nlc newsletter(summer09)

About the NewsletterVolume 29, No. 4 / Summer 2009U.Ed. ICA-10-27The Nittany Lion Club Newsletter is a quarterlypublication sent to all Nittany Lion Club members.The magazine is published by the Department ofIntercollegiate Athletics.

Nittany Lion Club Web Sitewww.nittanylionclub.com

Official Web Site of Penn State Athleticswww.gopsusports.com

Executive EditorsGreg Myford, John Nitardy

Assistant EditorNikki Potoczny, Mike Milliron

ContributorsPenn State Athletic Communications,Steve Sampsell

PhotographersPenn State Athletic Communications,Steve Manuel, Mark Selders

PrintingThe Printers.com, State College, Pa.

Submit questions or comments to us ...By email at [email protected] phone at (800) 648-8269By mail, letters may be sent to:157 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA16802

PENN STATE ATHLETICSMission StatementConsistent with the University’s mission, theDepartment of Intercollegiate Athletics offers stu-dents exemplary programs that develop scholar-ship, sportsmanship and leadership within theeducational and social environments of the Penn-sylvania State University.

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

NLC Notebook: Changes, Events Help Members ......................3Recipe for Success: Common Courtesy, Mutual Respect ..........4-5Captains’ Challenges: Expectations, Leadership ...............6-7Sanderson Serious: Coach Strives for Success ......................8Photos: Lift for Life ...............................................10-11Donor Profile: David Lipson ........................................12Athletes’ Appetites: Big Eaters in Small Packages...............14Stunning Sapphire: Majorettes Earn Accolades ...................15BTN Business: 12 Olympic Sports Set for Spotlight .................16Step-by-Step: Long Snapper Andrew Pitz ............................17Championship Rings: A Look at Recent Designs .................18

DEPARTMENTSRecent Gift List, 9Member Profiles, 13Notes, Numbers, 16Spider’s Web, 17By the Numbers, 19NCAA Corner, 19

— Inside this Issue —

2 NLC NEWSLETTER // wwwwww..nniittttaannyylliioonncclluubb..ccoomm SSuucccceessss wwiitthh HHoonnoorr

DID YOU KNOW?

17From 1993-94through 2008-09,Penn State earnedmore NCAA teamchampionships (17)than any other school

in the Big Ten Conference. Second-place Minnesota

earned almost half asmany crowns (nine),followed by Iowa

(eight).

401Number of Penn Statestudent-athletes whoearned a grade-pointaverage of 3.0 orhigher during the

spring 2009 semester.Of those, 162 earneda 3.50 GPA or higherto gain dean’s listrecognition. The 162high achievers represented 23.7 percent of all activestudent-athletes.

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

Mail: 157 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA 16802

Ken Cutler,Director of Development

for Athletics,[email protected]

John Nitardy, Director of Major Gifts,

Interim Director of NittanyLion Club, [email protected]

Nikki Potoczny, Assistant Director

of Nittany Lion Club,[email protected]

Bob White, Director of Marketing/

Operations-Suites and ClubSeats, [email protected]

Mark Muhlhauser,Major Gifts Officer,[email protected]

R.J. Gimbl, Major Gifts Officer,[email protected]

Michelle Davidson,Director of Donor

Stewardship and Events,[email protected]

Janine Hawk, Development Assistant,

[email protected]

Mike Milliron, Varsity ‘S’ Development

Coordinator,[email protected]

ON THE COVERField hockey backfield standout AmyBonenberger (Palmyra, Pa.) and women’ssoccer goalie Alyssa Naeher (Seymour,Conn.) are among the handful ofstudent-athletes who serve as captains fortheir teams. (Photo by Mark Selders)

NLC Staff ProfileSandy Watson

Sandy has beenan integral mem-ber of the NittanyLion Club staff fornine years. Herprimary duties aregreeting visitors tothe NLC office andaddressing ques-tions via e-mail and phone. Sandy isyour Nittany Lion Club front line con-tact for all membership and benefitquestions. She resides in Moshannon,Pa., with her husband Doug and herdaughters Lindsey and Jessica.

Staff AssistantsVal Cingle, [email protected]

Jennifer DeAngelo, [email protected] Doyle, [email protected]

Barbra Marsden, [email protected] McKee, [email protected] Spangler, [email protected] Ries, [email protected] Watson, [email protected] Yeaney, [email protected]

www.nittanylionclub.com

SSuucccceessss wwiitthh HHoonnoorr wwwwww..nniittttaannyylliioonncclluubb..ccoomm // NNLLCC NNEEWWSSLLEETTTTEERR 3

NLC NOTEBOOK

Updates, Events Allow NLC to Serve Our Membership

The start of fall sports seasons provides agood time for Nittany Lion Club members toupdate their account contact information.

In an effort to expedite service, and topromote a more environmentally friendlyapproach by reducing the use of paper, allNLC membership and ticketing materials aresent to the e-mail address listed on your NLCaccount.

Having the proper contact information on file

will enable the NLC to better serve you. NLCmembers may update their information easilyand quickly by contacting our CustomerRelations Center at 1-800-NITTANY.

Also, as a reminder, Nittany Lion Clubrecords are separate from those compiled bythe Penn State Alumni Association.

So, even though the Alumni Association hasrecently requested updates for its database,you must also provide updated contact

information to the NLC in order for thatinformation to be correct on your records withus.

Monthly and gameday updates from the NLCare also directed to members’ e-mail addresses.

Information in those resources provide timelyupdates about parking or weather-relatedinformation that might impact travel toBeaver Stadium for football games.

Start of Seasons a Good Time to Update NLC Account Contact Information

Our summer edition of the Nittany Lion ClubNewsletter provides a preview of things tocome in the fall and includes information onchanges with which we need your help as wellas details about completed and upcomingevents.

The first change you’ve probably alreadynoticed is the look of the publication itself.We’ve moved to a slightly more magazine-styleformat with a full-cover photograph and acorresponding cover story. This issue we’refocusing on team captains, and you can findthat story on Pages 6-7.

At the same time, we’ve maintained several ofthe features that earned positive reviews fromNLC members, including By the Numbers withstudent-athletes, member profiles and a fewothers. We’d love to hear what you think of theadditions and changes and we want tocontinually serve you. Please feel free to call oruse [email protected] anddirect comments to us by email.

Such changes are a necessary part of what wedo to serve our members.

We also regularly serve members with events,such as the successful “Evening with Joe”sessions conducted by the Alumni Associationand the Nittany Lion Club this summer. We vis-ited three different cities for the events, andeach was a huge success.

Several NLC chapter events kept the summerbustling as well—and everyone enjoys theopportunity to interact with our coaches andstudent-athletes. For example, baseball coachRobbie Wine (in photo at top right of page) andwrestling coach Cael Sanderson were featuredat the event conducted by the Central Pa. NLCChapter.

