SHARON, Pa. — Thanks to community and alumni support, Penn State Shenango is adding a men’s baseball team for the 2023-24 academic year, beginning play that spring. Baseball will become the fifth sport that the campus has added since reinstating athletics in 2018.

Through Penn State’s strong network of alumni and community supporters, $50,000 was raised to start the program.

“Incredible donors like First National Bank and the Shenango Alumni Society participated in the ‘Shenango Slugger’ campaign to bring this offering to our current students and attract new students to the area,” said Campus Director Jo Anne Carrick. “We are so excited for this opportunity to bring talented students and athletes to the Shenango Valley.”

The addition of a baseball program advances the Shenango campus’ strategic plan, calling for increased engagement of current and future students, and developing community relationships. Shenango Athletics has expanded rapidly since 2018, growing to include men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, women’s basketball, co-ed golf, and now baseball.

“Penn State Shenango has been dedicated to the expansion of our offerings,” said Athletic Director Amanda Howett. “We are thrilled to add baseball to our campus, allowing Shenango Athletics to be enjoyed by the community from August until May every year.”

A national search for a head coach is set to begin soon. Application information will be available at the psu.jobs website. Shenango campus leadership is speaking with facilities within the Shenango Valley to secure a field location. Additional program details will be forthcoming.

Approximately 25 baseball student-athletes will be recruited for fall 2023 to begin play in the spring of 2024. For the first season, the team will operate as an independent affiliate of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association and become a member of the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference in spring 2025, joining 12 other Penn State baseball programs.