Jay Paterno Elected to 4th Term on Penn State's Board of Trustees

Jay Paterno, the former Penn State football player and coach, was elected to a fourth term on Penn State's Board of Trustees, receiving the most votes among the alumni candidates. In addition, former Penn State soccer player Ali Krieger was not elected to a second term as an alumni trustee.

Paterno received 12,066 votes in the alumni-trustee election to earn one of three available spots on the Penn State board. He was elected with Karen E. Keller, a lawyer and 2000 Penn State graduate, and Dr. Joseph S. DeRenzo, chief of anesthesiology and director for the Division of Obstetric & Women’s Anesthesiology at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

Krieger served one term on Penn State's Board of Trustees after being elected in 2023. Krieger received 12,141 votes in that election, in which Paterno also was re-elected.

A 2007 Penn State graduate, Krieger is a former professional soccer player and two-time U.S. World Cup champion. She was a two-time All-American at Penn State, the 2006 Big Ten defensive player of the year and the 2003 Big Ten freshman of the year. After suffering a broken leg during her junior season, Krieger returned to help lead Penn State to Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships in 2006 as a senior.

Paterno, a former Penn State quarterback and offensive coach, has served on Penn State's Board of Trustees since 2017. According to his biography and position statement for board re-election, Paterno does "consulting work in philanthropy, athletics, media, publishing, private equity and writing."

Paterno also said that he "was one of the nation’s first college Name, Image and Likeness consultants. Currently, he’s a nationally respected voice in the fast-changing college sports landscape. That’s positioned him to lead and work with leaders from other national universities to shape a sustainable future for all college sports especially here at Penn State."

Thanks to all who voted in the Penn State Alumni Trustee election. Honored to be re-elected & hope to be worthy of the honor of serving & carrying your voice forward. pic.twitter.com/qpdToqPQsQ
— Jay Paterno (@JayPaterno) May 8, 2026

Paterno appears with former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley and host Todd Sadowsky on the show "Nittany Game Week" about Penn State sports. Paterno also has written two fictional books about college football, "Hot Seat" and "Blitzed."

Paterno is one of four former Penn State football players serving as alumni-elected trustees. Brandon Short, an All-American linebacker who played for the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, has been a trustee since 2018.

Carl Nassib, a former Penn State walk-on who became an All-America defensive end, is in his first term after being elected in 2024. Former Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin, for whom Paterno was a position coach, also was elected in 2024.

Sign up to our free Penn State Nittany Lions newsletter and follow us on social media.

Add us as a preferred source on Google