In the coming weeks, we’ll have some specialevents for our members.

That includes:� a football preview Sept. 2with the Delaware Valley NLCChapter in Trevose, Pa., and� a basketball preview Oct. 1with the Central Pa. NLCChapter in Harrisburg.

Information about both may befound online—or, again, feelfree to call. Please keepchecking online for informationand updates about futureevents in a town near you.

Our one-stop number to helpyou remains 1-800-NITTANY,and our Customer RelationsCenter does an excellent jobhelping anyone who calls witheverything from eventinformation to ticketing details.

We also need your help in acouple of key areas.

First, if you have not done so already, pleasetake time to get in touch with us andupdate the contact information on your NLCaccount. Having correct e-mail addresses andother contact information enables us to passalong necessary account information andtimely updates—especially gamedayinformation for football—in the most efficientmanner.

Second, as we get ready for the start of fallsports seasons, football always gets a lot ofattention. We hope it gets your attention, too.When more than 100,000 people converge onBeaver Stadium—bringing the Greatest Showin College Football to life—we all need to worktogether to ensure an enjoyable and safeopportunity. We appreciate your help tailgatingthe Penn State Way so you and everyonearound you can enjoy the games.

One other change has been made in giving tothe NLC. Specifically, we’ve implemented asports-specific giving opportunity (see Page 9)that allows people to designate a gift to aspecific sport and still receive NLC points fortheir donation.

It’s truly a great time for Penn StateIntercollegiate Athletics, and that’s in large partthe result of your support. We truly appreciatethe time and treasure you invest in our 29varsity sports programs. We’ve found successon the court and field, and we’ve found evenmore success in the classroom. As anotheryear begins, we plan to keep up the goodwork. Thanks again for your support!

We Are ... Penn State!

John Nitardy, Interim Executive DirectorNittany Lion Club

Baseball coach Robbie Wine visited the Central Pa. event this summer.


MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Almost everybody who makesthe pilgrimage to BeaverStadium on Saturdays in the fallhas a favorite recipe and sometraditions.

In terms of food, Penn Statersproudly share everything fromappetizers to main dishes anddesserts with their fellowtailgaters and visitors tocampus. Also, many of thosewho return to the stadium eachweek do so following time-tested routines—and theirexperiences around thestadium include many activitiesthat they have repeated foryears.

The festivities, food andfriendliness combine toaccurately demonstrate the joysof Happy Valley as the result ofthe collective effort of morethan 100,000 people eachSaturday.

In recent years, that collectiveeffort has made Penn State amodel for efficiency, recyclingefforts and responsibility astailgaters have used free bagsfor trash and recyclables andseparated their garbage, making the cleanup processeasier after the game andkeeping thousands of poundsof materials out of the landfill.

Tailgaters have also respondedwell to the policy implementedin 2006 that prohibited alcoholat tailgate parties in the lotsaround stadium between kick-off and the finalwhistle.

An ongoing request from IntercollegiateAthletics for tailgaters in grass lots is that theyuse plastic beverage bottles and containersinstead of glass whenever possible. The use ofplastic—especially in grass lots used forintramural sports—can help with recyclingwhile enhancing safety for Penn State studentswho later use those same fields.

“All Penn Staters can take pride in creating anatmosphere that promotes enjoyment andresponsibility. It is, without a doubt, all part ofthe Greatest Show in College Football,” saidJohn Nitardy, interim executive director of theNittany Lion Club. “We all play a part in makingevery Saturday special, the Penn State Way.”

“We need everyone to work with us to ensurethat continues. With more than 100,000 peoplecoming for every game and even more peoplearound the stadium area, we need to worktogether to keep everyone safe and makeSaturdays enjoyable for everyone.”

Areas of concern as the season begins centeron possible traffic congestion, because of threenoon starts at the beginning of the season, andkeeping many areas in parking lots clear forpotential access by emergency vehicles.

“It’s all a matter of everyone working togetherand practicing that common courtesy-mutualrespect approach,” Nitardy said. “Peoplecertainly want to have a good time, and wewant people to enjoy gameday, but in all thelots around the stadium we have to maintain

access routes for emergencyvehicles. We have to keep theaisles and roadways clear.

“At the same time, because ofthe noon starts, almost every-one will be arriving for those firstthree games at about the sametime. We encourage people tobe patient with the process. Forlater kicks, arrival times getspaced out a bit more.”

Early season games also oftenprovide an opportunity for Nittany Lion Club members toshare their tickets with friends,making it possible for some whowould not regularly attend PennState games to visit during theLabor Day weekend or justenjoy an early season non-conference game.

That’s a wonderful opportunityfor those who cannot regularly

attend, and something to keep in mind for fansmore accustomed to making the trip.

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

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

“We hope that everyone will enjoy theirtailgating and respect the enjoyment of othersaround them on football Saturdays at BeaverStadium,” Nitardy said.

Recipe for Success—Common Courtesy, Mutual Respect

An area of concern for Penn State officials, and necessary cooperation with tailgaters aroundBeaver Stadium, centers on access between rows of vehicles. In case of an emergency, cloggedroutes (top photo) provide no room for emergency vehicles. Tailgaters can find room for enjoyment without completely blocking those routes, though (bottom photo).

“All Penn Staters cantake pride in creating an

atmosphere thatpromotes enjoyment and

responsibility. It is,without a doubt, all partof the Greatest Show in

College Football.”— John Nitardy

Gameday concerns or questions?

1-800-NITTANY


MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Reminder: No Smoking in StadiumIn accordance with PennsylvaniaState Law, which took effect forthe Blue-White Game in April andreceived strong support from fans,smoking is no longer permittedinside the perimeter fence ofBeaver Stadium.

The law and corresponding policyat the stadium prohibit smokinganywhere inside the stadium.

Penn State is stepping upeducation through increasedsignage and enforcement efforts. Patrons who violate the law bysmoking, but who follow theinstructions of stadium staff will be

issued a warning for firstoffenses. If violators fail to complywith the instructions of stadiumstaff, they will be removed fromthe stadium.

A second failure to comply withthis law will result in removal fromthe stadium and ultimately mayresult in loss of ticket privileges.

The law, the Clean Indoor Air Act,enacted in 2008, names theDepartment of Health as the Com-monwealth agency responsible forimplementing the regulationsthrough education and enforcement.

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. Thepopular series also made a stop in Arlington, Va.

(New York City photos by Dorothy Hong)(Lehigh Valley photos by Kate Morgan)

Create your own

PENN STATE LEGACYPlanned Giving Seminar

8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. / Saturday, Nov. 7The Penn Stater, Senate Room

(Continental breakfast provided.)

