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About the Newsletter
DID YOU KNOW?
From 1993-94 through 2008-09, Penn State earned more NCAA team championships (17) than any other school in the Big Ten Conference. Secondplace Minnesota earned almost half as many crowns (nine), followed by Iowa (eight).
401
Number of Penn State student-athletes who earned a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher during the spring 2009 semester. Of those, 162 earned a 3.50 GPA or higher to gain dean’s list recognition. The 162 high achievers represented 23.7 percent of all active student-athletes.
Volume 29, No. 4 / Summer 2009 U.Ed. ICA-10-27
— Inside this Issue —
NLC Notebook: Changes, Events Help Members ......................3
Recipe for Success: Common Courtesy, Mutual Respect ..........4-5
Captains’ Challenges: Expectations, Leadership ...............6-7 Sanderson Serious: Coach Strives for Success ......................8 Photos: Lift for Life ...............................................10-11
Donor Profile: David Lipson ........................................12
Athletes’ Appetites: Big Eaters in Small Packages...............14
Stunning Sapphire: Majorettes Earn Accolades ...................15 BTN Business: 12 Olympic Sports Set for Spotlight .................16
Step-by-Step: Long Snapper Andrew Pitz ............................17
Championship Rings: A Look at Recent Designs .................18
DEPARTMENTS Recent Gift List, 9 Member Profiles, 13 Notes, Numbers, 16 Spider’s Web, 17 By the Numbers, 19 NCAA Corner, 19
ON THE COVER Field hockey backfield standout Amy Bonenberger (Palmyra, Pa.) and women’s soccer goalie Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) are among the handful of student-athletes who serve as captains for their teams. (Photo by Mark Selders)
— Contact Us —
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 Editors
Greg Myford, John Nitardy
Assistant Editor
Nikki Potoczny, Mike Milliron
Contributors
Penn State Athletic Communications, Steve Sampsell
Photographers
Penn State Athletic Communications, Steve Manuel, Mark Selders
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.
Phone: 1-800-NITTANY (648-8269) / E-mail: nittanylionclub@athletics.psu.edu Mail: 157 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA 16802
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 29sport intercollegiate athletics program.
Ken Cutler, Director of Development for Athletics, kmc2@psu.edu
Bob White, Director of Marketing/ Operations-Suites and Club Seats, blw6@psu.edu
Michelle Davidson, Director of Donor Stewardship and Events, oyd3@psu.edu
John Nitardy, Director of Major Gifts, Interim Director of Nittany Lion Club, jdn13@psu.edu
Mark Muhlhauser, Major Gifts Officer, mam83@psu.edu
Janine Hawk, Development Assistant, jkh6@psu.edu
Nikki Potoczny, Assistant Director of Nittany Lion Club, nlw10@psu.edu
R.J. Gimbl, Major Gifts Officer, rjg20@psu.edu
Mike Milliron, Varsity ‘S’ Development Coordinator, mjm540@psu.edu
www.nittanylionclub.com
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NLC Staff Profile Sandy Watson Sandy has been an integral member of the Nittany Lion Club staff for nine years. Her primary duties are greeting visitors to the NLC office and addressing questions via e-mail and phone. Sandy is your Nittany Lion Club front line contact for all membership and benefit questions. She resides in Moshannon, Pa., with her husband Doug and her daughters Lindsey and Jessica. 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
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Updates, Events Allow NLC to Serve Our Membership NLC NOTEBOOK
Our summer edition of the Nittany Lion Club Newsletter provides a preview of things to come in the fall and includes information on changes with which we need your help as well as details about completed and upcoming events.
The first change you’ve probably already noticed is the look of the publication itself. We’ve moved to a slightly more magazine-style format with a full-cover photograph and a corresponding cover story. This issue we’re focusing on team captains, and you can find that story on Pages 6-7.
At the same time, we’ve maintained several of the features that earned positive reviews from NLC members, including By the Numbers with student-athletes, member profiles and a few others. We’d love to hear what you think of the additions and changes and we want to continually serve you. Please feel free to call or use nittanylionclub@athletics.psu.edu and direct comments to us by email. Such changes are a necessary part of what we do to serve our members. We also regularly serve members with events, such as the successful “Evening with Joe” sessions conducted by the Alumni Association and the Nittany Lion Club this summer. We visited three different cities for the events, and each was a huge success.
Several NLC chapter events kept the summer bustling as well—and everyone enjoys the opportunity to interact with our coaches and student-athletes. For example, baseball coach Robbie Wine (in photo at top right of page) and wrestling coach Cael Sanderson were featured at the event conducted by the Central Pa. NLC Chapter. In the coming weeks, we’ll have some special events for our members.
That includes: ● a football preview Sept. 2 with the Delaware Valley NLC Chapter in Trevose, Pa., and ● a basketball preview Oct. 1 with the Central Pa. NLC Chapter in Harrisburg.
Information about both may be found online—or, again, feel free to call. Please keep checking online for information and updates about future events in a town near you.
Our one-stop number to help you remains 1-800-NITTANY, and our Customer Relations Center does an excellent job helping anyone who calls with everything from event information to ticketing details. We also need your help in a couple of key areas.
Baseball coach Robbie Wine visited the Central Pa. event this summer.
First, if you have not done so already, please take time to get in touch with us and update the contact information on your NLC account. Having correct e-mail addresses and other contact information enables us to pass along necessary account information and timely updates—especially gameday information for football—in the most efficient manner.
Second, as we get ready for the start of fall sports seasons, football always gets a lot of attention. We hope it gets your attention, too. When more than 100,000 people converge on Beaver Stadium—bringing the Greatest Show in College Football to life—we all need to work together to ensure an enjoyable and safe opportunity. We appreciate your help tailgating the Penn State Way so you and everyone around you can enjoy the games.
One other change has been made in giving to the NLC. Specifically, we’ve implemented a sports-specific giving opportunity (see Page 9) that allows people to designate a gift to a specific sport and still receive NLC points for their donation.
It’s truly a great time for Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, and that’s in large part the result of your support. We truly appreciate the time and treasure you invest in our 29 varsity sports programs. We’ve found success on the court and field, and we’ve found even more success in the classroom. As another year begins, we plan to keep up the good work. Thanks again for your support! We Are ... Penn State!
John Nitardy, Interim Executive Director Nittany Lion Club
Start of Seasons a Good Time to Update NLC Account Contact Information The start of fall sports seasons provides a good time for Nittany Lion Club members to update their account contact information.
In an effort to expedite service, and to promote a more environmentally friendly approach by reducing the use of paper, all NLC membership and ticketing materials are sent to the e-mail address listed on your NLC account. Having the proper contact information on file
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will enable the NLC to better serve you. NLC members may update their information easily and quickly by contacting our Customer Relations Center at 1-800-NITTANY. Also, as a reminder, Nittany Lion Club records are separate from those compiled by the Penn State Alumni Association.
