MICHAEL CARTER LEGACY | IN MEMORIAM
Above: The red maple tree, which was planted by near the 18th hole of the Blue Course Below: Flowers and a pictorial were placed in memoriam at the Penn State Golf Course Club House.
MIKE CARTER’S LEGACY LIVES ON WITH TREE AND SCHOLARSHIP The Penn State golf family continues to honor the memory of Mike Carter — the spunky and colorful sophomore player from Westfield, N.J. — who passed away on February 13, 2002. Carter, who was known around the course and across campus for his upbeat attitude and engaging personality, was returning home when he was in an automobile accident and died. Penn State was devastated and the Nittany Lions golf family mourned and remembered its fallen teammate with unity and grace. The men’s team wore pink pants as a tribute to Carter at the 2002 Rutherford Invitational, the Big Ten Championship and the NCAA East Regional. “He was a very bright light on our team, and we will always remember how he lived each day to the fullest,” said head coach Greg Nye. To ensure that the memory of Mike Carter lives on in perpetuity, the Penn State golf family and the Carter family have taken two significant measures. In the spring of 2002, the Penn State team and coaches planted a red maple tree near the 18th hole on the home Blue Course in State College, Pa., and dedicated it, with a plaque, to Mike Carter. In 2003, Michael and Mary Lou Carter endowed a grant in the name of their son to be awarded annually to the golf program.
30
PENN STATE 2019-20 • MEN’S GOLF