Since 1959 members of the Nittany Lion Club have supported PennState Athletics with annual gifts and endowments for scholarships andfacilities. At times, the commitment to naming an endowment mayseem to be a stretch or impossible with a cash gift. However, there areopportunities for donors of all levels to be able to create their legacy bysupporting Penn State Athletics. For more information, please contactthe Office of Major Gifts at (814) 863-GIFT (4438).

You may RSVP for the Seminar by e-mail [email protected]


COVER STORY

Oh Captains,Our CaptainsTeam captains putleadership into practice,represent University wellMonths before the women’s soccer teamconducted its first practice as it prepared tochase a 12th consecutive Big Ten Conferencechampionship this fall, team members wereworking on one of the most important aspectsof the season.

They wanted to take care of business early.

“We met every Thursday during the spring foran hour,” coach Erica Walsh said. “We broughtthem all in together and talked about scenariosand situations. Everybody shared, even the coaches, and we all putourselves out there.”

Likewise, the women’s volleyball, field hockey and football teams madesome key personnel decisions long before their seasons began.

Those decisions resulted in the naming of team captains, often (but notalways) as the result of team votes. The decisions produced someinteresting results.

For example, for the first time, the women’s soccer team has just onecaptain, instead of two, while the field hockey team has selected threestudent-athletes as captains.

Football features two of the team’s best-known and most accomplishedstudent-athletes on campus as captains, the result of a team vote, whilefour women’s volleyball players were anointed by the coach at the endof last season.

While every team uses a slightly different approach, they all hope todetermine a set of captains who will serve as effective leaders,bolstering the team during competition and providing perspective forcoaches and teammates at other times.

With a senior-heavy roster, the women’s soccer team worked during itsoff-season with the entire group and discussed leadership during thoseweekly meetings. In the sessions the coaches and players shared whatthey thought were their personal strengths and weaknesses.

They also talked about leadership and shared examples of what theythought were good and bad leadership styles and specific incidents.

“Those sessions were kind of telling, watching their body language, howthey interacted with each other, how they interacted with us, how willingthey are to put themselves out there,” said Ann Cook, an assistantcoach for the women’s soccer team. “There’s something aboutleadership in a college setting that’s very self-deprecating. The kids thatmake the best leaders are the ones who are willing to be made fun ormake fun of themselves.

“We tried to create a safe environment, so the ones who werecomfortable doing that could make fun of themselves.”

Every senior member of the team who participated in the sessions gotmultiple votes as a captain, but one student-athlete was the obviousselection.

Senior goalie Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) received so many votesthat clearly determining a second captain was a matter of splitting hairsamong almost everyone else. So, the coaches decided to go with justNaeher.

“Alyssa has so much respect from everyone on the team that’s it’s hardto question anything about her,” Walsh said. “She’s got a great mind forthe 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 actionsand intentions—a full package of intangibles to their teams. They wantleaders by example, and they also want student-athletes comfortablemaking a vocal statement either with their voice or their style of play.

That’s why it’s sometimes easier to spread the workload of captaincyover few student-athletes—some of whom might organize more thanothers, some of whom might earn more playing time than others andsome of whom who might talk more than others.

Coaches rely on their captains for things such as in-game pep talks andan upbeat attitude to positive peer pressure away from competition interms of classroom work and team rules.

“The most important thing that the good captains have had in the past isthat they have confidence. They’re not worried about their game andtheir role on the team,” said field hockey coach Char Morrett. “They’revery secure in their position, even if it’s not as the biggest star of theteam, and secure in their talents. They can pass that confidence andpride onto their younger teammates.”

Most coaches agree votes conducted by team members usually yieldresults they expect or would’ve made themselves.

Goalie Alyssa Naeher was selected as the lone captain for the women’s soccer team. (Photo by Mark Selders)


COVER STORY

Although coach Russ Rose names the women’s volleyball captains, thegoals remain the same—and the players clearly understand theapproach, and its ultimate goals.

“Each person has a different role and each of the captains sometimeshas different responsibilities—things that maybe one of us is better atthan another,” said Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.), a senior captain for thewomen’s volleyball team who appreciates Rose’s forthright manner,something that transfers to his student-athletes and the way they act asleaders.

“He’ll tell you right up if he thinks you need to do a better job. He’s clearabout his expectations and he’s honest and direct about ourresponsibilities as captains. I think it’s good. When you have people whoaren’t doing exactly what they should be doing, it shouldn’t be a secret.”

No matter the style, the approaches and respective captains have beendoing their jobs well for fall sports teams in recent seasons becausethey’ve helped spur the women’s volleyball team to consecutive nationalchampionships, the women’s soccer team to 11 conferencechampionships in a row, the field hockey team to two conference crownsin the past four years and the football team to a 40-11 record since thestart 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) hasalready been selected to serve as a captain for both teams and she’sonly 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 trackcoach Beth Alford-Sullivan. “Someone like Bridget just demands respectbecause of her work ethic and accomplishments. She’s a good leader,too.”

Student-athletes chosen as captains feel honored to be selected by theirteammates and bring different approaches to what they do. Coachescount on them to have a better feel for the attitude and pulse of theirteammates, but that requires more than just showing up at practices.

The three field hockey team captains split the team in thirds for thesummer and each stayed in contact with six or seven teammates inparticular, on “training teams” to make sure everyone was doing theiroff-season work and would show up to the start of preseason camp inshape.

“We organized the work, but we also found out how everyone’s summerwas going, what was going on in their lives,” said senior field hockeycaptain Amy Bonenberger (Palmyra, Pa.). “It was a good way to stay intouch, and stay focused.”

Both coaches and student-athletes acknowledge that a team’sleadership comes from more than just its captains—especially on teamswith plenty of upperclassmen or overall talent—but the captains do set atone. And they do determine how well the entire team accepts orresponds to input from multiple leaders.

Again, it’s a matter of personal honesty, even with little issues, that canhelp set a tone. That’s why quarterback Darryl Clark (Youngstown, Ohio)

has worked on certain parts of his game during the off-season in orderto benefit the team.

“I have to learn to live to fight another down,” said Clark about runningthe ball and fighting to gain extra yardage on play. “I’ve had threeconcussions already in my career, and I have to watch that. You have tobe tough out there, but you have to be smart.”

All coaches would take smart and tough from their team captains, andmost seem to have just that with their respective squads—and theindividual leaders—at Penn State.

Those student-athletes display determination and humility with anappropriate level of talent and skill.

“It’s a huge honor to be voted into that position. It’s a big responsibilitythat I’m really excited about,” Naeher said. “Being a leader, tough, ismore how you go about what you do than what you actually dosometimes.

“You have to be thinking about other people, too. It’s a huge honor to bea captain, and it’s great that people want to put their trust in me but it’smore than just me and we need to always be working to get better andmove forward—as a team.”

Alisha Glass is one of four captains—all of whom were informed of their roles by coachRuss Rose—for the women’s volleyball team. (Photo by Mark Selders)

“The most important thing that the good captains havehad in the past is that they have confidence.”

