Penn State senior Timarie Legel (Morgantown, Pa.) was recognized as the Big Ten field hockey offensive player of the week following her six-point performance against Old Dominion in the team's season opener on Sunday (Aug. 31). Legel sparked the Nittany Lions' six-goal out-burst with two goals and two assists -- marking the first time an opponent has totaled more than five goals against Old Dominion since the 1996 season.
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A limited number of tickets for Penn State's gridiron clash at Nebraska are available for Penn State students at the athletic ticket office in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions meet the Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb. on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT). Penn State will be playing in Lincoln for the first time since 1981. The Lions lead the series, 7-5, after posting a 40-7 victory last year in Beaver Stadium.

Penn State student-athletes posted one of their finest graduation rate performances overall since the NCAA began publication of institutional rates in 1990, according to statistical information released recently by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA's annual study of institutions nationwide revealed that Penn State student-athletes at the University Park campus had a graduation rate of 80 percent compared to a mark of 62 percent for all Division I institutions, according to data collected by the U.S. Department of Education. The Penn State football team produced an especially noteworthy academic performance, with 86 percent of the freshmen entering in 1996-97 earning their degrees -- significantly above the national rate of 54 percent. The football rate was the third highest in the 13 years the report has been issued and was the best among all Big Ten institutions this year, followed by Northwestern (81) and Indiana (75).

For a chart of the findings, go to http://live.psu.edu/still_life/09_05_03_ncaa/index.html

Though only 12-years-old, Kira Shaw has had 15 surgeries in her young life due to a neuromuscular disorder. But on Saturday (Sept. 6), she leaves all that behind when her fondest wish comes true -- to be a Penn State University cheerleader. Courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia, Kira will become a member of the squad for the day and cheer for her favorite team as they battle Boston College before more than 107,000 fans in Beaver Stadium at noon. The game will be televised to most of the nation on ABC, and will cap Kira's full day of participating in regular game-day activities with the cheerleading squad.

The Penn State All-Sports Museum, which opened in February 2002, welcomed its 60,000th guest last week. The museum honors the student-athletes and coaches throughout history who have helped make Penn State's intercollegiate athletic program one of the best in the nation. Recent Big Ten and NCAA trophies are on display, and new exhibits include Lady Lion basketball player Kelly Mazzante's uniform, shoes and basketball from the 2001-02 season when she set the Penn State and Big Ten single-season scoring records. The Amos Alonzo Stagg trophy, Penn State cadet band memorabilia and the junior national team uniform of outstanding former Penn State women's soccer player Christie Welsh also are on display.

Penn State's recently completed and highly successful Grand Destiny capital campaign saw the athletics development staff raise more than $134 million during the campaign's seven years. The University announced on July 11 that $1.371 billion in private funding was raised during the campaign, which began on July 1, 1996 and ended June 30, 2003. The University's goal for the campaign was to raise $1.3 billion to fund student, faculty and program support, especially for those areas where public funds are inadequate or unavailable. The initial goal of the intercollegiate athletics' campaign was $90 million, which was revised to $125 million. A total of $134,176,383 was raised -- 6.9 percent more than the revised goal. A total of 37,170 donors gave 174,204 gifts to athletics during the campaign, which helped established 207 new scholarships/endowments, including 49 full scholarships or endowed positions, as well as several facilities projects.

Penn State will renew its rivalry with Notre Dame and host Michigan for the first time in five years during the 2006 football season. The 2006 slate also includes non-conference home games with Akron (Sept. 2) and Louisiana Tech (Sept. 16), as well as eight Big Ten Conference contests. Two of nation's top five all-time winningest programs, Penn State and Notre Dame will be meeting for the first time since 1992. The Nittany Lions travel to South Bend on Sept. 9, 2006 and the Fighting Irish will play in Beaver Stadium on Sept. 8, 2007. The teams have an even 8-8-1 series record. Penn State will open the 2006 Big Ten slate at Ohio State on Sept. 23. The Lions also will visit Minnesota (Oct. 7), Purdue (Oct. 28) and Wisconsin (Nov. 4) in conference play. In addition to Michigan, the Lions will host Big Ten foes Northwestern (Sept. 30), Illinois (Oct. 21) and Michigan State (Nov. 18) in the season ending clash for the Land Grant Trophy.