomplished so much to-gether and to see us execute at 110-percentwas just a tremendous experience.”

Penn State joined Michigan (2002-04) andWisconsin (1983-86) as the only Big Tenteams to win three straight women’s outdoortitles. The Nittany Lions' three titles are fourth-most in conference history, even though PennState only started Big Ten competition in1992.

The Nittany Lions are also the seventh squadin conference history to sweep all three titlesin the same academic year. Wisconsin hasaccomplished the feat four times and Michi-gan has swept all three titles twice, most re-cently in 2002-03.

Greaves won gold medals in the 100 (11.56)and 200 (23.28) for the second year in a rowwhile Dorr doubled up in the 400 (52.51) and400 hurdles (57.50). Senior Aleesha Barber(Decatur, Ga.) won the 100 hurdles (13.11).

The Nittany Lions displayed exceptional depththroughout the sprints, with at least one PennState athlete scoring in every sprint and hur-dle event, two Nittany Lions scoring in the 200and 100 hurdles, and three blue-and-whiteathletes earning points in the 400 and 400hurdles.

Dorr and Greaves both each added two morerelay crowns to their resumes, joining team-mates Caitlin Defusco (Schwenksville, Pa.)and Barber in the 4x100, and junior MeganDuncan (North Huntingdon, Pa.) and fresh-man Doris Anyanwu (Beltsville, Md.) in the4x400.

The 4x100 brought the stick around in a sea-son-best 44.62—the third-fastest time inschool history—while the 4x400 capped themeet with a 3:35.18 victory.

Duncan also had a record-setting weekend in-dividually, scoring a runner-up finish in the400 hurdles with a personal record 57.88 andher first trip under the 58-second barrier.

Freshman Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas)impressed in the hurdling events, posting asixth-place effort in the 400 hurdles in 59.67and claiming seventh overall in the 100 hur-dles in 13.85.

DeFusco and Anyanwu also got on the boardindividually with DeFusco coming in fourth inthe 200 at 23.98, and Anyanwu registering afifth-place standing in the 400 in 54.36.

Barber added an eighth-place finish in the400, running 54.65.

“The commitment from this program to focustoward a triple crown started in the fall withthe women’s cross country victory and to seeit through to the end is just outstanding,” Sulli-van said. “A lot of the credit goes to (assis-tant) coach (Chris) Johnson and our sprintscore, as well as the senior contingent that hasgiven us outstanding team leadership over theyears.”

Along with a victory in the 3,000-meter stee-plechase, senior Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio)recorded scoring finishes in the 1,500 and5,000 meters. Franek, who ran an NCAA-leading 9:48.28 in the steeplechase, placedfourth in the 1,500 with a personal-best4:18.33—and came back to take third in the5K with an effort of 16:18.68.

Sophomore Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.)also got a piece of the scoring in the 5,000,finishing eighth overall in 16:39.18.

Penn State, ranked No. 7 in the nation by theUnited States Track and Field/Cross CountryCoaches’ Association, scored 133.5 points tosecure its third consecutive Big Ten outdoortitle. Minnesota was second with 123 points.

Teams DominatePostseason AwardsAfter winning the program’s third-straightBig Ten Outdoor Championship, the Nit-tany Lion women’s track and field teamwas well represented in the conference’spostseason awards—with senior FawnDorr (Akron, N.Y.) named Track Athleteof the Championship while Coach BethAlford-Sullivan was named Coach of theYear.

Freshman Casimir Loxsom (New Haven,Conn.) was recognized on the men’sside, earning Freshman of the Year ac-colades, thanks to his victory in the 800-meters.

Dorr stood out throughout the event, win-ning four gold medals with individual vic-tories in the 400 and 400-meter hurdlesto go with relay wins in the 4x100 and4x400. Dorr, who was joined by team-mates Shavon Greaves (Lakewood,N.J.), Caitlin Defusco (Schwenksville,Pa.) and Aleesha Barber (Decatur, Ga.),anchored the winning 4x100 to a sea-son-best 44.62—which also ranks as thethird-best performance in school history.

Members of the women’s track team celebrate their outdoor championship, and the conclusion of a year when theywon the conference’s “triple crown” with titles in cross country, as well as indoor and outdoor track.


MEN’S SOCCER

Coach Warms to Big-Time Opportunity, Joins Penn StateWhen Bob Warming was starting to build themen’s soccer program at Creighton Univer-sity, he sought advice and information aboutwhat he considered some of the best collegesports programs in the nation.

As part of that research, he studied a little bitabout the Penn State football program. Warm-ing said what he learned influenced what hedid with what became a highly successful pro-gram.

In 14 total years at Creighton, served in twodifferent stints (1990-94, 2001-09), Warmingbecame the most successful coach in pro-gram history. He led the Bluejays to 190 victo-ries, seven Missouri Valley Conferenceregular season and tournament champi-onships, 11 NCAA Championship appear-ances, and a trip to the 2002 College Cup.

His teams proved nearly unbeatable at home,compiling a 107-18-15 record in Omaha,Neb., and he was a three-time selection asMissouri Valley Conference Coach of theYear.

Now Warming, who was named the PennState men’s soccer coach in late May, has theopportunity to bring his coaching talents toJeffrey Field—right next door to Beaver Sta-dium, where the Penn State football programhas crafted its success for decades.

