District College category, Page 19
Westmoreland County freshmen making immediate impact on college hardwood
When Montevallo men’s basketball coach Anthony Komara came to Landon Butler and told the true freshman he would be starting in the season opener, Butler didn’t get sweaty palms. Even if the opponent was the defending NCAA Division II national champion, Nova Southeastern, the team his brother, Bryce, faced in...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Christiane Frye hits milestone for Seton Hill women
Seton Hill senior basketball player Christiane Frye scored her 1,000th career point as the Griffins (9-7, 6-4) rallied for a 66-62 victory Saturday over visiting Mercyhurst. Frye finished with 18 points, eight in the fourth quarter, while sophomores Helene Cowan (17), Abby Mankins (Greensburg Salem, 12) and Hallie Cowan (11)...
Penn Hills graduate refines shot put training, breaks records at Seton Hill
Seton Hill sophomore Angelo Allen went into offseason training with a refined focus. The Penn Hills graduate didn’t want to do things half-cocked. Allen wanted to be deliberate and cerebral with his approach. Allen’s dedication to focusing on technique and seeking advice from more experienced throwers produced big results. Allen...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Former Norwin QB Jack Salopek picks new school
Quarterback Jack Salopek found a new home for his final two years of college football. The Norwin graduate who entered the NCAA transfer portal in November announced he will sign with Elon (N.C.), an FCS program that plays in the Colonial Athletic Association. Salopek (6-foot-3, 186 pounds) said he felt...
Seton Hill assistant coach Connor Laverty dies at 25
Seton Hill is mourning the loss of men’s basketball coach Connor Laverty. The 25-year-old second-year assistant died Friday after a battle with lymphoma. Griffins head coach Ben Wilkins said Laverty combated the illness through five rounds of chemotherapy, but contracted hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a systematic inflammatory syndrome. The rare immune deficiency,...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: GCC grad Melina Maietta surpasses milestone
With a reputation for scoring points in bunches, big things were expected of Melina Maietta at Pitt-Greensburg when the guard transferred from Coastal Carolina. The Greensburg Central Catholic alum has not disappointed. Maietta joined the UPG women’s basketball 1,000-point club in the team’s 98-53 loss to AMCC leader La Roche....
GCC grad Bailey Kuhns makes big jump in game to help Mercyhurst women’s basketball team contend
On the desk in her office at Mercyhurst, women’s basketball coach Brooklyn Kohlheim has a notebook belonging to sophomore post player Bailey Kuhns. Inside are the Greensburg Central Catholic grad’s jottings regarding her duties on the court. The notes are neatly written, underlined, highlighted and feature little arrows drawn here...
Knoch grad Mike Formica jumps to head of pack for IUP cross country, track and fieldVideo
As devastating as the covid-19 pandemic was for many, a lucky few found silver linings. Count Knoch grad Mike Formica as one of the lucky ones. With few other things to occupy his time during lockdowns, mask mandates and travel restrictions, Formica ran. And then ran some more. Practically overnight,...
Youth St. Vincent growing, defeats Waynesburg
Thursday was Youth Wrestling Night at Saint Vincent, and that is not a reference to the young Bearcats. Saint Vincent coach Dom Nania invited numerous youth wrestling clubs from Westmoreland County to Robert A. Carey Center for the Bearcats’ Presidents’ Athletic Conference match against Waynesburg. Wrestling returned to Saint Vincent...
Point Park making plans to lift its sports programs from NAIA to NCAA Division II
Point Park University is preparing to make a jump from NAIA to NCAA Division II, with the aim of starting competition in the 2024-25 academic year. The downtown Pittsburgh university has received a formal invitation to join the NCAA Division II Mountain East Conference. “We will, of course, pursue this...
Presidents’ Athletic Conference part of 2-game bowl series planned for Canton, Ohio, next season
Two more bowl games are coming to college football in 2024, but this time it’s Division III schools with the opportunity to extend their seasons. Four Division III conferences — the Presidents’ Athletic Conference, Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, North Coast Athletic Conference and Ohio Athletic Conference — announced Tuesday the...
Greensburg C.C. grad Geoffrey Helm gets new life in basketball with PAC champion Chatham
Geoffrey Helm’s path in college basketball veered from what he originally had mapped out. He envisioned a standout career at Shippensburg, one of the top Division II men’s programs in the region. Instead, the Greensburg Central Catholic grad came home to the Pittsburgh area and won a championship with the...
