FOOTBALL
Crowds Enjoy Blue-White Weekend Penn State’s loyal fans annually rank among the nation’s best in supporting the Nittany Lions during the season, and this year a record-setting crowd turned out for the Blue-White Game.
An estimated 76,500 fans, converged on Beaver Stadium on April 25 under sunny, 80-degree conditions. The attendance was fourth-highest in the nation for a spring football game.
The crowd of 76,500 marked the third consecutive year the Blue-White attendance record has fallen, with an estimated 73,000 fans attending last year and 71,000 in 2007.
Penn State was joined by Ohio State (95,722), Alabama (84,050) and Nebraska (77,670) as the only other schools across the nation to draw more than 65,000 fans to their spring game this year.
CHAMPIONS!
More on Pages 3, 10-11 The annual autograph session was also popular, as always.
Lasting impact of NIT crown. Story on Page 7 FENCING
Team Earns Title at Home Four individual champions, two men and two women, led the way as the fencing team claimed its 11th national championship during an event contested at Penn State.
Cael Sanderson addresses the crowd during his introductory news conference.
With 195 victories, Penn State outdistanced runnerup Notre Dame (182) and Ohio State (166).
WRESTLING
Legend Sanderson Selected as Coach
The title was Penn State’s When Cael Sanderson became 63rd national championship, Penn State’s wrestling coach, it including four in the past 16 was news that had everyone months. Fans at Blue-White Weekend had the chance to enjoy many things, including an autograph atwitter—from the more than 500 Story on Page 14 fans who welcomed Sanderson to and photo session as well as the carnival outside Beaver Stadium. Photos on Pages 10-11 Happy Valley to actor Ashton STUDENT-ATHLETES Kutcher, an Iowa native who noted the hiring on his Twitter page. Awards for the third their respective sport Five teams (field According to the latest Sanderson, who coached Iowa consecutive year and during the 2007-08 hockey, softball, Academic Progress State to three consecutive top-five Rate (APR) compilation the NCAA recognized academic year. The women’s lacrosse, finishes and was a four-time the field hockey and women’s lacrosse, women’s tennis and released by the NCAA, national champion himself, said softball squads for the women’s tennis and wrestling) earned APR Penn State teams again simply that he expects Penn State rank among national wrestling squads earned second year in a row. scores in the top 10 to win. Public Recognition percent nationally for Story on Page 6 Story on Page 8 leaders.
HANDS-ON FAN
Latest APR Result Show Teams Among National Leaders
For the Future
SPRING 2009
www.nittanylionclub.com
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
Inside
NFL Draft diary with Deon Butler ................4
Spider’s Web...............................................5 No-smoking policy for Beaver Stadium .......5
Academic progress strong for teams ..........6 Men’s basketball enjoys momentum ...........7
Wrestling team adds legend Sanderson .....8 An Evening with JoePa ...............................9 Looking back at Blue-White Weekend .10-11
Recent gift list ...........................................12 Academic awards banquet honors 300.....13
Foursome leads fencers to crown .............14
By the Numbers ........................................15
NLC member profiles ................................16 NCAA Corner ............................................17 Coaches Corner...................................17-18
Club Contacts ...........................................19
Contact Us
Nittany Lion Club: 1-800-NITTANY
nittanylionclub@athletics.psu.edu
Tickets: 1-800-NITTANY, (814) 863-1000, golions@psu.edu Web: www.nittanylionclub.com, www.GoPSUsports.com
Customer Relations Center Provides Answers
When a member of the Nittany Lion Club, or any Penn State supporter, has a question, just one call can provide an answer.
That’s a call to 1-800-NITTANY, which rings at the Customer Relations Center and always comes with answers and customer service in mind. “We absolutely answer all the calls, and we want to make the most of our patrons’ time,” said Patty Rees, manager of the Center. “Our office does not take messages. We help patrons get answers for their questions. “We might have to redirect someone, depending on their specific question, but we work to help them.”
In business for less than a year, the Center, located inside Beaver Stadium at Gate E, answers hundreds of questions every day with a full-time, five-person staff that responds to calls from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. According to Rees, the types of questions the Center answers fall into four major categories: ❚ Nittany Lion Club gifts and strategies; ❚ ticketing questions; ❚ parking and parking pass orders; and ❚ event-related information.
“We’re more facilitators than anything else,” Rees said. “We help with everything from those strategies, meaning if someone asks ‘what if’ about a donation or something related to benefits of giving, we’ll talk them through the options. Or, if someone just wants to know what time a game starts we’ll do that, too.” Along with the full-time staffers, the Center
In less than a year since it opened, the Customer Relations Center—available at 1-800-NITTANY from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday—has served more than 44,000 callers. utilizes dozens of interns each year and anyone who answers a phone completes training to be able to help those who call most efficiently.
Although Rees and her staff do get any information before it becomes officially available, the Center compiles information from numerous official sources on campus and strives to serve as a central clearinghouse to disseminate that information as appropriate to those who call with questions.
In addition, the Center can sell tickets for general-admission events as well as parking passes for football games at Beaver Stadium. Employees at the Center also handle Nittany Lion Club memberships and membership questions. Maintaining relationships and serving NLC members, and anyone who calls and wants information about Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, represents the primary mission for the Center.
“We want to maintain relationships,” Rees said. “We want to be a place people come as a first option and have a great experience getting an answer to a question, or multiple questions.”
Summer Film Festival, featuring screenings of children’s sports movies. Admission is free and open to the public. Movies shown in All-Sports Museum theater located in southwest corner of Beaver Stadium.
June 12, 13, 14 — Space Jam July 3, 4*, 5 — Angels in the Outfield Aug. 7, 8, 9 — The Longshots *All shows at 1:30 p.m., except July 4, which begins at 3:30 p.m.
For the Future
2
www.nittanylionclub.com
NLC CONNECTIONS
Efficient Efforts Provide Better Access, Service for Members
office and customer relations staff to time mailings and communications to best serve the needs of NLC members.
After a wonderful Blue-White Weekend and the conclusion of spring sports seasons, the Nittany Lion Club has placed its focus firmly on the fall.
Also, these changing economic times have prompted an update in the Nittany Lion Club policy for matching gifts. Beginning with the 2010 giving year (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010), donors remain welcome to utilize corporate matching funds to increase their NLC giving level, but those funds must be received by the University before we can offer NLC credit allowing for ticketing/parking privileges at a higher giving level.
In advance of fall sports seasons, we have several fall preview programs scheduled (please see Page 20) and we’re continuing to hone and increase our customer service efforts (please see story on Page 2) while at the same time operating in the most efficient manner possible.
All of our Nittany Lion Club members have seen tangible evidence of those efforts already this year. Specifically, we changed the paper stock used for our NLC renewal mailing, allowing us to continue to provide materials you expect and need, while doing so in a more cost-effective manner that allows us to make the most of your gifts.
If the matching funds are not received before the annual ticketing deadline (May 1), the donor will be responsible for making up the difference if they wish to receive NLC benefits at a certain level. Matching funds received after the ticketing deadline or membership year for which the match was intended will be provided with NLC point credit only.
In addition, we changed the setup for the Blue-White Luncheon in the Bryce Jordan Center (photo this page), moving from having all the tables on the floor level to a theater-style format in the BJC that permitted better sight lines and more comfortable seating for most of those in attendance. The change allowed us to provide amenities without increasing the majority of the ticket costs, especially during tougher economic times.
If you have questions about the policy or anything related to your Nittany Lion Club account, please do not hesitate to call.
For the Glory,
As part of our commitment to cost savings and efficiency, we’ve utilized e-mail communication for renewals and to share information regarding events. We’ve also enhanced our customer service efforts in regard to account updates and are working closely with the ticket
John Nitardy Interim Director, Nittany Lion Club
NITTANY LION CLUB
Battista Moves to Business; Nitardy to Serve as Interim Director of NLC
After a three-year stint as the executive director of the Nittany Lion Club, Joe Battista accepted a position in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations as a director of major gifts for the Smeal College of Business in February. He will work with business graduates and businesses throughout the country and serve on the Center for Sports Business and Research Board of Advisors.
