UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Athletics’ “One Team” will be in its highest gear this weekend, as Intercollegiate Athletics prepares to host 14 events and 68 teams on campus.
Penn State will welcome student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans and media this weekend from: Alaska, California, Delaware, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia.
The 14 weekend events, starting on Friday, Nov. 11, may be a record, according to Assistant Athletic Director Jenn James, who oversees the event management unit. Penn State will be hosting three NCAA Championships, in addition to regular season events that include the home openers for the men’s and women’s basketball teams and 2016 NCAA Championship wrestling squad.
“It’s simply an awesome weekend for all our Penn State alumni, students and fans,” stated James. “All of the stars aligned for us to be able to host three NCAA Championship events, and regular season events for our winter teams. It’s a great problem to have because it means that our teams have been successful. Hosting three NCAA events on one weekend might be a record as well, in addition to the 14 total events.”
The Nittany Lion football team will be at Indiana on Saturday, but there will be plenty of action around Beaver Stadium throughout the weekend. There are six home events on Friday, starting as early as 11 a.m. and ending with men’s hockey and the men’s basketball season opener at 7 p.m. There are four events on Saturday, starting at 11:30 a.m. with Penn State’s NCAA Field Hockey opener vs Princeton. There are four more events on Sunday, including the home openers for the women’s basketball and wrestling teams.
James said that more than 800 staff positions will be filled this weekend, with ICA and other event staff working multiple events. The five members of the ICA event management staff will oversee not only the 14 events, but also NCAA Championship practices and the NCAA Administrative pre-event meetings.
In order to stage successful events this weekend, on-site support will come from virtually every unit within Penn State Athletics, including: administration, sports medicine, facilities operations, event management, ticketing sales and service, marketing, strategic communications, creative services, media and video production, IT, concessions, equipment.
In addition to the ICA staff, hundreds of others will fill numerous roles, including:
parking attendants, ticket sellers and ticket takers, will call, ushers, guest services, concessions, merchandise and game programs, public address announcers, scoreboard and clock operators, door guards, campus police, EMTs, bag checkers, ball shaggers and transportation services.
There will be a total of five facility doubleheaders during the weekend, with two cross country races Friday at the Penn State Golf Courses and twin bills at Pegula Ice Arena Friday and Saturday, the Penn State Field Hockey Complex on Saturday and in the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday.
After winning the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament title last Sunday, the Penn State field hockey team moved into the No. 4 seed for the NCAA Championship, earning the opportunity to host this weekend when the bracket was announced at 10 p.m. that day.
“After we heard about field hockey hosting Sunday night, we had run out of ambulances (all events), as well as portable heaters, needed for the outdoor events,” James said. “Fortunately, we were able to secure ambulances from Bellefonte and heaters for the tents that will rotate for the NCAA events.”
James has had Best Event Rental on speed-dial this week and they will be providing five tents for student-athletes and staff at NCAA Cross Country, with other tents at women’s soccer and field hockey.
Among the ICA units that will be at max capacity this weekend is media and video production, which will produce and/or distribute 20 webstreams from home and away events. Assistant AD Jim Nachtman said that approximately 35 people will assist in productions that range from a single camera webstream to supporting BTN and ESPN3 telecasts.
James and the event management staff also has had to include in planning for this weekend three other non-ICA events that could impact traffic and parking. On Saturday and Sunday, there are club men’s basketball and women’s volleyball tournaments in the Intramural Building. On Saturday at 11:00 a.m., the inaugural Freedom 5K run/walk for PTSD will begin at the Bryce Jordan Center, organized by the Penn State ROTC. In addition, the Penn State women’s rugby team is hosting the Big Ten championship Saturday at 12 p.m. on the west campus and a baseball prospect camp is being held in Holuba Hall.
“This weekend was the perfect storm, with the convergence of winter sports and NCAA Championships,” James stated. “But, the staff has been jumping in to help wherever needed, some at multiple events on the same day. I don’t recall a weekend quite like this one.”
Penn State Athletics appreciates the enthusiastic support of its 31 teams and 800 student-athletes at all events and encourages Nittany Nation to welcome visiting fans to Happy Valley.
For ticket information about this weekend’s events, fans can call 1-800-NITTANY (8 a.m.-5 p.m.), visit GoPSUsports.com or Penn State’s social media channels.
Penn State Athletics Schedule of Home Events, November 11-13:
Friday, Nov. 11
- Women’s Hockey vs. Lindenwood, 11 a.m.
- NCAA Mid-Atlantic Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Regional, 12 p.m. (women) & 1 p.m. (men)
- Women’s Soccer vs. Bucknell, NCAA Championship first round, 6 p.m.
- Men’s Basketball vs. Albany, 7 p.m.
- Men’s Hockey vs. Alaska-Anchorage, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12
- Field Hockey vs. Princeton, NCAA Championship first round, 11:30 a.m.
- Women’s Hockey vs. Lindenwood, 1 p.m.
- (Field Hockey: Michigan vs. Virginia, NCAA Championship first round, 2 p.m.)
- Men’s Hockey vs. Alaska-Anchorage, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13
- Women’s Basketball vs. St. Peter’s, 1 p.m.
- NCAA Field Hockey Championship second round, (Saturday’s winners meet), 2 p.m.
- Wrestling vs. Stanford, 2 p.m.
- Men’s Basketball vs. Duquesne, 6 p.m.