Penn State’s Thon smashed another record. 5 things you may have missed from the weekend

Penn State’s 46-hour dance marathon raised $18,841,726 in 2026, breaking last year’s record by about $1 million. The weekend featured the annual surprise concert, a new football team fundraiser and more than 700 dancers who went without sitting or sleeping.

Here are highlights from stories through the weekend:

• Thon’s 2026 total of $18,841,726 set a new record, pushing the event’s all-time fundraising past $272 million for Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital since 1977.

• The football team launched its own fundraiser for Thon this year, with head coach Matt Campbell pledging to double whatever players raise, offensive lineman Cooper Cousins said during the Thon Explorers event. Defensive end Max Granville pitched the idea in a team meeting.

• Fitz and the Tantrums, best known for their 2016 hit “HandClap,” performed as the surprise national act Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. “Holy cow, there are a lot of you all here,” lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick told the crowd.

• Braden Fleagle, a Penn State student and Thon dancer who was a Four Diamonds child himself, said the event “just becomes the world’s largest family and is there for you.”

• Saturday’s pep rally featured Penn State men’s soccer taking the winner’s trophy, while Sunday’s schedule included final line dances, Thon Family Hour and the reveal of top fundraising organizations and individuals.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The stories in the links were reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.