UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Since he became head coach of the Penn State men's
basketball program, Patrick Chambers has spent some time on a golf cart on the
University Park campus passing out shirts while talking to students and fans
leading up to his first season in the fall.
GoPSUsports.com received an invitation from Coach Chambers to tag along
on his trip across campus Thursday morning.The tour of campus included stops for breakfast at the HUB, Rec Hall
(coach's first trip there since 1993) and the Berkey Creamery.
Take a look at our ride with Coach Chambers on the Penn State campus.
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Director of Athletics Tim Curley's Nebraska Welcome Video
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - For the first time since the 1992-'93 athletic
season, the Big Ten Conference will welcome a new member when
Nebraska officially becomes the conference's 12th institution on Friday.
The much-anticipated addition of Nebraska will kick off in the fall, but
when the calendar turns to July on Friday, the Huskers will be a part of the
Big Ten.
For now, though, let's learn a little more about our friends from the
Cornhusker State.The first thing that
comes to my mind when sports fans hear the word Nebraska is Cornhusker
football.Nebraska is synonymous with
great college football tradition.
Former head coach Tom Osborne is a legendary name when it comes to
college football.Osborne, who is now
the athletic director, guided the Huskers for 25 seasons.He won three national titles and amassed an
overall record of 255-49-3.Osborne was
a model of consistency in his quarter century leading the Cornhuskers.His teams never won fewer than nine games and
finished in the AP Top 15 in 24 out of his 25 years.
Nebraska has won five national titles since 1970, which is tied for the
most in college football.The Cornhusker
football program ranks No. 4 on the all-time win list with 837.For those wondering, Michigan is No. 1 (884),
Texas is No. 2 (850), Notre Dame is No. 3 (845) and Ohio State is No. 5 (831).Penn State is No. 6 on the list with 818.
The "Sea of Red" at Memorial Stadium is iconic in college football
lore.The 81,000-seat home of Nebraska
is currently riding an NCAA-record sellout streak of more than 300 games, and
counting.
Needless to say, the Big Ten added a top-tier football program in
Nebraska.Having four of the top seven
football programs of all-time in the same conference puts the Big Ten a step
above the rest.
While Nebraska football may dominate the school's athletic culture, do
not overlook the depth of the athletic department.Nebraska has 21 athletic teams, 12 women's
and nine men's.Numerous Husker teams
have a rich history on the field of play.
The baseball team has been to the College World Series three times this
decade.The Nebraska's men's basketball
squad has made the NCAA Tournament six times, including five in the 1990s.The women's hoops team has been in the
tournament nine times, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2010.
The Big Ten's women's volleyball landscape will change when Nebraska
begins play in the fall.The Huskers
will bring another national power to the conference.Nebraska owns three national titles, all
since 1995, and 11 NCAA Semifinals appearances.
Penn State's most recent match against the Huskers was an epic display
of women's volleyball.The foes met in
the 2008 national semifinals before a crowd in excess of 17,000 in the Qwest
Center in Omaha.The Lions ousted the
Huskers in five sets en route to their second straight national title.
As for the university itself, Nebraska was founded in 1869.The current undergraduate enrollment is
19,383.The main campus is located in
Lincoln, which is the capital city of Nebraska.The population of Lincoln is 251,624, making it the third largest city
in the Big Ten behind Columbus and Minneapolis.
Here is the fall lineup for Penn State clashes with the Cornhuskers:
Sept. 21 - Women's Volleyball -
Penn State at Nebraska
It is fitting that the first conference matchup between the two schools
is a women's volleyball clash.The
four-time defending national champions will open the Big Ten season in Lincoln
on Wed., Sept. 21.
Oct. 14 - Women's Soccer -
Nebraska at Penn State
The first Cornhusker team on the Penn State campus for a Big Ten contest
will be the women's soccer squad.The
Huskers and Nittany Lions will meet on Fri., Oct. 14 at Jeffrey Field.
Oct. 29 - Women's Volleyball -
Nebraska at Penn State
Nebraska will make its first trip to Rec Hall since Sept. 4, 1993 (L,
3-2) on Sat., Oct. 29.The Husker
women's volleyball team has visited Penn State just once in its history.
Nov. 12 - Football - Nebraska at
Penn State
Circle this date on the fall sports calendar.Bo Pelini and the Cornhuskers will make their
first trip to Beaver Stadium since 2002.It will mark their sixth all-time trip to Happy Valley.
Feb. 3 - Wrestling - Penn State
at Nebraska
The defending national champion Nittany Lions will make their initial
Big Ten visit to Lincoln on Fri., Feb. 3.Penn State and Nebraska have met one another 13 times in dual matches
prior to this season.
The Penn State-Nebraska schedule
will increase once the Big Ten releases the basketball schedules.Additionally, the Lions and Huskers will meet
in men's and women's gymnastics, men's and women's tennis, baseball and softball.
Friday begins a new era in Big Ten sports.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Former Florida head coach Urban Meyer has made
the transition to ESPN commentating since he stepped away from coaching after
the Outback Bowl.Meyer was in State
College on Monday afternoon to film a segment for College Football Live with
Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti.
The duo met for nearly an hour in the Lasch Football Building to talk
about leadership, Coach Paterno, the Mauti family and more as part of a series
that will air on College Football Live in July.In addition to Mauti, Meyer and the ESPN crew will feature Andrew Luck
(Stanford QB), Landry Jones (Oklahoma QB), Kellen Moore (Boise State QB),
Don't'a Hightower (Alabama CB) and football athletes at West Point.