—Char Morrett, field hockey coach


Sixty-six days after he was introduced as PennState’s 12th wrestling coach, Cael Sandersonsat in his still-spartan office in Rec Hall andacknowledged he had a lot to do in the comingweeks.

“I’ve got to do some shopping, and get moreblue and white things,” Sanderson said. “Plus,we’ve got to find a house.”

Sanderson, the wrestling legend who compileda 159-0 collegiate record and won four nationalchampionships at Iowa State and earned anOlympic gold medal in 2004, was introducedas Penn State’s coach April 20 andimmediately went to work.

His presence bolstered attendance at PennState’s wrestling camps, while he completedhis commitment and conducted similar summercamps at his alma mater.

He started recruiting, adding student-athletesfor the 2009-10 season at Penn State—amongthem Iowa State transfer Cyler Sanderson, hisbrother, and David Taylor, a four-time Ohiostate champion who compiled a 180-2 recordin high school—and securing several earlycommitments for his first full recruiting class in2010-11.

Through some workouts, Sanderson evenstarted evaluating which members of the PennState wrestling team “live the lifestyle” and“love to train.”

He also celebrated his 30th birthday on June20.

All that left precious littletime for him to do thingssuch as decorate his office(other than a couplepictures of his wife Kellyand son Tate) or refill a closet of clothes thatbecame pretty bare once he pared everythingcardinal 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 Iheard was good and every day here has beenwonderful. It’s a great place. I’m lookingforward to exploring the outdoors here, hikingand fishing, getting my son out—and there willbe time for that. At the same time, we’re justgetting ready for the job we have to do.”

For Sanderson, known for his perfection as awrestler and clearly driven by an internal firethat craves success and understands the worknecessary to reach that level, the move toPenn State was simple—even if it meantleaving Iowa State.

That’s because he knows what he wants.

“The goal is always a national championship,”Sanderson said. “Everybody points to ushaving 10 wrestlers qualify for nationals eachof our three years at Iowa State, and that’sgreat, but there’s still more. Even with mychampionships and the Olympics, my goal is ateam national championship. I think we can dothat here. And it’s not going to take very long.”Sanderson also knows the type of student-

athletes he wants to help him achieve his goal.They’ll appreciate the academic opportunitiesat the University, bring a good attitude ingeneral and be driven for success themselves.

“If a kid’s goal is to be a four-year starter, that’snice, but it’s not really the goal we want,”Sanderson said without sounding dismissive ordramatic. “We want guys who want to benational champions.”

He wants team members with an attitude andcharacter—characteristics he believes meanmore than sheer talent. In addition, he thinks itwould be easy to err on the side of attitudeover a skill set in many cases when recruiting.

“I don’t think people change, or that you’regoing to change who a person is,” Sandersonsaid. “So if a kid isn’t a good kid, and isn’tdriven himself, he’s probably not the kind of kidwe want.”

In determining those attributes while recruiting,Sanderson often evaluates a potential student-athlete’s family. Especially his mother. “I’m abig believer in a tough mom,” he said. “Mymom loves us, but you never went to herlooking for sympathy.”

BEHIND THE SCENES

So-Focused Sanderson Readyto Get Settled, Start Season

Cael Sanderson talks with media members (above) and two young participants at Penn Statewrestling camp (right). He now anticipates the start of the season. (Photos by Mark Selders)

Reserve 2009-10 wrestling season tickets.

1-800-NITTANY


A recently created policy allows Penn Statesupporters to make donations to a specificvarsity sports team and earn Nittany Lion Clubpoints for their contributions.

According to the policy, donors may designatea specific sport for their support—an optionthat has not always existed in the past.

While the policy does not provide full NLCbenefits for sports-specific gifts, it does allowdonors to target their gifts, creating flexibilityfor them and necessary support for thespecified teams. The policy allows donors tomake both unrestricted and restricted (sports-specific) gifts to the Nittany Lion Club, with theadditional benefit of receiving full credit for thedonation from the University.

“We think it’s a policy that meets the needs ofdonors,” said John Nitardy, interim director ofthe Nittany Lion Club. “People who want tosupport a specific sport can do so, and stillearn NLC points. Plus, if they want to combinethat restricted-giving approach with ourlongstanding opportunities with unrestrictedgiving, the resulting approach can make apowerful impact on our programs.”

For example, a donor might choose to make arestricted gift of $2,500 to the women’svolleyball team. As a result, the donor wouldreceive NLC benefits and points for theHonorary Coach level of giving, but would notqualify to purchase tickets or parking forfootball or men’s and women’s basketball. Still,the donor would have been able to give to theirsport of choice and get credit for a $2,500 gift.

In another example, a donor could make arestricted gift of $2,500 to women’s volleyballand an unrestricted gift of $2,500 to the NLCand the Levi Lamb Fund.

The donor would get credit for a $5,000 giftand be eligible to purchase season tickets andparking for football and men’s and women’sbasketball at the Honorary Coach level($2,200-$2,999). For overall recognition, thedonor would be recognized at the HonoraryDirector level ($3,000-$5,999).

Extra giving to a specific sport allows donors tomatch a personal interest and theaccompanying points benefit providesopportunities for things such as specificrequests, bowl tickets, basketball seating or otheropportunities based on the NLC points system.

GIVING

We are pleased to announce these gifts and pledges of$25,000 and above to our “For the Future: TheCampaign for Penn State Students.” We sincerely thankthe donors who, through their generosity, made theseimportant funds a reality.

Donors Scholarship/Naming OpportunityAnonymous..................................................................................Lasch Football Building Naming OpportunityAnonymous ...............................................................................Intercollegiate Athletics Memorial ScholarshipBill and Lee Beard......................................................................................................Softball Field Naming GiftRobert C. Bonzo .........................Robert D. and Patricia A. Bonzo Intercollegiate Athletics Trustee ScholarshipJames P. and Nancy A. Burke........................................................Intercollegiate Athletics Trustee ScholarshipMerle and Mary Ann Deem..........................Merle and Mary Deem Endowed Women’s Basketball Scholarship

in Intercollegiate Athletics Michael A. Delaney ..................................................................Delaney Family Trustee Scholarship in AthleticsMichael and Michelina Fink .......................................Fink Family: Michael, Maggi, Michael Rod and Alexandra

Women’s Volleyball Endowment FundWayne and Stephanie Fulin............................................Wayne and Stephanie Fulin Football Operations Office

in Lasch Football BuildingSteve Garban and Mary Ann Lucas .....................................Steve Garban and Mary Ann Lucas Endowed Fund

for Sports MedicineEdward C. and Maureen A. Graham.............................Morgan Academic Support Center for Student AthleticsJeffrey and Sharon Hyde ................................................Hyde Trustee Scholarship for Intercollegiate AthleticsIra M. Lubert.....................................................................................................................Penn State WrestlingRobert and Kim Nielsen.........................................Dr. Robert and Kim Nielsen Primary Care Physicians Office

in Lasch Football BuildingRonnie R. Stuck ..........................................................................Stuck Family Abilities Program Support FundVarious Donors ....................................................................................................Bradley Football Scholarship

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

New Sports-Specific Giving Plan Provides NLC Benefits

10 NLC NEWSLETTER //wwwwww..nniittttaannyylliioonncclluubb..ccoomm SSuucccceessss wwiitthh HHoonnoorr

Lift for LifeAnnual effort attracts crowd, raises more than $81,000 to battle kidney cancer.