“My entire family is excited about Penn State,”Warming said. “It was going to take a veryspecial situation for us to ever leave Omahaand all the relationships we had built thereand all the developments we have made withthe soccer program. Penn State is that oppor-tunity on every level.”

Warming, whose distinguished career hasspanned 32 years, became the 11th coach inPenn State history.

He joins the program at a special time—as itbegins a season-long celebration of its 100thyear of existence. In addition, the NittanyLions will also serve as host of the Big TenTournament (Nov. 11-14) for the third timesince joining the conference in 1991 and forthe first time since 2002.

In between his tenures at Creighton, Warmingserved as head coach at Saint Louis Univer-sity, where he guided it to four ConferenceUSA championships, three NCAA Champi-onship berths and to the 1997 College Cup.Along with his experience at Creighton andSaint Louis, Warming previously held headcoaching positions at Old Dominion (1996),Charlotte (1982-88), Berry College (1977-81)

and Transylvania University (1976). His ca-reer coaching record stands at an impressive383-180-64 (.662).

His three-plus decades as a head coach havebeen marked by distinction, achievement andsuccess. A six-time finalist for National Coachof the Year and 2008 winner of the award, heranks sixth among active Division I coachesand 15th in Division I history with his 383 vic-tories. Warming is also one of only twocoaches in Division I to take two different pro-grams to the College Cup.

“Penn State is very fortunate to have securedthe services of a coach with such impeccablecredentials,” Director of Athletics Tim Curleysaid. “Bob’s success has placed him amongelite company in the history of NCAAmen’ssoccer. He is an outstanding coach and re-cruiter who has a proven track record of de-veloping accomplished student-athletes, onand off the field.”

Also successful in the classroom, Warming'sCreighton squads received the NSCAA TeamAcademic Achievement Award in 2003, 2004,2008 and 2009. Warming has also producednumerous professional prospects while at

Creighton, as at least one player has been se-lected in every MLS Draft, a total of 24 sincethe league's inception in 1996.

An ardent believer in giving back throughcharitable works, Warming’s 2009 Creightonsquad won the community service award forperforming more than 1,500 hours of volun-teer activities, including working on Habitat forHumanity projects, reading to elementaryschool students and helping out at hospitals.Warming has also has served as the honorarychairman of the Boy Scouts of America forNebraska and as the honorary chairman ofthe Omaha Children’s Crisis Center annualfund raiser.

Warming has not only built successful teamson the field, but also assisted with the design,fundraising and construction management ofthree collegiate soccer stadiums, including the$13 million, 6,000-seat, state-of-the-art Morri-son Stadium at Creighton. He and his winningteams helped fill the stands at the stadium, asCreighton led the MVC and ranked in theNCAA top 10 in attendance each of the pastseven seasons.

A 1975 graduate of Berea College in Ken-tucky, Warming was a four-sport varsity letter-winner, starring on the golf, swimming, tennisand soccer teams. As a starting goalkeeper,he posted a 28-2-2 record. Warming alsoholds a master’s degree in sport administra-tion from Eastern Kentucky University.

Warming and his wife, Cindy, have four chil-dren—Emily, Bess and twins Audrey andGrant.

Date......................Opponent......................Time*Aug. 21 .....................HARTWICK..........................3 p.m.*Aug. 28 ......Louisville (at Fort Wayne, Ind.)...........5 p.m.Sept. 3 ................Buffalo (at Ohio State) .................5 p.m.Sept. 5 .............Charleston (at Ohio State) ................NoonSept. 10.......................BUCKNELL .....................7:30 p.m.Sept. 12 ....................BINGHAMTON .......................2 p.m.Setp. 17 ......................at Air Force ..........................9 p.m.Sept. 19........................at Denver ...........................3 p.m.Sept. 24 ........................INDIANA.......................7:30 p.m.Sept. 29 .................ST. FRANCIS (PA).....................7 p.m.Oct. 3 ..........................at Michigan..........................1 p.m.Oct. 6..........................VILLANOVA..........................7 p.m.Oct. 10 ...................MICHIGAN STATE.....................3 p.m.Oct. 13 ...........................AKRON .............................7 p.m.Oct. 17.....................at Northwestern ......................2 p.m.Oct. 20 ............................UMBC..............................7 p.m.Oct. 23 .......................OHIO STATE .........................3 p.m.Oct. 27 ...........................at Penn .............................7 p.m.Nov. 2 .........................at Lafayette..........................7 p.m.Nov. 6 ........................at Wisconsin.........................8 p.m.Nov. 11-14, BIG TEN TOURNAMENT at Penn State*-Exhibition

SCHEDULE

Bob Warming


BASKETBALL

Women’s basketball coach Coquese Wash-ington has signed a two-year contract exten-sion to coach the Lady Lions through the2013-14 season.

In keeping with the University policy, specificterms of the agreement were not released.

“We are very pleased with theprogress that our women’s basketballprogram has made under Coquese,"Director of Athletics Tim Curley said.“With the return to the postseason forthe first time in five years and back-to-back nationally-ranked recruitingclasses, Coquese has established asolid foundation to put Lady Lion bas-ketball back on the track to nationalprominence. Her commitment to thisprogram and this community is unparalleledand I look forward to seeing her on the side-lines for many years to come.”

