It just keeps getting better and better for Penn College athletics.
In the college’s 12th season as a member of the United East Conference, and ninth as a full-fledged member of the NCAA, program records were either set or matched by 10 Wildcat teams, including women’s basketball, golf, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s volleyball and wrestling.
“With each passing year, our athletics department grows stronger and more resilient. The upward trajectory is a direct testament to the dedication of our coaching staff, whose relentless recruiting efforts continue to attract high-caliber student-athletes,” director of athletics Scott Kennell said.
“Our success extends beyond the field of competition; we are consistently delivering excellence where it matters the most, in the classroom. Outside of competition, we continue to have a commitment to community engagement,” Kennell continued, noting that student-athletes performed a record 3,080 community service hours and raised $14,021 for charity.
“As we look ahead, our goal is to build on the incredible momentum, pushing the boundaries of what our programs can achieve as we establish ourselves as a national leader in collegiate athletics,” Kennell added.
A sport-by-sport review (alphabetically):
Coach: Dustin Bartron, sixth season.
Season highlights: Leading up to nationals, five archers had first-place finishes, four seconds and one third, with six ranked nationally in the top 25 of their respective disciplines after the USA Archery Indoor Championships in February. That was followed by two individual firsts, two individual seconds, one third and one fourth, along with two team firsts and a second in the East Region Outdoor Championships in April. At the USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals in May, Eli Bartron, of South Williamsport, in men’s compound, and Liz Gruodis, of Milford, in women’s barebow, reached the quarterfinal round of head-to-head eliminations, as did the men’s fixed pins team of Josiah Hinojos, of Groton, Connecticut; Tayton Roys, of Port Allegany; and Anthony Olenchak, of Valhalla, New Jersey. Bartron and Gruodis were awarded sixth place.
Season honors:
All-East Region Team: Josiah Hinojos (Groton, Connecticut), Roman Moss (Stillwater), Eli Bartron (South Williamsport), Anthony Olenchak (Valhalla, New Jersey), Cannon Youndt (Denver), Cooper Goldring (Boca Raton, Florida).
Coach: Chris Howard, 19th season. Career record: 381-288.
Final overall: 4-5.
Final UEC: 0-0.
Statistical leader: In a shortened season, Matt Munoz, of Tobyhanna, led the team with a .455 batting average, five doubles and 10 RBIs.
Coach: Geoff Hensley, seventh season. Career record: 49-128.
Final overall: 4-20.
Final UEC: 3-10 (3-10 UE regular season)
Season highlight: Working with what Hensley described in the preseason as a “brand new team,” the Wildcats continued building for the future.
Statistical leaders: Jay Henry, of Warminster, led the team in scoring with 227 points (11.4 average); Octavio Alexander, of Dallas, Texas, scored 217 (11.4); Peyton Murphy, of Gallipolis, Ohio, scored 215 (9.3); and Landon Reeder, of Montoursville, scored 205 (9.3). Reeder topped the team with 126 rebounds (5.7 average), and Henry led with 79 assists.
Postseason honor
UE All-Sportsmanship Team: Owen Newcomer (Newell).
Coach: Britni Mohney, sixth season. Career record: 65-87.
Final overall: 20-7.
Final UEC: 12-3 (11-2 UE regular season)
Season highlights: A 5-0 opening, the best since the 1998-99 squad began 6-0, and a program-record 9-1 start set the stage for what turned out to be the winningest season (20-7) in the program’s history.
Statistical leaders: Gigi Parlante, of Williamsport, led the team in scoring with 434 points (16.7 average) and in rebounds with 238 (9.2). In two seasons, Parlante has scored 826 career points and has 519 career rebounds. Breana Valentine, of Fairfield, scored 313 points (12.0) and led with 116 assists; Mia Patterson, of Loyalsock Township, scored 241 points (8.9); and Lexi Troup, of Huntingdon, scored 201 (10.1), closing out her career with 914 points.
Postseason honors
UEC first team: Gigi Parlante (Williamsport).
UEC second team: Breana Valentine (Fairfield).
UEC third team: Kayla Herzer (Brick, New Jersey).
