UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's basketball team will get a head start on the 2024-25 season on Oct. 25 when the Nittany Lions face Lafayette in a charity exhibition game at Lebanon Valley College (LVC) in Annville, Pa. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. from Sorrentino Gymnasium, with all proceeds benefiting both Hope Within Ministries and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
 
Peter and Ann Tombros Endowed Head Coach Mike Rhoades will return to his alma mater when the Nittany Lions square off against Lafayette. Rhoades led Lebanon Valley College to the 1994 NCAA Division III National Championship as the tournament's Co-Outstanding Player. Rhoades was the USA Today Division III National Player of the Year in 1995, a two-time NABC All-American, three-time NABC All-Region and three-time Middle Atlantic Conference Player of the Year. He was the school's all-time scoring leader (2,050) until 1999, but still holds Lebanon Valley records in free-throw percentage (.845), assists (668) and steals (212). His No. 5 jersey is one of five basketball jerseys retired by LVC.
 
Proceeds from the Penn State vs. Lafayette exhibition game at Lebanon Valley College will benefit both Hope Within Ministries and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Hope Within Ministries helps provide primary health care to the uninsured low-income residents of Lancaster, Dauphin and Lebanon counties. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to supporting individuals affected by multiple sclerosis and funding research to find a cure for the disease.

Hope Within Ministries, is the umbrella organization for Hope Within Community Health, Counseling and Dental Center.  Hope Within provides free primary medical care, prescriptions, primary dental and counseling to the financially eligible, uninsured residents of Lebanon, Dauphin and Lancaster Counties of Pennsylvania.

"We are very excited to get our season started with a great exhibition game versus Lafayette at Lebanon Valley College," said Rhoades. "We not only get to put on our uniforms, but also raise money for Hope Within Ministries and the National MS Society.  We are honored to be able to help these charities and their missions. 
 
"Personally, to take my team to my alma mater, Lebanon Valley College, is really special," continued Rhoades. "I'm appreciative of the administration and basketball program for this opportunity.  We do exhibitions this way to prepare for a road game, but to me, LVC is always home. We will enjoy a night of moving our program forward, preparing for the season and sharing the evening at a special place."

"What a great opportunity for our team to play Penn State in an exhibition for charity. Testing ourselves against a Big Ten team with high expectations will hopefully give us a head start on our journey to find our team's identity for this upcoming season," Lafayette Head Coach Mike McGarvey said. "Additionally, it is special for me to pay homage to PSU's Coach Mike Rhoades and Coach Pat Flannery, whom I have a lot of respect for within the coaching profession, by bringing Lafayette to Lebanon Valley College for the game."
 
Tickets for the charity exhibition game will be $20 and go on sale at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14 at this link. As of Oct. 18 the game is sold out.
 
"We are very excited to have Mike Rhoades '95, Patrick Dorney '93, and former LVC Head Coach Pat Flannery back at Sorrentino Gymnasium for this game," stated Lebanon Valley Head Coach Brad McAlester.
 
The Nittany Lions enter their second season under Rhoades in 2024-25. Rhoades guided the Nittany Lions to the second-most Big Ten wins by a first-year head coach in program history during his first season in 2023-24. Penn State returns nearly 60 percent of its scoring production from a season ago as five key players return, headlined by reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Ace Baldwin Jr.

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