Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver Athletics

Penn State Beaver competes in NAIA athletics, which represents mid-level college sports with some scholarships but smaller crowds than Division I programs. With 115 total athletes out of 491 students, about 23% of the campus participates in varsity athletics. The school fields teams in 7 sports, creating opportunities for student-athletes in this intimate campus setting. The student-faculty ratio of 11:1 means coaches can provide personalized attention to developing players. As part of the broader Penn State system, Beaver benefits from the athletic tradition and resources of one of the country's most successful college sports programs. Many athletes use their time at Beaver to develop skills before potentially transferring to compete at University Park's Big Ten level. The small campus size means athletes often become campus leaders and familiar faces to their classmates.