Week of firsts for Penn College athletics

A milestone for Pennsylvania College of Technology wrestlers and the first United East Conference Volt Division wins of the season for the men’s and women’s basketball teams were recorded this past week.

WRESTLING
Penn College finished first in a 14-team field, and nine of its 24 wrestlers placed among the top six in their respective weight classes at the RIT Invitational on Saturday, marking the team’s first-ever tournament team title.

The Wildcats earned 138.5 points and outdid host RIT, with 129 points, and Williams College, ranked 21st in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association Tournament Team poll, with 128.5 points to round out the top three.

Individually for Penn College, Isaac Cory, of Montoursville, finished second at 184, going 3-1 on the day and only falling on an injury default in the final, and Travis Green, of Manchester, Maryland, placed third at 165 after going 5-1.

Recording fourth-place finishes were Cavin Napoletano, of Killingworth, Connecticut, 4-2 at 157; Noah Hunt, of Muncy, 5-1 at 141; Kaden Ware, of Brooklyn, Connecticut, 5-1 at 133; and Luke Heimbach, of Boyertown, 4-2 at 125; while Liam Goodrich, of Cogan Station, was fifth at 157 after going 5-1 on the day; Nicholai Brotzman, of Marietta, went 3-2 and was fifth at 285; and TJ Martin, of Honesdale, was sixth at 149 as he finished with a 4-2 record.

Green led Penn College in scoring with 20.5 points and was followed by Goodrich with 18.5, Isaac and Hunt with 18 each, Ware with 17, Brotzman with 14, Martin with 13, Heimbach with 11.5 and Cade Schneck, of Pine Grove, with 8 at 174.

Wildcats second-year coach Pankil Chander said, “This was a full team effort for Penn College wrestling and we’re beginning to realize our potential.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to coach this group because they’re buying into the training system that is being put in front of them. Credit to our guys for working hard to earn this milestone for themselves and our program.

“The most critical element in our training this season has been our mental and emotional response to adversity. As a young team, we’re still experiencing the adversity of a college wrestling season for the first time and how to invite it in as an opportunity for growth. We’re beginning to learn how to find opportunity amid duress rather than seeing it as a problem.

“This is the first tournament team championship in program history in a deep 14-team field that included a national top 25 squad in No. 21 Williams College. We did so, with six out of our nine medalists being freshmen.

“In 2021 (prior to my tenure), Penn College finished 13th in this event. In 2022, we finished fifth. This year, we came out on top. This goes to show how far our program has come in the last 18 months and that we’re getting closer to making that next jump as a program. I’m looking forward to getting back to work with this squad.”

Earlier in the week, in the first regular season National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Tournament Team Rankings, Penn College dropped out of the top 25 – it had been tied with two others at No. 23 in the preseason poll – although Cory moved up in the individual national rankings.

The team poll is a tournament power index ranking and is not based on a team’s dual strength.

Cory now is ranked third in the 184-pound weight class, up one spot from a month ago and behind only Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann, of Augsburg, and Charles Baczek, of Wabash.

In the Mideast Region, Cory, a sophomore, retained his top ranking, while junior Hunt stayed second at 141 pounds.

Joining them in the Mideast rankings for the first time are freshmen Martin, fifth at 149, and Ware, sixth at 133.

Schedule/Results
Overall dual record: 3-0
Saturday, Dec. 2 – at RIT Invitational, 1 of 14
Saturday, Dec. 16 – at Messiah College Chocolate Duals, 10 a.m.
Friday, Dec. 22 – at Wilkes Open, 9:30 a.m.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
On Tuesday, hosting a Penn State Harrisburg team it never had beaten in six previous outings, Penn College trailed by 11 early, led by five early in the second half, and still by one with 4:19 remaining before being outscored 10-3 the rest of the way in a 74-68 UE loss. Gavin Barrett, of Roselle, New Jersey, led the Wildcats with 13 points.

The Wildcats limited Penn State Berks to 37 points in each half while recording an 89-74 UE victory on Saturday as six Penn College players scored in double digits, led by 14 from Ronn Flood Jr., of Union, New Jersey. Barrett added 13 points and had 12 assists.

Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall record: 4-5
UE record: 1-1
Tuesday, Nov. 28 – host Penn State Harrisburg (UE), L, 74-68
Saturday, Dec. 2 – host Penn State Berks (UE), W, 89-74
Monday, Dec. 11 – at Elmira College, 5 p.m. (Penn College leads 3-2)
Wednesday, Dec. 13 – host King’s College, 5 p.m. (King’s leads 4-0)
Friday, Dec. 29 – Juniata College Doc Greene Tournament vs. Juniata, 5 p.m. (Juniata leads 1-0)
Saturday, Dec. 30 – Juniata College Doc Greene Tournament, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Hosting Penn State Harrisburg on Tuesday in UE play, the Wildcats held two six-point first-quarter leads before the Lions took charge and went on for a 78-61 win. Maddie Adams, of Montoursville, came off the bench and led Penn College with 12 points.

A 22-4 first-quarter start sparked Penn College’s 67-42 home UE win over Penn State Berks on Saturday and evened the series record at 8-8. Rachel Teats, of Middleburg, led the Penn College offense with 21 points and Bell Hitesman, of Muncy, was tops with nine rebounds.

Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall record: 2-6
UE record: 1-1
Tuesday, Nov. 28 – host Penn State Harrisburg (UE), L, 78-61
Saturday, Dec. 2 – host Penn State Berks (UE), W, 67-42
Friday, Dec. 8 – host Keuka College, 5 p.m. (Keuka leads 6-1)
Saturday, Dec. 9 – host Marywood University, 1 p.m. (Marywood leads 3-0)
Tuesday, Dec. 12 – at Centenary (N.J.) University, 6 p.m. (first-time opponent)
Wednesday, Dec. 13 – host York College, 3 p.m. (first-time opponent)
Saturday, Dec. 30 – at Keystone College, 1 p.m. (Keystone leads 1-0)

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Sara Darlington, of West Chester, and Kaelynn Sheetz, of Elizabethtown, were named to the United Soccer Coaches Division III All-Region IV Team, the organization announced on Tuesday. Darlington earned second-team honors as a forward and Sheetz is on the third team.

ESPORTS
Record/Schedule/Results
(All events at Wildcat Den)
iRacing
Monday, Nov. 27 – Michigan Speedway-Irish Hill 200, 16 and 22
Monday, Dec. 4 – Homestead-Miami Championship 200, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 6 – CIL Formula: Austria-Red Bull Ring, 9 p.m.

GS:GO
Record: 2-6
Friday, Dec. 1 – vs. Kennesaw State University, L, 2-0 (13-5, 13-5)

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

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