Casey, Toomey, Thompson Nominate JoePa for Presidential Medal of Freedom
WASHINGTON, DC—U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) and U.S. Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA) today nominated Joe Paterno for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his substantial contributions to collegiate athletics, higher education and American society. “Coach Paterno’s accomplishments on the football field are nothing short of legendary. During his 45-year tenure at Penn State, he has amassed 402 career wins – more than any other coach in Division I history,” the members wrote in a letter to President Obama. “He has coached five undefeated teams, two national championship teams, won three Big Ten conference championships, and been named ‘Coach Of The Year’ five times by the American Football Coaches Association.” The letter continued, “While these numbers are unrivaled, Coach Paterno’s contributions to society off the field are even more noteworthy. His commitment to the success of student athletes under his guidan...