Welcome back, folks! The holidays are over, your free time is dwindling, and the start of a new semester grows closer by the second. And, while you were kicked back watching football and chowing down on home-cooked meals, you probably weren’t paying attention to everything happening in Happy Valley.

Here’s everything you missed in State College while you were home for winter break:

News

• A former Penn State police officer filed a federal lawsuit against the university, alleging it didn’t comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He seeks more than $75,000 and reinstatement to the department.
• A Johnstown man was arrested after an alleged assault in State College that left another man in critical condition.
• Teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber announced his upcoming tour will make a stop at the Bryce Jordan Center on August 6 next summer.
• Penn State football student assistant Jake Zembiec shaved his luscious mustache following the conclusion of the Nittany Lions’ 2019 season.
• Former Penn State women’s soccer star Ali Krieger married her United States Women’s National Team teammate Ashlyn Harris.
• One Fantasy Football champion donated his winnings to THON after Mike Gesicki’s two-touchdown effort helped him win his championship.
• The Centre County Coroner’s Office found a State College husband and wife who were found dead in their home last month died from cardiac complications.
• Penn State’s Student Programming Association announced it’s bringing rapper B.o.B. and comedian Ronny Chieng to the HUB on Friday, January 17.
• Burglaries, which allegedly took place at three on-campus buildings between December 2 and December 3, were reported in a Timely Warning from Penn State.
• A Penn State sophomore died in a car accident on U.S. Route 322 East near Lewistown last Wednesday.
• THON announced beloved cover band Go Go Gadjet will perform at THON 2020 after a one-year hiatus.

Sports

• Penn State women’s volleyball wrapped up the 2019 season as the No. 7 team in the country.
• Penn State football hired Kirk Ciarrocca, who formerly worked at Minnesota, as its new offensive coordinator.
• Journey Brown, Noah Cain, and Devyn Ford ran circles around No. 17 Memphis in Penn State football’s 53-39 Cotton Bowl win over the Tigers. Standout linebacker Micah Parsons also shined after tallying 14 tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.
• A handful of Nittany Lions including Kevin Givens, Marcus Allen, and Trace McSorley were called up to their respective teams’ active rosters and made their NFL debuts.
• Penn State football parted ways with offensive line coach Matt Limegrover and hired Boston College’s Phil Trautwein to replace him.
• Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields announced he’d return to Penn State for his senior season in 2020, while star receiver KJ Hamler announced he’s leaving Happy Valley to prepare for the NFL Draft.
• Penn State wrestling true freshman Carter Starocci won this year’s Southern Scuffle after entering the tournament seeded sixth.
• Former Penn State men’s basketball star Josh Reaves made his NBA debut in the Dallas Mavericks’ 123-111 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
• Then-No. 21 Penn State men’s basketball took down No. 23 Iowa 89-86 at the Palestra in Philadelphia. Sophomore guard Izaiah Brockington led the team with 23 points in an MVP-level performance. The Nittany Lions, however, dropped a pair of hard-to-swallow losses to Rutgers and Wisconsin to end break on a down note.
• Cael Sanderson revealed Penn State wrestling will be without Anthony Cassar and Kyle Conel for the rest of the season due to injury.
• Former Penn State men’s soccer captain Aaron Molloy was drafted No. 16 overall by the Portland Timbers in the MLS’ SuperDraft.
• Penn State men’s hockey went 3-0 over winter break with two wins over Niagara and a 6-2 victory over Robert Morris at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
• Penn State wrestling defeated Illinois 22-16 in a too-close-for-comfort dual at Rec Hall after nearly a month off the mat on Friday. The Nittany Lions followed that up with a 30-9 win over Northwestern on Sunday.

About the Author

Matt DiSanto

Matt proudly served as Onward State’s managing editor for two years until graduating from Penn State in May 2022. Now, he’s off in the real world doing real things. Send him an email ([email protected]) or follow him on Twitter (@mattdisanto_) to stay in touch.

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