The Lady Lions enjoyed their best season todate under Washington, returning to thepostseason for the first time since 2004-05with a WNIT berth. The Lions also picked uptheir most overall wins (17) and conferencewins (8) since the 2004-05 campaign enroute to a sixth-place finish in the Big Ten.Penn State claimed a pair of victories overranked opponents in #15/15 Pittsburgh and#20/23 Michigan State during the 2009-10campaign.

“I truly enjoy being the head coach here atPenn State and I am eager to continue thework of rebuilding this program,” Washingtonsaid. “It is my goal to build a women’s bas-

ketball program that all Penn Staters can beproud of.”

Named the fifth head coach in Lady Lion his-tory on April 23, 2007, Washington has pro-duced a trio of All-Big Ten performers duringher tenure in Tyra Grant, Brianne O'Rourke

and Kam Gissendanner.

Washington, a Flint, Mich. native, isvery active in the women's basketballcommunity, serving on the 29-mem-ber WBCA Board of Directors and onthe USA Basketball Women’s JuniorNational Team Committee. Addition-ally, Washington was tabbed the "Ris-ing Star" in the coaching ranks in avote of the members of the Women'sBasketball Coaches Association

(WBCA) during the 2007-08 campaign. Shewas also recently elected as treasurer of theexecutive committee for the Women’s Bas-ketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Shewill begin her three-year term at the group’sAugust board meeting.

Washington has also made a name for her-self in the community as a philanthropist. Inaddition to assisting with the efforts of theWBCA Pink Zone at Penn State to raisemoney and awareness for breast cancer,Washington created Coquese's Drive for theWomen's Resource Center. The two Co-quese's Drives raised nearly $19,000 for theCentre County Women's Resource Center toaid in the fight against domestic violence.She is also active in Special Olympics, serv-ing as the honorary chair of the PennsylvaniaSummer Games in 2008.

COACHES VS. CANCERCoach Ed DeChellis (above) and the Penn State Golf Courses played host to the 14th annual Coaches vs. Cancer Celebrity Golf Tournament in early June. More than 350 golfers,celebrities and sponsors took part in the event—part of a year-long effort led by DeChellis that has made Penn State one of the leading institutions in the overall Coaches vs.Cancer effort. Under the leadership of DeChellis, the program has raised more than $175,000 each of the past three years. (Photos by Mark Selders)

Washington Signs Contract Extension

CoqueseWashington

Men Add D.C. Forwardin Late Signing PeriodThe men’s basketball team received a Na-tional Letter of Intent from 6-foot-8, 218-pound forward Jonathan Graham(Baltimore, Md.) during the late signing pe-riod.

Graham joined 6-4 guard Tre Bowman(York, Pa.), also a late-period signee, and6-2 guard Taran Buie (State College) in the2010 signing class. Penn State has onescholarship still available.

“Jon is a very versatile forward who canscore around the rim as well as step outand be effective on the perimeter,”DeChellis said. “He is a very good re-bounder, runs the floor well and plays ex-tremely hard. He’s just very passionateabout the game.”

A two-time All-Metro selection, Graham av-eraged 18 points, 10 rebounds and 3.4blocks per game last season, leading hisCalvert Hall College High School team to a21-7 record and the Baltimore CatholicLeague tournament championship with a46-44 upset of No. 1 seeded Mount St.Joseph in the title game.

Dates, OpponentsSet for Big Ten-ACC ChallengeMen: Dec. 1 vs. MarylandWomen: Dec. 2 at Boston College


LACROSSE

Long-time Penn State Nittany Lion men’slacrosse coach Glenn Thiel announced his re-tirement, effective June 30, 2010.

Thiel recently completed his 33rd year incharge of the Nittany Lion lacrosse team—and his 37th with the program overall, count-ing his undergraduate playing career. He hasbeen a collegiate head coach for 43 years.

“This was not an easy decision, but it is onethat I felt was right to make,” Thiel said. “Ihave had the honor of coaching hundreds ofoutstanding youngmen during my timehere and now it is timefor me to focus onother areas of life, likemy children and grand-children.

“Penn State will alwaysbe a part of me and Ilook forward to seeingthis lacrosse programflourish in our newconference and gainstrength nationally. Asthis sport continues togrow here in the Cen-tre Region, I look for-ward to being involvedwith Centre Lacrosse,helping the youth ofthis area in any way I can.”

A 1966 Penn State graduate, Thiel playedfrom 1964 to 1966 under then-coach DickPencek, whom Thiel succeeded as coach,serving as co-captain his senior campaign.

Thiel received the Pittenger Award as thesquad’s most valuable senior and was se-lected to play in the North/South All-Star Clas-sic after scoring 27 goals with six assists in1966.

After receiving his master’s degree from Mas-sachusetts in 1970, Thiel was named headcoach at the University of Virginia, laying thefoundation for one of the nation’s elite pro-grams. Thiel logged a record of 63-30 in eightseasons as head coach at Virginia from 1970-77. His 1972 squad won the NCAA Champi-onship title with a 13-12 victory over JohnsHopkins. In 1970, the Cavaliers tied for theUSILA national title. In guiding Virginia tothree Atlantic Coast Conference champi-onships, Thiel coached 12 first-team All-Americans.