So, even though the Alumni Association has recently requested updates for its database, you must also provide updated contact
information to the NLC in order for that information to be correct on your records with us.
Monthly and gameday updates from the NLC are also directed to members’ e-mail addresses.
Information in those resources provide timely updates about parking or weather-related information that might impact travel to Beaver Stadium for football games.
www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 3
Recipe for Success—Common Courtesy, Mutual Respect MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
“All Penn Staters can take pride in creating an atmosphere that promotes enjoyment and responsibility. It is, without a doubt, all part of the Greatest Show in College Football.” — John Nitardy
Almost everybody who makes the pilgrimage to Beaver Stadium on Saturdays in the fall has a favorite recipe and some traditions. In terms of food, Penn Staters proudly share everything from appetizers to main dishes and desserts with their fellow tailgaters and visitors to campus. Also, many of those who return to the stadium each week do so following timetested routines—and their experiences around the stadium include many activities that they have repeated for years.
access routes for emergency vehicles. We have to keep the aisles and roadways clear.
The festivities, food and friendliness combine to accurately demonstrate the joys of Happy Valley as the result of the collective effort of more than 100,000 people each Saturday. In recent years, that collective effort has made Penn State a model for efficiency, recycling efforts and responsibility as tailgaters have used free bags for trash and recyclables and separated their garbage, making the cleanup process easier after the game and keeping thousands of pounds of materials out of the landfill.
“At the same time, because of the noon starts, almost everyone will be arriving for those first three games at about the same time. We encourage people to be patient with the process. For later kicks, arrival times get spaced out a bit more.”
An area of concern for Penn State officials, and necessary cooperation with tailgaters around Beaver Stadium, centers on access between rows of vehicles. In case of an emergency, clogged routes (top photo) provide no room for emergency vehicles. Tailgaters can find room for enjoyment without completely blocking those routes, though (bottom photo).
Tailgaters have also responded well to the policy implemented in 2006 that prohibited alcohol at tailgate parties in the lots around stadium between kick-off and the final whistle.
An ongoing request from Intercollegiate Athletics for tailgaters in grass lots is that they use plastic beverage bottles and containers instead of glass whenever possible. The use of plastic—especially in grass lots used for intramural sports—can help with recycling while enhancing safety for Penn State students who later use those same fields.
“All Penn Staters can take pride in creating an atmosphere that promotes enjoyment and responsibility. It is, without a doubt, all part of the Greatest Show in College Football,” said John Nitardy, interim executive director of the Nittany Lion Club. “We all play a part in making every Saturday special, the Penn State Way.”
1-800-NITTANY Gameday concerns or questions?
“We need everyone to work with us to ensure that continues. With more than 100,000 people coming for every game and even more people around the stadium area, we need to work together to keep everyone safe and make Saturdays enjoyable for everyone.”
Areas of concern as the season begins center on possible traffic congestion, because of three noon starts at the beginning of the season, and keeping many areas in parking lots clear for potential access by emergency vehicles. “It’s all a matter of everyone working together and practicing that common courtesy-mutual respect approach,” Nitardy said. “People certainly want to have a good time, and we want people to enjoy gameday, but in all the lots around the stadium we have to maintain
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Early season games also often provide an opportunity for Nittany Lion Club members to share their tickets with friends, making it possible for some who would not regularly attend Penn State games to visit during the Labor Day weekend or just enjoy an early season nonconference game.
That’s a wonderful opportunity for those who cannot regularly attend, and something to keep in mind for fans more accustomed to making the trip.
Season ticket holders who share their tickets and/or parking permits also should remember that they are responsible for the behavior of those who use them.
Season ticket holders may lose their ticket privileges and/or parking if their behavior (or the behavior of those who use their tickets) causes problems in and around Beaver Stadium.
“We hope that everyone will enjoy their tailgating and respect the enjoyment of others around them on football Saturdays at Beaver Stadium,” Nitardy said.
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MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
EXCELLENT ‘EVENINGS’
A series of “Evening with Joe” events, sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association and the Nittany Lion Club, attracted big crowds in New York City (top two photos) and in the Lehigh Valley (bottom photos) this summer. The popular series also made a stop in Arlington, Va.
(New York City photos by Dorothy Hong) (Lehigh Valley photos by Kate Morgan)
Reminder: No Smoking in Stadium
In accordance with Pennsylvania State Law, which took effect for the Blue-White Game in April and received strong support from fans, smoking is no longer permitted inside the perimeter fence of Beaver Stadium. The law and corresponding policy at the stadium prohibit smoking anywhere inside 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 be
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issued a warning for first offenses. If violators fail to comply with the instructions of stadium staff, they will be removed from the stadium. A second failure to comply with this law will result in removal from the stadium and ultimately may result in loss of ticket privileges.
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.
Create your own
PENN STATE LEGACY Planned Giving Seminar 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. / Saturday, Nov. 7 The Penn Stater, Senate Room (Continental breakfast provided.)
Since 1959 members of the Nittany Lion Club have supported Penn State Athletics with annual gifts and endowments for scholarships and facilities. At times, the commitment to naming an endowment may seem to be a stretch or impossible with a cash gift. However, there are opportunities for donors of all levels to be able to create their legacy by supporting Penn State Athletics. For more information, please contact the Office of Major Gifts at (814) 863-GIFT (4438).
You may RSVP for the Seminar by e-mail at specialevents@athletics.psu.edu
www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 5
Oh Captains, Our Captains
COVER STORY
Team captains put leadership into practice, represent University well
Months before the women’s soccer team conducted its first practice as it prepared to chase a 12th consecutive Big Ten Conference championship this fall, team members were working on one of the most important aspects of the season. They wanted to take care of business early.
“We met every Thursday during the spring for an hour,” coach Erica Walsh said. “We brought Goalie Alyssa Naeher was selected as the lone captain for the women’s soccer team. (Photo by Mark Selders) them all in together and talked about scenarios “We tried to create a safe environment, so the ones who were and situations. Everybody shared, even the coaches, and we all put comfortable doing that could make fun of themselves.” ourselves out there.” Likewise, the women’s volleyball, field hockey and football teams made some key personnel decisions long before their seasons began.
Those decisions resulted in the naming of team captains, often (but not always) as the result of team votes. The decisions produced some interesting results.
For example, for the first time, the women’s soccer team has just one captain, instead of two, while the field hockey team has selected three student-athletes as captains.
Football features two of the team’s best-known and most accomplished student-athletes on campus as captains, the result of a team vote, while four women’s volleyball players were anointed by the coach at the end of last season.
While every team uses a slightly different approach, they all hope to determine a set of captains who will serve as effective leaders, bolstering the team during competition and providing perspective for coaches and teammates at other times.
