Throughout what has been a consistently up and down season for the Nittany Lions on the basketball floor, there has been a key member of the Penn State men's basketball program that has consistently performed on a high level.

Positioned behind the scenes of a major college basketball program in what is always one of the top conferences in Div. I basketball, the 10 managers dedicate a great deal of time and energy to fulfill their roles with the team.

The managers log a lot of time with hardly any recognition. While the players and coaches work extremely hard and are, for the most part, rewarded with notoriety and recognition outside the program, the managers work vigorously without any appreciation.

"I get most of the credit," head manager Mike Shubik said.

"The other managers receive hardly any recognition. They make my job a lot easier," the junior added. "I know that I can rely on them to have everything ready on time, which allows me to focus on more administrative work such as writing the itineraries for road trips and setting up all of the reservations."

Shubik also makes the schedule for the managers each week during the season, assigning them to work at practices and games.

The managers have many responsibilities during practice. They participate in drills, work the clock and scoreboard and make sure there is water and towels readily available, all to allow the coaches to perform their jobs without any distractions.

The managers earn their court-side seats during games. They arrive more than one hour before the game, at which time they begin to set up all three locker rooms (Penn State, the visiting team and the referee's) with towels, Gatorade, and water. During the game, the managers handle the towels, water and warm-ups during substitutions and time-outs. After the game, the managers typically stay for one-and-a-half hours to clean up both benches and the three locker rooms.

The managers are an essential part of the program whose duties behind the scenes extend beyond what only the public sees.

Greg Shoemaker remembers something that Shubik told him when he first started last year.

"He told me that as long as the managers aren't noticed, everything is alright. . .," Shoemaker said. "They always expect us to have everything ready before it's needed and we're not even noticed unless something goes wrong."

Manager Nate Sanfilippo agrees. "We're just supposed to be invisible and get our jobs done," he said.

The negative aspects, including long, tedious hours and little recognition to show for it, pale in comparison to the benefits of managing, according to manager Derek Anderson. Managers such as Sanfilippo and Anderson who have been with the team for a long time, three and four years respectively, have enjoyed the satisfaction when their team wins.

"The atmosphere is great when you win. Last year's run to the Sweet 16 was amazing," Anderson said. "It's a lot of fun when you really have something to play for."

Another benefit the managers embrace is the opportunity to be around basketball everyday and witness the program up close.

Will Rogers, Mike Carney and Anderson all played high school basketball and although they could not continue their careers on the court, they are as close as they can possibly get.

"I love basketball," Rogers said. "I've played it all my life, and since I couldn't continue playing after high school, I felt that this was the next best thing."

Shoemaker also relishes his position as a manager. Shoemaker, who grew up in Bellefonte, has been a Penn State basketball fan his entire life.

"I'm more of a fan than a manager. I grew up watching Penn State basketball and now I'm as close to the team as a fan can possibly get."

Mike Cusat treasures the relationships he's built over the last three years.

"This is a great group of guys.I've made a lot of great friendships," Cusat said.

These friendships have been developed as a result of a lot of times spent together both at home in State College and on the road as well.