He twice coached the South to victory in theNorth/South All-Star Classic (1973, 1994). Inthe fall of 1996, Thiel was among the secondclass of inductees into the Virginia LacrosseHall of Fame.

In 1977, after eight highly successful years atVirginia, Thiel returned to his alma mater asthe Nittany Lions’ head coach, following in thefootsteps of his late father, Glenn “Nick” Thiel,who guided Penn State’s lacrosse teams from1935 until 1956.

In 33 years at PennState, Thiel led PennState to numerous top20 national rankingsand conference regu-lar season crowns. Heleaves Penn State witha 313-222 careerrecord in 43 years, in-cluding a 236-186mark at Penn State.

During his time ascoach of the NittanyLions, Thiel led PennState to its first trips tothe NCAA Champi-onships in 2003 and2005. He was namedECAC Coach of theYear in 2005.

Thiel was also very active in developing andpromoting lacrosse. He was a former memberof the executive board of the USILA andserved on the organization's All-American andNational Rankings Committees. Thiel is apast member of the United States LacrosseCoaches Association executive board andwas involved in the selection of the 1982,1986 and 1990 U.S. world teams.

Thiel was also integral into Penn State’smove to the Colonial Athletic Association,which has energized the program headinginto next year and includes a chance to playin a post-season conference tournament forthe Nittany Lions for the first time.

“Glenn Thiel is Penn State lacrosse and whilehis retirement leaves a hole in our coachingranks, we wish him the very best as he transi-tions to a life outside of collegiate sports,” Di-rector of Athletics Tim Curley said. “I have hadthe honor of working with Glenn for manyyears and he is, without question, one of themost dedicated and principled people I'veknown.”

Coach Isidor EndsDecade with WomenSuzanne Isidor has announced her res-ignation as coach of the Penn Statewomen’s lacrosse program for personalreasons.

“It has been my honor and privilege toserve as the head coach at Penn State,”said Isidor. “Penn State is a special placeand I am grateful to have been able tocoach not only great players, but greatpeople during my tenure. I want to thankTim Curley and Sue Scheetz for the op-portunity to coach at my alma mater andfor their constant help and support. I willalways cherish the friendships and rela-tionships I have made while in HappyValley and leave with nothing but fondmemories of my time here.”

During her 10-year head coachingtenure, Isidor, the eighth coach in PennState women’s lacrosse history, guidedthe Nittany Lions to 84 victories, twoNCAA Tournament bids and one Ameri-can Lacrosse Conference title game ap-pearance. In 2005, she led her team to acareer-high 12 wins, including a 5-1 con-ference record, and a berth in the NCAATournament, where Penn State suffereda double overtime loss to North Carolina.

Individually, Isidor’s players earned atotal of 38 All-ALC selections, 21 IWLCARegional All-American honors and nineIWLCAAll-American accolades.

Isidor’s student-athletes were also suc-cessful academically. Her players re-ceived recognition by the IWLCA on itshonor roll or as scholar athletes 16 timesand one was honored as a First TeamESPN The Magazine Academic All-American. Nittany Lions have alsoearned Academic All-ALC honors on aremarkable 144 occasions since 2002.

Under Isidor, the Penn State women'slacrosse program was a part of two his-toric events. In 2002, the Nittany Lionscompeted in their first season as one ofseven charter members of the AmericanLacrosse Conference, a league that hasdeveloped into one of the strongest inthe nation. That same year, Isidor andthe Nittany Lions etched their name inthe record book on March 20 when theytook the field for a contest against JohnsHopkins, becoming the first women'slacrosse program in current Division Ihistory to play 500 games.

Coach, Former Player Thiel RetiresAfter 37 Years with Strong Program

This was not an easydecision, but it is onethat I felt was right tomake. I have had thehonor of coaching hun-dreds of outsandingyoung men during my time hereand now it it sime for me to focuson other areas of life.”

— Glenn Thiel

GlennThiel


INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

Swimming, Women’s Soccer Add Experienced Assistant CoachesAn assistant coach from a longtime rival and amember of the Penn State family were re-cently hired as assistant coaches for theswimming team and women's soccer team,respectively.

For the swimming team, Aaron Workman ar-rives from Pitt, where he worked as an assis-tant swimming coach and recruitingcoordinator. During his time at Pitt, Workmanwas in charge of assisting in all aspects ofteam preparation, including practices andweight training.

“As a head coach, you always keep [someonelike Aaron] on your radar,” said Penn Statecoach John Hargis. “I’ve had my eye on Aaronfor the last three years he's been at Pitt. He’srecruited back-to-back top-25 classes. Hissprinters have continued to compete well andcontinued to improve.”

Before working at Pitt, Workman held thesame duties at UNLV.

Workman’s college work began early as heserved as the assistant swim coach at Witten-berg University from 2003-2004 and the headcoach at Hollins University from 2002-2003.At Wittenberg, Workman coached two NCAAAll-Americans and a top 20 Division III team.

