Guard Tomisha Pierce eyes her next move in a recent Penn State Greater Allegheny women's basketball game.
MCKEESPORT, Pa. — Penn State will celebrate its ninth GivingTuesday on Tuesday, Nov. 28 — and Penn State Greater Allegheny invites alumni and friends to participate by showing support for its athletic programs.
Greater Allegheny is committed to providing its student-athletes with equitable and championship caliber athletic experiences and to helping each participant to fully reach their academic, athletic and personal potential.
Approximately one-third of Greater Allegheny students compete on one or more of six intercollegiate sports teams: men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, women’s volleyball and men’s soccer. All teams compete regionally in the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) and nationally in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) conference.
According to Jason Broadwater, athletic director, dollars raised on GivingTuesday will be used to upgrade Greater Allegheny’s sports equipment and purchase a new pitching machine. Larger gifts can help support the improvement and maintenance of on-campus sports facilities at the Wunderley Gymnasium and the soccer field.
“The opportunity to continue playing the sport you love on the collegiate level, in a close-knit community while earning a Penn State degree, is truly a winning combination.”—Jason Broadwater , athletic director, Penn State Greater Allegheny
In addition to equipment and facilities, gifts also will support competitive travel expenses including buses, hotels and food.
“Our teams travel within the commonwealth to compete against other Penn State campuses, and out of state as far south as Florida to compete in out-of-conference play,” said Broadwater. “Travel is part of the student athletic experience, and something that our players and coaches value.”
Broadwater is hopeful that GivingTuesday funds will allow him to collaborate with the coaches to identify new tournaments and support travel when teams qualify for a USCAA national tournament.
“If we can increase our participation in nonconference play and elite tournaments, we raise the visibility of Greater Allegheny and attract new student athletes to the campus,” said Broadwater. “The opportunity to continue playing the sport you love on the collegiate level, in a close-knit community while earning a Penn State degree, is truly a winning combination.”
It is that winning combination that influenced Noah Hill to make a new plan after his second year on campus. A member of the men’s soccer team, Hill originally came to Greater Allegheny from Tolar, Texas, as part of the University's 2+2 plan.
Noah Hill, left, a defender on the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's soccer team, closes in on an opposing player during a recent match.
“After my second year, I was close to leaving because I wanted a big campus experience,” said Hill. “The men’s soccer team was certainly an influence on me staying, plus I had already met so many good friends, I know I would have regretted leaving. With Pittsburgh being 15 to 20 minutes away, I can go there with the people I’ve met and get a taste of downtown every weekend.” Hill, a junior, is pursuing a degree in communications and plans to graduate in May 2025.
Although GivingTuesday takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 28, Penn State’s celebration is kicking off early on Monday, Nov. 27, at 18:55 (6:55 p.m. EST) — a nod to the year in which the University was founded. Those interested in contributing to Penn State Greater Allegheny Athletics or establishing a personal fundraising page as a campaign champion can learn more here.
Gifts made on GivingTuesday advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.