With a senior-heavy roster, the women’s soccer team worked during its off-season with the entire group and discussed leadership during those weekly meetings. In the sessions the coaches and players shared what they thought were their personal strengths and weaknesses. They also talked about leadership and shared examples of what they thought were good and bad leadership styles and specific incidents.
“Those sessions were kind of telling, watching their body language, how they interacted with each other, how they interacted with us, how willing they are to put themselves out there,” said Ann Cook, an assistant coach for the women’s soccer team. “There’s something about leadership in a college setting that’s very self-deprecating. The kids that make the best leaders are the ones who are willing to be made fun or make fun of themselves.
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Every senior member of the team who participated in the sessions got multiple votes as a captain, but one student-athlete was the obvious selection.
Senior goalie Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) received so many votes that clearly determining a second captain was a matter of splitting hairs among almost everyone else. So, the coaches decided to go with just Naeher.
“Alyssa has so much respect from everyone on the team that’s it’s hard to question anything about her,” Walsh said. “She’s got a great mind for the game and she’s respectful. She’s Penn State through and through, and I trust her intentions 100 percent. She’s kind of a full-package deal.” All coaches hope their respective captains bring—through both actions and intentions—a full package of intangibles to their teams. They want leaders by example, and they also want student-athletes comfortable making a vocal statement either with their voice or their style of play. That’s why it’s sometimes easier to spread the workload of captaincy over few student-athletes—some of whom might organize more than others, some of whom might earn more playing time than others and some of whom who might talk more than others.
Coaches rely on their captains for things such as in-game pep talks and an upbeat attitude to positive peer pressure away from competition in terms of classroom work and team rules.
“The most important thing that the good captains have had in the past is that they have confidence. They’re not worried about their game and their role on the team,” said field hockey coach Char Morrett. “They’re very secure in their position, even if it’s not as the biggest star of the team, and secure in their talents. They can pass that confidence and pride onto their younger teammates.” Most coaches agree votes conducted by team members usually yield results they expect or would’ve made themselves.
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COVER STORY
“The most important thing that the good captains have had in the past is that they have confidence.” —Char Morrett, field hockey coach
Although coach Russ Rose names the women’s volleyball captains, the goals remain the same—and the players clearly understand the approach, and its ultimate goals.
“Each person has a different role and each of the captains sometimes has different responsibilities—things that maybe one of us is better at than another,” said Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.), a senior captain for the women’s volleyball team who appreciates Rose’s forthright manner, something that transfers to his student-athletes and the way they act as leaders.
“He’ll tell you right up if he thinks you need to do a better job. He’s clear about his expectations and he’s honest and direct about our responsibilities as captains. I think it’s good. When you have people who aren’t doing exactly what they should be doing, it shouldn’t be a secret.”
No matter the style, the approaches and respective captains have been doing their jobs well for fall sports teams in recent seasons because they’ve helped spur the women’s volleyball team to consecutive national championships, the women’s soccer team to 11 conference championships in a row, the field hockey team to two conference crowns in the past four years and the football team to a 40-11 record since the start of the 2005 season. It’s not always upperclassmen who get the call as captains, either. Cross country and track standout Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) has already been selected to serve as a captain for both teams and she’s only a junior this fall.
“Kids know who the leaders are, and who deserves to serve in that role, even if they’re not one of the older kids,” said cross country and track coach Beth Alford-Sullivan. “Someone like Bridget just demands respect because of her work ethic and accomplishments. She’s a good leader, too.”
Student-athletes chosen as captains feel honored to be selected by their teammates and bring different approaches to what they do. Coaches count on them to have a better feel for the attitude and pulse of their teammates, but that requires more than just showing up at practices.
The three field hockey team captains split the team in thirds for the summer and each stayed in contact with six or seven teammates in particular, on “training teams” to make sure everyone was doing their off-season work and would show up to the start of preseason camp in shape.
“We organized the work, but we also found out how everyone’s summer was going, what was going on in their lives,” said senior field hockey captain Amy Bonenberger (Palmyra, Pa.). “It was a good way to stay in touch, and stay focused.”
Both coaches and student-athletes acknowledge that a team’s leadership comes from more than just its captains—especially on teams with plenty of upperclassmen or overall talent—but the captains do set a tone. And they do determine how well the entire team accepts or responds to input from multiple leaders.
Again, it’s a matter of personal honesty, even with little issues, that can help set a tone. That’s why quarterback Darryl Clark (Youngstown, Ohio)
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Alisha Glass is one of four captains—all of whom were informed of their roles by coach Russ Rose—for the women’s volleyball team. (Photo by Mark Selders)
has worked on certain parts of his game during the off-season in order to benefit the team.
“I have to learn to live to fight another down,” said Clark about running the ball and fighting to gain extra yardage on play. “I’ve had three concussions already in my career, and I have to watch that. You have to be tough out there, but you have to be smart.” All coaches would take smart and tough from their team captains, and most seem to have just that with their respective squads—and the individual leaders—at Penn State. Those student-athletes display determination and humility with an appropriate level of talent and skill.
“It’s a huge honor to be voted into that position. It’s a big responsibility that I’m really excited about,” Naeher said. “Being a leader, tough, is more how you go about what you do than what you actually do sometimes.
“You have to be thinking about other people, too. It’s a huge honor to be a captain, and it’s great that people want to put their trust in me but it’s more than just me and we need to always be working to get better and move forward—as a team.”
www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 7
BEHIND THE SCENES
So-Focused Sanderson Ready to Get Settled, Start Season Cael Sanderson talks with media members (above) and two young participants at Penn State wrestling camp (right). He now anticipates the start of the season. (Photos by Mark Selders)
Sixty-six days after he was introduced as Penn State’s 12th wrestling coach, Cael Sanderson sat in his still-spartan office in Rec Hall and acknowledged he had a lot to do in the coming weeks. “I’ve got to do some shopping, and get more blue and white things,” Sanderson said. “Plus, we’ve got to find a house.”
Sanderson, the wrestling legend who compiled a 159-0 collegiate record and won four national championships at Iowa State and earned an Olympic gold medal in 2004, was introduced as Penn State’s coach April 20 and immediately went to work.
His presence bolstered attendance at Penn State’s wrestling camps, while he completed his commitment and conducted similar summer camps at his alma mater.
He started recruiting, adding student-athletes for the 2009-10 season at Penn State—among them Iowa State transfer Cyler Sanderson, his brother, and David Taylor, a four-time Ohio state champion who compiled a 180-2 record in high school—and securing several early commitments for his first full recruiting class in 2010-11. Through some workouts, Sanderson even started evaluating which members of the Penn State wrestling team “live the lifestyle” and “love to train.”
He also celebrated his 30th birthday on June 20.
