2 Westmoreland basketball teams bring home Special Olympics gold medals

Two Westmoreland County teams returned with gold medals from the 2025 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games in State College after two days of intense basketball last weekend.

One, Wolverines 3 played full-court basketball and the other, Wolverines 4, played half-court.

“Once that final second ticked off, there was so much elation,” said Wolverines 3 head coach Danny DePalma of Jeannette.

Wolverines 3 and 4 are among six basketball teams from Westmoreland County that compete in Special Olympics events.

Wolverines 1, 2 and 3 are all five-on-five teams that play full-court. Wolverines 4 and 5 and the Wolverines 16-to-21-year-old team are three-on-three player teams playing half-court basketball.

The gold medal-winning Wolverines 3 players are Cole Vay, A.J. Swope, Zach Clarke, Alex Novak, Kolby Liston, John Gregovits and DePalma’s younger brother, Jason DePalma.

Wolverines 4 took home the half-court gold after a double- overtime victory. Coached by Leah Bailey, Wolverine 4 players are Doug Moninger, Blade Densham, Garrett Ansell and Nick Monteparte.

Wolverines 1, coached by Anthony Monstrola, and Wolverines 2, coached by Mike Grubisa, were awarded silver medals.

Monstrola, who also is manager of Special Olympics for Westmoreland, said there was a record turnout from the county at the games, with 30 volunteers and 60 athletes competing in basketball, swimming and track and field.

The annual event held at State College is the largest statewide competition with more than 2,000 athletes and 750 coaches, according to Special Olympics Pennsylvania. The three-day event, which took place June 5-7, offers competitions in athletics, basketball, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball, swimming and tennis.

“The athletes love going up there. Obviously, because it’s the state championship, but it’s such a great experience. It’s a great bonding experience,” DePalma said. “It’s kind of like making it to the Super Bowl.”

All seven athletes on Wolverines 3 played one of their best games, DePalma said.

Novak hit a couple jump shots early in the game securing an early lead. The team continued its strong play the rest of the game with the help of Liston with some crucial fast-break lay-ups and a few clutch free throws from Vay at the end of the game. Clarke, Swope, Gregovits and Jason DePalma had relentless defense that dictated the game.

“I was really excited to play at Penn State with my team,” Vay said.

His favorite part of the game is shooting the ball, but Vay said he was nervous when it came time to make a free throw. He said he was shocked and excited as the ball sank into the net.

It was not only an exciting moment for the athletes, but also for DePalma after he watched the athletes grow and improve their skills since they started practicing in the fall. A coach for more than 30 years, DePalma has experience coaching baseball, softball, football and basketball at all level from peewee to collegiate, but he said coaching for Wolverines 3 is different.

“Nothing gives you that feeling like coaching the Special Olympics,” DePalma said.

While he was still in college, DePalma remembered watching his brother compete in a track meet at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. He said he was drawn to tears as he watched the athletes race because of how much fun they were having.

Jason DePalma, also inspired Monstrola, who is his cousin, to start the Westmoreland County Special Olympics basketball program in 2013. Monstrola started with just 12 players, but now they have up to 80.

“You can see the sense of pride and honor they have for each other,” he said.

After more than 10 years in the Special Olympics program, Danny DePalma said he now has athletes from other counties coming up to him at tournaments to give him a hug.

“You feel like family with all these athletes,” he said.

Doug Moninger is a player on the Wolverines 4 team. This story is updated to correctly reflect his last name.