Nittany Lion football Coach Joe Paterno is coming to DuBois June 8.
Paterno will be speaking at Penn State DuBois at a 7 p.m. dinner, a ticketed event to benefit the Penn State DuBois Alumni Society Endowed Scholarship fund. Invitations to friends of Penn State DuBois were mailed this week, and tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning May 22 at a cost of $100 per person, limit four. The dinner is preceded by a silent auction of collectable items and event packages.
Paterno is entering his 41st season as head coach of the Nittany Lions. He has earned a 354-117-3 record to rank second in career wins among major college coaches. The only coach ever to win the Rose, Sugar, Orange, Cotton and Fiesta Bowls, he has led the Nittany Lions to five undefeated, untied seasons and national championships in 1982 and 1986. Paterno has coached 71 first team All-Americans and 32 Academic All-Americans, including junior linebacker Paul Posluszny last season.
The Nittany Lions were 11-1 last season and captured the Big Ten and FedEx Orange Bowl titles. Penn State returns 35 letterwinners and 11 starters for the 2006 season, which begins Sept. 2 vs. Akron in Beaver Stadium.
Paterno was the consensus 2005 National Coach of the Year after guiding the Nittany Lions to an 11-1 record, capped by a thrilling 26-23 triple overtime victory over ACC Champion Florida State in the FedEx Orange Bowl.
The legendary mentor and teacher led Penn State to the 2005 Big Ten Championship and the No. 3 ranking in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, as well as the Bowl Championship Series ratings. The Nittany Lions earned their 13th Top 5 finish under Paterno and won at least 11 games for the 13th time as well.
A 1950 graduate of Brown University, Paterno received numerous Coach of the Year accolades, including honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) for an unprecedented fifth time. He also was named the Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading Penn State to the conference title and a berth in the FedEx Orange Bowl, the Nittany Lions\’ 16th appearance in one of the four games that comprise the Bowl Championship Series.
Paterno is second in all-time victories among major college coaches and fourth in wins across all four NCAA divisions. A member of the Penn State coaching staff for 56 years, he owns a 354-117-3 (75.0) career record, posting his 350th career win at Illinois on Oct. 22. Paterno has led Penn State to national championships in 1982 and \’86, five unbeaten and untied seasons (1968, \’69, \’73, \’86, \’94) and is the all-time leader in bowl appearances (32) and victories (21-10-1 record.)
Ticket price includes admission to the event and dinner at the Penn State DuBois Multi-Purpose Building gymnasium. Registration and the silent auction will take place at Schoch Plaza, near the Nittany Lion Shrine, also on campus. Dress is business casual.
For more information on the event, contact the Alumni Relations Office at (814) 375-4786.