As head of the NLC, Battista helped to guide the largest membership-based booster organization in the NCAA. During his tenure, the NLC reached record levels of membership and revenues, with more than 22,000 members contributing more than $13 million annually. Battista instituted many initiatives designed to improve communication and customer service.
For the Future
“I will miss my daily interaction with Nittany Lion Club members and Penn State’s student-athletes and coaches, and I will continue to be an ardent supporter of our teams and the Nittany Lion Club,” said Battista.
Nitardy, who joined the Penn State athletic development team in 2006, has 26 years of experience in athletic administration and development.
Nikki Potoczny, who has six years of athletic development experience at Penn State, will John Nitardy will serve as Joe Battista meets some Nittany continue to serve as the interim director of the Nittany Lions fans at a pre-game tailgate. assistant director of the NLC Lion Club and director of major and oversee day-to-day operations. gifts until the former position is filled on a permanent basis. “I am excited to work with a very good Nittany Lion Club staff, led by assistant director Nikki “We are very grateful to John for accepting Potoczny,” Nitardy said. “We are committed to these additional responsibilities,” said Tim providing the services our NLC members Curley, Penn State director of athletics. have grown to expect under the leadership of “Members of the Nittany Lion Club can look Joe Battista and legendary executive director forward to the same level of attention and Kay Kustanbauter.” service that they have come to expect.”
3
www.nittanylionclub.com
DRAFT DIARY
110 Days with Deon Butler: From Picking an Agent to Getting Picked
A former walk-on, Deon Butler finished his career at Penn State as the program’s all-time leading receiver. He played his final game Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl, and four days later decided on the agent who would represent him as a professional football player.
looked at a guy in front of me and he leaned forward to another scout and said, ‘Look at his flat feet.’ They’re looking at anything and everything.
“At the hospital for the exams, we’re all in lines, just following colored lines on the floor going from one team’s exam to another. In the exams, there’s a limit of five team doctors per room, so you go to a bunch of rooms, and they start looking at your medical records and they ask you questions. Eventually, though, they start talking about you like you’re not there.”
In the 110 days from Jan. 1 to the NFL Draft on April 25, Butler moved up mock draft charts, moved from Happy Valley back home to Virginia and then the New Jersey. He came back to campus for the final regular season men’s basketball game at the Bryce Jordan Center, worked out for a while with the football team and then repeated Happy Valley-Virginia-New Jersey move one more time before the NFL Draft Combine and the NFL Draft itself.
After the combine, Butler participated in “pro day” for Penn State seniors on campus and conducted individual interviews and workouts with numerous team, among them the Browns, Eagles and Steelers.
Here are some of the highlights and in- Deon Butler’s work ethic served him well while preparing for the NFL Draft. His workout with the Eagles happened sights: The combine itself, specifically the 40-yard on campus, on the last snowy day in April. dash, was Butler’s coming-out party. His time, On Jan. 5, Butler decided on his agent, Jim 4.38, was the fifth-fastest among wide re“It was cold,” Butler said. “We were on the Ivler, who represents a few other former ceivers. While some were surprised by the intramural fields, and I was running routes in Nittany Lions. After that, he was off to time, he was not. the snow and around those little signs that Houston for the East-West Shrine Game, where he caught a few passes and returned “It felt good. I had been running those times in say to stay off the grass.” kicks during the game. practice and I was talking to guys I had been In the final weeks before the draft, Butler was training with and they were running the same living in State College with Jordan Norwood. Even with every player on the roster working times that they had been running,” Butler They were alone in the house Norwood’s to boost his draft stock, the game never said. “When the tight ends ran the day before family owned and had not sold. So, two of became a competition among the all-star me and ran the same times they had been Penn State’s all-time leading receivers spent teammates. running, I was pretty confident.” their spare time—and they had plenty with no classes scheduled—painting rooms to “Most of the scouts did their work during After his quick sprint, it took only a few prepare the home for sale. practice. Really, the practices seemed more seconds for the impact of the run to hit home. important than the game,” Butler said. “Every “Apparently people want neutral colors, so we play, every snap, was 100 percent go. Even if “They told me the time and I saw everyone had a lot of work,” Butler said. “In Jordan’s you were not running a route, you were going kind of looking at me funny, and then I saw full speed. Nobody slacked off.” them do double-takes with their stopwatches,” sister’s room, it was all different colors, a really nice-looking room. We painted it white.” he said. After the Shrine Game, Butler went to New Butler’s pre-draft public relations schedule Jersey to train with some of Ivler’s other Still, Butler learned as much by listening and included an appearance on BET’s “106 and clients. Butler also visited North Carolina and observing at the combine as by his Park” and opportunities to meet athletes and worked out a with NFL veteran Ricky Proehl. performance. Players wore tank tops and entertainers at some special events. In early Those weeks and weeks of preparation were compression shorts throughout the April, he returned home to Virginia again and all to prepare him for the NFL Draft Combine. weekend—from combine drills to medical continued working out, relaxing and enjoying exams. his mom’s cooking. At the combine, which was conducted at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts’ home in “That’s when it hits that it’s all business,” In the week before the draft, he anticipated he Indianapolis, Butler was paired in the hotel Butler said. “They’re looking for any little thing would be drafted somewhere in the third-to with Penn State teammate Derrick Williams. that’s wrong with you, so they can downgrade fifth-round range. Players were paired by position and by the you and get you for less. One team said my time they arrived. Because the two former hands were small. One team even questioned Even though he did not expect to go on the teammates arrived on the same flight from my routes, and I think that’s something I do first day of the draft, unless a team traded to Washington, D.C., they had the benefit of a well. get him late in the second round, he watched familiar face as a roommate. “It’s funny. We were in line and one scout
For the Future
4
www.nittanylionclub.com
the entire draft with his family and a few friends. He watched all of the first day without hearing his name being called.
On the second day of the draft, though, his wait was brief. The Seattle Seahawks moved quickly, trading several picks to move up and select Butler in the third round, with the 91st overall pick.
Butler was excited about the opportunity, and immediately went to work, something the organization liked. And other Penn Staters have proven themselves in Seattle, most notably receiver Bobby Engram for years (before his off-season move to the Kansas City Chiefs) and running back Curt Warner, a multi-time All-Pro for the Seahawks. “Oh, it’s exciting,” Butler said a couple days after the draft. “It’s a great organization, and I’m learning something every day. I’ve just been Googling them and learning everything I can about Seattle and the Seahawks.” Four days after the draft, the team has send Butler a playbook and two days after that he was in Seattle for the first time, for the start of minicamp. It was his first trip to the West Coat, other than to California for the Rose Bowl a few months earlier.
He impressed coaches and teammates during the session, both with his skills on the field and his familiarity with the playbook, and got himself a few more steps closer to the possible start of an NFL career.
When minicamp ended, he was 132 days from the Seahawks’ first regular season game.
SPIDER’S WEB
At Camp ... Dummies, ‘Discounts’ and Dances
annual concern for Caldwell and Diehl. To prevent the supply dwindling unnecessarily, they take a simple approach.
Summer football camps mean long days for Brad “Spider” Caldwell, equipment and facilities coordinator, and Kirk Diehl, coordinator of practice facilities, who support the sessions that draw more than 1,500 campers throughout most of June.
They make sure necessary equipment exists at all the fields used by campers during the week. That equipment includes 400 footballs and hundreds of blocking shields and other football pads used for drills.
Brad Caldwell has ended his memorable camp performances.
Many of the blocking shields, dummies and other pads used for camp come directly from the Nittany Lions’ equipment room. Part of the lure for some campers comes from playing on the same fields and using the same equipment as the student-athletes who play in Beaver Stadium.
Others dummies and pads, come from a stockpile of older equipment that gets continually recycled. It’s equipment that used to be used by the Nittany Lions, and just never gets thrown away.
“Some of it’s beaten up and taped up, but it still works for guys to jump over or run around,” Caldwell says. “We need so much of it for camp that it’s good to have around.”