Not only has Workman succeeded as acoach, he was also a very successful swim-mer at the University of Kentucky where hegraduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree inbroadcasting. Workman was a four-time All-American, four-time Academic All-SEC per-former and an Academic All-American in2001.

The women’s soccer team added Tim Was-sell, former head coach of the Penn State Al-toona women’s soccer team, as itsgoalkeeper coach. Previous goalkeepercoach Mariel Wilner was offered and accepteda full-time assistant coaching position with theUtah women's soccer program earlier thisspring.

Wassell joins Penn State for the 2010 seasonafter a successful stint at the Altoona campus.Over the past three seasons, Wassell led thewomen’s program there to a 48-11-5 overallrecord, while taking home NSCAA GreatLakes Coach of the Year honors in 2008. Hewas also named the Allegheny Mountain Col-legiate Conference (AMCC) Coach of theYear in 2007 and 2008.

While with the Nittany Lions in Altoona, Was-sell's defense-oriented teams posted 39shutouts in 64 games as the squad set new

marks for wins in every year of his tenure with13, 17 and 18, respectively. During the 2008campaign, his Altoona team posted the third-best goals against average in Division III at0.34.

“I’m tremendously excited and honored to jointhe women’s soccer staff at Penn State,” Was-sell noted. “I have great respect and admira-tion for the tradition that has been built inHappy Valley and I am eager to contribute tothe future successes of the program.”

Wassell, a Hollidaysburg native, earned hisbachelor's degree in business from PennState.

Women’s gymnasticsJunior Danielle Hover (Hamburg, N.Y.) andsophomore Whitney Bencsko (PomptonPlains, N.J.) have been named team captainsfor the 2010-11 season.

Hover has been a consistent contributor dur-ing her three seasons with the Nittany Lions.She competed in 12 meets this past seasonon vault, averaging a 9.683, and six meets onbeam, averaging a 9.675.

Bencsko earned All-America status as afreshman and competed in the all-around inseven meets in 2010 before suffering a sea-son-ending injury. She averaged a 38.664 inthe all-around, including scoring a season-high 39.300 in her last full meet of the season.

Women’s lacrosseSenior Theresa Bucci (Hudson, Ohio) and jun-ior Maggie Dunbar (Cockeysville, Md.), havebeen recognized by the IntercollegiateWomen's Lacrosse Coaches Association(IWLCA) with All-Midwest Region First Teamhonors.

A First Team All-ALC honoree in 2010 afterearning second team honors as sophomoreand junior, Bucci enjoyed her finest season asa Nittany Lion in her senior year, setting ca-reer highs in goals (30), assists (7) and points(37). With two goals in the regular season fi-nale against Temple, she became the first Nit-tany Lion to reach the 30-goal benchmarksince 2006.

Dunbar made the successful transition fromdefense in 2010, emerging as a force in themidfield. Making an impact on both ends ofthe field due to her versatility and aggressiveplaying style, she led the Nittany Lions inground balls (38) and caused turnovers (19)and ranked second in draw controls (32).Dunbar scored two goals and tallied a career-high nine assists.

Former women’s lacrosse standout Mary Mc-Carthy Stefano will be inducted into the Na-tional Lacrosse Hall of Fame as part of its2010 class.

A 1987 graduate of Penn State, McCarthyStefano first made her mark on the lacrosseworld at Moorestown High School in New Jer-sey, where she was a member of the All-South Jersey Team and part of the NewJersey state championship team in 1983. AtPenn State, as the team captain in her seniorseason, McCarthy Stefano led the NittanyLions to a 17-2 record and their first NCAAChampionship and fourth overall national title.A three-time first team All-American (1985-87), she was a part of teams that compiled animpressive 59-10 record over the course ofher career.

McCarthy Stefano is the seventh Nittany Lionwomen's lacrosse player or coach to receivethe prestigious honor, following in the foot-steps of Candace Finn Rocha (1998), SusanDelaney-Scheetz (2000), Betsy WilliamsDougherty (2000), Julie Williams (2002), BarbJordan (2004), and Gillian Rattray (2005).

Women’s tennisFreshman Petra Januskova (Ottawa, Canada)was selected as the Atlantic Region RookiePlayer of the Year by the Intercollegiate Ten-nis Association.

Men’s tennisJunior Eddie Bourchier (Hobart, Australia)was named to the All-Big Ten Team. Bourchieris just the program's sixth player to earn all-conference laurels.

Date......................Opponent......................Time*Aug. 14 .....................at Villanova..........................3 p.m.Aug. 20....................at West Virginia ......................7 p.m.Aug. 27.........................VIRGINIA ......................7:30 p.m.Aug. 29..................WILLIAM & MARY ...............2:30 p.m.Sept. 3 ............................at Yale..............................7 p.m.Sept. 5 ......................at Connecticut........................1 p.m.Sept. 10 .......Washington (at Portland, Ore.)......7:30 p.m.Stp. 12.........................at Portland .....................5:30 p.m.Sept. 15.......................BUCKNELL ..........................7 p.m.Sept. 19.....................DARTMOUTH ........................1 p.m.Sept. 26 .................MICHIGAN STATE.....................1 p.m.Oct. 3 .........................at Ohio State ..........................NoonOct. 8.......................at Northwestern ......................8 p.m.Oct. 10 ...........................at Iowa .............................2 p.m.Oct. 15 .......................MINNESOTA .........................7 p.m.Oct. 17 .......................WISCONSIN...........................NoonOct. 24 ..........................at Illinois............................2 p.m.Oct. 28 ..........................INDIANA............................7 p.m.Oct. 31..........................at Purdue ...........................1 p.m.Nov. 7 ..........................MICHIGAN ..........................1 p.m.Nov. 11-28, NCAA Tournament*-Exhibition

WOMEN’S SOCCER


INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

Penn State legend Franco Harris has beenselected the Big Ten Club of Southern Califor-nia's Person of the Year for 2010.

