Penn State University
ALUMNI Blue Band ASSOCIATION

A small but mighty pep band performed at the Southern New Jersey Alumni Chapter Spring Fling in late April. Performers included: Ron Lewis on drum; Carl Vogel, baritone; Jim Westlake, trombone; Cliff Powell, trumpet; and Kristen Chislom, piccolo. The Lion joined in for the trio!

Alumni Marching Blue Band members are advised to set aside the weekend of September 25 for Homecoming festivities. Things will start with ABBA performers entertaining at the traditional Ice Cream Social at the Hintz Center on Friday afternoon, followed by the Homecoming Parade Friday night. The Nittany Lions take on the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday afternoon. The ABBA board will meet Sunday morning at 10am both in-person at the Bundy Blue Band Building on campus and via Zoom. All ABBA members are welcome to attend any meeting although only elected Board members have a vote.  GO STATE!

All ABBA members are welcome to join our Board meetings. They are primarily held via Zoom, so simply email info@psualumnibands.org to request the link. The meetings for the rest of 2026 are currently scheduled for:

Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 7pm Eastern via Zoom

Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 10am Eastern both in-person at the Bundy Blue Band Building on campus and via Zoom

Pep band members should set aside June 6 for an ABBA performance at the Penn State Hershey Park Takeover event. Details coming soon…

All ABBA members are welcome to join our Board meetings. They are primarily held via Zoom, so simply email info@psualumnibands.org to request the link.

Meetings are currently scheduled for:

Sunday, April 26, 2026: 7p-9p

Sunday, July 12, 2026: 7p-9p

...and as soon as we know the Homecoming schedule for sure, we will confirm that date.

BY CURT HARLER

It wasn’t a trip to balmy Florida or sunny Arizona. But when the Nittany Lions went to the frigid Pinstripe Bowl on December 27, 2025, the Blue Band heated up a frozen Yankee Stadium. The football team took down Clemson by a 22-10 score. And the marching Blue Band took home amazing memories despite not being able to march on the field either pre-game or at halftime.

Perhaps the Blue Band will remember their trip to New York City as a different kind of White Out game. Given the blizzard that struck Christmas week, it was amazing that the Blue Band got to NYC at all. Dr. Gregory Drane, director of athletic bands, spent much of his Christmas day reorganizing the trip. “It was interesting, to say the least,” Dr. Drane recalls.

Those ABBA members (like the author) old enough to recall the 1969 Orange Bowl trip will appreciate the upheaval that a State College snowstorm brings both for pre-trip practice plans and getting to the game. This year’s original plan called for a practice in State College before leaving for New York. That session was scrubbed. 

The Blue Band got to New York safely and ate dinner; then the snow hit with a vengeance. Everyone was confined to the hotel. The musicians were supposed to rehearse in Yankee Stadium on the day of the game but the piles of snow put the kibosh on that. Eventually, the Band played from the stands. Fortunately, TV cameras gave the Blue Band lots of love during the game. 

“The students understood the situation,” Dr. Drane says. “They made the best of it.” And their legacy certainly will be the “other” White Out game of the 2025 season.

Happy New Year to all! Hope you enjoyed time off, visits with family and friends, and all the fun you could!

We have scheduled the Alumni Band Board meeting for Sunday, January 25th @ 7pm via Zoom.

Please reach out to ​president@psualumnibands.org for the link if you’d like to join us!

Holiday Store is NOW OPEN! 

Click here to buy (or go directly to https://www.storessimple.com/homefield/38861)

Please note the November 12 cutoff date to get your items mid-December!

BY: LISA MARZKA

At this year’s Homecoming celebration, Dr. Drane (Director of the Marching Blue Band and Athletic Bands), Dean Carpenter (College of Arts and Architecture) and Dean Ott (College of Agricultural Sciences) jointly announced that the Dedicated Practice Field for the Penn State Blue Band is officially moving forward. This exciting milestone marks the beginning of a new era for the Blue Band. In the coming months, we’ll share more details, timelines, and ways to support the project through advocacy and philanthropy. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to the College of Arts and Architecture Blue Band Liaison Lisa Marzka at lisamarzka@psu.edu or 814-571-2930. Lisa, alongside the Blue Band development and alumni relations team, will be working with us on this project that will positively impact students and this program for years to come!