The goal of raising funds for the Kidney Cancer Association remains the same, but the Penn State Chapter of Uplifting Athletes is officially under new leadership as senior guard Eric Shrive will serve as president for the 2013 season.
Former Penn State linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Nate Stupar will represent the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens. This marks the 42nd time that a Penn State alum will appear on Super Bowl Sunday, and 35 former players have rings. While he did not attend Penn State, Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell, coached in Happy Valley for seven years on Joe Paterno's staff as quarterbacks coach for the Nittany Lions. For Bowman, breaking up a 4th down pass that halted the Atlanta Falcons drive with a minute to go was the pinnacle of a three year progression that has seen him go from a promising 3rd round draft selection to a Pro Bowl linebacker that finished second in the regular season with 149 tackles.
A program record 20 Nittany Lions earned Dean's List recognition during the fall semester, breaking a previous high of 19 set in 2008. The 20 individuals are part of a larger group of 47 players who recorded a GPA of 3.0 or higher according to a press release.
It is never too early to mark down important dates for future semesters in advance. That includes the Homecoming Football game which will take place on October 12 against the Michigan Wolverines.
John Butler's job title is changing. His style is not. Penn State's new defensive coordinator following the departure of Ted Roof to his alma mater Georgia Tech will have increased responsibility after serving as the Nittany Lions' secondary coach this past season, but Butler still plans to be the same high-energy, emotional guy as he steps into the spotlight.
A national search is underway to fill a vice president for communications and marketing position at Penn State. The search committee contains fourteen individuals, and the chosen applicant will have many responsibilities ranging from social media to crisis communication.