All that left precious little time for him to do things such as decorate his office (other than a couple pictures of his wife Kelly and son Tate) or refill a closet of clothes that became pretty bare once he pared everything cardinal and gold (Iowa State’s school colors) from the shelves.
“I’m really looking forward to getting settled in, and learning more about the community,” Sanderson said of Penn State. “Everything I heard was good and every day here has been wonderful. It’s a great place. I’m looking forward to exploring the outdoors here, hiking and fishing, getting my son out—and there will be time for that. At the same time, we’re just getting ready for the job we have to do.”
For Sanderson, known for his perfection as a wrestler and clearly driven by an internal fire that craves success and understands the work necessary to reach that level, the move to Penn State was simple—even if it meant leaving Iowa State. That’s because he knows what he wants.
“The goal is always a national championship,” Sanderson said. “Everybody points to us having 10 wrestlers qualify for nationals each of our three years at Iowa State, and that’s great, but there’s still more. Even with my championships and the Olympics, my goal is a team national championship. I think we can do that here. And it’s not going to take very long.” Sanderson also knows the type of student-
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1-800-NITTANY Reserve 2009-10 wrestling season tickets.
athletes he wants to help him achieve his goal. They’ll appreciate the academic opportunities at the University, bring a good attitude in general and be driven for success themselves.
“If a kid’s goal is to be a four-year starter, that’s nice, but it’s not really the goal we want,” Sanderson said without sounding dismissive or dramatic. “We want guys who want to be national champions.”
He wants team members with an attitude and character—characteristics he believes mean more than sheer talent. In addition, he thinks it would be easy to err on the side of attitude over a skill set in many cases when recruiting.
“I don’t think people change, or that you’re going to change who a person is,” Sanderson said. “So if a kid isn’t a good kid, and isn’t driven himself, he’s probably not the kind of kid we want.”
In determining those attributes while recruiting, Sanderson often evaluates a potential studentathlete’s family. Especially his mother. “I’m a big believer in a tough mom,” he said. “My mom loves us, but you never went to her looking for sympathy.”
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New Sports-Specific Giving Plan Provides NLC Benefits GIVING
A recently created policy allows Penn State supporters to make donations to a specific varsity sports team and earn Nittany Lion Club points for their contributions. According to the policy, donors may designate a specific sport for their support—an option that has not always existed in the past.
While the policy does not provide full NLC benefits for sports-specific gifts, it does allow donors to target their gifts, creating flexibility for them and necessary support for the specified teams. The policy allows donors to make both unrestricted and restricted (sportsspecific) gifts to the Nittany Lion Club, with the additional benefit of receiving full credit for the donation from the University.
“We think it’s a policy that meets the needs of donors,” said John Nitardy, interim director of the Nittany Lion Club. “People who want to support a specific sport can do so, and still earn NLC points. Plus, if they want to combine that restricted-giving approach with our longstanding opportunities with unrestricted giving, the resulting approach can make a powerful impact on our programs.”
For example, a donor might choose to make a restricted gift of $2,500 to the women’s volleyball team. As a result, the donor would receive NLC benefits and points for the Honorary Coach level of giving, but would not qualify to purchase tickets or parking for football or men’s and women’s basketball. Still, the donor would have been able to give to their sport of choice and get credit for a $2,500 gift.
In another example, a donor could make a restricted gift of $2,500 to women’s volleyball and an unrestricted gift of $2,500 to the NLC and the Levi Lamb Fund.
The donor would get credit for a $5,000 gift and be eligible to purchase season tickets and parking for football and men’s and women’s basketball at the Honorary Coach level ($2,200-$2,999). For overall recognition, the donor would be recognized at the Honorary Director level ($3,000-$5,999).
Extra giving to a specific sport allows donors to match a personal interest and the accompanying points benefit provides opportunities for things such as specific requests, bowl tickets, basketball seating or other opportunities based on the NLC points system.
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..................................................................................Lasch Football Building Naming Opportunity Anonymous ...............................................................................Intercollegiate Athletics Memorial Scholarship Bill and Lee Beard......................................................................................................Softball Field Naming Gift Robert C. Bonzo .........................Robert D. and Patricia A. Bonzo Intercollegiate Athletics Trustee Scholarship James P. and Nancy A. Burke........................................................Intercollegiate Athletics Trustee Scholarship Merle and Mary Ann Deem..........................Merle and Mary Deem Endowed Women’s Basketball Scholarship in Intercollegiate Athletics Michael A. Delaney ..................................................................Delaney Family Trustee Scholarship in Athletics Michael and Michelina Fink .......................................Fink Family: Michael, Maggi, Michael Rod and Alexandra Women’s Volleyball Endowment Fund Wayne and Stephanie Fulin............................................Wayne and Stephanie Fulin Football Operations Office in Lasch Football Building Steve Garban and Mary Ann Lucas .....................................Steve Garban and Mary Ann Lucas Endowed Fund for Sports Medicine Edward C. and Maureen A. Graham.............................Morgan Academic Support Center for Student Athletics Jeffrey and Sharon Hyde ................................................Hyde Trustee Scholarship for Intercollegiate Athletics Ira M. Lubert.....................................................................................................................Penn State Wrestling Robert and Kim Nielsen.........................................Dr. Robert and Kim Nielsen Primary Care Physicians Office in Lasch Football Building Ronnie R. Stuck ..........................................................................Stuck Family Abilities Program Support Fund Various Donors ....................................................................................................Bradley Football Scholarship Success with Honor
www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 9
Lift fo
Annual effort attracts crowd, raises more than $81
A grueling challenge of 11 events tested 24 four-member teams during the seventh annual Lift for Life earlier this summer in Holuba Hall. While one team (Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman, Josh Hull and Mickey Shuler) emerged as the winners of the competition among Penn State football players, the biggest beneficiary was the Kidney Cancer Association, because the event raised more than $81,000. Photos by Steve Manuel
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or Life
1,000 to battle kidney cancer.
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www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 11
Alum’s Nine Endowments Honor Those Who Have Made an Impact GIVING
Nine times in the past 19 years David Lipson has endowed an athletic scholarship at Penn State, and nine times he’s honored another friend, relative or someone he respects by naming the scholarship in their honor.
He’s serious about his philanthropy and serious about supporting Penn State, but he does it with a little tongue-in-cheek humor, too.
For example, the Kelly P. Conway Men’s and Women’s Golf Scholarship honors a longtime business partner, friend and fellow Penn Stater who, according the Lipson, does not golf well. “When I told Kelly about it, he said the money would’ve been better spent on golf lessons for him,” Lipson said. “He’s not wrong about that, but I’m not sure any amount of money would help. He’s a terrible golfer.”
