Wildcats spotlight on five esports

According to Pennsylvania College of Technology esports coach Joshua Young, “(This) week will kick off the start of our fourth year in the NACE Starleague Varsity + league for our Rocket League, Overwatch 2, Valorant and CS:GO teams. The regular season will span six weeks and conclude on Nov. 10, with the playoff starting Nov. 13-17 (round of 6), Nov. 27-Dec. 1 (round of 4) and the divisional championship the week of Dec. 4-8.

“League of Legends will start on Oct. 10 and consist of matches every Tuesday and Thursday through Oct. 31.

“We are very excited about the start of this season as we have all our team managers returning from last year to support our squads.

“They are:

• Rocket League – junior Alex Nazarchuk, of Lebanon.
• Overwatch 2 – sophomore Frankie Gagliardi, of Pottstown.
• Valorant – senior Drew Thomas, of State College.
• CS:GO – sophomore Joe Hartland, of Pennsdale.
• League of Legends Varsity – sophomore Zachary Rhodes, of Shippensburg.
• iRacing (which began a few weeks ago) – senior Austin DeLong, of Pittsburgh.

“We had major interest in League of Legends this year that we could start a development/junior varsity team. This team will be managed by one of our esports veterans, senior Jasaiah Capps, of Williamsport. He will work with the players to get them ready for the next level and will be the scrimmage partner for the varsity team. Our varsity team has four returning players from last year and has added transfer student Madison Cuckovic, of Mechanicsburg, to the roster. I am really looking forward to the future of this team with the talent we have on varsity and having the ability to develop new players into our system. This should allow us to create a strong team for the next couple of seasons.

“I am hoping with the new format in the NACE Starleague and the fact our teams had a month to practice, work on strategies and lineup that we will start the season strong.

“It was a difficult spring season for our squads, so we are hoping our early team organization and unity will be the key to bringing success to Penn College esports.

“Our matches will be on our Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/penncollegeesports, and remember us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PCTEsports/) and follow us on "X" (https://twitter.com/PCTEsports) for all the match updates and scores.”

All live action takes place at the Wildcat Den on the second floor of the Madigan Library.

Record/Schedule/Results
(All events at Wildcat Den)
iRacing
Monday, Sept. 11 – CIL College Cup Series: Never Forget 200-Auto Club Speedway, 37 and 43
Wednesday, Sept. 13 – CIL Formula College: Japan-Tsukuba 2000, 18 and 32
Monday, Sept. 18 – CIL College Cup Series: State Line 200-Bristol Motor Speedway, 31 and 37
Wednesday, Sept. 20 – CIL Formula College: Virginia International Speedway, 19 and 27
Monday, Sept. 25 – CIL College Cup Series: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 27 – CIL Formula College: Australia-Oran Park, 9 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 2 – CIL College Cup Series: Bluegrass 200-Kentucky Speedway, 9 p.m.
Rocket League
Monday, Sept. 25 – vs. Brewton-Parker College, 7 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 2 – vs. Arkansas-Monticello, 7 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 16 – vs. Manchester University, 7 p.m.
Overwatch 2
Tuesday, Sept. 26 – vs. Ferris State, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 3 – vs. Keiser-Flagship, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 10 – vs. Purdue-Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.
Valorant
Wednesday, Sept. 27 – vs. Lindenwood University, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 4 – vs. Pennwest-Edinboro, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 11 – vs. West Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
CS:GO
Friday, Sept. 29 – vs. Kennesaw State, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 6 – vs. Lindenwood University, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 13 – vs. Grand Valley State, 7 p.m.
 

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FLASHBACK
HALL OF FAME GROWS
The induction on Friday of Robyn Beddow (above left), of Lancaster, and Hailee Hartman, of Lampeter, two former women’s soccer players, brought the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame total to 48. Beddow played from 2012-15 and Hartman from 2014-17.

MEN’S SOCCER
Matt Neeson, of Chadds Ford, scored in the 29th minute and outstanding defensive play anchored by goalie Cole Catherman, of Selinsgrove, who made two saves, keyed Penn College to a 1-0 win at Keuka College on Tuesday.

On Thursday, hosting Clarks Summit University, Tommy DeGeyter, of Long Valley, New Jersey, scored all of the Wildcats’ goals in a 3-0 win. Penn College led in shots on goal, 12-2, and Catherman made both saves. The team’s 4-2-1 start after seven matches is its best since 2013, when it started 9-2.

A penalty kick by Cooper Smith, of Carlisle, in the 84th minute lifted Penn College to its fourth-straight win, 1-0 over Penn State Berks, on Wildcat Weekend Saturday in the teams’ United East opener. Catherman earned the shutout in goal.

