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STATE COLLEGE | Penn State football players were breaking a sweat on the practice fields outside the Lasch Building on Wednesday for a good cause.
It was the 23rd annual Lift for Life, which is the signature event of the Penn State Uplifting Athletes chapter.
The Nittany Lions were divided into seven teams as they competed against each other in various strength and conditioning challenges to benefit Uplifting Athletes fight against rare diseases.
Penn States chapter raised more than $20,000 at this years Lift for Life, which the coaches will match to bring the total above $40,000.
Penn State didnt take this opportunity lightly, as head coach Matt Campbell prioritizes community service.
It's a blessing, safety Jamison Patton said.
I mean, I feel like, especially at the D-I level, we have a great platform to do so and put this good cause in front of a lot of people to help spread awareness for it.
Some of the events during Lift for Life included a sled push, a medicine ball relay and pull-ups, as each team sought to be the best-performing squad.
The winning group was Team 7, which featured quarterback Rocco Becht, defensive tackle Ty Blanding, tight end Andrew Rappleyea, defensive tackle Keanu Williams, offensive lineman Garrett Sexton, tight end Cooper Alexander, offensive lineman Kuol Kuol II, linebacker Chris Fileppo, safety Bryson Williams, safety Christian Askew, offensive lineman Donnie Harbour, offensive lineman Pete Eglitis and receiver Hank Lustig.
Players also competed in a skee ball-like game in which they threw a medicine ball into three different rings.
Harbour made one toss into the farthest ring, which was worth the most points, and his team celebrated it, showing the passion the Nittany Lions had in the Lift for Life festivities.
Hopefully in this event we were able to kind of bring some awareness and attention to this charity and this event, just to kind of bring some awareness and fundraising, linebacker Cael Brezina said.
I think it's pretty awesome.
Uplifting Athletes is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2007 by former Penn State player Scott Shirley, whose father was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2002.
Teammates of Shirley supported him by holding the first Lift for Life in 2003 to give the Nittany Lions a way to contribute to the cause.
Since being founded, Uplifting Athletes has raised more than $8 million to fight against rare diseases.
According to the Uplifting Athletes website, one in 10 Americans will be diagnosed with a rare disease during their lifetimes.
Reid Kagy, Penn States new director of football strength and conditioning, said he has been amazed by the support Nittany Lions fans give to the program since arriving from Iowa State this offseason.
It's 9 o'clock on a Wednesday, and we have people lined up around watching a workout, Kagy said.
How incredible is that? While Lift for Life was a tradition before Campbell became Penn States head coach, hes made it a point to have the Nittany Lions participate in community service.
For instance, during THON in February, Campbell doubled the amount of money raised by the players.
In addition to continuing on charitable traditions like Lift for Life, Campbell will also be holding Victory Day as he did at Iowa State, Kagy said Wednesday.
Its set for Aug.
28, and the team will invite families in need to spend a day in the Nittany Lions facilities.
We're truly grateful for all the help and the resources, and I think everybody can speak the same language that we want to make this community proud of us, Kagy said.
That's the most important thing.
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Will Horstman is a journalism student at Penn State University who has covered football, mens basketball, womens volleyball and mens volleyball for The Daily Collegian.
Hes covering Penn State sports for Penn State on SI.
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