According to Caldwell, new blocking shields and dummies have a lifespan of about 10 years. Some of the equipment used for camp has a long history with the program, having been around since the mid-1970s. With all that equipment, especially the footballs, “five-finger discounts” rank as an
One thing campers saw for more than a decade at camp no longer exists, though. An end-of-the-week skit with former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky leading a singing trio, along with Bill Kenney and Joe Serra, known as “The Great Pretenders,” passed after Sandusky’s retirement in 1999. Caldwell used to play a role in that effort, too. After the trio sang, Caldwell responded with his own skit, a simple Heisman Trophy pose. Through the years, he added to the degree of difficulty, incorporating themes tied to movies or TV shows.
“Probably the best was an ‘Indiana Jones Spider,’ ” Caldwell says. “I tied a rope around myself, laid down on a blocking shield and we attached the rope to a pickup truck. It pulled me across the practice field, sliding side to side and I rolled off right in front of everyone. “I went up to where ‘The Great Pretenders’ were in front and started digging for buried treasure. Nobody knew, but earlier in the week I had dug out a little hole and put an old leather football helmet in the ground, then covered it up with sod. When I pulled the dirt back and grabbed the helmet, the campers went wild.”
FOOTBALL
Pennsylvania Law Sets Smoking Ban in Beaver Stadium
In accordance with Pennsylvania State Law, smoking is no longer permitted inside the perimeter fence of Beaver Stadium.
The law, the Clean Indoor Air Act, enacted in 2008, names the Department of Health as the Commonwealth agency responsible for implementing the regulations through education and enforcement.
For the Future
The policy began during Blue White Weekend, and fans responded well to the policy, which prohibits smoking anywhere inside the stadium.
be issued a warning for first offenses. If violators fail to comply with the instructions of stadium staff, they will be removed from the stadium.
Penn State is stepping up education through increased signage and enforcement efforts. Patrons who violate the law by smoking, but who follow the instructions of stadium staff will
A second failure to comply with this law will result in removal from the stadium and ultimately may result in loss of ticket privileges.
5
“We keep an eye on things during the sessions, and we always station somebody at the corners of the fields where the campers have to cross the street to get back to the dorms. That way, you can see what’s happening.”
2009 SCHEDULE Date ................Opponent ..............Time Sept. 5 ....................AKRON ......................TBA Sept. 12 ...............SYRACUSE ...................TBA Sept. 19 .................TEMPLE......................TBA Sept. 26....................IOWA ....................8 p.m. Oct. 3.....................at Illinois .....................TBA Oct. 10...........EASTERN ILLINOIS .............TBA Oct. 17 ................MINNESOTA ..................TBA Oct. 24.................at Michigan ...................TBA Oct. 31 .............at Northwestern .......4:30 p.m. Nov. 7..................OHIO STATE...................TBA Nov. 14 ..................INDIANA .....................TBA Nov. 21............at Michigan State...............TBA
www.nittanylionclub.com
STUDENT-ATHLETES
Academic Progress Rate Performance Shows Teams Among Leaders
Penn State student-athletes continue to make better progress toward graduation in comparison with the nation’s Division I institutions, despite higher academic standards than required, according to data released by the NCAA. The NCAA released data from the 2007-08 academic year as the fifth set of results in the Academic Progress Rate (APR), a formula introduced in 2005 as part of the Division Academic Performance Program.
The NCAA released sport-specific data for 2007-08 to each institution, as well as the most recent four years of collected data that is used to determine a rolling multi-year APR score for all athletic teams to provide a meaningful assessment of a team’s academic performance. Three Penn State squads have a perfect multi-year APR score of 1,000—field hockey, women’s lacrosse and women’s tennis.
Just 7.2 percent of the nation's 6,323 teams in the survey earned a multi-year APR score of 1,000.
Among Penn State’s 29 varsity teams, 23 have a multi-year APR score at or above the Division I average for their respective sports. The NCAA did not release institutional APR rates for 2007-08 or the multi-year rate.
Nine Nittany Lions squads have multi-year APR scores that rank in the top 20 percent nationally for their respective sport: men’s basketball, women’s cross country, field hockey, football, women’s golf, women's lacrosse, softball, women’s tennis and wrestling.
An additional six Penn State teams rank in the top 30 percent nationally for their respective sport.
Penn State has the highest multi-year APR score among Big Ten football teams, while the Nittany Lion basketball team ranks third in the Big Ten Conference.
The football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams all improved their APR score by at least nine points from the 2008 NCAA report. “We continue to be very pleased with the consistently high level of academic achievements of our student-athletes,” said Director of Ath-
For the Future
“Our coaches deserve credit for identifying and recruiting student-athletes that are able to excel in the classroom, compete for championships and represent Penn State.”
—Tim Curley, director of athletics
letics Tim Curley. “Their academic success is a credit to their outstanding work ethic and dedication. Our coaches deserve credit for identifying and recruiting student-athletes that are able to excel in the classroom, compete for championships and represent Penn State. “The encouragement and guidance they receive from our faculty and academic support personnel also are a critical component in our academic successes.”
In April, five Nittany Lion teams—field hockey, softball, women’s lacrosse, women’s tennis and wrestling—earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards for having APR scores in the top 10 percent nationally for their respective sport during the 2007-08 academic year.
Penn State’s five honored teams were tied for second-highest in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions have placed second in the conference all three years of the NCAA’s Public Recognition program.
Penn State student-athletes earned a record Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 89 percent compared to a 78 percent average for all Division I institutions, according to NCAA data released in October 2008. Twenty-two of Penn State’s 25 teams earned a GSR score above the national average (track and field and cross country are counted as one sport) and 21 Nittany Lion teams earned a GSR higher than the national average for their respective sport. Eleven Penn State squads earned a GSR of 100 percent, according to the 2008 NCAA report.
Penn State academic standards (Faculty Senate Policy 67-00) are higher than both the NCAA and Big Ten standards and are reflected in the APR reporting to the NCAA. Nittany Lion student-athletes are required to have passed more credits entering their fifth
6
3 Teams with perfect APR scores of 1,000—field hockey, women’s lacrosse and women’s tennis.
9 Teams with a mult-year APR score in the top 20 percent for their respective sport: men’s basketball, women’s cross country, field hockey, football, women’s golf, women's lacrosse, softball, women’s tennis and wrestling.
29 Teams (29 of 29) with a multi-year APR score of at least 925.
through eighth semesters than the Big Ten and NCAA require. Penn State studentathletes also must have a higher grade point average than the Big Ten minimum entering their second through sixth semesters. The APR scores are a measure of eligibility and retention/graduation for each studentathlete receiving athletic aid during the identified academic semester/year.
Retention is evaluated for each studentathlete with the following question in mind: Did that student-athlete return to the institution the next semester (students can earn 2 points after the fall semester and 2 points after the spring and summer semesters)? Eligibility is evaluated using NCAA, conference (if applicable) and institutional standards.
The APR is based on four years of data, with the most current year's data added and the oldest year removed to create a multi-year rolling rate.
Contemporaneous financial aid penalties can be applied if an athletic team's multi-year APR score is below 925. If a team's multi-year score is below 900, that team could be subject to historical penalties.
www.nittanylionclub.com
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Championship Caps Record-Setting Season, Provides Validation for Hard-Working Team After a 36-bus convoy made historic Madison Square Garden nothing more than another raucous Penn State campus on April 2, the men’s basketball team completed a record setting season by beating Baylor and finishing with 27 victories and its first national tournament championship. With campus energized throughout the team’s National Invitation Tournament run and Penn Staters watching in person and all over the country as the Nittany Lions reached the NIT semifinals in New York City, the gritty, resilient squad’s performance capped a sensational season. The NIT victory marked just the second postseason tournament title in program history, and first since the 1991 Atlantic 10 Conference tournament crown, which was secured with a victory against Rhode Island in Rec Hall.
