ASK ANY COACH about the foundation of their program, and the word “family” will likely come up quickly as a defining pillar of their team. For five athletics programs at Penn College, “family” became reality as nine sets of siblings competed as Wildcats last year. 

Brooke and Sierra Klinger, from Klingerstown, and Ava and Gianna Gamble, of Shamokin Dam, were members of the women’s soccer program; Chase and Kane Wright, from Williamsport, and twins Charlie and Benny Hornburg, of Pittsburgh, played on the baseball team; and Eliza and Owen Newcomer, from Newell, are members of the women’s and men’s basketball programs. 

Men’s lacrosse boasted four sets of brothers with A.J. and Elliot Dotson, of Wilmington, Delaware; Brody and Levi Borkowski, of Eagleville; Antonio and Marcello Santora, of Haskell, New Jersey; and twins Jake and Charlie Monsell, of Pittstown, New Jersey. 

“We never set out to recruit all of these brothers,” said men’s lacrosse head coach Jordan Williams, who has coached seven sets of brothers in his five seasons. “I think it’s a testament to the college, the athletics department and the program because the younger brothers saw how much their older brothers enjoyed their time here.”

Whether they’ll admit it or not, older brothers are usually role models for their younger brothers. They are the ones trailblazing a path as they navigate life on their own and become a compass for their little brothers. The academic and athletic experience of A.J., Brody and Marcello gave a firsthand look to Elliot, Levi and Antonio, and sometimes the strongest recruiting tool is hearing about a college experience from someone you trust most.

“A.J. played a huge part in me coming to school,” said Elliot Dotson, who, like his brother, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in residential construction technology & management. “When he would talk about his classes and all the hands-on labs, I realized that I wanted to do the same thing since he had such a good experience.

“I would not have come to Penn College if my brother had not come here first. I was able to see the special culture through his experience, and hearing how close the team and coaches were played a big part in my decision.”

Sierra (business administration) and Gianna (undecided) were watching and listening. They saw how much their older sisters, Brooke and Ava, loved Penn College and witnessed the success they were having on the field. They heard how happy their sisters were as members of the soccer team and how Penn College’s hands-on curriculum was preparing them for the real world. Brooke (dental hygiene) and Ava (human services & restorative justice) knew they were being watched and understood they could be an influence on their younger sisters’ college decisions.

“My love for Penn College radiates, and anyone who has ever met me knows that I feel Penn College is the perfect school,” said Brooke Klinger, who graduated in May. “I cannot speak highly enough about Penn College or the amazing experience I had during my time there. My younger sister saw my love for the school and the women’s soccer team, and she wanted to experience that for herself.”

Eliza Newcomer (human services & restorative justice) found her perfect fit when she chose Penn College and was a member of the volleyball and basketball programs while her older brother, Owen (business administration), was seeking the same experience as he attended three different schools over three years. After Eliza “nagged him one more time about coming to Penn College,” Owen finally listened to his little sister.

“I was constantly hearing great stuff about the school, the team and the people at Penn College,” Owen remembered. “I don’t think I would’ve been here if it weren't for Eliza coming here. I’m extremely grateful we’re both here.”

Kane Wright was done playing baseball. He was strictly a student during his first two years at Penn College. When his younger brother, Chase, made the decision to attend Penn College and join the baseball team, that stoked a fire in Kane.

“I missed the camaraderie and competitiveness of playing on a baseball team,” explained Kane, who completed an associate degree in building construction technology before enrolling in the emergency management & homeland security major. Chase, too, is pursuing a bachelor’s in emergency management & homeland security. “I decided to pick up my glove in hopes of playing alongside my little brother again. Chase definitely had a role in motivating me to play the sport I love one last time.”

There’s a little disagreement between Charlie (industrial design) and Benny (graphic design) Hornburg on whether they always planned to attend the same college: Charlie says yes, Benny says not originally – classic twins. Lacrosse players Jake (residential construction technology & management) and Charlie (on-site power generation technology) Monsell had no plans to attend the same college together. What all agreed on, however, was that Penn College offered each of them the academic and athletic experiences they were seeking in an institution.

“We were both looking for the right balance of academics and athletics,” Benny explained. “Penn College just happened to offer exactly what we both wanted, and being recruited to the same team made the choice a little bit easier.”