After a busier-than-normal summer “off season,” the Pennsylvania College of Technology Athletics Department is gearing up for the start of the fall sports seasons.Students returned to classes Aug. 15 and athletes have started working out for their respective openers, which include men’s and women’s cross-country, women’s soccer and women’s tennis on Thursday, Sept. 1; men’s soccer and women’s volleyball on Friday, Sept. 2; men’s tennis on Monday, Sept. 5; and men’s golf on Wednesday, Sept. 14.
Among the highlights of the summer were notification from the National Collegiate Athletic Association that the college successfully completed its second year of provisional Division III membership and approved its waiver request to bypass the third year and begin its final year of provisional membership starting Sept. 1, the naming of two new head coaches, announcement of four new members of the college’s athletic Hall of Fame, announcement of the renewal of its partnerships with ESPN Williamsport and Stretch Internet to broadcast Wildcats home athletic events in the 2016-17 season, and the resignation of athletic director Scott E. Kennell.
NCAA Status
The five-year membership process consists of an exploratory year and four years of provisional membership. After completion of the second year, an institution may apply for a waiver to bypass the third year and begin the fourth and final provisional year, beginning with the next academic year. It is rare that an institution is granted the waiver, but Penn College was.
The college is on track to be eligible for full membership next fall. As a full member, the college will be eligible for national championships and will have voting rights on NCAA legislation.
Coaching Changes
Lauren Healy, in women’s basketball, and John Machak, in women’s tennis, were named head coaches – Healy in a full-time position; along with the elevation to that status of men’s basketball coach Ryan Callahan.
Healy served as the assistant coach at Gettysburg College since 2011. In her role there, she was responsible for recruiting, scouting, strength and conditioning, fundraising, and social media content. She was a member of a coaching staff that brought the first Centennial Conference championship to Gettysburg and coached 11 players who earned all-conference honors.
Healy played at Bloomsburg University for two years before finishing her final two collegiate seasons at Gwynedd Mercy University. She was a two-year starter at both schools and was a two-time Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Honorable Mention selection at GM.
She will also oversee student-athlete development for Penn College.
Machak comes to Penn College after serving as head coach at St. John Neumann Regional Academy in Williamsport from 2008-13. His coaching experience is in addition to more than three decades playing the sport at various levels of competition.
He graduated from Bloomsburg University in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is an independent financial planner at The Wealth Factory.
Hall of Fame
The 2016 Hall of Fame class consists of four inductees: Greg Solyak, Tamara Pavlov, Craig Flint and Bambi Hawkins. They will enter the Hall of Fame Sept. 30.
Search On for New AD
In July, Kennell announced his resignation to accept the director of athletics position at Madonna University in Michigan.
Under his guidance and leadership the past five years, Penn College moved to NCAA Division III affiliation and membership in the North Eastern Athletic Conference.
Jackie Klahold, head softball coach/senior woman administrator, is serving as interim director of athletics.
On the Air
In announcing the college’s renewed broadcast partnerships, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director Matt Blymier said, “We are excited to continue our partnership with both of these great companies. As we transition into an NCAA Division III program, it's important to expand our brand awareness locally and nationally, and these partnerships allow us to achieve that.”
The college’s athletic events will be streamed live in high definition for all home games for soccer, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, baseball and softball through Stretch’s portal, which can be accessed through the Wildcat Athletics website. Games are free to view.
Last year, more than 4,000 people watched Penn College home events.
ESPN Williamsport will continue to broadcast select soccer, baseball and softball games, as well as all home men’s and women’s basketball contests. ESPN Williamsport has broadcast Penn College games since 2008. Fans can tune in to Penn College games on 92.7 FM or 1050 AM locally, or listen live at espnwilliamsport.com Stream 2.
Student-Athletes Honored
In addition, the North Eastern Athletic Conference announced that 49 Penn College student-athletes were named conference scholar-athletes. The Wildcats improved their 2014-15 scholar-athlete total by nine and finished tied for seventh for number of total scholar-athletes among 14 conference schools.
In order to be selected, a student-athlete competing in a conference-sponsored sport must achieve a combined GPA of 3.4 or higher for the fall and spring semesters and must have been in good standing on his or her team.
