Penn State is set to bring back “Love Ya Lions!” vintage merchandise for fans beginning Saturday, February 15, the university announced Thursday. Merch will be available online, at the Penn State men’s hockey game on Saturday, and the Penn State men’s hockey game on Wednesday.

The “Love Ya Lions!” concept hails from the 1970s and ’80s when fans sported merchandise with the phrase at Penn State football games. “Love Ya Lions!” was featured on placards, pins, banners, and signs.

Now, the concept will reemerge on new apparel, hats, tumblers, stickers, and decals.

“There are certain marks from the University’s history that fans remember and love, which showcase the longstanding affinity for the Penn State brand,” Stephanie Petulla, director of licensing and visual identity at Penn State, said in a release. “Fans have been asking for ‘Love Ya Lions!’ to make a comeback for quite some time. Its return in 2025 is a special way to foster community and nurture pride among fans and more than 750,000 alumni while also engaging a new generation through the reintroduction of this popular vintage mark.” 

Much of the new merch will feature a Nittany Lion caricature holding a “Love Ya Lions!” flag.

“Vintage and retro designs are more popular in the collegiate market than in any other market that we’re doing business in, and it’s easy to see why,” Shellhamer said. “Alumni hold the designs from their era very close to their heart. Those are the designs that say ‘We Are Penn State’ to them.”