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Lexi Troup (Huntingdon).
Coach: Tom Leeser, fourth season.
Season highlights: At the United East Championship, Mitchell Campbell, of Riegelsville, led the squad to a third-place finish among 10 teams over an 8K course by finishing 12th of 84 runners.
Statistical leader: For the season, Ben Causak, of Lebanon, posted the best 8K time of 28:32.
Postseason honors:
UEC second team: Mitchell Campbell (Riegelsville), Chase Ebeling (Bellefonte), Ben Causak (Lebanon).
UEC third team: Holden Furey (Williamsport), Aaron Guerrisky (South Williamsport), Ethan Knapp (Franklin), Ben Heym (West Chester).
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Jacob Parker (Weatherly).
Coach: Tom Leeser, fourth season.
Season highlights: Alexis Durn, of Spring Mills, placed eighth of 68 runners in a 6K at the United East Championship, and the team was fifth in an eight-team field.
Statistical leader: For the season, Durn posted the best 6K time of 26:12.
Postseason honors:
UEC first team: Alexis Durn (Spring Mills).
UEC second team: Elaina Brady (McConnellsburg).
UEC third team: Ellie Miller (Hughesville).
Elite 21 Academic Award: Brady.
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Isabella Telford (Greensburg).
Coach: Rob Lytle, fourth season.
Final overall: 39 of 304 in NCAA Division III (43 competed at nationals).
Final UEC: United East Conference Champion.
Season highlights: During 12 fall and spring outings, the Wildcats had nine top 10 multi-team finishes, including four firsts, one second and one third. One of the firsts was winning their fourth consecutive conference championship and earning a trip to the NCAA Division III Championship. Of the more than 3,200 collegiate men golfers who compete in D-III, and 225 who made the national championship field, Chase Dillman, of Boyertown, finished tied at 155; Brady Handy, of Huntingdon, tied at 171; Gunner Redmond, of Lock Haven, and Logan Gawlinski, of Kittanning, tied at 177; and Brett Keenan, of Plymouth Meeting, was at 220.
Statistical leaders: For the entire season, average rounds were: Redmond 75.0, Dillman 76.6, Handy 78.8, Gawlinski 81.7, Keenan 82.8.
Postseason honors:
UEC first team: Gunner Redmond (Lock Haven).
UEC second team: Chase Dillman (Boyertown), Brady Handy (Huntingdon).
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Handy.
Coach: Jordan Williams, sixth season. Career record: 62-36.
Final overall: 14-5.
Final UEC: 3-2 (2-1 UE regular season)
Season highlights: Knocking off Susquehanna University in its season opener was a good omen as the Wildcats went on for a program-best 6-1 start, and later matched the program-best record set one year earlier. Also among their nonconference wins was a first-time victory over previously unbeaten Montclair State. Regular-season and UE Championship-match losses to St. Mary’s (Md.) College totaled three goals and two goals, respectively, the closest outcomes in nine meetings between the two, as Penn College finished second for the third straight season. AJ Dotson, of Wilmington, Delaware, became the first Wildcat selected for the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Senior All-Star game.
Statistical leaders: Elliot Dotson, of Wilmington, Delaware, with 45 goals, 49 assists and 94 points; Owen Kupsey, of Chadds Ford, with 65 goals, 10 assists and 75 points; Aidan McFalls, of Gilbertsville, with 44 goals, 15 assists and 59 points; and AJ Dotson with 18 goals, 32 assists and 50 points. Marcello Santora, of Haskell, New Jersey, won 281 of 359 faceoffs and led with 123 ground balls. In the goal, Ryan Twist, of Great Meadows, New Jersey, started 16 matches, making 185 saves (.536 save %), with 11 wins and five losses. Averaging 16.58 goals per game, the Wildcats had the 13th-best scoring offense among NCAA Division III teams.
Postseason honors:
UEC first team: Elliot Dotson (Wilmington, Delaware), Ryder Palubinski (Media), Owen Kupsey (Chadds Ford), Aidan McFalls (Gilbertsville), Will Ehret (Basking Ridge, New Jersey), Ben Malarkey (Malvern), Ryan Twist (Great Meadows, New Jersey).