With his philanthropy, Lipson (’65 Lib) has honored his father, his college roommate, other friends and even Penn State coaches. “I just honestly always thought that scholarships were for honoring people,” Lipson said. “Somebody establishes it in honor of someone else, and then the students get to benefit from it. All the ones I’ve created were because of somebody who deserved to have something done in their honor—and the reaction of all of them has been a little different.”
When student-athletes annually send thankyou annual letters for their scholarships, Lipson forwards the hand-written notes to the people whose names are on the scholarships.
Lipson, 66, works as the CEO of MODA Technology Partners Inc., which provides products and services for automated compliance to pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Before that, he worked as managing director of DSL Associates, which provides executivelevel consulting to the information technology software and services industry. He recently served as chairman of the board of Vita Food Products Inc. His varied and successful career has provided the resources to give back to his alma mater and he does so with regular giving to Intercollegiate Athletics and Penn State Brandywine. Counting contributions to those units of the University and others, he has made 82 gifts worth more than $1.5 million.
He clearly enjoys giving, almost as much as he enjoys tailgating—and an annual allguys excursion to a game at Beaver Stadium that has lasted for four decades.
“This year will be the 41st year,” Lipson said. “We take 10 guys and go up Thursday to play golf. Then we start partying as early as we can. By Monday morning, everybody pays for the fun they had.” Their tailgating approach in general has changed through the years, growing from simple spreads to more elaborate outings. “I’m a professional and so are my friends,” he said. “I don’t have to tell anyone what to bring. I just get out of the way.”
Plus, Lipson enjoys every minute of every home football weekend. “I don’t rush through it Alumnus David Lipson regularly tailgates and has twice attended the Penn State football fantasy camp. (Photos by Steve Manuel) at all,” he said.
His son, Steven, will be a junior at Penn State this fall and that has added another dimension to tailgates the past couple of years—with pre-game attendance reaching 75 or so people. He has also introduced his wife Anita to the process. “I took her up last year to the Illinois game and she was stunned by the Whiteout,” Lipson said. “She went to Rice, so it’s a totally different world to her.”
SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT Intercollegiate athletics endowments created by Penn State alumnus and Nittany Lion Club member David Lipson. Jay V. Paterno Endowed Football Scholarship William “Bill” Kenney Endowed Football Scholarship Bernie and Allen Jacobson Men’s Soccer Scholarship Alan R. Greenbaum Football Scholarship Davis S. Fehr Men’s Soccer Scholarship Joseph A. Sullivan Men’s Basketball Scholarship Rubin Lipson Men’s and Women’s Tennis Scholarship Jon A. Jacobelli Football Scholarship Kelly P. Conway Men’s and Women’s Golf Scholarship
Lipson has attended Penn State’s annual football fantasy camp twice, which allowed him to meet coaches Bill Kenney and Jay Paterno and later prompted him to create scholarships in their names.
Still, his philanthropic approach and its impact have not been overlooked by others. A group of his friends recently created the David “Dirt” Lipson Endowed Athletic Scholarship in his name.
They notified Lipson of the award last fall. That surprise announcement came in front of 200 people at a party, which Lipson had conceived
12 NLC NEWSLETTER / www.nittanylionclub.com
and named “The Celebration of Life.” The black-tie affair was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia—and the surprise scholarship announcement was appropriately timed, because Lipson had envisioned the party for good reason.
“Basically the dinner is to remind my friends and family that even if you stumble once in a while or you have the flu, or whatever, we all have it better than most,” Lipson said. “It’s so when they meet the daily trials and tribulations they don’t overstate it. We just need to keep things in perspective sometimes. That’s why its easy for me to give back and support Penn State.”
Success with Honor
Member Profiles: Reasons Abundant to Support Student-Athletes NITTANY LION CLUB
Lion Loyalty Ben Bronstein (’61) State College
Honorary Coach Chris Washington (’98) Alexandria, Va.
Why I’m a Nittany Lion Club member ... I became a Nittany Lion Club member the year after I graduated in 1961with a contribution to support scholarships for the athletics program, which had given me such pleasure as a student. If the club offered incentive for tickets then, I was not aware of it. If it did, my donation was so small it wouldn’t have gotten me into the parking lot!
Why I'm a Nittany Lion Club member ... Access to football tickets, and knowing our contributions support all of PSU’s athletics programs and participants.
What’s the best part about membership? It’s a tie between the opportunity to get season tickets for football and the satisfaction of supporting scholarships. My favorite Penn State sports are ... football, volleyball (both), basketball (both), soccer (both) lacrosse (both), gymnastics (both), field hockey and wrestling.
My first Penn State sporting event was ... the first football game of my freshman year.
When I attend football games, I park ... in the lots near the Nittany Lion Inn rather than dealing with traffic out of stadium parking after the game, especially because I then always have sporting or other events to attend. When I attend football games, my seats are in section ... EEU.
You know it's a big game when I have ____ on our tailgate menu. I don’t have my own tailgate but am a permanent guest at the “Ultimate PSU Tailgate” hosted by Trustee George Henning and four neighboring friends.
My all-time favorite Penn State football player is ... my classmate Hank Oppermann, captain of the ’60 team my senior year.
The most memorable Penn State sporting event I’ve ever attended was ... the victory over Ohio State that made JoePa the winningest coach in Division I-A football. Best places outside Happy Valley where I have attended Penn State games were ... Fiesta Bowl and Rose Bowl.
My favorite part of being a Nittany Lion Club member, aside from attending games, is ... supporting athletic scholarships—and getting this newsletter, of course!
Success with Honor
My favorite Penn State sports are ... Football, men’s basketball and wrestling.
Lion Loyalty Jeanne Chapkovich (’73) Emmaus, Pa. Why I’m a Nittany Lion Club member ... It’s an opportunity to reach so many deserving student-athletes through one organization. Beyond the club’s mission and purpose, it offers so many benefits to members who want to remain a part of Penn State athletics, and show support for all our teams. No matter if they are winning or losing, they are always giving their best performance and always making us Penn State proud.
What’s the best part about membership? I am able to secure football season tickets each fall! This allows me to invite friends and family along to share a great fall day, often catch up with people I haven't seen for a while. My favorite Penn State sports are ... Football, women’s field hockey, women’s soccer and basketball.
My first Penn State sporting event was ... A football game in 1970—Pittsburgh—cold, sitting in the end zone, very high, blankets gloves and hats, and screaming at the top of our lungs “Go Penn State!”
My first Penn State sporting event was ... Having been born in West Virginia, I spent my formative years a Mountaineer fan, and considered PSU a bitter rival. My family moved to Williamsport when I was in eighth grade, and still I rooted against PSU. In 10th grade, a classmate had an extra ticket to Miami vs. PSU. I was blown away by the traditions and the pageantry. I immediately switched allegiances, and from then on it was PSU all the way!