Penn College selections:
Kaitlyn L. Andersen, sophomore, Mastic, New York, pre-nursing
Robyn E. Beddow, senior, Lancaster, occupational therapy assistant concentration
Morgan E. Blackwell, junior, Beech Creek, accounting
Colleen E. Bowes, senior, Wayne, web and interactive media
Tayla M. Clark, freshman, Westfield, pre-radiography
Jordan A. Courter, senior, Mill Hall, occupational therapy assistant concentration
William J. Cox Jr., sophomore, Williamsport, on-site power generation
Kyle H. Fox, senior, Fleetwood, manufacturing engineering technology
Julia I. Gilchrist, senior, Hanover, plastics and polymer engineering technology
Christopher R. Glunk, junior, Jersey Shore, welding and fabrication engineering technology
Hailee L. Hartman, sophomore, Willow Street, nursing
Jane M. Herman, freshman, Greencastle, pre-dental hygiene
Lauren S. Herr, sophomore, Lititz, construction management
Valerie L. Kubalak, freshman, Spring Mills, physician assistant
Christopher M. Lafey, senior, Weatherly, building automation technology
Richard A. Lennon III, freshman, Elverson, collision repair technology
Ashley E. Mahaffey, senior, Hughesville, industrial and human factors design
Nathan A. Mashack, junior, Bloomsburg, electronics and computer engineering technology
Devin E. Masser, sophomore, Valley View, welding and fabrication engineering technology
Caitlin M. McCarthy, sophomore, State College, pre-physician assistant
Luke D. McFalls, senior, New Oxford, welding and fabrication engineering technology
Liam R. McGarvey, freshman, Cogan Station, building construction technology
Bryce J. Merrill, freshman, Williamsport, nursing
Sarah A. Mongiello, junior, Canadensis, banking and finance concentration
Karlee E. Moyer, junior, Hollsopple, pre-dental hygiene
John P. Murray, sophomore, Dallas, renewable energy technologies
Laresa N. Paden, senior, Mifflintown, occupational therapy assistant concentration
Ryen M. Persun, freshman, Linden, business management
Madison T. Powell, senior, Linden, plastics and polymer engineering technology
Cameron T. Powers, sophomore, Fairfield, legal assistant-paralegal
Jeremy D. Rall, junior, Williamsport, management concentration
Thomas G. Ross, junior, Williamsport, accounting
Trevor J. Route, sophomore, Canton, plastics and polymer engineering technology
Kyra N. Shea, sophomore, Huntingdon, graphic design
Devin D. Sherman, freshman, Butler, electronics and computer engineering technology
Joshua P. Stall, senior, Niverville, New York, applied technology studies
Lauren A. Stehman, sophomore, Elliottsburg, baking and pastry arts
Erin L. Sullivan, senior, Elizabethtown, applied human services
Dylan H. Therrien, sophomore, Reading, baking and pastry arts
Laquinn N. Thompson, senior, York, applied human services
Andre J. Torres, junior, Lancaster, electrical technology concentration
Cole M. Weachock, junior, Pottsville, electrical technology concentration
Christina A. Weber, sophomore, Howell, New Jersey, nursing
Andrew S. Welsh, freshman, Glen Mills, building construction technology
Jessica R. Wiegand, senior, Trout Run, marketing concentration
Hanna J. Williams, junior, Marion, New York, industrial and human factors design
Evan M. Woods, sophomore, Clymer, New York, heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology
Luke A. Zamiskie, senior, Latrobe, civil engineering technology
Chelsea M. Zembower, sophomore, Lamont, pre-dental hygiene.
Conference Affiliation
Penn College has nearly 200 student-athletes in 15 intercollegiate sports and is a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference, which consists of 14 institutions (eight private, six public) from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. The NEAC sponsors nine men’s and nine women’s sports and receives an NCAA automatic qualifier in six men’s and six women’s sports.
Penn College had one team (women's soccer) reach the NEAC playoffs last year, while 14 players were named to their respective sports all-conference teams.
Twelve of the college’s 15 intercollegiate athletic teams participate in the NEAC: men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s cross-country, women’s volleyball, men’s golf, baseball, and softball. The wrestling team competes at the Division III level as an independent, while the men’s and women’s archery team has no affiliation with the NCAA and competes in USA Archery.
For more, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.
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