Photos by Steve Manuel

A grueling challenge of 11 eventstested 24 four-member teams duringthe seventh annual Lift for Life earlierthis summer in Holuba Hall. While oneteam (Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman,Josh Hull and Mickey Shuler) emergedas the winners of the competitionamong Penn State football players, thebiggest beneficiary was the KidneyCancer Association, because the eventraised more than $81,000.


Lift for LifeAnnual effort attracts crowd, raises more than $81,000 to battle kidney cancer.


Alum’s Nine Endowments HonorThose Who Have Made an Impact

GIVING

Nine times in the past 19 years David Lipsonhas endowed an athletic scholarship at PennState, and nine times he’s honored anotherfriend, relative or someone he respects bynaming the scholarship in their honor.

He’s serious about his philanthropy andserious about supporting Penn State, but hedoes it with a little tongue-in-cheek humor, too.

For example, the Kelly P. Conway Men’s andWomen’s Golf Scholarship honors a longtimebusiness partner, friend and fellow Penn Staterwho, according the Lipson, does not golf well.

“When I told Kelly about it, he said the moneywould’ve been better spent on golf lessons forhim,” Lipson said. “He’s not wrong about that,but I’m not sure any amount of money wouldhelp. He’s a terrible golfer.”

With his philanthropy, Lipson (’65 Lib) hashonored his father, his college roommate, otherfriends and even Penn State coaches.

“I just honestly always thought thatscholarships were for honoring people,” Lipsonsaid. “Somebody establishes it in honor ofsomeone else, and then the students get tobenefit from it. All the ones I’ve created werebecause of somebody who deserved to havesomething done in their honor—and thereaction of all of them has been a littledifferent.”

When student-athletes annually send thank-you annual letters for their scholarships, Lipsonforwards the hand-written notes to the peoplewhose names are on the scholarships.

Lipson, 66, works as the CEO of MODATechnology Partners Inc., which provides prod-ucts and services for automated compliance topharmaceutical manufacturing companies.Before that, he worked as managing director ofDSL Associates, which provides executive-level consulting to the information technologysoftware and services industry. He recentlyserved as chairman of the board of Vita FoodProducts Inc.

His varied and successful career has providedthe resources to give back to his alma materand he does so with regular giving toIntercollegiate Athletics and Penn StateBrandywine.

Counting contributions to those units of theUniversity and others, he has made 82 giftsworth more than $1.5 million.

He clearly enjoys giving, almostas much as he enjoystailgating—and an annual all-guys excursion to a game atBeaver Stadium that has lastedfor four decades.

“This year will be the 41st year,”Lipson said. “We take 10 guysand go up Thursday to play golf.Then we start partying as earlyas we can. By Monday morning,everybody pays for the fun theyhad.”

Their tailgating approach ingeneral has changed throughthe years, growing from simplespreads to more elaborateoutings. “I’m a professional andso are my friends,” he said. “Idon’t have to tell anyone whatto bring. I just get out of theway.”

Plus, Lipson enjoys everyminute of every home footballweekend. “I don’t rush through itat all,” he said.

His son, Steven, will be a juniorat Penn State this fall and thathas added another dimensionto tailgates the past couple ofyears—with pre-gameattendance reaching 75 or sopeople. He has also introducedhis wife Anita to the process.“I took her up last year to theIllinois game and she wasstunned by the Whiteout,”Lipson said. “She went to Rice,so it’s a totally different world toher.”

Lipson has attended PennState’s annual football fantasy camp twice,which allowed him to meet coaches BillKenney and Jay Paterno and later promptedhim to create scholarships in their names.

Still, his philanthropic approach and its impacthave not been overlooked by others. A groupof his friends recently created the David “Dirt”Lipson Endowed Athletic Scholarship in hisname.

They notified Lipson of the award last fall. Thatsurprise announcement came in front of 200people at a party, which Lipson had conceived

and named “The Celebration of Life.” Theblack-tie affair was held at the FourSeasons Hotel in Philadelphia—and thesurprise scholarship announcement wasappropriately timed, because Lipson hadenvisioned the party for good reason.

“Basically the dinner is to remind my friends andfamily that even if you stumble once in a whileor you have the flu, or whatever, we all have itbetter than most,” Lipson said. “It’s so whenthey meet the daily trials and tribulations theydon’t overstate it. We just need to keep things inperspective sometimes. That’s why its easy forme to give back and support Penn State.”

Intercollegiate athletics endowments created by Penn Statealumnus and Nittany Lion Club member David Lipson.

Jay V. Paterno Endowed Football ScholarshipWilliam “Bill” Kenney Endowed Football ScholarshipBernie and Allen Jacobson Men’s Soccer Scholarship

Alan R. Greenbaum Football ScholarshipDavis S. Fehr Men’s Soccer Scholarship

Joseph A. Sullivan Men’s Basketball ScholarshipRubin Lipson Men’s and Women’s Tennis Scholarship

Jon A. Jacobelli Football ScholarshipKelly P. Conway Men’s and Women’s Golf Scholarship

SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT

Alumnus David Lipson regularly tailgates and has twice attended the PennState football fantasy camp. (Photos by Steve Manuel)


NITTANY LION CLUB

Member Profiles: Reasons Abundant to Support Student-AthletesLion LoyaltyBen Bronstein (’61)State College

Why I’m a Nittany Lion Clubmember ...I became a Nittany Lion Clubmember the year after I graduated in 1961witha contribution to support scholarships for theathletics program, which had given me suchpleasure as a student. If the club offeredincentive for tickets then, I was not aware of it.If it did, my donation was so small it wouldn’thave gotten me into the parking lot!

What’s the best part about membership?It’s a tie between the opportunity to get seasontickets for football and the satisfaction ofsupporting 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 thandealing with traffic out of stadium parking afterthe game, especially because I then alwayshave sporting or other events to attend.

When I attend football games, my seats arein 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 Henningand four neighboring friends.

My all-time favorite Penn State footballplayer is ...my classmate Hank Oppermann, captain of the’60 team my senior year.

The most memorable Penn State sportingevent I’ve ever attended was ...the victory over Ohio State that made JoePathe winningest coach in Division I-A football.

