UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., April 6, 2006 - Coach Joe Paterno will be the featured speaker at the Nittany Lion Club's Blue-White Bash.
Paterno and the 2006 senior football squad members are scheduled to attend the luncheon, which will be held on Saturday, April 22, prior to the Blue-White Game. The NLC event will take place in the Bryce Jordan Center. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and the program begins at 10:30 a.m.
Joe Battista, the new Executive Director of the Nittany Lion Club, and Tim Curley, Director of Athletics, also will speak at the event.
Some of the head coaches from Penn State's six Big Ten Championship squads this year also are scheduled to attend the Blue-White Bash.
The public and Nittany Lion Club members are invited to attend the event. To purchase tickets, call the Bryce Jordan Ticket Center at 1-800-863-3336. Tickets are $20 per person for the program and box lunch. The deadline to reserve tickets is April 14.
In addition to the program, 50 seats to watch the Blue-White Game from the Nittany Lion Club Suite will be drawn at the event.
Beaver Stadium Gates A&B will open for fans at 12:00 p.m. and the popular autograph session with the players will run from 12:30-1:15 p.m. Kickoff is at 2:00 p.m. Stadium parking lots will open at 8 a.m.
As in previous years, there will be no admission or parking fee for the Blue-White Game.
The Blue-White Game will be among numerous activities taking place April 21-22 during "Penn State Blue-White Weekend Presented by PHEAA."
Festivities outside the stadium are scheduled from 6-11 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday:
- Entertainment, musical groups and contests will take place on the student stage west of the stadium, including performances by the Blue Band, the Penn State Cheerleaders and Lionettes Dance Team;
- An area to purchase previously worn Nittany Lion practice and game day gear, such as jerseys and helmets;
- A full carnival with rides, midway games and prizes;
- Clem's and Prospector's BBQ will be available in addition to other carnival fare.
Paterno guided Penn State to an 11-1 record during the 2005 season and the Big Ten and FedEx Orange Bowl titles. In his 41st season as head coach, Paterno was the consensus National Coach of the Year, including his selection as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coach of the Year for an unprecedented fifth time.
The Nittany Lions return 35 letterwinners and 11 starters for the 2006 campaign, which begins Sept. 2 against Akron, the 2005 Mid-American Conference champion, in Beaver Stadium.
Season tickets and Club seats are available for the 2006 season, which will feature seven home games, including the first visit by Michigan since 2001 on October 14.
The athletic ticket office in the Bryce Jordan Center will be open April 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Season football tickets are available and season ticket holders are reminded that the deadline for renewals is May 1. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, interested parties can call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY). For additional information on club seats, call 814-863-3143 and ask for Bob White.
Blue-White Weekend, presented by PHEAA, is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, WTAJ-TV 10 and 3WZ 95.3 FM.