Harris joins a prestigious list of previous Per-son of the Year recipients by the Big TenClub, which was founded in 1933. The eventwas held May 19 at the Tournament of Roses’Wrigley Mansion in Pasadena.

The Big Ten Club of Southern California hasselected a Person of the Year since 1985,when Olympic gold medal swimmer MarkSpitz was the first recipient. Among some ofthe other recipients are: Bob Hope, ArchieGriffin, Jim Delany, Keith Jackson, HaydenFry and Drew Brees.

Harris, a standout running back, played a sig-nificant role in the Nittany Lions’ 29-4 markfrom 1969 to 1971, teaming with LydellMitchell to form one of the nation’s top back-field tandems. Selected by the PittsburghSteelers with the No. 12 overall pick of the1972 NFL Draft, Harris teamed with formerPenn State teammate Jack Ham to bring fourSuper Bowl titles to Pittsburgh.

The Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl IX,Harris was selected to nine Pro Bowls duringhis tremendous 13-year NFL career. Hetopped the 1,000-yard rushing mark in eightseasons and joined Ham on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1970's. Harris spent 12seasons with the Steelers and finished his ca-reer with Seattle in 1984. His “ImmaculateReception” in the final seconds of the 1972AFC playoff game against the OaklandRaiders is arguably one of the greatest playsin NFL history. A product of Mount Holly, N.J.,Harris was inducted into the Pro Football Hallof Fame in 1990.

A 1972 Penn State graduate, Harris estab-lished Super Bakery after his playing careerended with the goal of making it “The Leaderin Bakery Nutrition.” His products, SuperDonuts and Super Buns, are sold to schoolsystems across America and are available inretail stores. Harris is president and owner ofSuper Bakery. Harris also is a long-time sup-porter of Special Olympics. The day after theBlue-White Game in April, he greeted themore than 800 runners and walkers in the in-augural Beaver Stadium Run.

Kanaskie, Brady InductedMen’s basketball associate head coachKurt Kanaskie and former All-Americantight end Kyle Brady were inducted intothe West Shore Chapter of the Pennsyl-vania Sports Hall of Fame.

Kanaskie, a native of Mechanicsburg,was an all-state basketball player atCumberland Valley High School and astandout collegiate player at LaSalle. Hehas more than 30 years of collegiatecoaching experience, including 17 yearsas a head coach during stops at LockHaven University and Indiana Universityof Pennsylvania.

Brady, from Camp Hill, was a ParadeMagazine All-American at Cedar CliffHigh School. At Penn State, he was anexceptional blocker and pass catcher. Hewas a first-round pick in the 1995 NFLDraft by the New York Jets and went onto a 13-year NFL career with the Jets,Jacksonville Jaguars and New EnglandPatriots, culminating in Super Bowl XLII.

SOFTBALL STADIUM STARTSGroundbreaking ceremonies for Beard Field at the Nittany Lion Softball Park included (from left to right): George Vanden, Fran Vanden, Director of Athletics Tim Curley, BillBeard, Lee Beard, President Graham Spanier, softball coach Robin Petrini and Board of Trustees chair Steve Garban. (Photo by Mark Selders)

Club Honors Franco Harris as Person of Year

The Penn State University157 Bryce Jordan CenterUniversity Park, PA 16802

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDThe PennsylvaniaState University

Save the Date—Come Support the Team!

Lift for LifeFriday, July 9Holuba Hall

Past and present generations of Penn Statemen’s soccer players and coaches came to-gether April 30 to May 1 under sunny HappyValley skies to renew old acquaintances, re-count past times, relive former days of gloryand forge new bonds.“It was great to see the connection between

the alumni and the current players rejuve-nated,” said interim head coach Isang Jacob.“This is the future direction of the program,one which every player who wears the PennState uniform understands the tradition,honor, integrity, respect and family behindhim. These are the core values that we liveand breathe. Every time we step on the field,we play with pride because we are Penn Stateand we saw that today.”According to alumnus Jeff Maierhofer

(’83), who was integral in helping to organizethe event, 51 former Nittany Lions were in at-tendance. Included in that distinguished groupwere 1979 Hermann Trophy winner JimStamatis, 1991 Big Ten Player of the YearSteve Sergi, Penn State career shutouts and

saves leader Greg Kenney, three-time All-American Chris Bahr and Hall of FameCoach Walter Bahr, just to name a few.The weekend began with a golf outing on

Friday at the Elks Club. On Saturday, thealumni took the pitch at the Nittany Lions’practice facility for several spirited games,squaring off against one another for nearlytwo hours.A lunch afterward, which included what

was described as a “rip-roaring” and “gut-wrenching” speech by Walter Bahr, wrappedup the organized activities.