When I attend football games, I park ... Our parking passes are for on the Visitor Center’s lawn, but if we are tailgating with a group, we can usually be found somewhere behind the ag sciences building.
My all-time favorite Penn State football player ... LaVar Arrington.
Why? He was a physical freak, and a game changer from the LB position. He made the other team change what they wanted to do. And I have to give a shout out to the LaVar Leap!
My all-time favorite Penn State student-athlete from another sport is ... Kerry McCoy
When we attend football games, we park ... in the yellow lot, behind the east stands.
You know it's a big game when we have ____ on our tailgate menu. Asto Spumante, homemade chili, homemade bread and my JoePa teddy bear presiding over the table.
My all-time favorite Penn State football player(s) ... Franco Harris and John Cappelletti. Because they played while I attended PSU. I’d often see them on campus—down to earth, nice guys. They were never tainted later by scandal, just played respectfully and professionally, and stood for what PSU sports is all about.
Why? The guy was a W-I-N-N-E-R, plain and simple.
What’s the best gameday tradition, in any sport, at Penn State? Football pre-game. From the first rat-tat-tat of the Blue Band to the “I play for Penn State” video. I love it all.
The most memorable Penn State sporting event I've ever attended was ... Ohio State vs. Penn State 2005.
My favorite part of being a Nittany Lion Club member, aside from attending games, is ... Helping PSU’s student-athletes, as well as helping to keep PSU athletics self-sustaining.
www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 13
Distinguished Scholar Award Honors 62 Nittany Lions BEHIND THE SCENES
When the 2008-09 academic year ended, the Big Ten Conference recognized a total of 498 student-athletes as the inaugural recipients of the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award.
The list recognizes student-athletes who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year.
A total of 62 Penn State student-athletes—the second-highest total among all conference institutions—were selected for the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award. Those 62 honorees represented 23 different sports, led by women’s track and field/cross country (10), football (7), men’s lacrosse and women’s swimming and diving (5) and field hockey, women’s golf, women's gymnastics and women’s soccer (4).
Six of Penn State’s recipients earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the 2008-09 academic year. They were: ● Gina Bartolacci (Washington Crossing), a finance major on the field hockey team; ● Charles Cimet (East Setauket, N.Y.), an aerospace engineering major on the fencing team; ● Mike Deese (Roswell, Ga.), a kinesiology major on the baseball team; ● Ashley Griffith (Mount Laurel, N.J.), a kinesiology major on the softball team; ● James Pagana (Selinsgrove), a premedicine major on the men’s track and field team; and ● Logan Wyman (Phoenix, Md.), a liberal arts major on the men’s gymnastics team. Also, Pagana was the male recipient of Penn State’s Ernest B. McCoy Award and the Big Ten Medal of Honor for 2008-09.
Swimmers Burn Calories, But Can They Out-Eat an Offensive Lineman? A typical workout by a member of the men’s or women’s swimming team burns thousands of calories and stories about the never-ending appetites of swimmers are commonplace.
But, can a 185-pound swimmer eat more than a 300-pound offensive lineman?
Swimmers Jon Cochran (State College) and Ben Ryan (State College) were confident they could. Offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski (Bridgeville, Pa.) was sure they could not.
So, on a mid-summer Thursday night, they met at Cici’s Pizza in State College for a battle over the buffet that would make Kristine Clark, the University’s director of sports nutrition, cringe.
Bartolacci
Ciment
Deese
Griffith
Pagana
Wyman
Women’s soccer standout Zoe Bouchelle (Cockeysville, Md.) was the female recipient of both honors.
Swimmer Jon Cochrane (right) ate 25 pieces of pizza and teammate Ben Ryan ate 22, but offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski (bottom photos, green shirt) ate 30. All three broke the personal record (21 slices) of former Nittany Lion offensive lineman Gerald Cadogan (bottom right photo).
Before things started, there was a bit of gamesmanship with questions and no-answer responses.
Former Nittany Lion offensive lineman Gerald Cadogan, who accompanied Wisniewski, asked the swimmers how many pieces of pizza they thought they could eat. “I honestly don’t know,” Cochrane said. “A lot. I guess that’s what we’ll find out.”
Each drank only water, and all three stayed away from the pasta-topped pizza (as a strategy to save room for more normal slices). While Cochrane and Ryan started quickly, Wisniewski utilized a slow, steady approach. In the end, Ryan did well, eating 22 slices, and Cochran was impressive, with 25, but Wisniewski easily outdistanced the pair by eating 30 pieces.
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“That’s not something I would normally do, maybe ever do, but it’s hard for me to believe they thought they could out-eat me,” a smiling Wisniewski said afterward. “It just had to be done.” Most impressive, though, all three had 6 a.m. workouts the next morning—and all three completed them without complaint or consequence.
Success with Honor
Blue Sapphire, Majorettes Earn Honors BEHIND THE SCENES
Almost any time of year, the Penn State majorettes put on a good show.
Blue Sapphire PJ Maierhofer (Altoona, Pa.) won the title of “College Miss Majorette of America�—the top individual prize—at the USA and World Twirling Championships held in late July.
On those occasions, they practiced from 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to noon Sundays.
The competition itself took place at the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University at South Bend.
Congratulations! Longtime compliance director John Bove, who capably guided Penn State coaches, student-athletes and teams in regard to NCAA rules, is retiring from the University after 30 years of service.
“There was some pressure because we wanted to represent the Blue Band and Penn State well,� said Also, the entire Penn State Rohrer, a broadcast Touch of Blue twirling team journalism major who placed first in the College worked in the Customer Half Time and Collegiate Dance Twirl competition and PJ Maierhofer and the Blue Band during halftime Relations Center for Intercollegiate Athletics this received the “WOW Award� at Beaver Stadium. (Photo by Steve Manuel) summer, said. “It’s still like for the most entertaining halftime show. Their two-and-a-half minute show gameday at Beaver Stadium because you get that same rush. But instead of entertaining a topped those of teams from Arizona, Florida, crowd you’re competing against other North Carolina State and Purdue. universities.� “It’s a little different from what people see on the With the event at two different campus sites, the field at Beaver Stadium,� said Touch of Blue team was also challenged to get back and forth team member Kelly Rohrer (Canton, Ohio). for its performances and to support and watch “We’re not marching the length of the field. Maierhofer during individual competitions. We’re in a smaller area and there are more Through different parts of the competition, the exchanges and tosses.� routines were repeated over and over, and Rohrer said team members knew they were Team members started practicing for the doing well because of the lack of dropped summer competition in January, spending two batons and just the general feel. “You know hours a week as a group and countless other when you’ve done well because you can feel hours on their individual skills. In the summer, with many team members home or working, they what’s going on around you, but we didn’t want to get overconfident,� she said. “The competition committed to meet for a few intense weekends was tough.� of practice at the University Park campus.
