A KEY PART OF PENN COLLEGE ATHLETICS’ mission is providing students the opportunity for self-discovery through hands-on leadership and civic responsibility – to be more than just athletes. 

Throughout the academic year, student-athletes actively participate in a wide array of community service, embodying the department’s commitment to making a positive impact in the community. These events range from neighborhood clean-ups and youth sports clinics to volunteering for local nonprofits and organizing fundraising drives for charitable causes. 

In 2024-25, athletic programs completed 2,701 hours of community service and raised a little over $21,000 for various charities. The men’s lacrosse team led the charge with 17 initiatives and nearly $13,000 raised. The team’s value on community service is so great that they take an entire day during their Spring Break trip to Virginia and North Carolina to volunteer their time with charities in those areas. 

“Service is the first pillar of our program, and we put a huge emphasis on giving back,” men’s lacrosse head coach Jordan Williams explained. “If we have the capability to give, serve or volunteer, we want our men to do just that. Our Spring Break community service event is typically most guys’ favorite memory of that trip, regardless of how tired they are from playing games and traveling. 

“Getting to see the impact, whether in our local community, around campus, or when we serve in a different state, allows our men to see the value of service and how much of a difference we can make with our actions.”

In addition to a record-setting 2024- 25 year in competition – including three conference championships, two conference runners-up, 62 all-conference selections and eight all-region honors – Penn College student-athletes had their performances in the classroom recognized at an all-time level, as well.

The department finished the academic year with a collective 3.28 cumulative grade point average, which included 264 dean’s list selections and 115 perfect 4.0 GPAs combined between both the fall and spring semesters. Thirteen athletic programs finished the year with a 3.0 or higher GPA. 

At the national level, five Wildcats earned their respective sport’s top academic honor as Scholar All-Americans, while at the conference level, 178 student-athletes were named United East or Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Scholar-Athletes. 

A record four Penn College student-athletes earned one of the United East’s top academic honors, the Elite 20 award. The award was created in 2022 and is presented to the student-athlete who holds the highest grade point average among the teams that qualified for the conference postseason. Walt Heiser ’25 was honored for men’s lacrosse; Peyton Mussina ’25 received the honor for golf; Landon Reeder ’27 earned the honor in men’s basketball; and Alec Rees ’25 earned the award in men’s cross-country. 

Kayleigh Miller ’25, a two-time recipient of the Elite 20 award – for cross-country in 2024 and women’s basketball in 2022-23 – was named the United East Senior Scholar-Athlete, which recognizes a senior who truly represents the student-athlete model by performing in competition, in the classroom and around the community.