Alumni T-Shirt Finally Finds Its Home

 

Thanks to the work of Mark Hawkins and some donations from other Alumni Golfers, a special Alumni T-Shirt was made for Coach Teri Jordan who retired last year.  With all the craziness of 2020, it was finally hand delivered to her by Beth (Stever) Shisler in sunny Florida!  Thanks for all you did for PSU Track and Field and XC.

This Team Got Top Billing

I think Coach Teri Jordan is starting to miss us now that she has retired to sunny Florida.  She will soon be receiving her very special edition Alumni Singlet to let her know we haven't forgotten her either.  (Don't forget to send us a pic!)

She posted a picture of the 1985 XC team at the NCAA Championships where they got 11th!  And unlike the 1984 band Spinal Tap, the Championships got top billing on the sign!

Another Big Loss

It is with much sadness that we have all learned about the passing of Dan Jordan, son of Coach Teri Jordan last week.  My condolences go out to his family and friends, many of them in our Track Alumni Group.

Dan Jordan

Another Penn State Shot Put Olympian!

Freshman Emily Frederick just returned from Rio and the Paralympics where she finished ninth in the F40 division of the Shot Put. She trains with former PSU Coach Teri Jordan and the Ability Program.

Hanging Out In Florida Ain't A Bad Gig!

Dan Jordan has landed a coveted track and field adviser position at the IMG Academy in Bradenton Florida.  Dan is, of course, the son of long-time Cross Country Coach Teri Jordan who is the current Coach of the Penn State Ability Athletics team.  Both will likely be joining us at the next Reunion and Coach Groves Golf Tourney in May!

Dan and Teri Jordan.

AIAW History I Came Across During My Search For Results (With More To Come)

The history of Penn State Womens Cross Country began in 1975 with its AIAW sanctioned team. The team began with aplomb and was among the organizations strongest teams throughout its history until the NCAA took over Women's Sports with a bitter coup in 1981.

Penn State Women’s Cross-Country History

PennState fielded its first women’s cross-country team in 1975.  The team was an immediate success, winning regional championships from 1975 to 1985, and finishing in the top five nationally from 1975 to 1980, and the top ten through 1982.  In their first season, under coach Chris Brooks, the Nittany Lions finished second in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Championships.  Under Brooks, Kathy Mills, one of PennState’s all-time great runners, was a four-time All American, won the 1977 AAU National Championship, and was the winner of the prestigious Broderick Award as the best cross-country runner in the nation in both 1977 and 1978.

Gary Schwartz replaced Brooks in 1979, but the regional championships and superior national performance continued, first as part of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) and then, starting in 1981, with the NCAA.  A highlight of his tenure was a number three finish at the national championships in 1979. 

Coach Gary Schwartz.

Coach Groves and Coach Schwartz at a previous golf tourney.

Teri Jordan started her illustrious coaching career at PennState in 1984.  Over 16 seasons, she won numerous coach of the year honors, the team won three eastern regional titles, and then joined the Big 10 in 1991, finishing second or third from 1991-1996.  In 1996, Kim McGreevy was the Big 10 cross-country champion and athlete of the year. In 1999, Jordan was head coach of the USteam that competed in the World Championships. She is now Penn State’s Coordinator of Disability Programming and the Assistant Coordinator of the Ashenfelter Track Complex.

Matt Groves, Coach Teri Jordan, Coach Groves and Dan Jordan.

 Both Coach Jordan and coach Schwartz will be with us at the next Reunion and coach Groves Golf tourney in May.  spread the word and let's have the best ever turn-out of Women team members ever!

Carpe Diem

A Rare Totally Curmudgeonly-Free Post by your favorite Curmudgeon!

There are great things happening in the Penn State Track and Field World.  And every one of you can help in any number of ways.  So get off your butt and seize the day!

I spent yesterday in State College. The State College I have come to know and love. At one point at a pivotal moment in my world, the temperature dropped 10 degrees in minutes, snow, rain and sleet began and grayness enveloped the Valley.  And I wasn't even crabby!

How can that be?  What could possibly make ME ignore something to complain about so easily?  Well, Number 1 on the list is this man...

