HVAB to sponsor elite off-road cycling team; Bear National Gravel Team to act as Happy Valley brand ambassadors | News, Sports, Jobs

HUNTER SMITH/THE EXPRESS
Eric Engelbarts, executive director of HVSEA, speaks at HVAB’s annual marketing summit.

STATE COLLEGE — The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) announced that it recently signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Bear National Gravel Team, one of the top-performing development cycling programs in the country.

The partnership was unveiled by HVAB and the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance (HVSEA) on Wednesday at the bureau’s annual Marketing Summit at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center. The sponsorship is expected to further position Centre County as a premier gravel-riding destination and promote local outdoor recreation.

Eric Englebarts, HVSEA’s executive director, also said the team’s new uniforms will prominently feature HVAB’s logo, giving the region visibility at more than 10 major events across the country each year.

As brand ambassadors for Happy Valley, the team will visit to create marketing content showcasing the region’s attractions, outdoor recreation, shopping and dining this July. The hope is their substantial following will raise awareness of Centre County as a must-visit destination for outdoor recreation.

“We expect their endorsement of Happy Valley to generate valuable exposure for the region among the cycling community and outdoor enthusiasts,” said Englebarts.

HVAB’s president and CEO, Fritz Smith, said the partnership validates the region’s outdoor assets and brings the region national relevance.

“In the off-road cycling world, the Bear National Gravel Team has a tremendous following. Their endorsement of Happy Valley should generate valuable exposure for the region among the cycling community and outdoor enthusiasts,” Smith said.

The unique marketing tactic complements Happy Valley’s reputation as a top outdoor recreation area, he also added.

“Sponsoring an elite gravel cycling team demonstrates an organizational commitment to growing our outdoor brand, particularly our strong gravel riding product, lifting up our local cycling community and supporting business in the process,” Smith said. “We anticipate that this partnership will translate to real economic and tourism impact across the board.”

Representatives of the Bear National Gravel Team said they are thrilled about the new partnership.

“This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our mission to diversify and strengthen the competitive domestic gravel cycling scene for future generations,” said Alec Levy-O’Brien, gravel manager for the Bear National Team. “Since our founding in 2011, we have been dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and accessible competitive cycling community. Partnering with the HVAB allows us to expand our efforts in developing emerging talent across the country, with a special focus on Pennsylvania’s vibrant cycling landscape.”

One of the team riders who will help showcase Happy Valley is Penn State student and Centre County native Emily Stapleton.

Stapleton, 20, of State College, has been part of the team as a U23 athlete since 2024. She said it was her dream to be part of the team and grew up riding her bike in her backyard, the Rothrock State Forest.

“It taught me everything I need to know to race at the national level,” she said.

“I’m super excited for this partnership with my team and the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau,” Stapleton said of the partnership. “This area has amazing potential for gravel riding and racing… I think that Bear is going to bring new visibility and connections to the quality of riding here.”

Stapleton also serves on the Happy Valley Women’s Cycling team, where she helps build access, opportunity and community for riders in the area.

“With Bear’s connections, I know that we can showcase the spectacular gravel that we have here in Happy Valley, and bring people out to see what these outdoors are all about,” she said.

Since 2011, the Bear National Gravel Team has produced some of the greatest riders in the country. In 2025, 70 percent of Team USA mountain bike athletes were Bear members or alumni. In the 2024 Paris Olympics, half the team’s competitors were Bear alumni. To date, 62 riders from the team have been invited to compete in World Cup and World Championship events with Team USA Cycling.

“Bear is basically the Penn State Wrestling equivalent in the cycling world,” Stapleton said.