UEC second team: Tyler Diffenderfer (Boyertown), Jake Small (Bloomsbury, New Jersey), Ian Stambaugh (Red Lion), Antonio Santora (Haskell, New Jersey).
UEC Offensive Player of the Year: Elliot Dotson.
UEC Rookie of the Year: Palubinski.
UEC Coach of the Year: Jordan Williams.
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Dylan Keene (Millersville).
USILA Senior All-Star Game selectee: AJ Dotson (Wilmington, Delaware).
Coach: Tyler Mensch, 10th season. Career record: 66-101-24.
Final overall: 11-7-2.
Final UEC: 6-3-2 (4-2-2 UE regular season)
Season highlights: The Wildcats qualified fifth in the United East playoffs and knocked off fourth-seeded Notre Dame (Md.) University in the quarterfinals and top-seeded St. Mary’s (Md.) College in the semifinals to reach the championship for the first time in the NCAA era (since 2014). In the title match, they fell to second-seeded Penn State Harrisburg. The campaign also marked the first time posting back-to-back double-digit overall wins since 2013.
Statistical leaders: Logan Pietrzak, of Philadelphia, led the team with five goals and 10 points; Cooper Smith, of Carlisle, was tops with four assists. Goalie Justin Crismale, of Glen Gardner, New Jersey, made 60 saves (0.759 save %), allowed 19 goals (1.09 goals-against average), with a 10-6-2 record.
Postseason honors:
UEC first team: Justin Crismale (Glen Gardner, New Jersey).
UEC third team: Silas Miller (Mechanicsburg), Will Watson (Collegeville).
UEC Rookie of the Year: Crismale.
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Garrett Gill (Florida, New York).
Coach: Ian Scheller, fourth season. Career record: 50-15-14.
Final overall: 15-3-2.
Final UEC: 8-2 (7-1 UE regular season)
Season highlights: After recording its second straight 14-win regular season and losing just once during the United East regular season despite the early season-ending injury loss of Megan Kurian, of Royersford, who was last year’s UE Player and Rookie of the Year, the squad was seeded third entering the playoffs. It breezed past sixth-seeded Penn State Abington in the quarterfinals before losing to second-seeded St. Mary’s (Md.) College in the semifinals. Overall, its 15 wins matched a program-best mark set a year ago.
Statistical leaders: Sara Darlington, of West Chester, had 21 goals, seven assists and 49 points; Ella Garman, of Boiling Springs, scored 12 goals; Sierra Klinger, of Herndon, and Ashley Gordon, of Pottstown, both had eight assists. In the goal, Morgan Solano, of Shavertown, made 44 saves (.880 save %), allowed six goals (0.72 goals-against average) and had a 6-3 record, and Taylor Brownback, of Birdsboro, made 15 saves (.789 save %), allowed four goals (0.42 goals-against average) and had a 7-0-2 record.
Postseason honors:
UEC first team: Ella Garman (Boiling Springs), Sara Darlington (West Chester), Ashley Gordon (Pottstown).
UEC second team: Mikayla Gordon (Slatington), Sierra Klinger (Herndon).
UEC third team: Morgan Solano (Shavertown), Ava Gamble (Selinsgrove).
UEC Rookie of the Year: Garman.
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Makayla Bucks (Palmyra).
United Soccer Coaches Division III All-Region third team: Darlington, Ashley Gordon and Garman.
Coach: Amber Savage, first season. Career record: 34-9.
Final overall: 34-9.
Final UEC: 18-4, second in conference (14-2 UEC regular season)
Season highlights: With an all-sophomore-and-freshman roster, and playing for a first-time collegiate coach, the Wildcats put together a program-record 34-win season that included two 10- and one 11-game win streak. They advanced to the NCAA Division III Regionals for the third straight season, where they earned their first victory in program history.
