The 2023 school year has been a whirlwind for Blue Band drum major Carson Pedaci.
In August, Pedaci was chosen to be the 62nd drum major in Blue Band history ahead of his junior year. It was a position that came with challenges, like the pregame flip, but Pedaci was confident in his ability.
Pedaci got his first real shot at the flip on a warm summer night in September before the Nittany Lions took on West Virginia to open the season. After he high-stepped through the ranks of the Blue Band, it was time.
“Landing that first flip is somewhat legendary for me,” Pedaci said. “I was just kind of going off muscle memory. As soon as I felt my feet hit the ground, there was just a wave of relief that sank right to my feet.”
Now, Pedaci is facing a different challenge — he’s dancing at this year’s THON. He’s grown somewhat used to electrifying crowds inside Beaver Stadium but not inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
The 46-hour no-sitting marathon is a culmination of Penn State’s fundraising efforts to fight childhood cancer through Four Diamonds and the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. As a Hershey native, it’s not a new cause for the drum major.