The crack of plastic bats and laughter echoed throughout Holuba Hall on Saturday afternoon as Penn State’s football team hosted its annual THON Explorer’s Program.
After fouling off a couple pitches, offensive lineman Cooper Cousins lined a whiffle ball down the third-base line and trotted to first base, marked by an orange kickball.
“Any time you get to give back to your community and really just bring kids in and see what they’re going through, and being able to spend a day with them, it’s huge,” Cousins said.
With Penn State’s annual dance marathon occurring across the street, Cousins and the rest of the roster hosted children battling pediatric cancer in the football facilities, with opportunities for face painting, caricature drawings, karaoke and field games.
During a recent team meeting, defensive end Max Granville spoke in front of his teammates to initiate a fundraiser in support of THON, supported through the players’ NIL funds. Immediately after hearing the idea, head coach Matt Campbell volunteered to match the total raised by the players.
“I think anytime you get to make a difference on kids and impact their lives, I mean, you should just automatically take that opportunity,” Cousins said. “And you know, there’s kids out there that aren’t fortunate, and there’s kids out there that are going through worse stuff than we’re going through right now.”
The new arrivals on the coaching staff and roster, whether they arrived from Iowa State or elsewhere, have quickly embraced the THON culture.
“We’re at one of the most prestigious universities in the world with a rich history and a rich cultural background,” Cousins said. “They knew that as soon as they stepped on campus, and they’ve been great ambassadors for the university. So they’ve embraced this culture here. They love THON, and they’ve been having a blast.”
The football team’s efforts go beyond one weekend — there are opportunities to give back to the community throughout the year. Players often attend local elementary schools, joining kids for recess and lunch and even reading to them.
On Tuesday, players pack lunches for less fortunate children, and on weekends they head to the Bryce Jordan Center to prepare more meals for the local community.
This offseason, Cousins was one of the first players to announce his return to Penn State in 2026, doing so just two days after a Pinstripe Bowl victory over Clemson. Though his parents encouraged him to explore other options, Cousins never wavered in his commitment. Part of his decision was because of events like THON that are bigger than football.
“I committed here as a sophomore in high school, so my vision was clear and set in stone, like, I’m going to go to Penn State University. I’m going to get a degree from Penn State University. I’m going to play football at Penn State University. And that was really it for me,” Cousins said. “So there’s no doubt in my mind that I was going to leave here.”
THON started at 6 p.m. Friday and continues until 4 p.m. Sunday. Now in its 54th year, the annual event marking the culmination of year-round efforts has raised more than $254 million for the Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s hospital to support pediatric cancer care and research.