“You don’t know what it’s going to be like when you go into it,” teary-eyed senior Jamelle Cornley said after the victory at the Garden. “The last time I cut down the nets was the state championship my freshman year of high school. To cut down some more nets in my last game is just an unbelievable feeling.”
Cornley, who led Penn State with 18 points and seven rebounds, was named the tournament MVP despite playing the last three games with his partially separated left shoulder tightly wrapped. One of four seniors who left the floor for the final time with a win and helped Penn State to log victories in 10 of its last 13 games, Cornley left an indelible mark on the Nittany Lion program for his production on the court and his emotional leadership on and off it. The 6-5, 245-pound forward who was told he was undersized by most major programs, ended his career as the Penn State's fourth all-time leading scorer (1,579) and rebounder (756).
Fellow seniors Stanley Pringle (10 points) and Danny Morrissey (nine points) also had big nights in the championship game. Morrissey epitomized the all-out effort of the Lions when he suffered a split lip and mild concussion while diving headlong for a loose ball with just over two minutes to play. “We have tough kids,” coach Ed DeChellis said after the game. “We’re going to compete. That’s been our trademark all year. That play typifies what our team has been like all year.”
In the aftermath of the victory, that’s been the program’s approach to all the questions about what’s next.
While DeChellis said he might sit back and enjoy the season sometime in May or June, he and his staff have been busy recruiting (see box below) and scheduling games as well as completing charitable work designs for the team’s NIT championship rings. While the rings have been fun, the team’s success sometimes makes scheduling a bit more challenging.
“People don’t want to come here and play,” DeChellis said. “They look at our record the past two years—we are pretty good at home.”
Also, DeChellis believes the program has proven itself by playing, and winning, big road games in recent years and he hopes to add a few bigger-name opponents to the home schedule. “We had a few game shots at neutral sites, and ESPN has been trying to talk to us about those,” DeChellis said. “We are just trying to get those games at home now.” And, thanks to busloads of fans, TV coverage and the team’s determination and talent, DeChellis thinks the NIT run could spark some long-term results. “We’ve proven ourselves in our league and non-league,” he said. “What we did proved these guys are good, fun to watch, and we can keep it going.”
Four-Member Incoming Class Set
Members of the incoming class of student-athletes for the basketball team for the 2009-10 season were set with two signings during the late recruiting period. The newcomers are: ❚ Sasa Borovnjak (Fletcher, N.C.), 6-9, 230 ❚ Bill Edwards (Middletown, Ohio) 6-6, 240 ❚ Tim Frazier (Houston Texas), 6-2, 160 ❚ Jermaine Marshall (Etters, Pa.), 6-5, 185
For the Future
7
MVP Jamelle Cornley helped guide the Nittany Lions to the NIT championship, which the team clinched by defeating Baylor before a partisan crowd at Madison Square Garden.
www.nittanylionclub.com
WRESTLING
Undefeated Collegiate Champion Sanderson Named as Coach More that 500 fans poured into Rec Hall on a sunny Monday in late April to welcome wrestling legend Cael Sanderson as Penn State’s wrestling coach. A four-time NCAA champion, and four-time selection as outstanding wrestler at the NCAA Championships, Sanderson crafted a 159-0 record as a collegiate wrestler. He earned the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top collegiate wrestler three times. In addition, he earned an Olympic gold medal in 2004.
As a coach, Sanderson’s resume has been just as impressive. In three seasons at Iowa State, his alma mater, the Cyclones compiled a 44-10 record, earned three Big 12 Conference crowns and qualified all 30 possible wrestlers for the NCAA Championships. Those wrestlers brought home two individual national championships and 15 All-America honors. Sanderson’s squads never finished lower than fifth nationally.
Still, the lure of Penn State—with its own rich wrestling tradition—was enough for Sanderson, 29, to move east, bringing along his coaching staff, which includes his older brother Cody and Casey Cunningham, a former national champion at Central Michigan.
Sanderson’s initial introduction to the passion Penn State fans have for wrestling certainly reassured him about his decision. The more than 500 people who attended his news conference provided two standing ovations for the coach, cheered loudly when he credited Pennsylvania high school wrestling as the best in the nation and gladly mingled with the coach and University officials at a social after the event, when they could share cake and punch, and enjoy the celebratory atmosphere as Sanderson stayed throughout the reception to meet the fans, sign autographs and pose for photographs.
“This is awesome,” Sanderson said. “If we can get this many people out to a press conference, I can’t wait to see what we can do for a dual meet.” In addition, Sanderson did not shy from expectations. He encouraged them.
“My goal is always to win,” he said. “I believe we can and will win.”
Sanderson has a history of winning at Penn State, too. He won his first national championship in the Bryce Jordan Center, defeating Minnesota’s Brandon Eggum in 1999.
Cael Sanderson (standing and inset, right) talks to a crowd of some 500 alumni, friends and wrestling fans during his introductory news conference at Rec Hall.
Penn State wrestling season tickets are all reserved locations in Rec Hall. Exact seat assignments for new commitments will not be available until the renewal cycle is complete, but new season ticket commitments made now will be assigned locations based on Nittany Lion Club point totals and when the deposit was received. Season ticket pricing for the 2009-10 will be announced by July 1, 2009.
Penn State wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season may be reserved now. To make a $20 deposit on the best Rec Hall locations, call 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Current wrestling season ticket holders do not need to make a new deposit and will simply go through the coming renewal process.
For the Future
8
www.nittanylionclub.com
ENJOYABLE EVENING The first of three “Evening with Joe” events, special sessions with Joe Paterno sponsored by the Nittany Lion Club and the Penn State Alumni Association, took place at The Plaza in New York City. After that well-attended event, similar evenings were scheduled in Arlington, Va., and Lehigh Valley, Pa.
www.GoPSUsports.com Get the latest Penn State sports news online ...
The Best Seat in the House...“Nittany Lion Seat Cushions!” 2009 season ticket holders can now lease a “Nittany Lion Seat Cushions” that will be installed at your bleacher seat location for the entire season. This service offers season ticket holders the luxury of no longer having to carry your own seats to and from the stadium, while clearly defining your seat space at every home football game. “Nittany Lion Seat Cushions” offer I Great comfort and back support I Cushioned seat and back I Clearly holds and defines seat space I Guaranteed satisfaction
n Seat Nittany Lio w with more .. no Cushions. for enhanced cks flexible ba faction guaranSatis comfort! ney back! o m r u o y teed or OR... w Nittany – e n e h t e ion Choos Seat Cush s s le k c a Lion B fines your e d ly b a t r comfo e. seat spac ur seat, , yo Your team e! your choic
“Nittany Lion Seat Cushions” can be leased online at:
www.nittanylionseatcushion.com or by calling:
1-800-601-1920 “Nittany Lion Seat Cushions” can not be ordered through the Penn State Ticket Office. It is not necessary to know your seat location in order to obtain your “Nittany Lion Seat Cushion” "Nittany Lion Seat Cushion" quantities are limited. For guaranteed availability please order by May 1st.
ONLY $40 FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON For the Future
9
www.nittanylionclub.com
Blue-White
A look back at the most well-attended Pen
A weekend full of activities inclu carnival outside Beaver Stadium Lion Club events at the Bryce Jor Center and the popular autograp session before the Blue-White Ga For the Future
10
www.nittanylionclub.com
e Weekend
nn State spring game and related events.
ded the , Nittany rdan h ame. For the Future
Photos by Mark Selders
11
www.nittanylionclub.com
GIVING
Athletic Facilities Provide Home Away from Home for Student-Athletes Athletic facilities are a home away from home for student-athletes. Top-notch facilities that rival those at other Big Ten Conference and nationally competitive programs demonstrate to students and families that Penn State is committed to providing the very best for our participants. Penn State’s football, baseball, basketball, wrestling, and indoor track facilities are among the nation’s finest.
We are on the verge of national success with many other teams.
At this point, however, too many of our other teams are dealing with aging structures and technology. Areas for needed improvement include the natatorium, soccer facility, indoor tennis complex and softball stadium.