While at Florida, Meyer recruited Mauti to play for the Gators.
"I was excited to meet him again and see him again," Mauti said."I remember we talked a lot during my
recruiting process.It was nice to see
him again and catch up."
Meyer chose Penn State as one of his stops on the ESPN leadership series
tour to get a player's input on what it is like to play for college football's
greatest head coach.Among the observers
at the interview were assistant coach Jay Paterno and former quarterback Todd
Blackledge.
"We talked a lot about a player coming into Penn State and working into
Joe's (Paterno) standards," Mauti said."We talked about the type of character guys we need here and that we
have.Basically, setting the bar and
achieving Success With Honor and teaching guys how to do that so that we can
win doing it the right way.And also a
little bit about my family."
The talented linebacker spent a great deal of time telling Meyer that he
has seen a big change in the Nittany Lion locker room and while working out
since the Outback Bowl.
"I have seen guys 'buying in' during workouts," said Mauti after the
ESPN interview."We saw a little bit of
that towards the end of last spring.We
started to see some guys having a little bit more fun.We saw some guys with some more
experience.We know what we did last
year is not the way you get wins.We had
gone back to the grindstone and have been working all summer.We have a lot of guys that know what needs to
be done."
When the squad buys in like it has during the offseason, Mauti thinks the
group has endless potential.
"I think the sky is the limit this season, I really do," Mauti
said."I say that just because how many
leaders we have.Not necessarily guys who
want to stand out in the media.We have
a lot of guys picking people up and guys taking responsibility for themselves
first and then bringing guys with them."
Spring practice showed glimpses of a new mindset for the 2011 squad, and
Mauti is looking forward to preseason camp kicking off in early stages of
August.
"The difference between last year and this year, it's crazy to see,"
Mauti said."It is completely
different.You have guys encouraging
each other and bringing the team together."
As for the team's schedule now, the entire squad is now in town for the
beginning of the second academic session of the summer.
"We run three days a week, two as a team, and we lift three days," Mauti
said."Once the second summer session
begins (Wednesday), we will probably run three days a week and lift two days a
week and have extra workout on the weekends."
Mauti is taking six credits during the second summer session, and he is
on pace to graduate in December.He is
also poised for a breakout junior season on the field.
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By Jeremy S. Fallis, Athletic Communications on June 27, 2011 9:24 AM
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During the months of June and July, Penn State head coach Erica Walsh will be providing photos of Team USA during its time at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. Walsh is serving as an assistant coach for the team, while PSU alum Ali Krieger is the team's starting left fullback. Coach Walsh will be providing photos during her time in Europe.
Recently, the U.S. moved its training headquarters to Germany and are preparing for Tuesday's match against North Korea. Walsh and company have been in Dresden training and attended yesterday's Germany-Canada match in Berlin. The Canada match featured former Nittany Lion Erin McLeod, who started in net for the Canucks.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Television broadcasts are a fixture for Penn
State football, but that has not always been the case.
At least five Penn State football games have been televised in every
season since 1980.Every game during the
past four seasons has been on TV.In
all, Penn State football has appeared on TV sets 303 times under Joe Paterno.
Let's take a look at some of the numbers for Penn State football on TV:
1966 - Penn State made its first TV appearance under Coach Paterno on Nov. 5, 1966 against
Syracuse.The Lions dropped the regional
coverage game by a score of 12-10.
1968 - The Nittany Lions earned their first victory in a televised game
under Coach Paterno on Oct. 12, 1968 at UCLA (21-6).
1980 - Penn State made its first appearance on ESPN on Sept. 20, 1980 in
a 25-9 victory at Texas A&M.Prior
to 1980, the Lions appeared only on ABC and CBS.
303 - The Nittany Lions have made 303 television appearances under Joe
Paterno.
196 - Penn State has compiled a 196-106-1 overall record on TV.
152 - The Lions have made 152 appearances on ABC (87-64-1), which is
more than any other television network.
145 - Penn State has gone 145-81-1 in national TV appearances (52-24 in
regional broadcasts).
70 - Behind ABC, the Lions have appeared on ESPN more than any other
network.In 70 all-time appearances on
ESPN, the Nittany Lions are 52-18 overall and 7-0 in bowl games.
47 - Penn State has played in 47 night games (kickoff after 6 p.m.) on
television.The first primetime
television game came in the 1969 Orange Bowl against Kansas (W, 15-14).The first televised night game at Beaver
Stadium came on Sept. 12, 1987 against Alabama (L, 24-13).
24 - The Nittany Lions are 24-12-1 in televised bowl games since 1966.
21 - Penn State and Ohio State have played one another 21 times on
television (8-13), which is more than any other Penn State opponent.
20 - Behind Ohio State, the Lions have played Pitt on TV on 20 different
occasions.
14 - The Nittany Lions won 14 consecutive games on television stretching
from Nov. 13, 1993 to Sept. 23, 1995.
5 - As we noted last week, there are currently five games on the 2011
schedule with kickoff times and TV plans announced.Look for the plans for the remaining games to
be announced closer to the season and the fall.
