Before each football game -- after performing a few baton tricks with President Graham Spanier at the President's tailgate and finding her mom in the crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center's Tailgreat -- Blue Sapphire PJ Maierhofer takes a moment to look up to the North end zone of Beaver Stadium and find two vacant seats.

One is for her father, Joe, and the other is for her former coach, Andrea Birdcreek, both of whom have passed away. Even if there aren't any empty seats in the stadium, Maierhofer said she knows they're always there watching her.

This Saturday's game will be the last time Maierhofer searches for those two empty seats, as she performs in her final regular season game at Beaver Stadium.

In five years at Penn State, Maierhofer has never missed an opportunity to perform. She's marched in five homecoming parades, performed at 36 home games, four bowl games, numerous basketball games and the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

"It's really hard to even try to condense or even think of a favorite [memory]," Maierhofer said. "I think every time I get to step on that field with the Blue Band, the majorettes and the silks is my favorite memory. It's not until you're about to do your last [show] until you realize how special each and every one is."

Most students aren't able to count performing in front of Paris Hilton and Kelly Clarkson as one of their best college experiences, but during Maierhofer's freshman year, only weeks after being chosen the 13th Blue Sapphire in school history, she got the opportunity to perform at a Marc Jacobs' fashion show in New York.

It was a spur-of-the-moment performance that Blue Band Director Richard Bundy asked if she would be interested in going to, Maierhofer said.

"We hopped on a bus, went to New York City and that night performed," Maierhofer said. "That same night, we drove back to Penn State, got back at 5 in the morning -- I had an 8 a.m. class -- went to class and was like, 'Did that really just happen?' "

Maierhofer began twirling when she was 3 years old after watching her mom, who is a baton coach, teach her older sister. She started getting serious at the age of 10 and left high school a year early to come to Penn State.

"I was ready to move on educationally," Maierhofer said. "But [being the Blue Sapphire] was a good point."

Each spring, Maierhofer has had to re-audition for her spot as feature twirler in the Blue Band, and each spring she has beaten out the twirlers hoping to take her place. This spring, Band Front Coordinator Kathy Bamat expects between 10 and 15 girls to try out for the Blue Sapphire position.

Those candidates have big shoes to fill. Both Bamat and Bundy had nothing but high praise for Maierhofer's tenure as Penn State's Blue Sapphire.

"I think one of the factors for P.J. is that she projects her personality through her twirling," Bundy said. "She's engaging to the audience."

Last weekend's record-breaking audience was captivated by Maierhofer's ability to juggle three batons, each engulfed in flames on the ends.

"If you've watched her twirl, she's very fast," Bamat said. "She's a very high level of difficulty in tricks, everything is very difficult. Her presence, her play to the audience is both amazing. It doesn't matter what she's doing, it looks fantastic."

Much to Maierhofer's dismay, Bamat said the current Blue Sapphire probably won't be able to help judge during this April's auditions -- it would be too intimidating to have the person "leaving office" judge the other candidates. But Bamat, Bundy, at least one former feature twirler and a certified judge will be there to make sure they find a suitable replacement.

"We're looking for a candidate who has exceptional twirling skills," Bundy said. "Someone who really truly is a feature twirler."

Previous Blue Sapphire and Maierhofer's long-time friend Bobbie Jo Solomon spoke to her last night to tell her what to expect at Saturday's game.

"I said, 'Cry when you need to cry'," Solomon said. " 'Even when you're performing. Just take every little second in, look around and take it all in, because it's the performance that you'll remember for the rest of your life.' "

Solomon recalled the feelings of her final performance as the Blue Sapphire.

"That whole entire week was very, very emotional -- there were a lot of tears." She said. "It is such a prestigious position at Penn State, and I just remember thinking, 'What am I ever going to do in life that's ever going to top this?' What people don't understand is that twirling kind of ends for people that are on PJ and I's level after college and after competition. So it's kind of like a whole chapter in your life that's closing, and it's just really emotional and very sad."

But Maierhofer's career as a Penn State twirler will extend past this Saturday and even the Nittany Lions' likely bowl appearance.

After winning College Miss Majorette of America last summer, she has the opportunity to travel and promote baton twirling at different tournaments throughout the country. At nationals in July, she will perform with the Touch of Blue for the last time, giving her farewell performance at the big show, the grand finale of the week.

"After that, I don't know," Maierhofer said. "I've thought about doing some stuff professionally, maybe something for the NBA or something like Cirque du Soleil. More importantly, I just really want to put my education to good use and see what else I'm good at."