Intercollegiate Athletics is also offering naming opportunities for our recently
renovated men’s and women’s basketball office suites and the Lasch Football Building. Naming opportunities start at $25,000.
If you are interested in learning more about naming opportunities, contact the Office of Major Gifts for Athletics at (814) 863-GIFT (4438).
We are pleased to announce these gifts and pledges of $25,000 and above to our “For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students.” We sincerely thank the donors who, through their generosity, made these important funds a reality.
Opportunities exist to endow scholarships in specific sports or an area that meets your interest. Of course, all such
opportunities provide tax benefits. If you would like information on how to participate, please call us at (814) 863-GIFT (4438).
Donors
Scholarship/Naming Opportunity
Anonymous ................................................................................Joseph M. Battista Endowed Fund for Hockey Anonymous................................................................................................Endowed Men’s Tennis Scholarship Anonymous.................................................................................................Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics Robert W. and Scott B. Armen.....................................................Armen Family Endowed Football Scholarship Baltusrol Golf Club....................................................................................................................Golf Gift in Kind Brian Barcaro .........................................................Albert and Dominic Barcaro Endowed Football Scholarship Kenneth J. Fatur.............................................................................Penn State Icers Enhancement Endowment Craig B. Fiedler..................................................Lasch Football Building Professional Development Classroom Orlie S. Ferretti...................................Mario J. and Orlie S. Ferretti Endowed Scholarship for Men’s Basketball Mary Gundel ...................................................................Mary E. Gundel Scholarship for Lady Lion Basketball Barry J. and Sherry L. Hollock............................Hollock Family Endowed Scholarship for Women’s Volleyball Mary Alice and Ken Lindquist..............................Mary Alice and Ken Lindquist Endowed Football Scholarship Joseph P. Nassib ....................................................................Joseph P. Nassib Endowed Football Scholarship Allen G. Porter ................................................Allen G. Porter Family Endowed Men’s Gymnastics Scholarship in Gratitude of Gene Whettstone Robert L. Rishel ....................................................................................................Levi Lamb/Nittany Lion Club Chris Semion................................................................................Semion Family Orthopedic Physicians Office Derek V. Smith ........................................................................................Athletic Director’s Discretionary Fund Paul T. Stecko..........................................................................................Athletic Director’s Discretionary Fund Joseph V. Jr and Elizabeth O’Shea Tipping......................................Joseph V. Jr. and Elizabeth O’Shea Tipping Endowed Athletic Scholarship William Torchia...............William A. Torchia and John M. Travers Intercollegiate Athletics Trustee Scholarship John Travers...................William A. Torchia and John M. Travers Intercollegiate Athletics Trustee Scholarship Richard and Marjorie Weiler..............................Rich, Marjorie and Will Weiler Endowed Baseball Scholarship For the Future
12
www.nittanylionclub.com
STUDENT-ATHLETES
More Than 300 Awards Presented an Academic Achievement Banquet captured 17 Big Ten Championships during the past three and a half years and six NCAA titles in the past two years, consistently have been among the nation’s most successful in earning their degrees.
More than 300 total awards were presented and Penn State studentathletes were honored at the 22nd SAAB Annual Academic Achievement Awards Banquet.
The awards total, for student-athletes with a 3.0 grade-point average or higher in 2007-08, was the third-highest since the event began in 1988.
Among some of the recent academic accomplishments are:
❚ A school record nine Nittany Lion studentathletes were selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team during the 2008 fall semester, including six
The Nittany Lion field hockey team was presented with the team award for highest grade- True Grit Award recipients Allie Southard (left photo) and Jason Yeisley with Tim Culey and John Nitardy. point average during the Penn State assistant men’s gymnastics coach first team honorees. 2007-08 academic year to highlight an and 2008 U.S. Olympian Kevin Tan was the outstanding year for Penn State studentguest speaker at the awards dinner. ❚ A school record 261 Nittany Lion studentathletes. The field hockey team, coached by athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten honors Char Morett, earned its first highest team GPA The Nittany Lion Club presented its True Grit in 2007-08, eclipsing the previous record of award since the academic honors event Award to two student-athletes for overcoming 253. Penn State has 3,131 overall honorees began. adversities during their careers. The recipiduring the past 14-plus years to lead all Big ents were junior women’s gymnast Allie Ten institutions in academic all-conference The event was held in conjunction with Southard (Nanuet, N.Y.) and junior men’s recipients. National Student-Athlete Day. soccer player Jason Yeisley (Allentown). Sponsored by the Milton and Lois Morgan Academic Support Center for StudentAthletes and the Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB), 302 awards were presented to 235 student-athletes for their academic accomplishments in 2007-08. The total trailed only the 333 total awards from 2006-07 and 322 from 2003-04. The 235 honorees are fourth-highest overall.
Presentations also were made to 73 seniors who had a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA through the spring 2008 semester. That total is third-highest to the 88 seniors that were honored from 2003-04 and 78 recognized for 2006-07.
Members of Penn State’s 29 varsity programs combined to earn an overall 3.09 grade point average in 2007-08. Eighteen teams earned a grade-point average of 3.0 or better. The performance of Penn State’s 14 women’s programs was particularly notable, earning a combined 3.25 GPA during 2007-08.
There are approximately 800 Penn State student-athletes on 29 varsity teams.
For the Future
The SAAB Award was presented for the second time. Recipients were senior women’s soccer player Allie Daus (Plano, Texas) and senior wrestler Jake Strayer (South Fork).
The Varsity “S” Awards are presented to the women’s and men’s teams with the highest team GPA. This year’s recipients were the field hockey team and, for the second consecutive year, the men’s tennis squad, coached by Todd Doebler.
The THON awards were presented to the student-athlete and team that raised the most donations for the Four Diamonds Fund and the Penn State Dance Marathon. Recipients were senior softball standout Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad, Calif.) and the women’s lacrosse team, coached by Suzanne Isidor. The CHAMPS Cup Awards for community outreach were presented for the fourth time, with winners selected for squads with 20 or fewer squad members (women’s basketball for the fourth consecutive year) and squads with more than 20 squad members (footballoffense for the second consecutive year). Penn State’s student-athletes, who have
13
❚ The NCAA’s annual study of institutions nationwide revealed in October 2008 that Penn State student-athletes at the University Park campus earned a record Graduation Success Rate of 89 percent compared to a 78 percent average for all Division I institutions for students entering from 1998-99 through 2001-02.
❚ According to the 2008 NCAA data, Penn State’s 2001-02 entering freshman class earned a record 84 percent federal graduation rate among student-athletes, significantly above the 64 percent for all Division I institutions. The four-year federal graduation rate average for University Park student-athletes was 82 percent, again well above the national average of 63 percent, and second to Northwestern (88) in the Big Ten. ❚ African-American student-athletes at Penn State continue to graduate at much higher percentages than at other Division I institutions. Seventy-nine percent of AfricanAmerican student-athletes that entered Penn State in 2001-02 graduated, highest among Big Ten Conference institutions and significantly above the national Division I average of 53 percent.
www.nittanylionclub.com
Members of the fencing team celebrate their national championship inside the Ashenfelter Multi-Sport Complex. FENCING
Four Individual Champions Help Host Team To Claim its 11th National Championship Four Penn State student-athletes claimed individual national titles and helped the fencing team secure its 11th national championship in the past 20 years during the event contested on campus at the Ashenfelter Multi-Sport Complex.
On the women’s side, Anastasia Ferdman (Maalot, Israel) and Doris Willette (Lafayette, Calif.) claimed titles in foil and epee, respectively. For the men, Aleksander Ochocki (Clark, N.J.) was the sabre champion and Nick Chinman (Boulder, Colo.) earned foil crown.
In the team standings, Penn State’s 195 total victories kept it ahead of Notre Dame (182) and Ohio State (166).
Penn State’s victories were hard-fought, especially in the medal round, with just slight factors making a difference in the outcome. Appropriately, with the event staged in a facility usually used for indoor track, coach Emmanuil Kaidanov provided a track comparison for the level of competition.
