People know the tournament as the Big Dance, but for Penn Staters, there's an even bigger dance this weekend.

The Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon has come to be one of the biggest yearly events on the university calendar and in the Centre region, and means a lot to the community.

With that in view, the Penn State ACHA Div. I Icers, who say they have made a greater commitment to community involvement as a whole, will be well represented this weekend when the festivities take place in Rec Hall.

Leading the charge for the Icers have been seniors Josh Mandel and Paul Crooker and junior Curtiss Patrick. To them, the mass of humanity that consumes the hard wood boils down to the individuals.

That one child that made all the difference for the Icers family this year is Matthew Seybert, a local 13-year-old boy who is a Thon child and also a fantastic Icers fan. The players said Seybert has joined them in the locker room, offered them advice when he sees an area of their game that needs to be adjusted and has become an essential part of the lives of several players.

From the summer months, when they first became involved in Matthew's life, to his current struggles with cancer, the players have spent a great deal of time with Seybert and with his family.

Crooker smiled while thinking of playing soccer in the Seyberts' backyard along with several teammates, eating meals in the Seyberts' kitchen and enjoying Matthew's company.

"These are the things that are really important," Crooker said. "We think we have it tough with tests and homework, but these are the real issues."

Last year the Icers did a Riverdance skit during athletes' hour to the delight of the dancers. This year, the participation doesn't end there. As a team, the Icers will be performing a skit during athletes' hour, a top-secret comedy sketch that they assure will leave the crowd howling and help with stretching the dancers when the hours have dragged on, while Patrick will participate in a 15-person line dance through the crowds.

With the proximity to the ACHA National Tournament, which begins Wednesday, dancing is out of the question. However, Mandel said that the time he spent at Thon last year filled him with an unquenchable thirst to return this year and make a bigger impact.

"It has its ups and downs," Mandel said, "but when you see a little boy and he's all smiles, it's just awesome."

Of course, the Icers' determination stems from their mentor, Penn State coach Joe Battista, whose participation in the event bridges three decades, from his participation as a University Park student to last year's event, where he delivered the key-note speech at the kick-off dinner. Being involved in such an important event, he says, is a crucial part of the Penn State education.

"Your four years here go by so quickly," Battista said. "There are other things to do besides hockey."

All important reasons aside, the players said there is nothing that compares to the looks in the eyes of the dancers, of the families, of the children. Mandel remembered back to his time on the floor last year, fondly recalling the chaos that is Thon.

"I had a little boy on my shoulders and people would stop and take pictures and there are balls flying everywhere," Mandel said. "Everybody's so happy, it doesn't matter."

Thinking about the importance of the event, Mandel smiles. He talks about the need for everyone to get involved and the ample opportunities to do so. Maybe, just maybe, he says, someday all the Icers will be as concerned with Thon as he is. After all, it's been a big development since this senior class has been here.

"It's just the tip of the iceberg," Mandel said. "Each year is like one person can pass it on to two people, and those guys can pass it on to four."

Sure, the tournament is coming up. But that can wait. This weekend is the biggest dance of the year.