Recently-retired Nittany Lion field hockey coach Char Morett-Curtiss has partnered with Penn State Athletics to launch a new women’s athletics initiative to provide a wide range of support for the university’s female student-athletes.
Teammates for Life will “encourage wide-range support of all 14 Penn State women’s athletics teams,” provide programs to help female student-athletes balance academics and athletics and connect them with alumni for mentorship and networking, according to a news release.
Morett-Curtiss, a Penn State alumna who led the Nittany Lion field hockey program for 35 years during a legendary career, said in a statement that the initiative will prioritize relationships.
“All of the opportunities and achievements I’ve enjoyed in my career can be traced back to my Penn State roots and the women who supported me,” she said. “I believe strongly in helping to build those connections for today’s and tomorrow’s student-athletes.”
Alumni networking events are already scheduled throughout the fall around Pennsylvania and in New York City and Washington. Teammates for Life also plans to have on-“campus student-athlete career fairs, professional development programming and high-profile speaking,” during the fall and spring semesters.
“Penn State female alums are everywhere and everything – they are coaches, doctors, nurses, lawyers, actors, community leaders, athletes, teachers, professors, politicians, writers, broadcasters, executives, scientists and more,” Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft said. “With Char’s leadership, this Women’s Athletics Initiative will harness that power, and share it with our female student-athletes. We want to leverage it all to connect our student-athletes with alumni in strong and meaningful ways to truly create teammates for life.”
The university started its women’s athletics program in 1964, eight years before the passage of Title IX prohibiting sex-based discrimination in schools, and today has 14 varsity teams that have won a total of 21 national championships.
Teammates For Life will be led by Morett-Curtiss with ab advisory board includes:
- E. Lee Beard, longtime Penn State philanthropist and advocate
- Susan Robinson-Fruchtl, former Lady Lion basketball player and current director of major gifts for Penn State Athletics
- Tara Hohenshelt, Nittany Lion women’s lacrosse alumna and current State High girls lacrosse coach
- Elizabeth King, Penn State alumna and retired Starbucks vice president of human resources
- Maura Pilewicz, business executive and former Penn State cheerleader
- Maribeth Roman Schmidt, Penn State alumna and retired CEO of Vault Communications
- Brandi Stuart, Penn State deputy athletic director
“…Teammates For Life will reinforce the lifelong success of our female athletes by harnessing the incredible power of the university’s global alumni network and the critical importance of community, mentorship, and women supporting women,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said. “Throughout my own career, I have benefitted from the support and mentorship of my fellow women, and I am excited for this new initiative that will support our women student-athletes to help them find success throughout their academic, athletic, and professional careers.”
For information about supporting Teammates For Life, email pennstateteammatesforlife@gmail.com.
