Penn State Abington student-athletes will welcome Special Olympians and Special Athletes to campus this weekend for a series of events organized by the college's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Abington athletics is partnering with the Bucks County Special Olympics to host about 45 athletes and about 25 volunteers on Saturday, Jan. 12, in the Athletics Building. Beginning at 9 a.m., the Abington student-athletes will manage stations that incorporate different sports for the Special Olympians. The group will have lunch together and then the Special Olympians have been invited to the Abington women’s and men’s basketball games at 1 and 3 p.m., respectively, versus Cazenovia College.

On Sunday, Jan. 13, Abington is partnering with Special Athletes, a group the Abington student-athletes connected with through Mary Murphy, an Abington faculty member. Between 50 and 100 Special Athletes will attend the Abington men's basketball game against Morrisville State at 2 p.m. and will participate in halftime activities.

Community service is a major initiative of SAAC and the NCAA, of which Abington is a Division III member. 

“SAAC is a platform that creates opportunities for student-athletes to give back. We’re incredibly excited about partnering with Special Olympics as a SAAC initiative for this year," Michael Litz, SAAC president and Abington tennis player said. "We’re looking forward to working with athletes who share the same passion and enthusiasm for sports that we have.” 

About Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible, and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With nearly 4,000 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 19 majors, undergraduate research, the Schreyer honors program, NCAA Division III athletics, and more.