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By Jeremy S. Fallis, Athletic Communications on June 23, 2011 8:56 PM
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During the months of June and July, Penn State head coach Erica Walsh will be providing photos of Team USA during its time at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. Walsh is serving as an assistant coach for the team, while PSU alum Ali Krieger is the team's starting left fullback. Coach Walsh will be providing photos during her time in Europe. Recently, the U.S. faced Norway in a tune-up preparing for the June 28 opening match vs. North Korea.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The four-time defending national champion women's
volleyball team will kick off its title defense in just about two months.
It has been a busy news week for the women's volleyball squad.All-American Blair Brown was named Penn
State's Female Athlete of the Year.The
Virginia native was also named one of three finalists for the Honda-Broderick
Cup on Wednesday.Additionally, the 2010
squad was named Big Ten Women's Team of the Year on Monday during the BTN's
yearly awards show.
Although the 2011 schedule has been out for a few weeks, GoPSUsports.com
wanted to take the opportunity to look inside the 30-match slate awaiting head
coach Russ Rose and the Nittany Lions.
Scheduling non-conference matchups after winning four straight national
titles can be a challenge, but the Lions have erected a superb early season
schedule with several challenging matchups lined up.Penn State kicks off the season inside Rec
Hall at the AVCA Showcase with matchups against Oregon (Aug. 26) and NCAA
semifinalist USC (Aug. 27).
Two weeks later, the Nittany Lions will head to Stanford for the Nike
Big Four Volleyball Classic featuring the host Cardinal, Texas and
Florida.The Lions will play Stanford
and either the Longhorns or Gators.Keep
Sept. 9 and 10 circled on the calendar for events in the fall.Penn State knocked off Stanford to win the
2007 and '08 national championships.The
Lions defeated Texas to win the title in 2009 and in the national semifinals in
2010.
The 2011 season will be an exciting one for the Big Ten with the
addition of national power Nebraska.Penn State will open its conference matches in Lincoln, Neb., on Sept.
21 in the first of two matches against the Huskers.Nebraska will make its first visit to Rec
Hall since 1993 on Oct. 29.
The Lions will play 20 Big Ten matches in 2011.Penn State will play everyone in the Big Ten
twice, with the exception of Michigan State (away) and Michigan (home).
In all, Penn State will play 12 teams that competed in the NCAA
Championship last season, including 10 teams ranked in the final AVCA Top 25.The 2011 postseason begins on Dec. 1 and 3
with the first and second rounds to be held on campus sites. The regional
semifinals and finals will take place on Dec. 9 and 10 with Florida, Kentucky,
Hawaii and Minnesota hosting regional competition.The Alamodome in San Antonio will host the
national semifinals and championship on Dec. 15 and 17.
Key Dates on the 2011 Women's
Volleyball Schedule
- Aug. 26-27 - Penn State opens its season at home against Oregon and USC
at the AVCA Showcase
- Sept. 10-11 - Nike Big Four Classic featuring Penn State, Stanford,
Texas and Florida in Palo Alto, Calif.
- Sept. 21 - Penn State opens the Big Ten season at Nebraska.
- Sept. 30 - The Lions host Wisconsin in the first Big Ten home match of
the season.
- Oct. 29 - Nebraska will make its first trip to Rec Hall as a member of
the Big Ten (first overall since 1993).
- Dec. 15, 17 - The NCAA Semifinals and Championship will take place in
San Antonio, Texas.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's basketball coach Patrick
Chambers has been a busy man since he accepted the job on June 3.
Following his introductory press conference on June 6, Coach Chambers
hit the road to visit all of the returning players and incoming recruits and
their families.After traveling more
than 10,500 miles during his first week, Coach Chambers returned to Happy
Valley to kick-start the recruiting process.
He visited CSN Philadelphia on Tuesday evening for a TV interview on "Daily
News Live".On Wednesday morning, Coach
Chambers spoke to the campers gathered at the Bryce Jordan Center during the
final day of the Penn State Basketball Instructional Camp.
He has brought a great deal of energy and excitement to the Penn State men's
hoops program.For those counting, the
season opener is 142 days away.
GoPSUsports.com had the opportunity to catch up ESPN's Jay Bilas at the filming
of "Difference Makers: Life Lessons with Paterno and Krzyzewski" for his
thoughts on the hiring of Coach Chambers.Take a look.
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By Tony Mancuso, Athletic Communications on June 21, 2011 2:54 PM
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - GoPSUsports.com collected comments from Jay
Paterno, Matt Millen, Jay Bilas, Jay Williams and Michael Robinson following
Monday's filming of "Difference Makers: Life Lessons with Paterno and
Krzyzewski" at Eisenhower Auditorium.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Joe Paterno and Mike Krzyzewski are the
benchmarks for success in their respective sports.
Measuring that success goes far beyond wins and losses on the hardwood or
gridiron, too.Those two men have
erected the blueprint for how successful programs in college athletics should
be run.
In front of a crowd of around 1,000 people at Penn State's Eisenhower
Auditorium, Paterno and Krzyzewski shared some of their coaching philosophies, leadership
qualities and stories to shed some light as to what makes the two coaching
icons so unique.
It is hard to believe the invitation-only audience had the opportunity
to witness two coaches on one stage with a combined 1,301 victories and six
national championships, but it's easy to see why these two men will go down as
two of the greatest coaches of all time after spending a few hours listening to
them.
