'Rally in the Valley' set for Friday; white out on for Illini clash

Photo: GoPSUsports.com All fans are encouraged to wear white for Saturday night's Big Ten opener against Illinois.

University Park, Pa. -- The Blue & White Society and Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics are teaming up to host the traditional "Rally in the Valley" football pep rally at 8 p.m., Friday (Sept. 26) in Rec Hall.

Saturday's clash against No. 21 Illinois has been declared a Penn State White Out. All fans are requested to wear white to the sold-out contest. Penn State (4-0) is ranked No. 12 after defeating Temple, 45-3, on Saturday.

Head football coach Joe Paterno, the Penn State football team, the Penn State cheerleaders, Lionettes dance team, the Blue Band and the Nittany Lion mascot will all participate in the pep rally and help ready students, alumni and friends for the next day's football game, the Big Ten opener for both teams.

T-shirts will be given away at the pep rally courtesy of the Penn State Bookstore. The Bus (93.7 FM) radio station is the media sponsor for Rally in the Valley.

The Penn State faithful will be pumped up and primed at the "Rally in the Valley" in anticipation of the widely anticipated and sold-out Sept. 27 game against the Fighting Illini. Penn State leads the series with Illinois, 12-3, but lost last year in Champaign, 27-20. The Nittany Lions will be facing the Fighting Illini in a Saturday night contest that begins at 8 p.m. and will be televised to a split national audience by ABC. The Penn State Sports Network will broadcast the game, which can also be heard at www.GoPSUsports.com, the official home of Penn State Athletics.

The No. 1 ranked Penn State women's volleyball team will be competing in Rec Hall Friday prior to the pep rally. At 6 p.m., the Nittany Lions (12-0) will open Big Ten play against Purdue. Prior to the match, the 2007 NCAA Championship banner will be raised to the Rec Hall ceiling. On Saturday, Penn State hosts Illinois at 3 p.m. in Rec Hall.

The Blue & White Society is the student membership of the Penn State Alumni Association. For more information about the pep rally, visit the Blue & White Society Web site at www.clubs.psu.edu/up/bws or the Penn State Alumni Association at (814) 865-6516.