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www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 15
BEHIND THE SCENES
HOOPS HAPPENINGS
A pool party on campus allowed men’s and women’s basketball players to meet young fans (above) while an intimate setup at the Bryce Jordan Center brought a special feel for a reception as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser. (Photos by Mark Selders)
12 Contests Set for Big Ten Network
The Big Ten Network’s fall schedule of Olympic sports coverage includes 12 matches featuring Penn State teams.
The two-time defending women’s volleyball team heads the field with six contests to be shown, while field hockey, and men’s and women’s soccer will each have two of their matches aired.
In addition, the six women’s volleyball contests establish a record in the Big Ten Conference for the most of any team. The squad kicks off the Penn State Olympic sports television schedule with a match at 8 p.m. Sept. 26 at Illinois. The team will have three of its home matches shown from Rec Hall.
The women’s soccer team, in search of its 12th consecutive Big Ten title, has two matches on BTN, both of which will be shown live.
The field hockey team has its sights set on another conference championship and will be showcased in games against Ohio State and Iowa.
The Big Ten Network also will air the conference tournament semifinal and title games for the men’s soccer and field hockey tournaments.
Penn State on BTN Women’s Soccer / Opponent / Airs (ET) at Michigan State -- Noon, Sept. 27 vs. Illinois -- 2 p.m., Oct. 25 Men’s Soccer / Opponent / Airs (ET) at Michigan State -- Noon, Oct. 4 vs. Wisconsin -- 4 p.m., Nov. 1 (tape)
Women’s Volleyball / Opponent / Airs (ET) at Illinois -- 8 p.m., Sept. 26 at Ohio state -- 8 p.m., Oct. 7 at Minnesota -- 2 p.m., Oct. 11 vs. Purdue -- 8 p.m., Oct. 25 (tape) vs. Ohio State -- 7 p.m., Oct. 28 vs. Minnesota -- 8 p.m., Nov. 1 (tape) Field Hockey / Opponent / Airs (ET) vs. Ohio State -- 4 p.m., Oct. 4 (tape) at Iowa -- 8 p.m., Oct. 19 (tape)
Save the Date: Oct. 1, 2009
Basketball Tip-Off at West Shore Country Club / Harrisburg, Pa. Featuring men’s basketball coach Ed DeChellis, a women’s basketball coach and student-athletes from both teams. Cash Bar at 5:30 p.m., Food at 6:15 p.m. Visit www.nittanylionclub.com for details.
16 NLC NEWSLETTER / www.nittanylionclub.com
Notes, Numbers
2: Women’s soccer players who were on teams that won national championships at the 2009 U.S. Youth Championships. They were Maddy Evans (Glenside, Pa.) in the U18 division and Krissy Tribbett (Centennial, Colo.) in U19. 13: Penn State coach Joe Paterno was ranked No. 13 on Sporting News’ list of sports’ 50 greatest coaches of all-time.
14: Final rank of the men’s track and field/cross country team in the John McDonnell Program of the Year standings.
20.5: Length of Rhaiyna Kamille Brown, the daughter born to Lady Lion basketball coach Coquese Washington and husband Raynell Brown on July 23. She weighed seven pounds, five ounces. The couple also has a four-year-old son, Quenton.
Nov. 1: Date of the fourth annual Race for Hope in Philadelphia, and Penn State fans can get involved by supporting former Nittany Lion lacrosse and field hockey standout Deb Andress, who is waging a battle with a brain tumor. Success with Honor
STEP-BY-STEP: Long Snapper Outlines Routine BEHIND THE SCENES
1
When the football team gets in a special teams kicking situation, many fans focus on the punter, place kicker or holder, but those specialists need the team’s long snapper to do his job before they can do their’s. For redshirt senior Andrew Pitz (Bettendorf, Iowa), who earned his undergraduate degree in journalism in May, boasting a 3.93 grade-point average, and who just earned a scholarship for the coming season, the unglamorous work at center on those key plays is a labor of love.
It’s also a labor that requires some specific steps. First (1), Pitz grips the ball with his right hand high atop the laces.
“My grip’s probably been the same since high school,” Pitz said. “I think it just happened by mistake. They wanted people to try out as long snappers and I just grabbed it with one hand and got lucky getting it back there.”
From that point, Pitz was his team’s long snapper. His left hand, with his index finger at the top of the ball instead of the middle (2) is unusual among snappers, but it works for him.
2
which helped improve his accuracy. The head-down stance provides a challenge in terms of blocking, but rules prevent snappers from being hit with their heads down and Pitz knows by where opponents line up where they plan to rush. One final key is a solid follow through (4). When Pitz follows those steps, he usually satisfies several people, among them the coaches and punter Jeremy Boone, who also serves as the holder for place kicks.
“I guess whether it comes down to a good snap or not is up to Jeremy,” Pitz said. “As long as he’s happy, that’s about all that matters.”
3
Ham on Rye with Mustard, Reminders Part of Routine For football games at noon, work in the equipment room for managers and staff begins at 7 a.m., and members of the group enjoy those early starts.
“The morning just moves faster,” Brad “Spider” Caldwell said. “From 9:30, when the team arrives, until about 10, is just chaos.” It’s also fun for Caldwell, who gets butterflies in his stomach and battles a case of the nerves before every game—even though he’s been with the program for more than two decades. “I know I’m not playing but if I didn’t get the butterflies or nerves, I’d feel like I lost my passion for the job.”
After an hour of early morning setup, student managers get breakfast in a nearby dining hall and return with sandwiches for coaches and staff. Coach Joe Paterno eats his—always ham on rye with mustard—during pregame at Beaver Stadium. Caldwell usually only eats one of the dining hall’s famous chocolate chip cookies before the game. He saves his sandwich until afterward. Players know Caldwell best for his mantra on the locker room’s public address system.
After a squad meeting, the team boards the bus, but not before Caldwell chimes in again. “Helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys, helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys,” Caldwell said. “I’m just constantly harping on it because it’s terrible if anyone would forget anything. With traffic, you just can’t get back here, you’re going against the grain.”
“Eventually I just couldn’t pass up a dream, and that was to go to Penn State,” Pitz said. He earned the starting job last season, after taking what he learned from his predecessors and rededicating himself to the challenging and specific skill leading up to the 2008 season.
Success with Honor
Brad Caldwell, Equipment and Facilities Coordinator
“There’s about a half hour left, and it’s all quiet. I tell the guys, ‘OK, look down at your nice black shined shoes, and you should have crew length white socks, and nice clean white paints with knee pads, thigh pads and tail pads,’ ” he said. “I work my way up, helping them with their checklist.”