Ironically, though, Paterno and Krzyzewski had never met prior to Monday
in Happy Valley.The two spent lunchtime
together in the Lasch Football Building before making the short drive across
Bigler Road to Eisenhower Auditorium.
When the duo walked into the auditorium through a side door before
heading into a dressing room, it looked as though they had known one another
for decades.The same was true on stage
during the made-for-TV filming.Paterno
and Krzyzewski shared plenty of philosophies on stage, but they also kept
things very lighthearted.
The show, moderated by ESPN's Rece Davis, "Difference
Makers: Life Lessons with Paterno and Krzyzewski" is scheduled to air June
30 at 8 p.m. on ESPN (The show will continue at 9 p.m. on ESPNU).It's something you will not want to
miss.For fans of college sports, the
content was priceless.
Davis was spot-on during his introduction when he said that
Paterno and Krzyzewski account for "everything that is right in college
sports."The coaching legends will
likely go down as the top coaches in their respective sports, but as Coach K said
it is not just winning on the field, it is about winning in life.
"What (Paterno) has been able to do is change how you
teach, without changing the values of how you teach," said Krzyzewski.
Though generations have changed, the standard of excellence has
never wavered for Paterno and Krzyzewski.Coach K joked with the audience that he felt like Coach Paterno's statue
outside of Beaver Stadium should be bigger than it is.
Paterno (45 years) and Krzyzewski (31 years) have been at
Penn State and Duke for a combined 76 years.It is unprecedented for coaches to remain at one institution for that length
of time in the modern era of college athletics.
Tenures stretching more than 30 seasons at one institution
may never happen again.That's what made
Monday's filming of "Difference Makers: Life Lessons with Paterno and
Krzyzewski" so unique.It was an event
that you truly may never see again.
In addition to Paterno and Krzyzewski, former Penn State
athletes Matt Millen and Michael Robinson, along with Duke's Jay Bilas and Jay
Williams, spent time on stage answering questions about the two coaches.
The two coaches seemed to thoroughly enjoy their time
together on stage. After several years
in the making, it was a privilege for Penn State to host such a unique
event.
Joe Paterno and Mike Krzyzewski set the standard for coaching success in
college sports.To see the two living
legends together was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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By Jeremy S. Fallis, Athletic Communications on June 19, 2011 10:41 PM
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During the months of June and July, Penn State head coach Erica Walsh will be providing photos of Team USA during its time at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. Walsh is serving as an assistant coach for the team, while PSU alum Ali Krieger is the team's starting left fullback. Coach Walsh will be providing photos during her time in Europe. Tomorrow, the U.S. faces Norway in a tune up in preparation for the June 28 opening match vs. North Korea.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Football Bowl Association (FBA) released the
upcoming bowl schedule for the 2011 football season on Thursday.
In all, 35 bowl games will be played in 28 different communities.The Big Ten Conference will again have ties
to eight different bowl games this season.Should the conference have eight bowl eligible teams, the Big Ten will
fill spots in a bowl games stretching from the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on
Dec. 27 to the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO on Jan. 2.
Penn State has played in five different bowl games during the past six
seasons.The list includes the Orange
Bowl (2006), Outback Bowl (2007, 2011), Alamo Bowl (2007), Rose Bowl (2009) and
Capital One Bowl (2010).
The Big Ten will be busy on Mon., Jan. 2 with five games, including
three games starting at 1 p.m.The
matchups include three Big Ten-SEC clashes at the Gator, Outback and Capital
One Bowls.Take a look at the full Big
Ten bowl lineup.
2011-'12
Big Ten Bowl Schedule
Date/Time
Bowl
Site
Matchup
Payout
TV
Dec. 27/4:30 p.m.
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
Detroit, Mich.
Big Ten vs. MAC
TBA
ESPN
Dec. 30/10 p.m.
Insight Bowl
Tempe, Ariz.
Big Ten vs. Big 12
$6.7 mil
ESPN
Dec. 31/12 p.m.
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Houston, Texas
Big Ten vs. Big 12
$3.4 mil
ESPN
Jan. 2/12 p.m.
TicketCity Bowl
Dallas, Texas
Big Ten vs. C-USA
$2.2 mil
ESPNU
Jan. 2/1 p.m.
Capital One Bowl
Orlando, Fla.
Big Ten vs. SEC
$9.2 mil
ESPN
Jan. 2/1p.m.
Gator Bowl
Jacksonville, Fla.
Big Ten vs. SEC
$5.4 mil
ESPN2
Jan. 2/1 p.m.
Outback Bowl
Tampa, Fla.
Big Ten vs. SEC
$7 mil
ABC
Jan. 2/5 p.m.
Rose Bowl Game
Pasadena, Calif.
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
$36 mil
ESPN
***Note*** Payouts are combined totals.
Follow the link listed below for the complete bowl schedule.
By Tony Mancuso, Athletic Communications on June 16, 2011 4:00 PM
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The tradition-rich history of Penn State football
makes the program one of the most unique in America.
Penn State football will celebrate its 125th season on the gridiron
during 2011.Over the past 125 years,
the game has evolved tremendously, and so have the uniforms.The Nittany Lions will have a slightly
different look when the take the field on Sept. 3 for the 2011 season.The home jerseys will be entirely blue, including the collar
and sleeves, with
white numerals.The road jerseys will feature the same look
with white jerseys and blue numerals.