“It’s the same as track, everybody runs 9.8
For the Future
seconds in the 100-meter dash, but someone always wins by being a nose ahead,” he said. “That’s how it feels, it’s hard. It’s terrific, but it’s hard.”
Ochocki had 19 victories before reaching the final four. In a bittersweet semifinal he faced teammate Daniel Bak (Franklin Lakes, N.J.). Bak, who had 18 victories, eventually finished in third place. Chinman, who had 17 victories, also faced a teammate in the semifinals. He squeaked past Miles Chamley-Watson (Philadelphia) before defeating Notre Dame freshman Gerek Meinhardt, who had been an Olympian, for the crown. Willette defeated an Olympian, Harvard’s Emily Cross, in the semifinals, before going on to secure her second national championship.
Ferdman, who had four losses at the start of the final day, rallied from that sluggish beginning, and from a 12-7 deficit in the semifinals, to advance and secure an emotional victory.
14
www.nittanylionclub.com
BY THE NUMBERS
Standout Student-Athletes Share What Their Numbers Mean to Them
1.27
284
.378
Jackie Hill
Kevin Foley
Jordan Steranka
A sophomore pitcher from San Jose, Calif., Hill’s 1.27 ERA lead the softball team and ranked third in the conference.
“I don’t like to set goals on numbers, because sometimes the numbers don’t really reflect what’s happening. I just want to pitch my best and try to help the team. But, it’s a good number. “My mental approach to the game is what helps me, I think. I don’t let things bother me. I just try to concentrate and control what I can control and be mentally tough.
“To do that you have to be able to get yourself out of trouble if you got yourself into trouble. Every situation is different. You want to come through and help you team. Sometimes that means you need a strikeout and other times you just have to get somebody to pop out.”
A junior from Somerville, N.J., Foley’s 284 was good for the best finish ever by a Penn State golfer in the conference championships. “Playing at home and beign so familiar with the course was really helpful.
“The biggest challenge when you’re playing a competition like that to stay focused and not get impatient with things. You can make a slight mistake and it’s easy to get pulled off track. Especially if you’re playing somebody else that’s close to the lead, you can sort of let it get in your head and start counting shots. You have to remember you’re playing the course. “Just being able to put myself in position to win the tournament was fun—it’s why we play. It might be easy to think about one shot here or there, but that’s golf. It was a great experience.”
A freshman baseball player from Pittsburgh, Steranka’s batting average led the team in conference play.
“I had goals set out for myself at the beginning of the year and I did a little better than I thought. I have have confidence in my ability and confience at the plate.
“The coaches really helped me adjust to the college level, and to pitching I hadn’t seen before. The speed of the game in general is faster and pitchers really hit their spots. They change speeds well, and mix their pitches better. “The movement on a college-level curve ball and high school is totally different, there’s more break, and you have to adapt. Then, as I got comfortable, I started to get pitched to different by teams. It’s been a fun challenge.”
Congratulations! Former Penn State All-America running back Curt Warner was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He will be inducted during an awards dinner Dec. 8 in New York City. Warner remains the program’s all-time leading rusher (3,398).
SANDY’S SUCCESS Gymnast Casey Sandy (Brampton, Ont.) ended his career this spring, and he capped it an impressive way—earning the Nissen-Emery Award, the award is the highest honor in college gymnastics, and securing his ninth career All-America honor, with a seventh-place finish on the vault. The Nissan-Emery Award is bestowed in recognition of outstanding athletic achievement, academic excellence and sportsmanship. Sandy become the second Nittany Lion to win the award in the past three years after Matt Cohen was recognized in 2007. Penn State now owns the NCAA record for most honorees by a program with six.
For the Future
15
www.nittanylionclub.com
NITTANY LION CLUB
Member Profiles: Reasons Abundant to Support NLC, Student-Athletes Lion Backer John B. Woods (’71, ’78) Hollidaysburg, Pa.
Lion Patron Scott Wenrich (’91) Harrisburg, Pa.
Why I'm a Nittany Lion Club member ... It keeps me in touch with Penn State sports.
Why I’m a Nittany Lion Club member ... To give a little back to the place that gave me so many great memories.
What's the best part about membership? Newsletters
My football tickets are located in section ... WG My first Penn State football game was ... 1958 Aside from the game itself, our biggest gameday tradition is ... a hot dog in the stadium.
My favorite kickoff time for football games is ... 3:30, because it provides time to walk around the campus and even downtown and still get out of town at a decent time. It'd be great if Penn State could play _____ again in football. Boston College
My all-time favorite Penn State football player is ... Galen Hall.
Besides football, my favorite Penn State sports are ... wrestling, fencing, and both men’s and women’s volleyball.
My favorite non-football memory about Penn State is ... 1971 graduation ceremony.
My all-time favorite Penn State student-athlete from another sport is ... Kerry McCoy.
Besides Beaver Stadium, the best sports venue at Penn State is ... Rec Hall.
Honorary Coach Joe and Annie Doncsecz (’85) State College, Pa. Why we’re Nittany Lion Club members ... PSU football is our social life in the fall. It’s our best opportunity of the year to catch up with friends both past and present and they ALL need tickets.
What's the best part about membership? Keeping up to date on what’s going on in all the sports. My first Penn State football game was ... PSU 52 Cincinnati 0 (freshman year, 1981).
What's always on the menu at your tailgate? Blue and white M&M’s You know it’s a special game when we put _____ on the menu. Sloppy JoePa’s
Aside from the game itself, our biggest gameday tradition is ... tossing football with the boys once the tailgate is set up.
My favorite kickoff time for football games is ... 3:30, because it provides plenty of time to socialize and eat both before and after the game. It'd be great if Penn State could play _____ again in football. Miami
Besides football, my favorite Penn State sports are ... men’s basketball and women’s volleyball.
Our favorite non-football memory about Penn State is ... meeting each other senior year.
For the Future
16
What’s the best part about membership? Knowing we’re helping support some of the best student-athletes in the country.
My football tickets are located in section ... SJ
My first PSU football game was ... Colgate, 1980. I was 11 years old and remember thinking “I hope PSU can beat a bunch of toothpaste factory workers!”
What’s always on the menu at your tailgate? Kunzler sweet Lebanon bologna, cheese and Rolling Rock ponies.
You know it’s a special game when we ... have to plan for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the menu!
Aside from the game itself, our biggest game-day tradition is ... being on the road before the sun comes up, no matter what game-time happens to be.
My favorite kickoff time for football games is ... 8 p.m., because that means 12 solid hours of tailgating!
It'd be great if Penn State could play _____ again in football. Pitt
My all-time favorite Penn State football player is ... Michael Robinson.
Besides football, my favorite Penn State sports are ... men’s and women’s basketball. My favorite non-football memory about Penn State is ... celebrating my 21st birthday.
My all-time favorite Penn State student-athlete from another sport is ... The Lion, of course!
www.nittanylionclub.com
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Five All-Americans Lead Team to 27 Victories After a strong regular season, the men’s volleyball team advanced to the national semifinals and finished with a 27-4 record, paced by five student-athletes who earned All-America honors as selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Senior middle hitter Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio), junior middle hitter Max Lipsitz (Williamsville, N.Y.) and junior outside hitter Will Price (Gaithersburg, Md.) all earned first-team honors while sophomore libero Dennis Del Valle (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) and redshirt freshman setter Edgardo Goas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) both earned second-team recognition. Penn State’s five selections ranked first in the country and also equaled last year’s total for the Nittany Lions, which was the most in program history since 1982.
Holt earned first-team honors for the second consecutive season while Lipsitz picks up his first first-team distinction. He was a second-team honoree last year.
Del Valle earned his second straight second-team accolade, and it was the first career award for both Price and Goas.
Since 1971, Penn State has produced 73 All-Americans. Holt has shattered every Penn State serving record, and holds school records with 206 career aces and 78 aces in a season. He set a new rally-scoring-era record with eight aces against Juniata on Jan. 28, one shy of the all-time record of nine set by John Wasielewski in 1990, and he had 17 multiple-ace contests this season. Lipsitz, a three-time First Team All-EIVA pick, finished the season ranked forth with a .494 hitting percentage and recorded double-digit kills in 11 matches, including a career-high 22 kills on .724 hitting with a season-high 10 blocks at IPFW on Feb. 21. Lipsitz led the team with 1.26 blocks per game, having at least two blocks in 26 matches.