Best places outside Happy Valley where Ihave attended Penn State games were ...Fiesta Bowl and Rose Bowl.

My favorite part of being a Nittany LionClub member, aside from attending games,is ...supporting athletic scholarships—and gettingthis newsletter, of course!

Honorary CoachChris Washington (’98)Alexandria, Va.

Why I'm a Nittany Lion Club member ...Access to football tickets, and knowing ourcontributions support all of PSU’s athleticsprograms and participants.

My favorite Penn State sports are ...Football, men’s basketball and wrestling.

My first Penn State sporting event was ...Having been born in West Virginia, I spent myformative years a Mountaineer fan, andconsidered PSU a bitter rival. My family movedto Williamsport when I was in eighth grade,and still I rooted against PSU. In 10th grade, aclassmate had an extra ticket to Miami vs.PSU. I was blown away by the traditions andthe pageantry. I immediately switchedallegiances, and from then on it was PSU allthe way!

When I attend football games, I park ... Our parking passes are for on the VisitorCenter’s lawn, but if we are tailgating with agroup, we can usually be found somewherebehind the ag sciences building.

My all-time favorite Penn State footballplayer ...LaVar Arrington.

Why?He was a physical freak, and a game changerfrom the LB position. He made the other teamchange what they wanted to do. And I have togive a shout out to the LaVar Leap!

My all-time favorite Penn State student-ath-lete from another sport is ... Kerry McCoy

Why?The guy was a W-I-N-N-E-R, plain and simple.

What’s the best gameday tradition, in anysport, at Penn State?Football pre-game. From the first rat-tat-tat ofthe Blue Band to the “I play for Penn State”video. I love it all.

The most memorable Penn State sportingevent I've ever attended was ...Ohio State vs. Penn State 2005.

My favorite part of being a Nittany LionClub member, aside from attending games,is ... Helping PSU’s student-athletes, as well ashelping to keep PSU athletics self-sustaining.

Lion LoyaltyJeanne Chapkovich (’73)Emmaus, Pa.

Why I’m a Nittany Lion Club member ...It’s an opportunity to reach so many deservingstudent-athletes through one organization. Beyond the club’s mission and purpose, it offers so many benefits to members who wantto remain a part of Penn State athletics, andshow support for all our teams. No matter ifthey are winning or losing, they are alwaysgiving their best performance and alwaysmaking us Penn State proud.

What’s the best part about membership?I am able to secure football season ticketseach fall! This allows me to invite friends andfamily along to share a great fall day, oftencatch up with people I haven't seen for awhile.

My favorite Penn State sports are ...Football, women’s field hockey, women’ssoccer and basketball.

My first Penn State sporting event was ...A football game in 1970—Pittsburgh—cold, sitting in the end zone, very high, blanketsgloves and hats, and screaming at the top ofour lungs “Go Penn State!”

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, homemadebread and my JoePa teddy bear presiding overthe table.

My all-time favorite Penn State footballplayer(s) ...Franco Harris and John Cappelletti. Becausethey played while I attended PSU. I’d often seethem on campus—down to earth, nice guys.They were never tainted later by scandal, justplayed respectfully and professionally, andstood for what PSU sports is all about.


Distinguished Scholar Award Honors 62 Nittany LionsBEHIND THE SCENES

When the 2008-09 academic year ended, theBig Ten Conference recognized a total of 498student-athletes as the inaugural recipients ofthe Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award.

The list recognizes student-athletes who haveearned a minimum grade-point average of 3.7or higher for the previous academic year.

A total of 62 Penn State student-athletes—thesecond-highest total among all conferenceinstitutions—were selected for the Big TenDistinguished Scholar Award.

Those 62 honorees represented 23 differentsports, led by women’s track and field/crosscountry (10), football (7), men’s lacrosse andwomen’s swimming and diving (5) and fieldhockey, women’s golf, women's gymnasticsand women’s soccer (4).

Six of Penn State’s recipients earned a perfect4.0 grade point average during the 2008-09academic 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 fencingteam;� 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 pre-

medicine major on the men’s track and fieldteam; and� Logan Wyman (Phoenix, Md.), a liberal

arts major on the men’s gymnastics team.

Also, Pagana was the male recipient of PennState’s Ernest B. McCoy Award and the BigTen Medal of Honor for 2008-09.

Swimmers Burn Calories, But CanThey Out-Eat an Offensive Lineman?A typical workout by a member of the men’s orwomen’s swimming team burns thousands ofcalories and stories about the never-endingappetites of swimmers are commonplace.

But, can a 185-pound swimmer eat more than a300-pound offensive lineman?

Swimmers Jon Cochran (State College) and BenRyan (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 atCici’s Pizza in State College for a battle over thebuffet that would make Kristine Clark, theUniversity’s director of sports nutrition, cringe.

Before things started, there was a bit ofgamesmanship with questions and no-answerresponses.

Former Nittany Lion offensive lineman GeraldCadogan, who accompanied Wisniewski, askedthe swimmers how many pieces of pizza theythought they could eat.

“I honestly don’t know,” Cochrane said. “A lot. Iguess that’s what we’ll find out.”

Each drank only water, and all three stayed away from the pasta-toppedpizza (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, andCochran was impressive, with 25, but Wisniewski easily outdistancedthe pair by eating 30 pieces.

Swimmer Jon Cochrane(right) ate 25 pieces of

pizza and teammate BenRyan ate 22, but offensive

lineman StefenWisniewski (bottom

photos, green shirt) ate30. All three broke thepersonal record (21

slices) of former NittanyLion offensive lineman

Gerald Cadogan(bottom right photo).

“That’s not something I would normally do, maybe ever do, but it’s hardfor me to believe they thought they could out-eat me,” a smilingWisniewski said afterward. “It just had to be done.”

Most impressive, though, all three had 6 a.m. workouts the nextmorning—and all three completed them without complaint orconsequence.

Bartolacci

Women’s soccer standout Zoe Bouchelle(Cockeysville, Md.) was the female recipient ofboth honors.

Deese

Griffith Wyman

Ciment

Pagana


BEHIND THE SCENES

men’s basketball ad

Blue Sapphire, Majorettes Earn HonorsAlmost any time of year, thePenn State majorettes puton a good show.

Blue Sapphire PJMaierhofer (Altoona, Pa.)won the title of “CollegeMiss Majorette of America”—the top individualprize—at the USA andWorld TwirlingChampionships held in lateJuly.

Also, the entire Penn StateTouch of Blue twirling teamplaced first in the CollegeHalf Time and CollegiateDance Twirl competition andreceived the “WOW Award”for the most entertaininghalftime show. Their two-and-a-half minute showtopped those of teams from Arizona, Florida,North Carolina State and Purdue.