The event served to kick off what will be aspecial 2010 season for the men’s soccer pro-gram, as it commemorates its 100th year ofexistence. Beginning this spring and culmi-nating in the fall with a weekend of events in-cluding a reunion reception, a Nittany Liongame and a banquet, the celebration will ac-knowledge the program's proud and distin-guished tradition and history.Information, announcements and any up-

dates will be posted to GoPSUsports.comwhen they become available. In 2010, PennState will also serve as host of the Big TenTournament (Nov. 11-14) for the third timesince joining the conference in 1991.“I thought the weekend was a huge suc-

cess,” said Varsity ‘S’ coordinator Mike Mill-iron. “We had alumni from all across thecountry travel back to Penn State to spend theweekend with old teammates and friendswhile getting to know the current group ofNittany Lion soccer players. It was great tosee the alumni and current team unite as onefamily of Penn State soccer.”

Men’s soccer enjoys reunion, previews 100th seasonMore than 50 alumni returned for activities that included a golf outing, games, more memories and a speech by Hall of Fame coach Walter Bahr (below center).

UPCOMING VARSITY ‘S’ EVENTSAug. 7, Football Letterman’s Club Golf Outing

Aug. 27-29, Women’s Golf Alumni Weekend

Sept. 3-4, Men’s Golf Alumni Event

Sept. 25, Varsity ‘S’ Day vs. Temple

Oct. 2, Fencing Alumni Event

Oct. 16, Diving Alumni Event

Oct. 16, Cross Country Alumni Event

Oct. 23, Men’s Soccer Alumni Event

(Football standout Justin Kurpeikis played atPenn State from 1997 to 2000, becoming a two-year starter and serving as team co-captain. Hewas named the team’s MVP his senior season.As a senior, he recorded 76 tackles (55 solo),six sacks, had two interceptions and forced afumble. He led the team and was third in theBig Ten with 18 tackles for loss. His 43 careertackles for loss tied him for fourth on the PennState list with Bruce Clark.)

Where did you grow up and where doyou currently live?I grew up inWestern Pa., just north of Pitts-

burgh inAllison Park. I now live in State College.

What sports did you play at Penn State?Varsity football

What degree(s) did you earn from PennState?A bachelor of arts in letters, arts and sci-

ences as preparation for medical school.

What about your current family?I am married to Kelly, also a Penn Stater.

We have a 2-year-old daughter, Olivia, and areexpecting a new baby Sept. 4.

What is your fondest memory as a PennState student-athlete?Walking out of the tunnel for the first time

as a member of the team. It is validation thatyou are now part of something much biggerthan yourself.

What is your fondest memory as a PennState student?The day I met my wife as I was walking to

class.

What is your favorite place oncampus?The locker room at Lasch Football

Building. The camaraderie you experi-ence with your teammates is some-thing you appreciate during your timehere, but also take for granted. Thenyou leave and realize just how specialit really was. You can never recreate it.A big part of that special bond wasformed in the locker room at Lasch.

What sports do you enjoy watch-ing the most?Obviously football. However, I

enjoy watching any sport that a teamor individual finds a way to overcomeall odds or rise above what they aresupposed to be capable of.

Thoughts on your coaches whileat Penn State.There is no group of individuals

that’s better at molding young men. Iam eternally grateful for their unwill-ingness to accept anything but myvery best.

How has the university and athleticschanged since you left?Obviously everything is bigger. There

seems to be non-stop construction. What somefail to realize is that Penn State is a specialplace because of the people that go to class inthe buildings and compete in the arenas, andnot because of bigger or newer facilities.

What stands out the most about PennState?That after spending such a small portion of

your life as a student there, Penn State finds away to be a part of you for the rest of it.

What does it mean to you to be a PennState Nittany Lion?Once you become one, you become part of

the tradition for life, and no one can take thataway.

What have you done to stay connected tothe University?I am a member of the Nittany Lion Club

and the Football Letterman’s Club. I am also avolunteer for the Varsity ‘S’ For the FutureCampaign.

Q&A: Justin Kurpeikis ‘eternally grateful’ for coaches

An alumni husband-and-wife team, who played lacrosse for themen’s and women’s teams at Penn State, welcomed their first childon Jan. 10, 2010.Skye Saltsman and Dan Saltsman, who both played defense for

the Nittany Lions, are the proud parents of Boaz Mark Saltsman.Dan, who earned playing time as a freshman, was a two-time,

first-team all-conference selection. He was a team captain as a seniorand a member of the 2005 men’s team that appeared in the NCAATournament.Skye’s productive career was highlighted by a senior season when

the team beat two top-ranked opponents (Princeton and Virginia) andearned a No. 2 national ranking. The team also beat Maryland for thefirst time in 12 years and reached the NCAATournament.The couple was engaged in August 2006 and married on Aug. 4,

2007. They live in Clarksburg, Md. Dan works as a civil engineerand Skye, a former physical education and health teacher, is a stay-at-home mom.

Born into the Penn State family—Boaz Mark Saltsman (Jan. 10, 2010)

Dan and Skye with Boaz Mark Saltsman.