Max Holt was one of five All-Americans on the team.
Social Networking Web Sites, Chat Rooms, Message Boards NCAA rules prohibit representatives of an institution’s athletics interests (i.e., boosters) from contacting on or off campus or otherwise communicating with prospective studentathletes, their relatives or friends for the purpose of recruiting.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Big Ten/ACC Challenge Set; Players Honored The Lady Lions will host Georgia Tech in the third annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Dec. 2 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The game marks the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The Lady Lions are 1-1 in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games with a victory over Duke in the inaugural Challenge and a loss at Florida State last season. Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date.
The Lady Lions return 10 letterwinners for the 2009-10 season, including three starters from last season’s team.
Headlining the list of returnees is first team All-Big Ten selection Tyra Grant (Youngstown, Ohio). Grant is the 10th player in school history to claim All-Big Ten first team honors, giving the Lady Lions a conference-best 22 first team choices since joining the league.
For the Future
Grant and future Lady Lion Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) were invited to the 2009 USA Basketball Trials. Grant's invitation was to try out for the World University Games team, while Greene was seeking a spot on the U19 FIBA World Championship squad.
The 2009 World University Games will be held July 1-12 in Belgrade, Serbia, with collegiate-aged teams from around the world participating. The coach of the team is Charli Turner Thorne from Arizona State and she is assisted by Suzy Merchant from Michigan State and Julie Rousseau from Pepperdine. Future Penn State Lady Lion Alex Bentley (Indianapolis) was selected to the "Parade Magazine" 33rd annual All-America High School Girls Basketball Team. Bentley, who will don the Blue & White next season, was a third-team honoree. Her Parade All-America selection comes on the heels of earning a spot on the ESPN HoopGurlz High School Nation Honor Roll.
17
Written or telephone communications and all forms of electronic communications are considered recruiting correspondence. Boosters may not have any communication with prospects via chat rooms, instant messages, text messages, e-mail and social networking websites such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter. Impermissible contact between a booster and a prospect, their relatives or friends for the purpose of soliciting the prospects enrollment at Penn State is a violation of NCAA legislation and will affect the eligibility of the prospective student-athlete. If a booster is determined to engage in conduct that is a violation of NCAA legislation they shall be subject to the revocation or withholding of any athletically related benefit or privilege received by the booster/individual from the University.
www.nittanylionclub.com
COACHES CORNER
Track Evak Earns Penn Relays Crown; Lacrosse’s Hogan on First Team
graduate studies. He is also two-sport athlete who also served as a quarterback on the 2008 Big Ten champion Penn State football team.
Senior Tanner Evak (State College, Pa.) closed out his Penn Relays career in style, capturing gold-medal honors in the men's championship javelin at Franklin Field.
Softball
Evak posted a throw of 225-6 (68.74) to claim his first-career Penn Relays victory, bettering the rest of the field by nearly six feet. Evak, who became Penn State’s 57th Penn Relays champion on the men's side, is the first Nittany Lion to win the javelin since 1965.
For the third time in her career, senior first baseman Danielle Kinley (Carlsbad, Calif.) earned ESPN The Magazine Academic AllDistrict recognition.
A two-year captain, Kinley has one of the most decorated careers in Nittany Lion Also at the Penn Relays, softball history. A fourthe women’s year starter, she played 4x200-meter relay team Softball senior Danielle Kinley, who leads Penn State in career doubles, connects with a pitch. in nearly 200 games. won the ECAC She holds the school just the sixth Nittany Lion to earn that the section of the event, while the men's record for doubles (46) and was drafted prestigious honor. 4x800-meter relay finished fourth in the earlier this year by the Philadelphia Force of Championship of America. the National Pro Fastpitch league. She Senior Chad Bricker (Waynesboro, Pa.) was graduated this May with a degree in film and selected to represent his team as a Big Ten A quartet of sophomores paced the 4x800, plans to do social work in New York City, after Sportsmanship Award honoree. Bricker was including Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.), spending this summer with the Force. selected among 10 other student-athletes Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio), Lionel Williams (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Ryan who have distinguished themselves through Women’s gymnastics good sportsmanship, good academic Foster (Tasmania, Australia). Three gymnasts finished among the best in standing, good citizenship outside of sports the nation at the individual event finals and ethical behavior. In the 4x200, the team featured Shavon during the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics
Greaves (Lakewood, N.J.), Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.), Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.), and Caitlin DeFusco (Schwenksville, Pa.).
Men’s lacrosse
Chris Hogan (Wyckoff, N.J.) was named to the All-ECAC Lacrosse League first team, earning the honor for the first time in his career. Senior goalie Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) was named to the All-ECAC Lacrosse League second team.
Hogan ended the campaign with 34 points off 29 goals and five assists on attack for Penn State. Hogan had a .218 shot percentage, led the team with five man-up goals and had 17 ground balls. His 62 shots on goal was a team-best as well. Penn State ended the 2009 season riding a six game win streak and posted a 9-5 record.
Men’s golf
Junior Kevin Foley (Somerville, N.J.) was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection, becoming
For the Future
Baseball
Paul Cianciolo (Charleston, S.C.) was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic AllDistrict II First Team, marking the second consecutive year and the third time in four years that the Nittany Lions have placed a player on the Academic All-District squad.
It is the 10th time this decade Penn State has sported a student-athlete on the listing. To become eligible for nomination, a studentathlete must obtain a 3.30 grade-point average in both undergraduate and graduate coursework and perform exemplary work on the diamond. Cianciolo owns a 3.94 GPA and has attained honors during every semester as an undergraduate in marketing at the Smeal College of Business. After graduating in three years, Cianciolo moved onto obtaining his master's of business administration (MBA) with a primary concentration in corporate finance and earned a GPA of 3.8 in his post-
18
Championships.
Junior Brandi Personett (Katy, Texas) finished fourth on floor with a 9.8875 after earning first team All-American honors. The finish marked her second straight top-five finish in the NCAA individual event finals, as she placed fifth last season on the beam.
Freshman Whitney Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) finished eighth finish on vault with a 9.7813 while junior Alexandra Brockway (Macungie, Pa.) claimed a 13th place on bars with a 9.7875. In addition, both earned All-America honors for the first time in their careers.
In the team competition, Penn State finished ninth nationally after posting a score of 196.100 during the team preliminaries.
The performance was the highest NCAA team score under head coach Steve Shephard and is the best team finish since 2000, when the squad placed seventh.
www.nittanylionclub.com
Athletic Development Contacts
Phone: 1-800-NITTANY (648-8269) E-mail: nittanylionclub@athletics.psu.edu Mail: 157 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA 16802
Ken Cutler, Director of Development for Athletics kmc2@psu.edu
John Nitardy, Director of Major Gifts and Interim Director of Nittany Lion Club jdn13@psu.edu
Nikki Potoczny, Assistant Director of Nittany Lion Club nlw10@psu.edu
Bob White, Director of Marketing and Operations for Suites and Club Seats blw6@psu.edu
Mark Muhlhauser, Major Gifts Officer mam83@psu.edu
Janine Hawk, Development Assistant jkh6@psu.edu
Michelle Davidson, Director of Donor Stewardship and Events oyd3@psu.edu
R.J. Gimbl, Major Gifts Officer rjg20@psu.edu
Staff Assistants
Val Cingle, vjc4@psu.edu Jennifer DeAngelo, jxk298@psu.edu Nancy Doyle, nkt3@psu.edu Barbra Marsden, blm18@psu.edu Kristin McKee, kmm21@psu.edu Carol Spangler, cmh7@psu.edu Sharon Ries, sxr33@psu.edu Sandy Watson, szw6@psu.edu Robin Yeaney, rly2@psu.edu
About the Newsletter Volume 29, No. 3 / Spring 2009 U.Ed. ICA-09-121
The Nittany Lion Club Newsletter is a quarterly publication sent to all Nittany Lion Club members. The magazine is published by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Nittany Lion Club Web Site www.nittanylionclub.com
Official Web Site of Penn State Athletics www.gopsusports.com
Executive Editor: Greg Myford, John Nitardy Assistant Editor: Nikki Potoczny
Contributors: Steve Sampsell, Penn State Athletic Communications
For the Future
Congratulations! Sue Sherburne, who serves as an academic adviser in the Morgan Academic Center and as coach of the Penn State Lionettes Dance Team, earned her doctoral degree in May. Photographers: Mark Selders, Steve Manuel, Penn State Athletic Communications Printing
The Printers.com, State College, Pa.