Statistical leaders: In the circle, Mackenzi Tice, of Mansfield, ended her sophomore season with a 23-6 record that included 206 strikeouts, 82 walks, 177.2 innings pitched, 2,460 pitches thrown and a 2.05 ERA. Tice’s 23 wins are a single-season program record. Nationally in D-III regular-season games, Tice was third with 191 strikeouts, tied for sixth with 20 complete games, tied for seventh with eight shutouts and innings pitched (162.1), and tied for eighth with 21 wins. For her effort at regionals, she was named to the Mount Union Regional All-Tournament team. In two seasons, Tice has 369 strikeouts.
Ryleigh Rinker, of Poway, California, led the team with a .442 batting average; Sofia Mileto, of Loyalsock Township, hit .438 and a team-high 48 runs scored and seven triples (tied for 17th nationally); Payton Crawford, of Bloomsburg, hit .432 with a team-best 19 doubles (tied for 14th nationally), six home runs and 48 RBIs; and Taylor Brown, of Bellefonte, hit .420 with five home runs, including two at nationals. In two seasons, Crawford has 106 hits.
Postseason honors:
UEC first team: Mackenzi Tice (Mansfield), Payton Crawford (Bloomsburg), Ryleigh Rinker (Poway, California), Taylor Brown (Bellefonte), Sofia Mileto (Loyalsock Township).
UEC third team: Astyn Calaman (Elizabethtown).
UEC Pitcher of the Year: Tice.
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Harley Kunes (Mill Hall).
NFCA Division III All-Region IV second team: Tice, Crawford, Rinker.
Coach: David Straub, third season. Career record: 15-29.
Final overall: 8-7.
Final UEC: 6-3 (5-2 UE regular season)
Season highlights: Program overall and United East win records were set, and among the nonconference victories was the team’s first in 11 tries against King’s College. In conference play, the Wildcats earned the No. 3 seed and defeated No. 6 Lancaster Bible College in the first round before falling to No. 2 seed St. Mary’s (Md.) College in their first-ever semifinal appearance.
Statistical leaders: Finishing with six wins in singles were Avery Hawk, of York Springs; Matt Williams, of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey; and Logan Ogden, of South Williamsport. In doubles, Ogden also won seven times, Williams won six, Hawk won five, and Josh Myers, of Hughesville, and Kyle Shuler, of Williamsport, won four.
Postseason honors:
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Logan Ogden (South Williamsport).
Coach: David Straub, third season. Career record: 15-35.
Final overall: 9-11.
Final UEC: 8-4 (6-3 UE regular season)
Season highlights: Prior to this season, the Wildcats had never won more than four overall and two conference matches in a single season, dating to 2013 when the program switched from coed to separate women’s and men’s teams. A year ago, they were 2-15 overall, and, after a 1-6 fall season, they rebounded with an 8-5 spring record that included going 6-3 in the conference regular season and 8-4 in all conference matches, finishing 9-11 overall, with the win marks both program records. En route to their first championship match ever, third-seeded Penn College knocked off two-time defending champ Penn State Harrisburg, seeded second, in the semifinals, after eliminating No. 7 Penn State Brandywine. Hopeful of more growth for the program, Straub’s wish came true in a big way.
Statistical leaders: Singles leaders included Faith Murray, of Dillsburg, who was 14-4 overall and 8-0 in the UE regular season; Kiera Wene, of Ephrata, who was 13-5 overall and 8-1 in the UE regular season; Lauren Peck, of South Williamsport, who was 9-5; Leah Vest, of Muncy, who was 8-8; and Cici Miller, of Dover, who was 6-4. In doubles, Murray was 13-4 and Wene 12-6.
Postseason honors:
UEC first team: Faith Murray (Dillsburg).
UEC second team: Kiera Wene (Ephrata).
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Cierra Miller (Dover).
Coach: Kyle Hawk, second season. Career record: 9-46.
Final overall: 6-22.
Final UEC: 3-8 (3-7 UE regular season)
Season highlights: With an entirely new roster, Hawk’s team not only doubled its overall win total from the year before, but reached the postseason for the first time since 2013. Seeded 10th in the UE playoffs, the Wildcats lost in the first round to seventh-seeded Penn State Abington, but with six overall wins, their most in a season since 2016, they clearly made big strides.
