July 11, 2017 UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State Athletics and the Nittany Lion Club said "Thank You" to a very important part of the NLC membership Friday night at a special One Team celebration in Beaver Stadium.
In 2012, more than 10,000 loyal Nittany Lion Club members pledged their "One Team Commitment," a five-year commitment to demonstrate their long-term support for Penn State's 800 student-athletes in 31 sports.
Last Friday, more than 4,000 NLC members and their families gathered on the field of Beaver Stadium on the eve of Happy Valley Jam and were treated to a fun evening celebrating the academic and athletic successes of the Nittany Lions over the past five years.
The One Team event included:
- Personal messages of thanks from student-athletes, Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour, Deputy AD Phil Esten, and ICA staff, including head coaches Sarah Brown, Missy Doherty, Jeff Kamerpsal, Greg Nye and Bob Warming;
- Special appearances by former football student-athletes Jordan Hill, a 2012 co-captain, and Evan Schwan;
- Video messages from James Franklin and 2012 co-captains Michael Mauti and Michael Zordich;
- Videos highlighting the academic and athletic successes Penn State has enjoyed over the years;
- Interactive games, a photo booth, face painting, food and drinks;
- Live musical performances from Adley Stump and David Ray from NBC's The Voice, who also performed during Happy Valley Jam.
"This was a really fun evening, which celebrated the thousands of Nittany Lion Club donors who stepped-up when Penn State needed them most, and have supported our student-athletes each and every year since," said Joe Foley, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Advancement. "It's an honor and pleasure every day to get to meet and know such dedicated and loyal Penn Staters and we thank them for their support and One Team pride."
Since the fall of 2012, Penn State has won eight NCAA Championships and 42 conference titles (31 Big Ten). A total of 22 Nittany Lion student-athletes have earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors the past five years, including five in 2016-17, lifting Penn State's all-time total to 198 honorees, good for No. 4 nationally.
The more than 23,000 Nittany Lion Club members make possible grant-in-aid support for 800 Penn State student-athletes each year and provide funds for comprehensive excellence, including endowments and operational expenses that directly impact students, including academic and medical support.
For information about joining the Nittany Lion Club, call 814-865-9462 or visit GoPSUsports.com and click on the Nittany Lion Club link.