Let's take a look through Penn State's 125-year history at the evolution
of the Nittany Lion uniforms.(Special
thanks to GoPSUsports.com reader Randy Iles for the suggestion to look at the
evolution of uniforms.)
The image above is a team photo from Penn State's first football team in
1887.
Mother Dunn, who was a letterwinnner for Penn State from 1903-'06, was
Penn State's first All-American in 1906.
Dexter Very - 1909-'12
Bob Higgins - 1914-'17
Harry Wilson - 1921-'23
John Pincura - 1925-'27
From 1900 to 1930, note the similarities in Penn State's uniforms from the images above.
In the image above, take note of the numerals present on Leon Gajecki's
jersey.Gajecki was a letterwinner for
the Nittany Lions from 1938-'40.
Sam Tamburo - 1945-'48
The most striking differences in the uniform of all-time great Lenny
Moore (letterwinner from 1953-'55) are the much larger numerals, multiple
stripes on the sleeves and blue stripe down the side of the pants.
In Bob Mitinger's (letterwinner from 1959-'61) image, take note of the single stripe around the
sleeve, numerals on the helmet and blue stripe down the side of the pants.
In the color image of Jack Ham (1968-'70), the jerseys do not feature stripes on
the sleeves.Additionally, the stripe
down the side of the pants is no longer present, as well.
The 1973 image of Heisman Trophy winner John Cappelletti shows the blue
numerals on the side of the helmet.
Moving to the late 1970s, the helmet no longer has numerals on the side
in the image of Matt Millen.
1983 Sugar Bowl
Don Graham - 1987 Fiesta Bowl
In the Sports Illustrated cover from 1994, note the blue
striping around the collar and sleeves.
Dan Connor - 2006 Orange Bowl
The 2011 Outback Bowl image of Evan Royster marked the final game with
the striping around the collar and sleeves.
The final image of the uniform history is a look at the 2011 home jersey.
The Penn State uniforms have changed drastically since the initial team
photo in 1887.Nonetheless, the iconic blue
and white helmet, jersey and pant combination has been a part of Penn State
history for well over six decades.Slight alterations with striping and numerals on the helmet have taken
place over time, but the Penn State uniforms, like the program itself, are rich
in tradition.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With the announcement on Wednesday that Penn
State's trip to Lincoln Financial Field for its clash with Temple is slated for
a noon kickoff, the Nittany Lions now have kick times for five games on the
2011 calendar.
Penn State will open the season against Indiana State at noon on
BTN.The highly anticipated week two
clash between the Lions and Alabama is set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC.Penn State will meet Northwestern in Evanston
on Oct. 22 under the lights in the only primetime kickoff of the 2011 season.
Take a look at the full calendar with kick times and TV plans.
2011 Football
Schedule
Date
Opponent
Time
Sept. 3
Indiana State
Noon - BTN
Sept. 10
Alabama
3:30 p.m. - ABC
Sept. 17
at Temple
Noon - ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU
Sept. 24
Eastern Michigan
TBD
Oct. 1
at Indiana
TBD
Oct. 8
Iowa
TBD
Oct. 15
Purdue
Noon - BTN, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU
Oct. 22
at Northwestern
7 p.m. - BTN
Oct. 29
Illinois
TBD
Nov. 12
Nebraska
TBD
Nov. 19
at Ohio State
TBD
Nov. 26
at Wisconsin
TBD
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Fans of college football in Pennsylvania have
waited for this day to come for 11 years.Penn State and Pitt will renew their fierce rivalry on the gridiron in
2016 and 2017.
One of the nation's best matchups will continue on Sept. 10, 2016 in
Pittsburgh.The Panthers will make the
trek to State College on Sept. 16, 2017.It is an exciting day for college football fans.
Penn State has played some of its greatest games against the intra-state
rival Panthers.The Nittany Lions have met
Pitt more than any other school in their history.A rivalry stretching back to 1893, the two
teams have played 96 times.
Let's take a look through some of the numbers in this storied rivalry.
- The teams first met on October 25, 1893, in the first game ever held
at Beaver Field, with the Panthers claiming an 18-6 victory.George Hoskins was the head coach for Penn
State at the time.It was the lone loss
for the Lions during the 1893 season (4-1).At the time, Pitt was known as Western University of Pennsylvania.
- The Nittany Lions played Pittsburgh in the first of seven neutral site
games at Bellefonte in 1900.The Lions
scored a 12-0 victory in front of a crowd estimated at 1,000.The two rivals met at Bellefonte one season
later, with Penn State tallying a 37-0 win.
- Penn State made its first trip to Pittsburgh in 1903, with the Lions
scoring a 59-0 victory over the Panthers.
- From 1903-1930, the Nittany Lions played 28 consecutive road games in
the series with Pittsburgh before the Panthers returned to Happy Valley in
1931.
- Of the 96 all-time meetings between the two teams, just 23 of them
were played at Penn State.The Nittany
Lions own a 17-6 mark at home.
- Pitt leads the series 28-34-4 in games held in Pittsburgh.
- The teams have met seven different times at neutral site (Penn State
leads 5-2).Among the sites that have
played host to Penn State and Pitt games include: Bellefonte (1902, 1903),
Forbes Field (1950), Three Rivers Stadium (1974, 1975, 1976, 2000).
