Let's All Finish Coach Groves' Scholarship

We are close enough to get it finished before Coach Groves' next birthday in April and certainly before the next Track Alumni Reunion and Coach Groves Golf Tournament!

Co-Administrator Larry Mangan has spearheaded the effort to find donors willing to match every donation made by the rest of us and complete the funding of a full tuition scholarship for an athlete in the Program.

So that means each of us must step up to make it happen.  Every single donation you make will be matched by 13 special members of our group up to a level of $2500.  We must not let this opportunity slip by.  Please consider adding to the effort, share this post and spread the word to everyone you know in our Universe.  It will make our next get-together a real hootenanny and bring a smile to Coach Groves' face!

Our Premier Benefactors: 

• Joe DeStefano  (1971)
• Carol and Steve Gentry  (1969)
• Hugh and Yunhee Hamill  (1976)
• Chris Herr  (1985)
• Doug Kent  (1980)
• Todd Leggett  (1984)
• Larry Mangan  (1981)
• Todd Shenk  (1984)
• Rod Stahl  (1991)
• Bob Radzwich  (1992)
• Tom Shiffer  (1987) 
• Doug Walter  (1990)
• Don and Lynn Ziter  (1981)

September 5, 2017

Dear Fellow Track & Field/Cross Country Alumni:

We hope you had an enjoyable summer and are getting ready for the upcoming 2017-2018 Penn State Cross Country and Track & Field seasons. The women’s and men’s programs are perennial B1G favorites, fueled by spectacular individual accomplishments and a great coaching staff. Based on the turn out for the 2017 Big Ten Championships in May, the alumni are really energized and engaged.

The alumni listed below, from a variety of decades in Penn State history and a mix of walk-ons and scholarship athletes, are hoping to capture that energy by taking the lead and asking you to join them to meet a challenge! Coach Harry Groves’ scholarship fund needs approximately $55,000 in donations to exceed the $300,000 necessary to partially endow the position scholarship, which would provide $15,000 in annual tuition support to a student athlete.

The challenge is this – we have pledged to support Coach Groves’ scholarship in the amount of $30,500 to match alumni contributions of that amount (hopefully more)! We ask you to donate what you can in support of our goal to get Coach’s scholarship over the $300,000 hurdle! We are in the homestretch, can you help to get us over the finish line?

Coach will turn 88 in April 2018 and we would love to present him with an early birthday present, and add to his great legacy, before the end of this year. We know from Greg Fredericks that Coach is excited about this effort. Please join us in meeting this very important goal. Thank you and We are…..Penn State!

Please send donations made payable to: Penn State University, noting the Harry Groves Track/XC Scholarship (GIXGH) in the memo portion of your check, at 147 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA 16802. If you have any questions, please call Kirk Diehl of the Varsity S Club at 814-867-2202.

If you would like to give online, you may do so at: https://secure.ddar.psu.edu/s/1218/nlclub/nlclub.aspx?sid=1218&gid=1&pgid=826&cid=3234&dids=633&bledit=1 and then type in GIXGH in the fund area below the amount you select.
Thank you.

Joe DeStefano (’71) Carol & Steve Gentry (’69) Hugh & Yunhee Hamill (‘76) Chris Herr (’85)
Doug Kent (’80) Todd Leggett (’84) Larry Mangan (’81) Todd Shenk (’84)
Rod Stahl (’91) Bob Radzwich (’92) Tom Shiffer (’87) Doug Walter (’90)
Don & Lynn Ziter (’81)

More Photos Saved From The Dustbin Of The Early 80's

Chris Herr at Villanova.

Todd Shenk Mike Valenti, with spectators John and Jim Reyner, above .Unknown Jumper, below!

Todd Leggett rightly points out that the thrower is Mike Valenti, not Todd Shenk.  Greg even told me that in his email.  I have no excuse for getting it wrong other than I'm an idiot.

Zeb Stewart, below. Unkown runners, above.

Fact checkers Alert.  You know what to do!  (A little help with identification...)  All photos by Greg Reyner.

An Invitation, A Mystery Alum and a New Friend

First up, here's an invitation for everyone to attend a reception at the Penn Relays!

Second, our Oregon Duck and Left Coast Friend Dan Martinez came across this pic of a golden era Nittany Lion.  Does anyone know who this is?

And last, but NOT least, is a preview of additional pics from my new friend Greg Reyner ('82 to '86).  Let's not let Greg know my Shot Put PR. Hope to see him on the Links soon!

More Early Eighties Nonsense

Captains Ken Wynn and Todd Shenk sport the dress code before Clark instituted the clown suit idea. We're lucky it wasn't in pastel colors with gold chains like in Miami Vice, I suppose!

And you never want to be in the situation Dave Masgay found himself in this photo. It is postulated that the 3 coaches (Coach Mark Bilyk, Coach Groves and ?) found out about the palm tree Dave "acquired" at the Florida Relays. Any way you slice it, a 3 to 1 ratio of coaches to athletes is never a good thing.

Big Men Wanted

Mike Valenti has sent us some great pics from "earlier than dirt" (notice the Astroturf in place of actual earth! The only place where Astroturf still exists is Washington DC.) These He-Men are being recruited to provide security for the upcoming Reunion and Golf Tourney. Todd Shenk, Todd Leggett and Mike Valenti strike a pose in audition to join Hammer (Mark Heckel) as the Presidential Unit for Security and Protection of the Idiot Officers.

I'll try and post more pics from the Reagan Era soon. And what's worse, is that I predate this!