“It’s a little different from what people see on thefield at Beaver Stadium,” said Touch of Blueteam member Kelly Rohrer (Canton, Ohio).“We’re not marching the length of the field.We’re in a smaller area and there are moreexchanges and tosses.”

Team members started practicing for thesummer competition in January, spending twohours a week as a group and countless otherhours on their individual skills. In the summer,with many team members home or working, theycommitted to meet for a few intense weekendsof practice at the University Park campus.

On those occasions, theypracticed from 5 to 9 p.m.Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Saturdays and 9 a.m. tonoon Sundays.

The competition itself tookplace at the University ofNotre Dame and IndianaUniversity at South Bend.

“There was some pressurebecause we wanted torepresent the Blue Band andPenn State well,” saidRohrer, a broadcastjournalism major whoworked in the CustomerRelations Center forIntercollegiate Athletics thissummer, said. “It’s still like

gameday at Beaver Stadium because you getthat same rush. But instead of entertaining acrowd you’re competing against otheruniversities.”

With the event at two different campus sites, theteam was also challenged to get back and forthfor its performances and to support and watchMaierhofer during individual competitions.Through different parts of the competition, theroutines were repeated over and over, andRohrer said team members knew they weredoing well because of the lack of droppedbatons and just the general feel. “You knowwhen you’ve done well because you can feelwhat’s going on around you, but we didn’t wantto get overconfident,” she said. “The competitionwas tough.”

Congratulations!Longtime compliancedirector John Bove,who capably guidedPenn State coaches,student-athletes andteams in regard toNCAA rules, is retiringfrom the University after 30 yearsof service.

PJ Maierhofer and the Blue Band during halftimeat Beaver Stadium. (Photo by Steve Manuel)


BEHIND THE SCENES

Save the Date: Oct. 1, 2009Basketball Tip-Off at West Shore Country Club / Harrisburg, Pa.

Featuring men’s basketball coach Ed DeChellis, a women’s basketball coachand student-athletes from both teams.

Cash Bar at 5:30 p.m., Food at 6:15 p.m.Visit www.nittanylionclub.com for details.

Notes, Numbers

2: Women’s soccer players who were onteams that won national championships atthe 2009 U.S. Youth Championships. Theywere Maddy Evans (Glenside, Pa.) in the U18division and Krissy Tribbett (Centennial,Colo.) in U19.

13: Penn State coach Joe Paterno wasranked No. 13 on Sporting News’ list ofsports’ 50 greatest coaches of all-time.

14: Final rank of the men’s track andfield/cross country team in the JohnMcDonnell Program of the Year standings.

20.5: Length of Rhaiyna Kamille Brown,the daughter born to Lady Lion basketballcoach Coquese Washington and husbandRaynell Brown on July 23. She weighed sevenpounds, five ounces. The couple also has afour-year-old son, Quenton.

Nov. 1: Date of the fourth annual Race forHope in Philadelphia, and Penn State fanscan get involved by supporting former NittanyLion lacrosse and field hockey standout DebAndress, who is waging a battle with a braintumor.

12 Contests Set for Big Ten NetworkThe Big Ten Network’s fall schedule of Olympicsports coverage includes 12 matches featuringPenn State teams.

The two-time defending women’s volleyballteam heads the field with six contests to beshown, while field hockey, and men’s andwomen’s soccer will each have two of theirmatches aired.

In addition, the six women’s volleyball contestsestablish a record in the Big Ten Conference forthe most of any team. The squad kicks off thePenn State Olympic sports television schedulewith a match at 8 p.m. Sept. 26 at Illinois. Theteam will have three of its home matchesshown from Rec Hall.

The women’s soccer team, in search of its 12thconsecutive Big Ten title, has two matches onBTN, both of which will be shown live.

The field hockey team has its sights set onanother conference championship and will beshowcased in games against Ohio State andIowa.

The Big Ten Network also will air theconference tournament semifinal and titlegames for the men’s soccer and field hockeytournaments.

Penn State on BTNWomen’s Soccer / Opponent / Airs (ET)

at Michigan State -- Noon, Sept. 27vs. 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. 26at Ohio state -- 8 p.m., Oct. 7at 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)

HOOPS HAPPENINGSA pool party on campus allowed men’s and women’s basketball

players to meet young fans (above) while an intimate setup at theBryce Jordan Center brought a special feel for a reception as part of

the Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser. (Photos by Mark Selders)


STEP-BY-STEP: Long Snapper Outlines RoutineBEHIND THE SCENES

Brad Caldwell,Equipmentand Facilities Coordinator

Ham on Rye with Mustard,Reminders Part of Routine

When the football team gets in a specialteams kicking situation, many fans focus onthe punter, place kicker or holder, but thosespecialists need the team’s long snapper todo his job before they can do their’s.

For redshirt senior Andrew Pitz (Bettendorf,Iowa), who earned his undergraduatedegree in journalism in May, boasting a3.93 grade-point average, and who justearned a scholarship for the comingseason, the unglamorous work at center onthose key plays is a labor of love.

It’s also a labor that requires some specificsteps.

First (1), Pitz grips the ball with his righthand high atop the laces.

“My grip’s probably been the same sincehigh school,” Pitz said. “I think it justhappened by mistake. They wanted peopleto try out as long snappers and I justgrabbed it with one hand and got luckygetting it back there.”

From that point, Pitz was his team’s longsnapper. His left hand, with his index fingerat the top of the ball instead of the middle(2) is unusual among snappers, but it worksfor him.

His skills attracted the attention (and ascholarship offer) from Iowa State, but hismom Barbara, a Penn State alumna, hadhim singing fight songs almost from birth, sohe came to Penn State as an invited walk-on instead.

“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, aftertaking what he learned from his predecessors and rededicating himself tothe challenging and specific skill leading upto the 2008 season.

Most importantly, he tightened the width ofhis stance and flattened the angle at whichhe held the ball (3) to the ground, both of

which helped improve his accuracy.The head-down stance provides achallenge in terms of blocking, but rulesprevent snappers from being hit with theirheads down and Pitz knows by whereopponents line up where they plan to rush.

One final key is a solid follow through (4).When Pitz follows those steps, he usuallysatisfies several people, among them thecoaches and punter Jeremy Boone, whoalso serves as the holder for place kicks.

“I guess whether it comes down to a goodsnap or not is up to Jeremy,” Pitz said. “Aslong as he’s happy, that’s about all thatmatters.”

1 2

3

4

For football games at noon, work in the equipmentroom for managers and staff begins at 7 a.m., andmembers 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 caseof the nerves before every game—even though he’sbeen with the program for more than two decades.“I know I’m not playing but if I didn’t get the butterfliesor nerves, I’d feel like I lost my passion for the job.”

After an hour of early morning setup, studentmanagers get breakfast in a nearby dining hall andreturn with sandwiches for coaches and staff. CoachJoe Paterno eats his—always ham on rye withmustard—during pregame at Beaver Stadium. Caldwell usually only eats one of the dining hall’sfamous chocolate chip cookies before the game. Hesaves his sandwich until afterward.