- Penn State and Pittsburgh have met 31 times in the Joe Paterno
era.The Nittany Lions are 23-7-1 in
those games, including an 11-4 mark at home.
- The Nittany Lions are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings between the two
schools.Pitt won the most recent meeting
(2000) by a score of 12-0 at Three Rivers Stadium.
- In case you were wondering, Penn State and Pitt are slated to renew
their rivalry in 1,913 days.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - It has been quite a four-month span for Penn
State head coach and wrestling legend Cael Sanderson.
Since March 1, Coach Sanderson's Nittany Lions claimed the program's
first Big Ten title in Evanston, Ill.The Lions then captured their first NCAA Championship since 1953 with a
superb performance in Philadelphia.Additionally, sophomore Quentin Wright earned an individual national
title with a dominant run at 184 pounds.
Less than one week later, Coach Sanderson was back on the mat, himself,
competing at the Northeast Regional Senior USA Wrestling Freestyle
Championships.A friendly competition
with his Nittany Lions pushed the legend back in action.He said that if the team won a Big Ten title,
he would wrestle at the freestyle championships.
And so he did.
Sanderson wrestled three matches en route to winning the 211-pound
freestyle title in Brockport, N.Y.As a
winner of the senior regionals, Sanderson qualified for the 2011 World Team
Trials on June 9.From there, he decided
to continue his career on the mat.
As was reported by GoPSUsports.com over the weekend, Sanderson went
undefeated at the World Team Trials en route to winning the title at 84
kilograms (185 ½ pounds).In doing so,
Sanderson earned one of seven spots on Team USA's World Championships
roster.He will join by fellow Nittany
Lion Wrestling Club members Jake Varner (96 kg) and Teyon Ware (66 kg) on the
Team USA roster for the World Championships.
What's next for the head coach of Penn State wrestling?
Coach Sanderson will continue preparations for the 2011 World
Championships, which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from Sept. 12-18.If he earns a medal at the world championships,
he will gain a spot in the finals at the Olympic trials next year.
The U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials are slated for April 21-22 at
Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the campus of the University of Iowa.Countries can enter no more than one athlete
per weight class at the Olympics.
Should Sanderson advance at the Olympic trials, he could represent the
United States in London at the 2012 Olympic Games.There will be a total of 344 athletes
wrestling at the Olympics in 18 different medal events.The 2012 Olympic Games run from Aug. 5-12 in
London next summer.
Sanderson won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens,
Greece, at the 84 kg weight class, defeating Eui Jae Moon of South Korea in the
gold medal match.
It is shaping up to be an exciting offseason for Penn State wrestling
fans.Keep an eye on GoPSUsports.com
throughout the summer as we track Coach Sanderson's quest for a medal at the
2011 World Championships in Turkey.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Summer may still officially be eight days away,
but the offseason for Penn State Athletics kicked off on Saturday when the NCAA
Track Championships came to a close.
All 29 Nittany Lion teams are officially done with the 2010-'11 sports
season.It was quite a season for Penn
State, which included two national championships and three Big Ten titles.Throughout the summer, we will revisit some
of the greatest games, performances and select the top men's and women's team
from the 2010-'11 sports campaign.
In addition to the review, we have several events, feature stories and
much more planned for the summer on GoPSUsports.com.However, we want to hear from the Penn State
fans for some of their ideas.
Football season begins in 82 days.In the meantime, what would you like to see on GoPSUsports.com this
summer?Leave comments below or send me
a Tweet @GoPSUTony with ideas for
feature stories, videos and more.
We want to hear from you!
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Boosted by a pair of All-America finishes for the
men's team and a fourth-place effort from 4x400-meter relay at the NCAA Outdoor
Track Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, the Nittany Lion track teams capped
off the 2010-'11 Penn State sports team in a strong fashion.
Beginning on the men's side, redshirt junior Joe Kovacs captured a
third-place finish in the shot put to lead the Nittany Lions at the NCAA Championships
over the weekend.Kovacs, who became an
All-American for the second time, tossed a personal best 62-6.50 in a driving
rain.The mark was the fourth-best throw
in Penn State history, and it ultimately was good for third in the
competition.Kovacs became the eighth
Nittany Lion to earn All-America status in shot put.
Teammate Casimir Loxsom registered a fourth-place effort in the
800-meters in the championship round of the event.Loxsom crossed the line in 1:45.31, bettering
his personal best time by more than one second.He also became the school record holder in the 800-meters with his time
at the track championships.The men's
squad finished 20th in the team standings, marking the highest team finish
since 1993.
For the fourth consecutive season, the Nittany Lion women's 4x400-meter
relay team posted a top four finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.Doris Anyanwu, Shavon Greaves, Ije Iheoma and
Megan Duncan earned All-America status following a season-best 3:30.35 in the
relay event.The Nittany Lions are the
only team to rack up a top four finish in each of the last four seasons.
In addition to the first team All-Americans noted, the Nittany Lions
compiled a total of six Second Team All-Americans (Ninth through 16th place
finishes) over the weekend.
Although the collegiate track season is over, the Nittany Lions will
move on to compete at the USATF Junior and Senior Championships from June 23-26
at the University of Oregon.It was
another strong season for Director and Head Coach of Track and Field Beth
Alford-Sullivan.The Nittany Lions
crowned five individual Big Ten champions during the outdoor season before
sending 34 to the NCAA First Round and 14 to the NCAA Championships.