Yeah, you younger people recognize Billy Francis immediately.  I was taken aback while taking pics at the Penn State Open when I recognized a PSU Alumni Singlet in the distance. (and I swear there's another new sale coming!)  I couldn't figure out who it was until he got close.  Billy was in San Diego just 1 day before, enjoying 95 degree temps and possibly "chillin" (or whatever you young hipsters do nowadays!)  But there he was, fighting for position amidst the runners 3 or 4 years younger than him! (hee hee hee, Billy)

I greeted him and received a big hug in reply.  And I've been happy ever since.  I'm not making that up.  I've only ever met two people like Billy, one of them being Billy. (The other was John "DNA" Kauffman for what its worth.)  These two people have the rarest of touches in this crazy world.  The glass is always half full, and might as well be overflowing for these two.  I learned in my numerous Genetics classes (all A's BTW!) that you are either born happy, or not.  Billy wasn't just born happy, he was born to BE happy and make those around him happy.  God bless you Billy.  I'm a big fan.  And everyone should friend him on the various social media.  It will be worth it.  It's also why he has been named our Group's Undersecretary of Fun.

Other Reasons For Not Being Crabby:
  

• Got to see Coach Gondak and Roger "Gunny" Roll at the meet.  Both in good shape and working hard.  Gunny was able to send my greetings to Coach Groves.  (And don't the rest of you ever fail to thank Gunny for what he has done for our Country, our Team and Coach Groves whenever you see him!)

  

  Gunny and Coach Gondak.

•  Got to meet Craig Houtz who has been taking photos for PSU Athletics since 1977!  He has just digitized most of his collections.  Maybe we will be able to tap into some great pics of days of yore!
•  Got to see Daughter The Elder place 2nd in the PSUAC Conference in the Penn State Open in the snow, sleet and rain!  Next up, the USCAA Nationals in Florida, with Jim Ryun in attendance!
  
   
•  Got to see Coach Teri Jordan at the meet.  Talked about her son Dan Jordan's new job in Florida and reminded her not to miss the next reunion!  

  

  Coach Teri Jordan.

A Quick Post On The Coaches Reception and Sykes/Sabock Challenge

 

Track Alumni Golfer Owen Dawson paces the One Mile with a splendid 1200M (sorta 1200!) while wearing his Alumni Singlet.  Always a highlight in my book!

After Owen's excellent 1200M (sorta 1200!), future PSU Track and Field Alumni Golfer Robby Creese took over and won the mile with this year's #1 NCAA unconverted Mile of 3:57.86.

 Ex-Freshman Roommates Tom Rapp and Larry Mangan reunite at the Ashenfelter Complex.  Tom's wife Mary Rawe was also an All-American and 1977 Freshman classmate of all of us.

Alumni Golfer, past foursome teammate and William and Mary head coach Steve Walsh actually got me to pose for a very rare pic of myself.  I promised him I would post it on the blog with it all, despite my overall desire for anonymity. During the entire day, I noticed  that I was the shortest person in every room I was in.

Coach John Gondak arranged the whole affair to bring as many Alumni together as possible and to honor past coaches.  Coach Teri Jordan thanked the crowd of over 100 with a brief speech.

Coach Groves gave an even briefer speech, but was mobbed all night by everyone there.  Just as it should be.

In the background just to the right of Coach is Ken Brinker, Alumni Golfer extraordinaire!  It was announced that Ken recently donated $100,000 to the PSU Track Program.  Our Chief Morale and Laundry Officer Larry Mangan is currently organizing the effort to match Ken's magnanimity.  More of that is to come.

 Penn State's Indoor 3000M Record Holder Sam Masters and Fiance came up with the best excuse for missing this year's Golf Tourney.  They are getting married that day in Missouri.  Officially, that will be the only excuse us Idiot Officers will now allow!

 Greg Fredericks received his Alumni T-Shirt from Le faucon d'orange Mark Hawkins.  He was gifted the item by us Idiot Officers for the extraordinary efforts he has made for Coach Groves in the past year.

Greg models the Special Edition Alumni T-Shirt made for Roger "Gunny" Roll for his above-and-beyond efforts for Coach Groves in the past year. 