Record/Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall: 5-2-1
UE: 1-0-0
Tuesday, Sept. 19 – at Keuka College, W, 1-0
Thursday, Sept. 21 – host Clarks Summit University, W, 3-0
Saturday, Sept. 23 – host Penn State Berks (UE), W, 1-0
Wednesday, Sept. 27 – host King’s College, 7 p.m. (King’s leads 7-0)
Saturday, Sept. 30 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE), 1 p.m. (PS Harrisburg leads 2-0-1)
Wednesday, Oct. 4 – at Wells College, 6 p.m. (Penn College leads 5-3)

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Kaelynn Sheetz, of Elizabethtown, and Sara Darlington, of West Chester, each scored two goals as Penn College overcame an early one-goal deficit against Penn State Altoona for a 4-1 home win on Wednesday. In recording her 11th goal of the season and 36th of her career, Sheetz became the program’s all-time scoring leader. The Wildcats led in shots on goal, 8-3, with goalie Nichole Lichtinger, of Erie, making two saves.

Hosting Penn State Berks on Saturday during Wildcat Weekend in the teams’ United East opener, Penn College put together its most competitive match in 12 meetings between the two teams as they fought to a scoreless tie. Berks led in shots on goal, 11-3, but Lichtinger made every stop to preserve the shutout and stop Berks’ 11-match win streak against the Wildcats.

For her efforts the previous week, when she had five goals and one assist, Sheetz was named United East – Volt Division Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for Sept. 11-17. It was the fourth Player of the Week honor for Sheetz, who was cited three times last season and was a first-team United East selection.

Record/Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall: 4-0-5
UE: 0-0-1
Wednesday, Sept. 20 – host Penn State Altoona, W, 4-1
Saturday, Sept. 23 – host Penn State Berks (UE), 0-0 tie
Monday, Sept. 25 – host Clarks Summit University (UE), 5 p.m. (Penn College leads 4-0)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 – at Keystone College, 7 p.m. (Penn College leads 2-0-2)
Saturday, Sept. 30 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE), 3:30 p.m. (PS Harrisburg leads 9-0)
Monday, Oct. 2 – at Lancaster Bible College (UE), 7 p.m. (series tied 3-3-2)

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Penn College dropped a 3-0 nonconference decision at Penn State Altoona on Friday. Cheyenne Stein, of Orwigsburg, topped Penn College with 13 digs and 11 assists.

In a tri-match on Saturday at Pitt-Bradford, Penn College dropped nonconference decisions to Keuka College, 3-1, and host Pitt-Bradford, 3-2. Against Keuka, Stein led the Wildcats with 11 digs, 17 assists and five aces, and Coryn Oswald, of Langhorne, was tops with seven kills. Against Pitt-Bradford, Stein had 26 assists for the Wildcats and Hailey DeBrody, of Cogan Station, had 21 digs.

Record/Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall: 3-8
UE: 0-0
Friday, Sept. 22 – at Penn State Altoona, L, 3-0 (25-12, 25-13, 25-12)
Saturday, Sept. 23 – vs. Keuka College at Pitt-Bradford, L, 3-1 (25-13, 18-25, 25-7, 25-9)
Saturday, Sept. 23 – at Pitt-Bradford, L, 3-2 (25-17, 18-25, 25-13, 22-25, 15-8)
Friday, Sept. 29 – host Clarks Summit, 6 p.m. (Penn College leads 4-3)
Monday, Oct. 2 – at Penn State Hazleton, 6 p.m. (first-time opponent)

GOLF
After winning one event and finishing second in another, Peyton Mussina, of Montoursville, was named United East Golfer of the Week for Sept. 11-17. This is the third Athlete of the Week honor for Mussina, who had two last year when he finished the 2022-23 season as a first-team All-United East honoree after a second-place finish at the league championship meet in April.

Schedule/Results
Sunday, Sept. 24 – Dickinson College Fall Classic at Carlisle Barracks Golf Course, ppd. rain
Tuesday, Sept. 26 – United East Fall Preview at Philmont Country Club North Course, noon
Saturday, Sept. 30 – host D-III Northeast Elite at Williamsport Country Club, 10 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 1 – host D-III Northeast Elite at Williamsport Country Club, 9 a.m.

MEN’S TENNIS
In a 9-0 loss at Susquehanna University on Wednesday, Alex Norris, of Williamsport, at No. 1 singles, had the most competitive match in a 7-5, 6-3 loss.

Record/Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall: 0-1
Wednesday, Sept. 20 – at Susquehanna University, L, 9-0
Saturday, Sept. 30 – at Lycoming College, 1 p.m. (series tied 5-5)
Saturday, Sept. 7 – host Penn State Altoona, 1 p.m. (first-time opponent)

WOMEN’S TENNIS
Record/Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall: 0-0
Monday, Sept. 25 – at Lock Haven University, 4:30 p.m. (Lock Haven leads 2-1)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 – host Susquehanna University, 4 p.m. (Susquehanna leads 7-0)
Saturday, Sept. 30 – at Lycoming College, 1 p.m. (Lycoming leads 10-0)
Saturday, Oct. 7 – host Penn State Altoona, 1 p.m. (first-time opponent)

MEN’S/WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY
Schedule/Results
Saturday, Oct. 7 – at Bloomsburg University Invitational, men 10 a.m.; women 11 a.m.
Monday, Oct. 16 – host Lycoming College, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 28 – UE Championships at Cairn University, 11 a.m.

For more about the United East, visit the conference website .
For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website .

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