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Penn State women's soccer had some standout performances by its alumni contingent this weekend all throughout the soccer world.
Schoepfer Scores First WPS Goal, Naeher Picks Up Win for Boston
A graduate in 2009, Katie Schoepfer scored her first professional goal, a seventh-minute marker assisted by Meghan Klingenberg, to lift the Boston Breakers past MagicJack FC, 2-1, on Sunday. Schoepfer's tally helped fellow 2009 Penn Stater, Alyssa Naeher, earn her third win of the season. The victory was crucial for the Breakers after a tough 2-5-1 start. MagicJack was 4-1 entering the contest.
Schoepfer has seen time in five games this year with three starts and 238 minutes played. Naeher has played every minute this season for Boston with nine starts, 53 saves and a shutout.
Other WPS News Joanna Lohman of Philadelphia Independence has played three times this season with two starts. The former NSCAA All-American at PSU is coming off a five-goal, 20-start season in 2010.
Krieger Starts in World Cup Send-Off Win vs. Mexico
Penn State's 2006 alum, who has already earned a spot on the World Cup team for this summer's premier event, started and played the first 45 minutes of a 1-0 victory over Mexico in Harrison, N.J. Lauren Cheney scored in the 92nd minute to seal the U.S. victory thoroughly dominated by the Americans on the scoresheet. The United States out-shot El Tri, 34-4, with a 9-1 corner-kick advantage.
By Tony Mancuso, Athletic Communications on June 5, 2011 1:39 PM
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After being named Penn State men's basketball's
12th leader on Friday evening, head coach Patrick Chambers took a few minutes
to talk with GoPSUsports.com for the first time on Sunday morning.
Coach Chambers cannot wait to get to Happy Valley on Sunday to begin his
career as head coach of the Nittany Lions.He is an energetic person with a superb positive attitude.Coach Chambers could not be more thrilled with
the opportunity to be leading the Penn State men's basketball program.
We wanted the Nittany Lion fans to have an opportunity to get to know
Coach Chambers before he is introduced to the public on Monday.Take a look at GoPSUsports.com's exclusive
conversation.
Q: Firstly, can you talk about
how excited you are when you hear your name as the head coach of Penn State
basketball?
Coach Chambers: "It is a dream come true.I have been a fan.My siblings have gone to Penn State.It has been a long time.When I got into this business, I just kept an
eye out there that maybe, hopefully, one day I would get my shot.To have my name with Penn State University
and all the great coaches - Coach Paterno and Penn State football - it is an
absolute thrill."
Q: What was it about this opportunity
that made you feel like this was a great fit for you and your coaching career?
Coach Chambers: "The Penn State way.I believe in academics.I believe
in graduating my student-athletes.The
Big Ten is great.The area - I am a lot
closer to my family and my wife's family.It is just somewhere that we can anchor and be at for a very long time
when we have success."
Q: Penn State is coming off an
NCAA Tournament, what type of momentum does that give to the program as you
step into the coaching position?
Coach Chambers: "It is going to be a totally different team this year,
so it is a new situation, but I think it gives the players confidence that hey,
this guy has been to the tournament, not only last year, but we went their five
years at Villanova, including a Final Four, an Elite Eight and Sweet
Sixteen.I think the players are going
to see that, and say, 'hey, this guy knows what he is doing and he knows how to
get it done.And, we've got to listen to
him.'I think that is exciting."
Q: Have you thought about what it
will be like to coach in the Big Ten?
Coach Chambers: "Absolutely.I am
excited.I have great respect for every
coach in the Big Ten.I am friendly with
most of the coaches in the conference.It is going to be a great challenge, but myself and my staff, we are
going to be up for it."
Q: In the immediate future, what
types of things are you going to be doing in the next couple months as you take
over the program?
Coach Chambers: "I have already talked to all of the players.I've talked to the current staff.I am going to get out and try to see some of
the players and their families so that they get to know me.We will start building relationships and some
trust.I am going to do some cosmetic
things and add some things to the locker room to make it more family
style.I want to make it more where the
guys want to hang out there and be together.I think that is very important.And we want to hit the ground running with recruiting.We need to get out there and get some players
and we need to see what we have in house and see what our needs are."
Q: You mentioned that you have
talked to the players, what were your impressions of them and what did they
have to say?
Coach Chambers: "I didn't get any type of negative impression from
anyone.Everybody was fired up and
excited.I think most of them did some
research and read the website.They got
a good feel for my history and where I am coming from.They are excited for the new attitude and
some positive energy."
Q: You touched on recruiting
earlier, as well. What types of players do you want to see as Nittany Lions in
the future?
Coach Chambers: "We need to go after some high major players.We need to get some pros and surround them
with some solid four-year players.That
is what we did in Villanova (during the Final Four).We had two pros and some solid four-year
players that understood how you have to work.They were mature men.They also
have to be serious about getting their degrees.That is something that is very important to me.I am very passionate about that.Those are the kids that we are going to go
after. We are going to have to comb, obviously, Philadelphia and the Northeast,
but we are going to comb the country, as well."
Q: As far as coaching style goes,
what type of team can Penn State fans look forward to seeing?