Statistical leaders: Lilly Stockum, of Dauphin, had 290 kills and 47 aces, Haylie Thomsen, of High Bridge, New Jersey, had 110 kills, 206 digs and 43 aces; Nashalie Vializ, of New Holland, had 309 digs and 43 aces; and Ellen Banfill, of Mill Hall, had 408 assists.
Postseason honors:
UEC third team: Lilly Stockum (Dauphin).
UEC All-Sportsmanship Team: Taryn Smith (Edinburg).
Coach: Dalton Rohrbaugh, second season. Career dual record: 13-8.
Final overall dual record: 6-6.
Final AMCC: 3-1 (second regular season); AMCC Tournament champion.
Season highlights: A 59-0 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference win over Penn State Altoona matched the team’s largest margin of victory in the NCAA era (since 2014), and the Wildcats went on to successfully defend their title in the AMCC Championship, edging Penn State Behrend 152-150.5, taking three firsts, six seconds and two fourths. A program-record three Wildcats qualified for the D-III National Championships for their Region 2 finishes, as Carter Davis, of York, was second, while Kaden Ware, of Brooklyn, Connecticut, and Nick Woodruff, of Wyalusing, both were third, and the team finished 11 of 20. Also at regionals, David M’Balla, of Easton, was eighth at 157. At nationals, Davis was 3-2 at 165, Woodruff was 2-2 at 197, and Ware was 1-2 at 141 as they earned a program-record seven national team points, and the team had its best national finish ever, 40 of 68.
Statistical leaders: Davis led the squad with a 31-6 record, a team-best 11 technical falls, nine decisions (tied with Gavin Gomes, of Denville, New Jersey), six major decisions and 136 points. Nicholai Brotzman, of Marietta, topped the team with 11 pins. Also with at least 13 wins were Blake Dergham, of Slatington, 13-9; Chase Shaner, of Hughesville, 20-15; Ware, 17-5; TJ Martin, of Honesdale, 18-6; M’Balla, 19-17; Brett Patton, of West Chester, 14-7; Gomes, 19-10; Jason Petroski, of Randolph, New Jersey, 13-10; Woodruff, 14-7; and Brotzman, 13-12.
Conference/Region honors:
All-AMCC first team: Kaden Ware (Brooklyn, Connecticut, 141), Carter Davis (York, 165) and Nick Woodruff (Wyalusing, 197).
All-AMCC second team: Blake Dergham (Slatington, 133), Chris Shaner (Hughesville, 141), TJ Martin (Honesdale, 149), Brett Patton (West Chester, 157), Gavin Gomes (Denville, New Jersey, 174), Nic Brotzman (Marietta, 285).
AMCC Coach of the Year: Dalton Rohrbaugh.
CATS Awards winners, from left: Mia Patterson (Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year), Ella Garman (Female Newcomer of the Year), Meredith Boucher (Staff Member of the Year), Nick Woodruff (Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year), Justin Crismale (Male Newcomer of the Year) and Carter Davis (Male Athlete of the Year).
Male Athlete of the Year: Carter Davis (York, wrestling)
Female Athlete of the Year: Sara Darlington (West Chester, women’s soccer)
Male Newcomer of the Year: Justin Crismale (Glen Gardner, New Jersey, men’s soccer)
Female Newcomer of the Year: Ella Garman (Boiling Springs, women’s soccer)
Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Nick Woodruff (Wyalusing, wrestling)
Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Mia Patterson (Loyalsock Township, women’s basketball)
Mr. Wildcat: Hunter Gabloff (Succasunna, New Jersey, men’s soccer)
Ms. Wildcat: Kenni Galbreath (Shrewsbury, women’s basketball)
Breakout Moments of the Year: Breana Valentine (Fairfield, women’s basketball), AJ Dotson (Wilmington, Delaware, men’s lacrosse)
Comeback Players of the Year: Darlington, Zach Foskey (Gilbertsville, men’s soccer)
Staff Member of the Year: Meridith Boucher (head athletic trainer)
Community Service Award: Men’s lacrosse team
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