Micah Shrewsberry embraces building CVC, Penn State culture

Penn State men’s basketball head coach Micah Shrewsberry had an entire culture surrounding him Thursday evening. On-site at the Coaches vs. Cancer reception held at Medlar Field for this weekend’s annual charity golf outing, Shrewsberry spoke to guests and mingled with dozens of former players and coaches from the program’s history.

Former head coaches Bruce Parkhill, Jerry Dunn, and Ed DeChellis were all back for the event. Past players including Titus Ivory, Danny Morrissey, and John Harrar were among many others on hand, too.

Given his position as the program’s current steward, now happily adding the continuation of a 25-year history of Coaches vs. Cancer to his responsibilities in the role, Shrewsberry acknowledged his appreciation for the event and what it means.

“It’s good to see and meet a lot of former alumni, players out there back, the coaches that are here,” Shrewsberry said. “It’s great to see Coach Parkhill, Coach Dunn, Coach DeChellis. And it’s awesome to see those guys and their support, Coach Chambers as well, for what they did for CVC Penn State and how they put the time into it and their efforts. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Penn State’s CVC efforts

A tradition bringing more than 300 golfers and major sponsors together for the annual event, Penn State’s Coaches vs. Cancer chapter has raised more than $3.5 million since its launch in 1995. Philanthropy that aims to raise funds for the American Cancer Society, its proceeds are used to help local community members battling the deadly disease as well as research toward fighting it. 

For Shrewsberry, the community effort is one that he’s been happy to embrace given his family’s history and understanding of cancer. His mother, Brenda, is a cancer survivor while his mother-in-law was lost to cancer years ago. Given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of other Penn State coaches who have helped grow the cause, Shrewsberry and his family have embraced it.

“It’s a huge cause for myself, my family, my wife. So we were excited to be a part of this in any way possible,” Shrewsberry said. “The committee does all the major legwork. They’re working year-round, and anything that we can do to help, that’s what I want to do, just to keep this going in my way as a coach.”

Building Penn State basketball culture

The showcase event and its offshoots through the rest of the year also serve as another helpful opportunity, though.

Welcoming back Penn State basketball’s stakeholders through the years, Shrewsberry said he was happy to use the occasion to try to further efforts to build on the foundation of the program’s culture. 

“I’m trying to make this a family, right, and that’s how you have to grow. In terms of a family, in terms of building the program, there has to be some kind of continuity,” he said. “I look at other programs that have had success, Purdue with Gene Keady, Matt Painter, and they’ve had the same kind of guys there for a long time. So the alumni are really connected to those guys. It’s the same way at Michigan State. 

“Well, if we can bridge the gap because of this cause and having these other coaches back, that helps bring the alumni all back together in one place. Not just guys that played for Coach Parkhill, or guys that played for Coach Dunn, or Coach Chambers’ guys. We’re all Penn State guys, and that’s what I’m trying to build. Be a part of this family, and that’s what we want. So using this event to just raise awareness and do what we can to help continue to grow CVC Penn State, but also bring our family back together in the setting that we’re looking forward to every single year.”

Micah Shrewsberry’s first year

With his first season at Penn State under his belt, the Nittany Lions finishing with a 14-17 record and a run to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, Shrewsberry is also looking forward to the immediate future. 

Set to welcome two graduate transfers and five true freshmen into the program in the coming weeks, the whirlwind of his first months at Penn State has been replaced by confidence, comfortability, and institutional understanding.

“It feels different going into year two. I don’t feel like my hair’s on fire,” he said. “The continuity of having our staff back together another year. Having some players that will be back for year two, so now they’re a little more comfortable. Having more guys that now can teach. Last year, we were teaching everything to them. Now we are teaching, but those older guys are helping teach the younger guys and the new guys as well. 

“So I think that continuity from year one to year two, we’re comfortable at the school now. Who’s gonna fit here? Who’s gonna have success here? Those are all questions that we had. We didn’t know, but now we have a way better feel of who can have success and how they can have success. So I feel good about the direction of our program’s going.”