Dates set for eight fall events

SAAB SUCCESS: The Varsity ‘S’ Club presented its awards for men’s and women’s team grade-point average during the annual StudentAthlete Advisory Board banquet. Teams recognized were women’s soccer (above left), which produced one Academic All-American and 16 AcademicAll-Big Ten selections, and men’s soccer (above right), which produced one Academic All-American and 13 Academic All-Big Ten selections.(Photos by Mark Selders)

Baseball, field hockey events popularSpecial events for field hockey and base-

ball drew large numbers of returning alumniin the spring.Coach Char Morett hosted a social at her

house for field hockey alumni to start theweekend, which also included a matchup be-tween alumni and the current team—with thecurrent team recording a 2-0 victory.They also tailgated and attended the Blue-

White Game as a group.For the baseball team, alumni enjoyed

watching a Fridaynight victory againstIowa to open theweekend before en-joying a post-gamesocial at Damon’s.On Saturday,

alumni participated ina full day of hands-onactivity. That in-cluded batting practice and infield work at

Medlar Field, all of which began at 9 a.m.Both teams’ events were a big success.

Role for alumni to assistFormer Penn State student-athletes and Var-

sity ‘S’Club members may choose from a vari-ety of ways to support “For the Future: TheCampaign for Penn State Students.”Options range from easy, such as simply at-

tending an alumni event, to more committed,such as giving to the Nittany Lion Club.And, byparticipation in the Nittany Lion Club, formerstudent-athletes may designate their support to aspecific team and still earn NLC benefits.Gifts of any size make a difference in the

success of each and every varsity sports pro-gram.A committee of more than 30 former stu-dent-athletes has been created to assist theVarsity ‘S’Club and Penn State IntercollegiateAthletics with reaching out and reconnectingwith our more than 11,000 former student-ath-letes.Volunteer representatives on the committee

from each of the sports will be contactingalumni from those sports in the near future toseek more participation from all of our alumni.

Dates and initial plans have been set forseven alumni events in the fall.In 2009-10, alumni events sponsored by

the Varsity ‘S’Club, an important part of theclub’s mission, brought more than 1,100alumni back to campus.Organizers of alumni events this year

hope to bring even more Penn Staters back tocampus. Planned events run from early Au-gust until late October. They include:

Aug. 7, Football Letterman’s ClubGolf Outing

An event that brought back more than 90alumni last year. For information call DianaWeaver (814) 863-3122.

Aug. 27-29, Women’s GolfAlumniWeekend

A chance to celebrate the opening of theTombros Varsity Clubhouse and enjoy socialactivites and a round of golf.

Sept. 3-4, Men’s Golf Alumni EventScheduled same weekend as official dedica-tion of Tombros Varsity Clubhouse. Activi-ties include a golf tournament, social and the

opportunity to purchase tickets to home foot-ball game vs. Youngstown State.

Sept. 25, Varsity ‘S’Day vs. TempleSocial activites for all former student-ath-letes and the chance to purchase tickets tohome football game vs. Temple.

Oct. 2, FencingAlumni EventAnnual event for alumni and members of theteam.

Oct. 16, DivingAlumni EventConducted every five years. Event includes adiving competition, social activities andmore.

Oct. 16, Cross CountryAlumni EventAnnual event for members of the team withsocial activities, events and more.

Oct. 23, Men’s SoccerAlumni EventPart of the official season-long celebration

of 100 years of Penn State soccer. Events be-fore the home match vs. Ohio State and apost-match dinner at the Mount Nittany Clubare some of the highlights.

Dean Fellow Nittany Lions,

At the recent field hockey alumni event, a Varsity‘S’member mentioned how much she appreciatesall of the club’s activities because it helps all theformer Nittany Lion student-athletes who havecompeted for the Blue and White feel like one bigfamily.

This past year, we have been able to connect withmany different groups that have provided associa-tions with the old and the new covering many dif-ferent eras.

The involvement of former Nittany Lions in theVarsity ‘S’ Club is critical to keep the program growing and help estab-lish the family atmosphere. We all are products of the Penn State envi-ronment; we had a lot of fun and have made some great friends duringour time in Happy Valley, and it is the goal of the Varsity ‘S’ Club tohelp us stay connected as we watch and enjoy our University’s contin-

ued success and growth into one of the most re-spected institutions in the United States.

As the club’s coordinator, I encourage each andevery one of our members to continue to be an ac-tive member of the Penn State Athletics family.Take advantage of the alumni events, attend andcheer on our current Nittany Lion student-athletesat their competitions, and providing financial sup-port through the Nittany Lion Club are all greatways to remain an active and integral part of ourfamily.

During your time as a Nittany Lion student-athleteyou competed For the Glory of Old State, now as a

proud alumnus your continued involvement will help us secure a greatfuture for the Penn State Athleticsfamily.

We are…PENN STATE!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Mail from Mike ... For the Glory, For the FutureContact the

Varsity ‘S’ Club

Mike Milliron(814) 867-2202

[email protected]

Find Varsity ‘S’ on Facebook!

(’05 Baseball)

If you need to update your contact information or wish to submit news for possible inclusion,please e-mail [email protected] with “VSC Member Update” in the subject line.

NLC Newsletter (Spring 10)

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