One last draft to close out the year.

If you’re a loyal reader of Onward State, you’d know that throughout the year we’ve been doing these drafts as a fun way of compiling our favorite things about Penn State. To end the school year, we decided to get together and draft our favorite buildings on campus.

To start, take a look at the entire draft board below before hearing from each team captain.

Team Mikey

This was a draft that I actually wouldn’t have minded having a slightly lower pick. In my opinion, there were at least three or four solid options to take with 1.1, but of those options, Beaver Stadium felt like the best one. So much of Penn State’s school spirit and energy revolves around that building.

After missing out on Old Main, I decided to go with the HUB, another centerpiece of campus with student practicality and a great lawn to go with it. Next, I picked the Alumni Center building, which is one of my favorite buildings on campus from an aesthetic perspective, even if I’ve never been inside. The pond is great too.

Next up was Jeffery Field, an underrated place to go watch a Nittany Lions’ sporting event, followed up by the Arboretum, which isn’t really a building but my fellow drafters allowed it. I wrapped it up with the Sparks Building, which is one of the nicer academic buildings on campus in terms of architecture.

Team Michael

Beaver Stadium was the clear No. 1 pick, so when I was given the second pick, I immediately crossed it off my list. I went to the next best sports venue at Penn State at No. 2 in Rec Hall. Volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling, and even basketball are held there. It also serves as a recreational gym, all while being a historic arena that epitomizes the scene of college sports. After being there for many games at Rec Hall, I’m very proud of this pick.

In the second round, I took the Berkey Creamery. Some might not consider it a true Penn State building, but there are classes held there and some amazing ice cream in there, making it pretty unbeatable. In the next two rounds, I pulled neighboring buildings to my team. Willard is home to the new Bellisario Media Center, which is beautiful and the perfect place for communications students to get work done. Carnegie is the true home to the College of Communications and also where Onward State’s meetings are, so I was ecstatic to add these good vibes to my squad in round four.

After some deliberation, the other drafters and I decided East Halls counted as one pick, rather than individual residence halls, so I said, “Why not?” and selected the area. In the last round, I went with the lovely Panzer Stadium, home to Penn State lacrosse. 

Team Aidan

I’ll admit it, this was my worst performance of the year. With my first-round pick, I opted to stray away from the Bryce Jordan Center but somehow forgot about my favorite building associated with Penn State, Old Main. I still think that Pegula Ice Arena was a good enough pick to be a first-rounder.

In the second round, I fumbled again, choosing the IM Building while forgetting the Creamery. My third and fourth-round picks helped out my roster but I was too far gone to be saved, choosing Pattee and Paterno Library and the Westgate Building respectively.

For my last pick, I was holding on by a thread and threw up a Hail Mary to select the Lasch Football Building. This was Matt’s last draft and he left on top.

Team Matt

In my final draft for Onward State (hello from beyond the grave), I was awarded the fourth pick, go figure. Luckily for me, I was able to snag two huge steals at the end of the first and the start of the second round. I first picked up Old Main with the fourth pick, the centerpiece of Penn State, a true staple of the school. With my next pick, I grabbed the home to Penn State men’s and women’s basketball and THON itself, the Bryce Jordan Center. The BJC can hold up to over 15,000 people and if people start treating it like one, it can be an incredible atmosphere for college basketball.

In round three, I decided to grab my first “classroom building” and decided the best option available was Thomas Building. Thomas 100 holds 726 students, which is not only the largest lecture hall at Penn State but is also one of the largest in the country. I followed up Thomas with another stadium pick, this time choosing, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. I love baseball and this is just a great place to watch a ballgame.

Rounding out my draft, I went with another academic building, this time grabbing the Forum Building. The Forum is one of those buildings that almost every student has a class in during their four years in Happy Valley. It is a true classic when it comes to buildings across this campus. Finally, I finished my draft with the Millenium Science Complex. I’ve never had class in this building but from the inside and outside, it is one of the most beautiful buildings on campus. It also has one of the best lawns for people to sit on or do activities on.