Players know Caldwell best for his mantra on thelocker room’s public address system.

“There’s about a half hour left, and it’s all quiet. I tellthe guys, ‘OK, look down at your nice black shinedshoes, and you should have crew length white socks,and nice clean white paints with knee pads, thighpads and tail pads,’ ” he said. “I work my way up, helping them with their checklist.”

After a squad meeting, the team boards the bus, butnot before Caldwell chimes in again. “Helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys, helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys,” Caldwell said. “I’m just constantly harping onit because it’s terrible if anyone would forget anything.With traffic, you just can’t get back here, you’re goingagainst the grain.”

That has happened before, though, and Caldwell hasa time-tested solution. “I send our youngest, fastestmanager back. He literally sprints across the parkinglots to get here and back. But that doesn’t happenvery often.”


BEHIND THE SCENES

Signs of Success: Colorful Championship Rings Reward WorkDuring the 2008-09 academic year, twoPenn State teams earned nationalchampionships (fencing, women’svolleyball), another (men’s basketball)won its first national tournament andstill another (football) claimed the BigTen Conference crown and advanced tothe Rose Bowl.

As rewards for that success, teammembers earned rings—and they’reproud of what they earned, too.

“We all wear our’s all the time,” saidwomen’s volleyball player Alisha Glass(Leland, Mich.). “People told us wewouldn’t, but we do. You can’t missthem, so we get to talk about what weaccomplished. That’s pretty nice.”

It’s hard to miss the volleyball rings, for the team’ssecond consecutive national championship, because they ordered larger, men’s style designsrather 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) wasthe Jostens representative who worked with thefencing and women’s volleyball team.

“The women’s volleyball team wanted big, andthat’s what they got,” he said. “It’s a lot biggerthan their first one.”

Another Penn Stater, former Nittany Lion standoutLarry Suhey (’77 Bus), guided the process forBalfour, which worked with men’s basketball andfootball.

Both companies, and the teams, are bound by some NCAA priceguidelines when creating rings—a maximum of $325 each for

conference championship rings and$425 for national championship rings.Because of cost, that means the ringsare silver, not gold, and jewels in therings are not diamonds—although theydo look wonderful.

Student-athletes have ample input onthe ring design, with football seniors, forexample, providing much input. And,because both companies do so manyrings for so many schools, plenty ofpotential examples exit.

“The football ring was based on aGeorge ring from a couple of yearsago,” Suhey said. “The men’s

basketball ring was based on North Carolina’snational championship ring.”

Suhey knows student-athletes cherish the ringsas a tangible reminder of their accomplishments.He has his own ring from Penn State’s 1973Orange Bowl appearance, and he also has aPenn State letterman’s ring.

Who gets a ring, for whatever team’saccomplishment, also provides some intrigue inthe process. Because fewer rings made meanslower overall costs, teams often try to pare the listof those who receive rings to a minimum. InSuhey’s case, a copy of the list of recipientsremains with the company afterward.

“In the past, we’ve had family members,girlfriends or wives call and want to replace a lostring, and that’s something we can do,” Suheysaid. “But, I have had times when someone hascalled, 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 bysomeone else is not true and, no, that person was not a member of thatteam or a recipient of a ring.”


BY THE NUMBERS

Student-Athletes Share What Their Numbers Mean to Them

21+Jason Yeisley

A senior forward from Allentown,Pa., Yeisley returns after missing2007 with an injury. He hopes toplay in every game this season.

“The regular season and the conferencetournament get it to 21 games and thenthere’s the NCAA Tournament. It’sincredibly frustrating sitting out with aninjury and I just want to get back and playin every game to help the team.

“I’m a forward, so it’s my job to score butat the same time I’m not really worried if Ihave 20 goals in a season or none. Aslong as we’re winning and I’mcontributing, that’s all that matters.”

“That’s what was so hard about beinginjured. No one is used to or enjoyssitting out. It’s even hard to watchpractice.

“But, hopefully the perspective of seeingthe whole field will help me this year.After watching so much, you do get adifferent feel for the game and I hope thathelps me, and helps the team.”

10Kyle Dawson

A sophomore from Downingtown,Pa., Dawson finished 81st lastyear at the NCAA Cross CountryChampionships.

“Our championship distance is 10K, sothat’s the most important distance andthat’s my number. That’s the distance wetrain for all year long, even thoughregular races are 8K.

“Last year was the first time I’d ever runthat distance, and even though you trainfor it the first time you do it it’s kind of ashock. It’s mentally and physically tough.

“During the summer I’m running 93 milesa week and it’ll get up to 100. During theseason, that drops to the low to mid-80s.

“If you have people with you when you’retraining it helps push you—and that’sreally true in the race. During that lastpart of a 10K you’re happy to haveanyone with you, so you can race themand focus on beating them or movingpast them to the next person. It doesn’tmatter if it’s a teammate or someoneelse, you just want somebody out there.”

24Jen Miller

A redshirt senior from NorthCaldwell, N.J. Miller providesleadership on a team with plentyof upperclassmen.

“Our teams consists of 20 players andfour coaches and we’re going to needeverybody working toward a commongoal to have a chance at winning thenational championship.

“Plus, with 18 regular season games,then the conference tournament andnationals, the championship game wouldbe our 24th game of the season. So, 24makes perfect sense.

“There are ups and downs in any seasonand, again, that’s why 24 is the rightnumber. It’s going to take all of us to beon the same page, and to encourageeach other and have the right chemistryto get through those ups and downs anddo what we want to do.

“That approach is part of what makesplaying at Penn State special. We’re allholding a rope together. It’s never one ofus alone, it’s all 24.”

Clip n’ Carry

1-800-NITTANY(800-648-8269)Local calls, 814-863-1000

One number. Your game-day resource.Call for updates on parking and traffic. Call from BeaverStadium lots or the stadium itself to report problems.

The Penn State Intercollegiate AthleticsCustomer 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.

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 .....................................TBAOct. 10................................E. ILLINOIS ...................................TBAOct. 17 .............................MINNESOTA**........................3:30 p.m.Oct. 24................................at Michigan ...................................TBAOct. 31 ............................at Northwestern .......................4:30 p.m.Nov. 7.................................OHIO STATE...................................TBANov. 14 .................................INDIANA .....................................TBANov. 21...........................at Michigan State...............................TBA*All-University Day/Varsity ‘S’ Day/Whitehouse**Homecoming

2009 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

The Penn State University157 Bryce Jordan CenterUniversity Park, PA 16802

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDThe PennsylvaniaState University

An interactive, all-sports fan club designed exclusively for Penn State fansin 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 onlineactivities. 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.

nlc newsletter(summer09)

Documents

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