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Rogers Stadium’s new track and field will honor Panik, Herbstritt

BELLEFONTE – Bellefonte’s Rogers Stadium has new turf, new bleachers and soon, a new all-weather track.

At some point, it will have a new name – sort of.

Don’t worry, Red Raider fans: The name Rogers Stadium isn’t going anywhere. But there will be a few familiar names added to the stadium’s turf field and the all-weather track, which hasn’t been installed just yet. The field and track will be named after two of Bellefonte’s most beloved alumni – the late Navy Lt. Jonas Martin Panik and Jeremy Herbstritt.

Panik, of course, is the 1993 Bellefonte Area High School graduate who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. There are already several memorials throughout the district honoring Panik. According to the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Panik, who graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1997, was “an outstanding intelligence professional, a true shipmate, a great friend and a devoted and loving uncle, brother, son and husband.”

Herbstritt is a 1998 graduate of the high school who was killed during a mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007. At the time of the shooting, Herbstritt was a student at Virginia Tech in the master’s program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

He is known most for his love of running on the Bellefonte track and field and cross country teams.

At Tuesday night’s Bellefonte Area School District’s school board meeting at the Middle School, Reliance Bank President and CEO Dennis Doll made the big announcement moments into the meeting.

“I’m here to suggest that we partner with (these) two local families,” Doll said.

Doll announced that Reliance Bank was contributing $125,000 toward the naming of the track and field.

Members of the Panik and Herbstritt families were present at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Running was a passion of (Jeremy’s). He just really enjoyed it,” said Jeremy’s brother, Joe Herbstritt. “Thanks for making this dream a reality.”

Jonas’ father, Martin Panik, also spoke at the meeting.

“Jonas would be very proud,” Panik said, matter-of-factly.

Seth Miller, head track and field coach at the high school, spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. He was elated with the naming of the track and field.

“I’ve been involved with the track and field program for 15 years,” Miller said. “This is a dream come true.”

In other business, the board:

– Approved a contract with PowerSchool for E-Finance software in the amount of $68,845 for license and subscription, professional services, setup fees and training services for the first year and annual ongoing fees to follow at $22,424.

– Approved the ELA contract for Phase 2 at Rogers Stadium in the amount of $26,000-$30,000.

Board member Robert Pacella closed the meeting by discussing the recent death of lacrosse coach Edward Gannon. Gannon, 58, died on Nov. 14.

“Mr. Gannon spoke to the board several times,” Pacella said. “He had a passion for the sport of lacrosse and he had a passion to coach kids.”

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