There aren’t many better ways to honor sports legends than by retiring their numbers. While Penn State Athletics isn’t necessarily in the business of doing so, it never hurts to share some suggestions.

The only number Penn State has retired in recent memory is John Cappelletti’s No. 22. The football legend was a stud at running back for the Nittany Lions and remains to be the program’s only Heisman winner after a dominant 1973 season.

While Cappelletti is clearly a legend in his own right, Penn State certainly has produced several other stars over the years who deserve the honor. With that, here are our picks for which numbers Penn State should consider retiring.

Saquon Barkley, Football (No. 26)

Call it recency bias if you’d like, but Saquon Barkley will forever be considered one of the greatest Penn State football players of all time.

In case you needed a reminder of his dominance, Barkley put up 3,843 rushing yards, 51 total touchdowns, and 1,195 receiving yards over the course of his three-year career in the blue and white. The running back was nearly unstoppable and helped lead the Nittany Lions’ offense to a 2016 Big Ten Championship, a trip to the Rose Bowl, and several other victories that put Penn State back into national prominence.

While other folks might say No. 11 comes to mind, we’ve got No. 26 at the top of the list because it’s truly Barkley’s number. No. 11 offers tradition for Penn State’s star linebackers over the years, such as LaVar Arrington, NaVorro Bowman, Brandon Bell, and Micah Parsons.

When you think of No. 26, you think of the kid from Coplay, Pennsylvania. Penn State should make sure it stays that way.

Wally Triplett, Football (No. 12)

Wally Triplett is one of the most important student-athletes in Penn State history, as his story helped developed the iconic “We Are” chant.

Triplett and Dennie Hoggard were the first Black players to participate in the Cotton Bowl in 1948. The Nittany Lions were set to play SMU in the game, but rumors arose that the two sides met to discuss the possibility of removing the Black student-athletes from the contest. That’s when captain Steve Suhey uttered the now-famous phrase.

“We are Penn State. There will be no meetings.”

Triplett would go on to catch the game-tying touchdown in that contest. Along with that, he was the first Black student-athlete to earn a Varsity letter at Penn State and would go on to be the first Black player to be drafted by an NFL team. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1949.

In the middle of his NFL career, Triplett served multiple years in the United States military during the Korean War.

Triplett’s story clearly speaks for itself. He passed away in November 2018 at the age of 92, and retiring his number would be the perfect way to reiterate his importance to the university.

Britt Eckerstrom, Women’s Soccer (No. 28)

Britt Eckerstrom is considered an all-time goalkeeper for the Nittany Lions, and retiring her number would be a great way to honor all she did for the program.

After redshirting in 2011, Eckerstrom appeared net in every season and was the team’s consistent starter for three successful campaigns. In 2015, Eckerstrom was a co-captain for the Nittany Lions and played a massive role in winning the program’s first and only NCAA Championship.

The Germantown, Maryland native recorded six straight shutouts in the postseason tournament and finished with 15 total on the year. After that memorable senior year, Eckerstrom was awarded the Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award, which is annually presented to a male and female Penn State student-athlete who have successful athletic participation with academic excellence.

Eckerstrom wrapped up her legendary Penn State career with 227 saves and 32 shutouts in 86 appearances. She was picked in the third round of the 2016 NWSL College Draft by the Western New York Flash.

Grant Ament, Men’s Lacrosse (No. 1)

Penn State men’s lacrosse hasn’t been around for as long as some of these other programs, but that doesn’t mean Grant Ament isn’t the team’s GOAT.

From the moment he played his first game in 2016, Ament was a dominant figure for Jeff Tambroni’s high-powered offense. He was named an All-American three times over the course of his career, including a redshirt junior campaign in which ament led the NCAA with 7.41 points per game and 5.65 assists per game.

Even after his redshirt senior season got cut off due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ament leaves Penn State with a conference and program-record 3.48 assists per game along with 284 points.

Ament never got to properly finish off his career after a historic 2019 season, and his legendary No. 1 deserves to be honored by the Nittany Lions.

Megan Hodge, Women’s Volleyball (No. 11)

We’d be remiss not to mention a player from one of Penn State’s most dominant and consistent athletic programs on this list, and Megan Hodge is certainly a solid pick.

Over the course of her Nittany Lion career from 2006 to 2009, Hodge was named a four-time first-team All-American, two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, and even the conference’s Female Athlete of the Year after her final season.

Hodge won three consecutive NCAA Championships with head coach Russ Rose’s squad and was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament in 2007 and 2008. She ranks second in program history with 2,142 career kills and first with 4,714 career attacks.

The outside hitter went on to succeed after Penn State, too. She won a silver medal with the U.S. team in the 2012 Summer Olympics and a gold medal at the 2012 Grand Prix. She was also named the MVP of that tournament.

Michael Mauti, Football (No. 42)

Of all the key figures that stepped up for Penn State football as the program was rocked by the Jerry Sandusky scandal, Michael Mauti will always be one of the most important.

The star linebacker served as the face of the student-athletes alongside Mike Zordich as the pair addressed the media shortly after the NCAA imposed its sanctions.

“This program was not built by one man, and this program sure as hell is not going to be torn down by one man,” Mauti said. “This program was built on every alumni, every single player that came before us.”

Mauti went on to continue his impressive career as a senior in 2011, as the captain made 96 total tackles and three interceptions in just 11 games played. Unfortunately for the New Orleans native, a torn ACL kept him out of the last game of his Penn State career.

In an electric win over Wisconsin at a chilly Beaver Stadium, Penn State’s “bunch of fighters” donned No. 42 stickers on their helmets in honor of Mauti. That was an awesome tribute by Bill O’Brien, but the program should take it one step forward and retire his number.