St. Joseph grad Jimmy Giannetta helps give Carlow men’s basketball more depth as it faces AMCC slate
When Carlow men’s basketball coach Tim Keefer began to speak with St. Joseph’s Jimmy Giannetta, one of the first questions he asked was a curious one. Are you left-handed or right-handed? In watching St. Joseph’s games, Keefer had observed Giannetta shooting with his left hand on jumpers and free throws....
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Adam Bilinsky to join brother Ty at UPJ
It wasn’t exactly a brotherly shove, but Adam Bilinsky admits having a chance to play basketball with his older sibling again played a key role in his decision on where to transfer. Bilinsky, who decided to exit Mercyhurst after playing in just nine games as a freshman, will join his...
Westmoreland campus clippings: former Norwin standout Shanahan follows Cignetti to Indiana
When Mike Shanahan was at Pitt, he played in the Big East. Now, he will coach in the Big Ten. Shanahan, a former Norwin standout wide receiver who played tight end in college, is following head coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana. Shanahan, 34, will be the Hoosiers’ offensive coordinator and...
Southmoreland grad Jake Beistel juggles school, fatherhood, helping new Saint Vincent wrestling program
Among the Saint Vincent wrestlers, Jake Beistel is the team dad. Literally and figuratively. Two years ago, the Southmoreland grad became a father and now spends much of his down time between classes and wrestling trying to keep up with a toddler. But his responsibilities as a role model and...
Norwin grad Adam Bilinsky to transfer from Mercyhurst
Norwin graduate Adam Bilinsky will be playing for a different college basketball team next season. Bilinsky put his name in the NCAA transfer portal after nine games at Mercyhurst. The 6-foot-3 freshman shooting guard wants to play closer to home. He likely will remain at the Division II level, likely...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Jeannette grad Robert Kennedy to declare for NFL Draft
Robert Kennedy used to talk about playing in the NFL. What it would be like and how he would get there. Only Kennedy, the former Jeannette star quarterback and defensive back who made his way to Power Five football as a safety at N.C. State, wasn’t dreamy about the concept...
Dom Nania trying to build solid foundation with 1st-year Saint Vincent wrestling team
Dom Nania knows what it’s like to be involved in a wrestling program that is starting from Square One. A decade ago, the Hempfield grad was the first recruit for the wrestling team at Wheeling Jesuit (now Wheeling University). Nania ranks third on the program’s all-time wins list (98) and...
A-K Valley wrestlers help form building blocks for new Saint Vincent program
If a college recruiter is looking for capable wrestlers, there are few places better to look than Western Pennsylvania. And within that region, the Alle-Kiski Valley is among the most fertile areas. Consider just a few examples: • Kiski Area grad Jack Blumer has posted 25 career wins at West...
Seton Hill senior Dioh Desuah finalist for Cliff Harris Award
Seton Hill redshirt senior defensive lineman Dioh Desuah was named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, which recognizes the top defensive players in small-college football. He is among 36 NCAA Division II finalists for the award named after the former Dallas Cowboys safety and Hall of Famer who appeared...
Saint Vincent men showing flair for dramatic
Admission is free for Saint Vincent men’s games, but some fans might gladly shell out a few bucks to watch this exciting brand of basketball. If you do attend a game, you probably want to stay until the end. The Bearcats (12-0) are making a habit out of tight finishes,...
Latrobe grad Trent Holler transfers from Marshall to Memphis
He may hike the ball backward, but Trent Holler keeps pushing his football career forward. A grad transfer center and Latrobe graduate, Holler announced Tuesday he will be playing on the offensive line at Memphis. The 6-foot-2, 306-pound Holler tossed his name into the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month....
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Belle Vernon grad earns football all-American honors
Belle Vernon alum Devin Hannan said this season has been “nothing short of a blessing.” The grad student offensive lineman at Valdosta State capped a terrific final year of college football by being named to the Associated Press All-America second team. The honor follows Hannan’s selection to the American Football...
Hempfield grad Camryn Watters breaking records as freshman swimmer at Penn State BehrendVideo
First, the obligatory swimming pun: Hempfield grad Camryn Watters has made a big splash in her freshman season with the Penn State Behrend swimming and diving team. Then, an acknowledgement of the almost comedic nature of Watters’ last name as it relates to her chosen sport. Easy pickings for anyone...