Addendum:

Artist's conception

 On the late-night drive home, I ran over a skunk near Seven Mountains and was later almost hit head-on by a high-speed car driving the wrong way on Route 83 north of York. I really wish I could have stayed over night in State College. Two trips through the car wash has not dissipated the smell and I still have a tremor thinking about the almost crash.

Head's Up For The Coach's Reception! And Another PSU Track Alumni Golfer At XC Nationals

I have been remiss in promoting the Coach's Reception for Coach Teri Jordan and Coach Harry Groves that will occur following the Sykes-Sabock Challenge on Saturday February 7th at 6:30PM to 8:30PM.  This will be an Italian buffet with an open bar.  Right down any Alumni Golfers alley!


Please RSVP by emailing Will Rottler back at wdr13@psu.edu with the number that will be attending. 

Co-blogger Matt Groves, Coach Jordan, Coach Groves, and Dan Jordan.

 After finally coming across the photo of John Evans at the recent USATF XC Club Nationals, another PSU Track Alumni Golfer has emerged!  Apparently there was a mix-up after the race which made the Masters results unavailable for awhile, and I missed people.  Michael Gross also laced them up at the race for the Greater Philadelphia Track Club.  While this earned him praise from me and a little envy, he falls short on a Platinum Membership only because he didn't have an Alumni Singlet!  That means he will continue to pay the same dues he always has for membership in the group ($0 annually) in perpetuity.

Michael Gross in another Michael Scott photo!

  

If you know of others, please alert us!

The Truth About Penn State

If you really want to know the truth about what Penn State stands for, and what great people you can meet at one of our Track Alumni Reunions, read the Collegian article about Maggie Redden and Teri Jordan! Help us get the word out that we have accepted the mantle of  "Success With Honor" and mean to improve upon it. Inspiration for everyone from a group for everyman.

Great Things Happening All Over! New Blog Content! Women Win Big Ten!

I attended the First Day of the Women's Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships yesterday at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Complex. So far, the Women's team is on pace for an excellent showing in the meet. The reception held afterward at Damon's Grill, home of our own Reunion in May, was superb and portends more great things coming for PSU Track! I was able to promote our group and the Harry Groves Golf Tourney to a very receptive audience. The melding of the current and future of the program with the alumni and old guard has really blossomed in the past year. Our group has been enthusiastically endorsed and the coaching staff has confirmed attendance at our event in May. Coach Alford-Sullivan is pleased with all our efforts on behalf of PSU Track and we are on pace to become the largest and most active track and field alumni group in the world.

I had the pleasure of seeing many current members of our group and meeting a few people who are destined to become friends and supporters. High Jumper Ryan Fritz (with eligibility for outdoor season) was gracious before the meet, as he was put to work, seeing as he's not at Minnesota for the Men's Championships. Nick K. came to the reception and confirms attendance at the tourney, still looking for a chance at The Cup. The Shisler's (Steve and Beth) also attended, and gave the good news that they will repeat again this year. Both will also be inducted into the Hall of Honor as soon as I get off my butt and compile the full list! Beth has already purchased the Kathy Award, which will be a rotating prize for the most-valuable women golfer. Larry Mangan also showed despite not being able to come in May due to a schedule conflict with the High School District Track meet. I also spoke briefly with Teri Jordan, ex-women's coach who can definitely help with Coach Groves' desire to "bring more women to the reunion". Jess Riden was also cordial despite her incredible workload and numerous duties. Mark Hawkins also confirmed attendance and likely will become our digital archivist for the event! I think that means he's taking pictures, but what do I know.

Big, big news on the Blog Front also! After extensive negotiations over pay, (unlimited Wrist Bands), Artie Gilkes has agreed to become our Director of Youth Development. He will soon be blogging with us, trying to relate to a generation (or 2!) of track alums old people like I have difficulty reaching. Everyone seems to know, like and respect Artie, and I'm sure he will be a great addition to our humble cadre of Idiots!

Also, we will soon have 100 members with us on Facebook! Join our group and the 100th person will receive free Wrist Bands!

Update: Women's Team wins Big Ten Championship! Congrats to everybody. Men are Sixth.