Submit questions or comments to us ...
By email at nittanylionclub@athletics.psu.edu By phone at (800) 648-8269 By mail, letters may be sent to: 157 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA 16802
PENN STATE ATHLETICS Mission Statement
Consistent with the University’s mission, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics offers students exemplary programs that develop scholarship, sportsmanship and leadership within the educational and social environments of the Pennsylvania State University.
19
Congratulations! Nate Althouse, the former Nittany Lion basketball player who led the Varsity ‘S’ Club and coordinated numerous reunions and special events, accepted a position as an academic adviser in the Morgan Academic Center working with the cross country and track teams. Intercollegiate Athletics is conducting a search for the next leader of the Varsity ‘S’ Club, and the position will be filled when a capable candidate is identified.
About the Nittany Lion Club
The Nittany Lion Club, comprised of Penn State alumni and friends of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, was established in 1959 to create greater interest in and financial support of Penn State varsity athletics. Members of the Nittany Lion Club make possible grant-in-aid support for more than 800 student-athletes each academic year and provide operational support for the University’s entire 29-sport intercollegiate athletics program. www.nittanylionclub.com
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID The Pennsylvania State University
The Penn State University 157 Bryce Jordan Center University Park, PA 16802
Coming in August!
Foot ba l l S ea son Pre v i ew Even ts hosted by Cental Pa. and Delaware Valley Chapters
... watch for details in NLC e-mail updates and online! For the Future
20
www.nittanylionclub.com
Reunions Bring Memories to Life
Alumni games, dinners, special events make return visits to campus special
Field Hockey
Baseball
Soccer
Gymnastics
Volleyball
Memories: Artist/coach’s wife transforms tie tack into volleyball testimonial Submitted by Jim Wittler (Volleyball ’75)
It was the fall 1995 and the famous mural at Rumors Bar in the Atherton Hotel was finally being completed. One of the last faces to be painted on it’s hallowed walls was that of then-Penn State men’s basketball coach Bruce Parkhill. Commissioned for the work was Ann Tait, the wife of Tom Tait, past mentor of both men’s and women’s volleyball programs across three decades at the University. Ann was a freelance artist and did work for several different galleries and advertising agencies. As she completed the work on Parkhill, she
turned to admire the face beside him on the mural. It was President Teddy Roosevelt, painted on the mural in suit and tie and looking quite dapper. But something was missing. Now we all know, as historic fact, that Teddy was a huge fan of the sport of volleyball. He used to have family outings at his mountain retreat and involve his family and guests in “pickup” games of volleyball on a makeshift court within the confines his camp. Even prior to becoming our 26th president (1901-1909), he used to chat with William G. Morgan, the YMCA Director from Holyoke, Mass., who was credited with the invention of the sport, in 1895. He would pick up some tips and make himself look good at the retreat
games. So, anyhow, Ann, always with a sense of humor, thought it appropriate to change the adornment on Teddy’s tie (his diamond tie tack) to a miniature volleyball. She did an excellent job with detail right down to the individual ball panels. So, next time, when you're sitting at the Rumors Bar trying to figure out all the members of the mural, take a closer inspection of President Roosevelt's tie. There you will find an indelible impression of a “volleyball shaped” tie tack that will stick with you for the rest of your days. Think of how much fun you can have relating this story to visitors you might bring back to Happy Valley!
Where Are They Now? Jack Beiter (Boxing ’52) and his team of 50 cyclists have raised close to $500,000 for multiple sclerosis awareness and research. Every September, 7,000 riders make the 160-mile round trip from Cherry Hill, N.J., to Ocean City, N.J., to raise awareness and money to find a cure for this debilitating illness. If you would like to support this team you can make contributions payable to “Multiple Sclerosis” and mail it to Jack Beiter, 201 Hermitage Drive, Radnor, PA 19087. Amanda Brown (Basketball ’08) played for two different professional basketball teams in Italy. She enjoyed living in Italy and learning about Italian culture. She will be playing with the Canadian National Team this summer and playing in the 2010 World Games qualifiers. Mary Kate Curran (Track and Field and Cross Country ’06) is the head women’s track and field and cross country coach at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. In the summer, she is known around the Penn State campus as “Gatorade Kate” because she serves as the Gatorade hydration manager for all of Penn State Sport Camps. She is a member of the Nittany Lion Club. Dick Clarkson (Tennis ’47) is still playing tennis three to four times a week, keeping him at a svelte 155 pounds. Dick is from a true Penn State family.
His father graduated in 1917, his wife Lois in 1948, and his son Bill received his master’s degree from Penn State in 1980. Katherine (Johnston) Godin, Esq. (Track and Field ’05) is an attorney with Corley & Associates, a criminal defense firm in Providence, R.I. Her areas of practice include: criminal defense, personal injury/plaintiff litigation, civil rights/Constitutional law, and appellate law. The native Rhode Islander is a former Penn State record holder in the hammer throw. Amy (Tortorello) McCarthy (Softball ’95) got the family together to watch the Rose Bowl, threw on some festive Penn State garb, loaded up on a tasty menu, and had a grand old time at the “Grand Daddy of Them All.” Patrick, Ryan, Quinn, Logan, and Amy pause to take a halftime picture. Guillermo Silva-Wiscovich (Volleyball ’90) is a partner dealing with environmental law for Usera Morell, a law firm in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
HALFTIME HONOREES
Members of the 1988 national champion women’s lacrosse team were honored in February at a men’s basketball game. (Photo by Mark Selders)
One Gift, Any Size, Every Year
As you know, Penn State is a fully self-sustaining athletic department, meaning it does not utilize state funds, University funds or tuition dollars to finance its 29 varsity sports. We rely heavily on private donations through the Nittany Lion Club. And, we are continuing the opportunity for former athletes to designate their NLC donations directly back to their team, helping make an immediate impact on the sports that have given them so much.
It doesn’t take a million dollars to make a difference, either. If you are looking for other ways to financially support your team, contact the appropriate development person.
● RJ Gimbl (814) 865-5576 / rjg20@psu.edu for football, golf, tennis, swimming, and wrestling; ● Mark Muhlhauser (814) 867-1598 / mam83@psu.edu for women’s basketball, baseball, gymnastics, softball, volleyball and fencing; or ● John Nitardy (814) 8637664 / jdn13@psu.edu for men’s basketball, track and field, field hockey, lacrosse and soccer.
Road Trip Memories: Last-minute trip to West Coast makes life-long impression
Submitted by Bill Youkers (Track and Field ’55)
In May of 1955 we went to Pittsburgh for a dual meet with the Panthers. I won both low and high hurdle events and my time of 14.1 seconds in the 120 yard high hurdles set a new Penn State record and tied the Pitt Stadium mark. We boarded the bus for the return trip to State College, when Coach Werner announced that “Youkers is going to Los Angeles with Rosey Grier and Art Pollard to run the Coliseum Relays Invitational.”
I had only my toothbrush and extra shorts for the overnight trip to Pitt, but my teammates came up with enough gear to cover me on the five-day west coast trip. It was a great meet with the perks of staying at the Ambassador Hotel and participating in a special radio “Parade of Champions” show as highlights. The high hurdle race was a photo finish ending with only .02 separating first and third place. I was third, but it is still one of my favorite memories of my senior year and Penn State track.