Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

A local product out of Reading, Kutztown University freshman Wesley Butler was known around the area for his talent on the basketball court. And in his first season in Maroon and Gold he did not disappoint. Butler led the Golden Bears in scoring on his way to being named to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division Second Team. On Friday, he was voted the 2019-20 KU Male Freshman of the Year. Butler hit the ground running in his first collegiate season. The Reading High School product set a new Kutztown freshman record for points in a season with 510. Butler led KU and was eighth in the PSAC in scoring (18.2 ppg), fourth in 3-point percentage (40.9%), 11th in free-throw percentage (82.2%), 12th in field goal percentage (45.8%) and 15th in minutes per game (33.6). He played in all 28 games and scored in double-figures in 25 of them. In the classroom, Butler was also a member of the Dean's List following the fall semester. Butler's 510 points this season is the most by a freshman in a season in program history. He did whatever was asked of him by head coach Bernie Driscoll, and proved his worth on both ends of the court. Butler ranked second on KU with 2.1 assists per game and grabbed nearly 3.0 rebounds per game, while his 27 steals was tied for second. In his first collegiate game, Butler drilled seven 3-pointers, the most by a freshman in a game. In a 92-78 win at No. 12 West Chester on Jan. 18, Butler connected on all 13 of his free-throw attempts, the highest percentage of free-throws made and attempted in program history. Butler is the sixth men's basketball player to receive KU Freshman of the Year recognition, the first since Josh Johnson in 2013-14. Previous winners from the program include T.J. Mann (2002-03), Dave Ben (2006-07), Stephen Dennis (2007-08) and Ryan Washington (2008-09). Members of the KU athletic department staff voted upon the nominees to determine KU's year-end awards.

One of the most decorated players in Kutztown University field hockey history, senior Mackenzie Fuhrman was named the 2019-20 KU Female Athlete of the Year, Tuesday. Fuhrman is the seventh Golden Bear field hockey player to earn the prestigious award, which has been presented since 1987. KU's annual year-end awards are voted upon by the athletic department's administration, coaches and staff. The Lancaster native set new career-highs in games played and started (22), goals (six) and game-winning goals (three) in leading KU to PSAC championship game and NCAA Final Four appearances. Fuhrman, a midfielder, was recognized as an All-PSAC First Team and NFHCA All-America First Team player for the third year running. Fuhrman surpassed the 20-point barrier for the second straight season, finishing with six goals and eight assists for 20 points as the Golden Bears compiled a 15-7 overall record with six wins coming over teams ranked in the top 10 of the NFHCA's Division II Poll. She was tied for fifth in the conference in assists and concluded her four-year career with 28 helpers --third most in program history. Fuhrman was an integral part of head coach Marci Scheuing's lineup on both sides of the field over the last four seasons. She played in 77 career games, starting 75, and was a two-time team MVP. Fuhrman was recently honored on April 21 as KU's Female Senior Athlete of the Year. Fuhrman also received the distinguished honor of being named a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Fall Top 10 Award winner this year. She is the first Golden Bears fall athlete, male or female, to earn such a distinction since 2008. In the classroom, Fuhrman is a multi-year member of the Dean's List and set to become a four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete list. She's also appeared on the NFHCA National Academic Squad and NFHCA Scholar of Distinction list throughout her career. Fuhrman is a two-time D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient. She received one of the nation's highest academic honors for a student-athlete at the conclusion of the 2018-19 academic year when she was voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-America At-Large Third Team among a pool of student-athletes from numerous sports. She's on the ballot to become a two-time Academic All-American after receiving Academic All-District accolades for a second time this spring. The Golden Bears won just their second NCAA postseason game in program history --first since 1988-- this past season and advanced to the Division II national semifinals for the first time since 1982. Kutztown's 15 victories signified the program's highest total in a season since 2007. Fuhrman joins former KU field hockey standouts Gwen Kerr (1989), Lisa Marrella (1990), Shayn Mosley (1992), Laura Kline (2006), Erin Reynolds (2014) and Anna Behm (2016) as all-time recipients of the KU Female Athlete of the Year Award.

A major conference award, a regional title and a No. 1 ranking were all accolades accomplished by Kutztown University wrestler Andrew Dunn Jr., last season. To cap off the 2019-20 school year, the redshirt-junior was voted the KU Male Athlete of the Year, Wednesday. It is the second straight year that the Bethlehem native has earned the recognition, having been named Male Athlete of the Year last year. He is the third different grappler to earn the prestigious award, which has been presented since 1987, and sixth time overall a wrestler has won it. KU's annual year-end awards are voted upon by the athletic department's administration, coaches and staff. With the cancellation of the NCAA Division II Championships this spring, Dunn Jr. remains the defending heavyweight national champion, having won it in March of 2019. He finished last season with a perfect 20-0 record, winning his second straight Super Region 1 title in February. Dunn Jr.'s success led him to two major postseason awards, earning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Athlete of the Year and the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division II Super Region 1 Wrestler of the Year. A two-time All-American, Dunn Jr. is 46-2 overall, 46-0 against Division II opponents in two seasons as a Golden Bear. He topped the NWCA's Division II heavyweight national rankings from start-to-finish during the 2019-20 season. He defeated three nationally-ranked opponents, including a 3-2 decision over third-ranked Jacob Robb of Mercyhurst to win the super regional championship. The former Bethlehem Catholic prep and Virginia Tech transfer collected five major decisions, four pins and a technical fall this past season. Dunn Jr. is currently riding a 38-match winning streak. Kutztown finished 10-4 overall in dual meets last season. Dunn Jr. joins former Kutztown wrestling standouts Joe Kemmerer (2007, 2009) and Ziad Haddad (2014, 2015) as all-time recipients of the KU Male Athlete of the Year Award.