Coach Chambers: "We are going to play up-tempo.We are going to push the ball.We have a great point guard in Tim
Frazier.We need to utilize his speed
and let him make plays.We will give him
some freedom.We will pull it back when
it fits and run some solid sets to get some threes and get to the foul
line.We did a really good job this year
with my Boston team this year shooting and making more free throws than our
opponents attempted.We will defend and
rebound.In the Big Ten, if you don't
defend and rebound, you are going to be in big trouble.We are going to defend and rebound, but we
are going to play an up-tempo style.And
it is going to be a lot of fun for fans to watch."
Q: You have several family
members who graduated from Penn State, have you ever been to a Penn State
football game?
Coach Chambers: "I have been to more than my share.I can't wait.I was actually at the Rose Bowl in (1995) for Penn State's first Rose
Bowl win.I have been to a ton of
games.I am excited to watch the
football team this year."
Q: For you personally, what does
it mean for you to be coaching in Pennsylvania?
Coach Chambers: "It is great.It
is home base. It is where my family is.My mom passed. I know she had
something to do with this.She always
wanted the family to be together.And
now that we are all in the same state again and only a few hours away, I think
it is great for everybody.It is
somewhere I want to be for the next 20 or 25 years."
Q: Finally, what would you like
to say to the Penn State fans?
Coach Chambers: "Come on out.You
are going to see some great basketball and some great attitude, positive energy
and a lot of exciting things.We are
going to play hard. We are going to compete and we are going to make you
proud.So come on out and support these
kids.They have worked so hard all year
long.And they deserve your
support.It is going to be a lot of
fun."
It is an exciting time for Penn State men's hoops.Coach Chambers will be formally introduced on
Monday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. during a press conference at the Bryce Jordan
Center.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Abundant sunshine greeted the more than 350
golfers participating in the 15th Annual Coaches vs. Cancer Celebrity Golf
Tournament held at the Penn State Blue & White Courses on Friday.
The flagship event of the organization created to raise funds year-round
to support the American Cancer Society affected by the disease in Centre County
through the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund (BCAF).Founded by former Penn State basketball coach
Ed DeChellis, Coaches vs. Cancer is guided by a committee of nearly 40
volunteers.
The 2010 golf tournament raised a record total of more than
$210,000.The golf tournament has more
than doubled in size since it began in 1996-'97.In addition to the golf tournament, Coaches
vs. Cancer conducts a year-round calendar of seven events.
This season's outing welcomed a group of celebrities stretching from
Penn State student-athletes and current head coaches to former Nittany Lion
greats from several different sports.Among the faces back in town include, Joe Crispin, Danny Morrissey,
Tyler Smith, Jarrett Stephens and Bruce Parkhill from Penn State basketball.Keith Conlin, Scott Fitzkee, Lydell Mitchell,
Glenn Ressler, Jay Paterno and Galen Hall from Penn State football.Current head coaches Russ Rose, Char Morett,
Bob Warming and John Hargis participated.Jamie Bestwick, X-Games legend and professional BMX bike jumper played
in the golf tournament, as well.
GoPSUsports.com spent some time at the Penn State Blue & White
Courses on the sun-splashed Friday to see the event.We talked to several participants about being
in town for Coaches vs. Cancer.Take a
look.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley
announced on Friday afternoon that Patrick Chambers will be the 12th head coach
of the Nittany Lion basketball program.
Chambers, a Radnor, Pa., native comes to Happy Valley after spending two
seasons as the head coach at Boston University.Chambers led the Terriers to a 21-14 overall mark during the 2010-'11
season, which culminated with an America East Tournament title and a berth into
the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to his stint with Boston University, Chambers spent five seasons
at Villanova, helping the Wildcats earn four NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and a
berth into the 2009 Final Four.Chambers
played college basketball at Philadelphia University (Division II) where he is
the all-time leader in assists.
Fresh off the heels of Penn State's first NCAA Tournament berth, Coach
Chambers joins the Nittany Lion community at an exciting time.The Nittany Lion community will official
welcome Coach Chambers during a press conference on Monday, but GoPSUsports.com
wanted to extend its congratulations and say welcome to the newest member of
the Penn State family.
"I'm looking forward to bringing passion, energy
and enthusiasm to Nittany Lion Basketball," Coach Chambers said. "We will play
a style, and bring an attitude, that Nittany Nation can be proud of."
Today begins an exciting new era for Penn State men's hoops.Please leave your welcome comments for Coach
Chambers below.
Stay tuned for much more on the new leader of Penn State men's
basketball.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The Nittany Lion community officially welcomed Josh Brandwene to Happy Valley
on Wednesday morning when Director of Athletics Tim Curley introduced him as
the first head coach of the women's ice hockey team in the Bryce Jordan Center
Media Room.
Brandwene brings a
wealth of coaching and administrative experience from the international,
collegiate and prep school levels to Penn State.The former Penn State Icer standout defender
returns to Happy Valley after being a member on the 1990 ACHA National
Championship.He remarked at the press
conference that he is thrilled to be back in Happy Valley and lead the first
NCAA women's ice hockey team at Penn State.
The Hershey native and
wife Leona, who is also a Penn State grad, met at the IM building on
campus.The two got engaged at center
ice inside Penn State Ice Pavilion (Greenburg Indoor Sports Complex).
Prior to stepping in
front of the media at the press conference, GoPSUsports.com caught up with
Coach Brandwene for an exclusive first interview.Take a look at our conversation.
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Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony