About Us

Welcome to NittanyCentral!

We Are your premier home for comprehensive coverage of Penn State Football, Penn State Wrestling, and Penn State Basketball, as well as in-depth analysis of the latest Penn State Nittany Lions storylines.

Led by Senior Editor-in-Chief Matt Lombardo, and an editorial staff overseen by Robert Casturo, our writers and reporters have been credentialed to cover Penn State Athletics, including football, basketball, and wrestling since 2022.

Launched in April 2022, NittanyCentral is proud to have been credentialed to cover multiple Penn State Football games, Penn State Basketball games, Penn State Wrestling meets, and Penn State hockey games.

Since our beginning, We Are dedicated to providing in-depth analysis and context to the latest breaking news and storylines impacting Penn State sports that you can’t get anywhere else.

Our Mission

NittanyCentral’s mission is clear: deliver the most captivating and informative coverage for Penn State sports fans. We uphold top-tier journalistic standards, fueled by an unwavering passion for the Nittany Lions and their collegiate athletic journey.

Meet the Editors

• Matt Lombardo – Lombardo has covered the NFL for over a decade, with experience as a beat writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants for NJ Advance Media, the parent company of The Star-Ledger and NJ.com. Currently a national NFL reporter for Heavy.com and on-air sports contributor for FOX 29 in Philadelphia. Lombardo has a deeply rooted passion for Penn State sports, including as a season ticket holder for Penn State Football. Lombardo applies his journalistic instincts and relentless drive to guide the NittanyCentral staff to deliver the content readers are searching for.

 

• Robert Casturo – Casturo is a lead sports editor for NittanyCentral. A former collegiate punter at Saint Vincent College and 2018 Penn State Law graduate, Casturo has been a Penn State fan since 2015 and has been involved in various media aspects of covering the team since 2018.

Meet The Writers

• Alec Whitaker  – Whitaker is NittanyCentral’s Senior Football Recruiting Analyst. A 2021 graduate of Penn State University earning a BA in Journalism and a minor in History. He is an avid sports fan and spends his free time co-hosting podcasts on his YouTube channel, Whitaker Media. Prior to arriving at NittanyCentral, Whitaker covered Penn State Football and Penn State Football recruiting for VictoryBellRings.com, part of the FanSided network. Read Alec Whitaker’s Content

 

• Chris Snyder – Snyder is NittanyCentral’s Senior Wrestling Reporter. Even though he had no prior journalism experience, Chris has now covered Penn State Wrestling and Penn State Football for the past three years, including as the Penn State Wrestling Beat Writer for VictoryBellRings.com, part of the FanSided network. Read Chris Snyder’s Content

 

• Joe Staszak – Staszak is NittanyCentral’s Senior Penn State Football Reporter. A proud graduate of Villanova University, Staszak’s first gig in the industry was with PRISM sports in 1989, covering the four local home teams, the Flyers, 76ers and Phillies while also covering the Randall Cunningham-led Philadelphia Eagles. Staszak has an extensive journalism background, including as an Emmy Award Nominated sportscaster for Fox 29 in Philadelphia, and an on-air host at 97.5 FM The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Read Joe Staszak’s Content

 

• Robert Shields – Shields covers Penn State Football for Nittany Central. As a Penn State graduate, Robert has covered Penn State football since 2019, but had been a fan of the Nittany Lions for well over a decade. During his undergraduate education, Robert was a manager in the athletic department of a division III school, working in various aspects of athletic management at football, soccer, baseball, basketball, and lacrosse games. Read Robert Shields’ Content

 

• Daniel Fisher – Fisher covers Penn State Football for NittanyCentral. In addition to his work for NittanyCentral, Fisher also writes for a few other sports outlets: Gridiron Heroics, where he covers college football and the NFL, and Stadium Rant, where he is a head editor and covers all major and college sports. Read Daniel Fisher’s Content

 

• Evan Smith – Smith is NittanyCentral’s Senior Basketball Reporter. An alum of Penn State (Marketing, Economics, 2011) and a basketball season ticket holder since 2006. NittanyCentral is his second reporting job following the Men’s Basketball program, following a stint at VictoryBellRings.com, part of the FanSided network. He co-founded and co-hosts The Shots Gotta Fall – The Penn State Basketball Podcast (the premiere, the best, the only) with Steve Travis. Read Evan Smith’s Content

 

• Brad Kulp – Brad is versatile and accomplished in both photography and writing. He has been recognized for his work as a photographer and has also contributed to various publications including PennLive and The Weather Channel. Brad is an Air Force veteran, coach, and competitive runner who grew up a Nittany Lions fan as his family is originally from the State College area. His diverse skillset and experiences provide interesting perspectives on the college football, sports topics of the day. Read Brad Kulp’s Content

 

• David Pollak – Pollak covers Penn State Football for NittanyCentral. A Scranton native and proud graduate of Penn State, Pollak previously reported for The Daily Collegian during his undergraduate studies. Post-graduation, Pollak worked as a reporter and editor for the Kittanning Leader Times and briefly reported for the Indiana Gazette. Read David Pollak’s Content

 

• David Malandra – Malandra is a Penn State sports columnist for NittanyCentral. Read David Malandra’s Content

 

• Lamarr Fields – Fields covers Penn State Football for NittanyCentral. Read Lamarr Fields’ Content

 

About NittanyCentral

At NittanyCentral, we distinguish ourselves through:

• Credibility: As an accredited media outlet, we enjoy direct access to Penn State sports events. This grants us the privilege to furnish you with firsthand accounts, exclusive interviews, and insider insights.
• Comprehensive Coverage: From football to basketball, to wrestling, we leave no stone unturned in our coverage of Penn State sports. Our team’s diverse expertise ensures you receive a well-rounded perspective on every aspect.
• Passion and Commitment: Our team’s genuine love for the Nittany Lions is the driving force behind our work. We’re dedicated to delivering content that echoes the rich traditions and enduring spirit of Penn State University.

 

What We Offer

• Game Recaps: NittanyCentral is committed to delivering in-depth reporting and analysis of Penn State games, including multiple insightful analysis articles following Penn State Football games, Penn State Basketball games, and comprehensive results from Penn State Wrestling meets.

 

• Breaking News: At NittanyCentral, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide rapid reactions and instant analysis to the latest breaking Penn State Football, Penn State Basketball, and Penn State Wrestling news. Whether it is original reporting, or multiple in-depth articles advancing the original story, we aspire to provide context to Penn State news you can’t find anywhere else.

 

• Recruiting Updates and Analysis: Get to know the newest Nittany Lions thanks to our comprehensive recruiting analysis, and insight into the latest news and speculation from the recruiting trail.

 

• Player Profiles: From exclusive interviews to providing context and analysis of what Penn State coaches and players say, our reporting sets out to ensure our readers will be apprised of the latest Nittany Lions news.

 

• Opinion Columns: We at NittanyCentral empower our reporters to share their opinions on the latest Penn State sports storylines.