His skills attracted the attention (and a scholarship offer) from Iowa State, but his mom Barbara, a Penn State alumna, had him singing fight songs almost from birth, so he came to Penn State as an invited walkon instead.
Most importantly, he tightened the width of his stance and flattened the angle at which he held the ball (3) to the ground, both of
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That has happened before, though, and Caldwell has a time-tested solution. “I send our youngest, fastest manager back. He literally sprints across the parking lots to get here and back. But that doesn’t happen very often.”
www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 17
BEHIND THE SCENES
Signs of Success: Colorful Championship Rings Reward Work During the 2008-09 academic year, two Penn State teams earned national championships (fencing, women’s volleyball), another (men’s basketball) won its first national tournament and still another (football) claimed the Big Ten Conference crown and advanced to the Rose Bowl. As rewards for that success, team members earned rings—and they’re proud of what they earned, too.
“We all wear our’s all the time,” said women’s volleyball player Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.). “People told us we wouldn’t, but we do. You can’t miss them, so we get to talk about what we accomplished. That’s pretty nice.”
It’s hard to miss the volleyball rings, for the team’s second consecutive national championship, because they ordered larger, men’s style designs rather than smaller women’s rings. “We did the more feminine rings for the first one,” Glass said. “This time we wanted something big.” Penn State alumnus Greg Albert (’95 Bus) was the Jostens representative who worked with the fencing and women’s volleyball team.
“The women’s volleyball team wanted big, and that’s what they got,” he said. “It’s a lot bigger than their first one.”
Another Penn Stater, former Nittany Lion standout Larry Suhey (’77 Bus), guided the process for Balfour, which worked with men’s basketball and football.
Both companies, and the teams, are bound by some NCAA price guidelines when creating rings—a maximum of $325 each for
18 NLC NEWSLETTER / www.nittanylionclub.com
conference championship rings and $425 for national championship rings. Because of cost, that means the rings are silver, not gold, and jewels in the rings are not diamonds—although they do look wonderful.
Student-athletes have ample input on the ring design, with football seniors, for example, providing much input. And, because both companies do so many rings for so many schools, plenty of potential examples exit.
“The football ring was based on a George ring from a couple of years ago,” Suhey said. “The men’s basketball ring was based on North Carolina’s national championship ring.”
Suhey knows student-athletes cherish the rings as a tangible reminder of their accomplishments. He has his own ring from Penn State’s 1973 Orange Bowl appearance, and he also has a Penn State letterman’s ring.
Who gets a ring, for whatever team’s accomplishment, also provides some intrigue in the process. Because fewer rings made means lower overall costs, teams often try to pare the list of those who receive rings to a minimum. In Suhey’s case, a copy of the list of recipients remains with the company afterward.
“In the past, we’ve had family members, girlfriends or wives call and want to replace a lost ring, and that’s something we can do,” Suhey said. “But, I have had times when someone has called, looking to get a ring made, and I’ll check the list and the person they want it for never got a ring in the first place. It’s always tough to tell someone that what they’ve been told by someone else is not true and, no, that person was not a member of that team or a recipient of a ring.”
Success with Honor
Student-Athletes Share What Their Numbers Mean to Them BY THE NUMBERS
21+
24
10
Jason Yeisley
Jen Miller
Kyle Dawson
A senior forward from Allentown, Pa., Yeisley returns after missing 2007 with an injury. He hopes to play in every game this season.
“The regular season and the conference tournament get it to 21 games and then there’s the NCAA Tournament. It’s incredibly frustrating sitting out with an injury and I just want to get back and play in every game to help the team.
“I’m a forward, so it’s my job to score but at the same time I’m not really worried if I have 20 goals in a season or none. As long as we’re winning and I’m contributing, that’s all that matters.”
“That’s what was so hard about being injured. No one is used to or enjoys sitting out. It’s even hard to watch practice.
“But, hopefully the perspective of seeing the whole field will help me this year. After watching so much, you do get a different feel for the game and I hope that helps me, and helps the team.”
A redshirt senior from North Caldwell, N.J. Miller provides leadership on a team with plenty of upperclassmen.
A sophomore from Downingtown, Pa., Dawson finished 81st last year at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
“Plus, with 18 regular season games, then the conference tournament and nationals, the championship game would be our 24th game of the season. So, 24 makes perfect sense.
“Last year was the first time I’d ever run that distance, and even though you train for it the first time you do it it’s kind of a shock. It’s mentally and physically tough.
“Our teams consists of 20 players and four coaches and we’re going to need everybody working toward a common goal to have a chance at winning the national championship.
“There are ups and downs in any season and, again, that’s why 24 is the right number. It’s going to take all of us to be on the same page, and to encourage each other and have the right chemistry to get through those ups and downs and do what we want to do.
“That approach is part of what makes playing at Penn State special. We’re all holding a rope together. It’s never one of us alone, it’s all 24.”
2009 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date............................Opponent ....................Time (TV) Sept. 5 ...................................AKRON ......................12 p.m. (BTN) Sept. 12 ..............................SYRACUSE ...................12 p.m. (BTN) Sept. 19.................................TEMPLE......................12 p.m. (BTN) Sept. 26..................................IOWA* ...................................8 p.m. Oct. 3....................................at Illinois .....................................TBA Oct. 10................................E. ILLINOIS ...................................TBA Oct. 17 .............................MINNESOTA**........................3:30 p.m. 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 *All-University Day/Varsity ‘S’ Day/Whitehouse **Homecoming Success with Honor
“Our championship distance is 10K, so that’s the most important distance and that’s my number. That’s the distance we train for all year long, even though regular races are 8K.
“During the summer I’m running 93 miles a week and it’ll get up to 100. During the season, that drops to the low to mid-80s.
“If you have people with you when you’re training it helps push you—and that’s really true in the race. During that last part of a 10K you’re happy to have anyone with you, so you can race them and focus on beating them or moving past them to the next person. It doesn’t matter if it’s a teammate or someone else, you just want somebody out there.”
1-800-NITTANY (800-648-8269) Clip n’ Carry
Local calls, 814-863-1000
One number. Your game-day resource. Call for updates on parking and traffic. Call from Beaver Stadium lots or the stadium itself to report problems. The Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics Customer Relations Center—here to serve you! Open from 8 a.m. until one hour after the game ends. Ticket windows at Beaver Stadium open four hours before kickoff.
www.nittanylionclub.com / NLC NEWSLETTER 19
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID The Pennsylvania State University
The Penn State University 157 Bryce Jordan Center University Park, PA 16802
An interactive, all-sports fan club designed exclusively for Penn State fans in the 8th grade or below. For just $25, members get access to VIP special events, an e-birthday card from the Nittany Lion and access to online activities. Plus, members get a Nittany Lion Kids Club backpack to help show their Penn State pride at school, home and other events!
Visit GoPSUsports.com/KidsClub to register.