Big things were expected of Casey Remolde when she joined the Kutztown University women's basketball team and she delivered in short order. Remolde had a stellar freshman campaign on her way to PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year honors. Thursday, she was announced as the 2019-20 KU Female Freshman of the Year. Remolde, a native Philadelphian, was the PSAC's second-leading shot blocker with 63 (2.2 per game). That tied her for fourth all-time in a season at KU and marked the most blocks in a season since Advia Campbell's school-record 76 in 2013-14. Her 114 free throws made rank tied for third in a season in KU history. The well-rounded guard ranked second on the Golden Bears in scoring at 10.8 points per game, second in rebounding (5.3 rpg), second in steals (1.6 spg), third in field goal percentage (39.1%), third in free throw percentage (74.0%) and fourth in assists (1.8 apg). Remolde also averaged 28.2 minutes per game, the second-highest total on the team. Remolde was a three-time PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week, won PSAC East Athlete of the Week once and was named to the All-PSAC East Second Team. She supplied four blocks or more in seven games and swatted away a season-high five opposing shots three different times. In a Dec. 14, victory over Georgian Court at Keystone Arena, Remolde was a flawless 12-of-12 at the charity stripe on her way to a career-high 26 points. She also led the team with 21 points in a PSAC First Round game against Bloomsburg on March 2. Remolde is the second women's basketball player to claim KU Female Freshman of the Year honors in the last three years (Rylee Derr, 2017-18) and fifth overall. Previous winners from the program include Brianne Homyak (1997-98), Keri Suydam (1998-99), Sophia Vucetaj (2001-02) and Derr (2017-18).

Freshman Casey Remolde's stout defensive prowess brought her home the league's top honor, while junior Rylee Derr was amongst the top overall players, highlighting Kutztown University women's basketball's postseason accolades, as voted on by the league's coaches. Remolde earned the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division Defensive Athlete of the Year and Derr received All-PSAC East First Team recognition, announced by the league office Thursday. Remolde was also voted to the East Second Team. In her first collegiate season, Remolde broke out in a big way. The Philadelphia native was tied for the PSAC lead with 2.2 blocks per game and was 15th with 47 steals. Her 63 blocks was tied for fourth-most in a season in program history. Remolde was also 18th in the PSAC in free-throw percentage (74%) and averaged 10.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 28.2 minutes per game this season. In the classroom, Remolde was a member of the Dean's List this past fall. Derr netted her third All-PSAC honor, second straight First Team recognition. The Lititz native led KU in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg), 12th and 19th in the PSAC respectively. Derr was second in the league in made 3-pointers (81) and fifth in 3-point percentage (36.3%) and also averaged 2.3 apg in 33.4 minutes per game. Her 1,382 career points ranks fourth all-time in program history, while her 256 made 3-pointers is a program best. Kutztown finished the year 18-11 overall and 15-7 in the PSAC, clinching a berth in the postseason for the fourth straight year.

Both Tarojae Brake and Wesley Butler put on the Maroon and Gold uniform for the first time in their collegiate careers this season, and each made their mark on the basketball landscape. The league took notice as the duo was named to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division Second Team, as voted on by the league's head coaches. Kutztown finished the season 11-17 overall and missed out on the conference tournament for just the first time in six years. Brake and Butler finished in the top-20 overall in the PSAC in scoring, 3-point percentage and free-throw percentage. It is the first All-PSAC selection for each Golden Bear. After sitting out last season following a two-year stint at Lock Haven, Brake made his mark for KU, being named a team captain before the start of the 2019-20 campaign. The Coatesville native finished the season averaging 16.0 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game and 1.6 assists per game in 32.0 minutes per game. He was 16th in the conference in scoring, fourth in free-throw percentage (86.1%), seventh in 3-pointers made (64) and 12th in 3-point percentage (35.8%). Brake scored in double-figures in each of the last eight games and 14 of the last 15. Butler hit the ground running in his first collegiate season. The Reading High School product set a new Kutztown freshman record for points in a season with 510. Butler led KU and was eighth in the PSAC in scoring (18.2 ppg), fourth in 3-point percentage (40.9%), 11th in free-throw percentage (82.2%), 12th in field goal percentage (45.8%) and 15th in minutes per game (33.6). He played in all 28 games and scored in double-figures in 25 of them. In the classroom, Butler was also a member of the Dean's List following the fall semester. Kutztown graduated two seniors including Josh Townsend and Ryan 'Boz' Bernstein. KU will have a large number of returners that made contributions next season.

Kutztown University will have 22 student-athletes representing its women's lacrosse program for the 2020 season. Read the full season preview. Every season under third-year head coach Jackie Stezzi, the Kutztown University women's lacrosse team has had its win total increase. Now in its third season in the regime, the KU program looks to continue to build upon the success and reach even bigger heights during the 2020 campaign. The Golden Bears finished the 2019 season with a 7-9 overall record, with five of those victories coming in conference play. The five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victories are the second most in a season in KU history. KU looks to match the program record of six league wins this year. Kutztown opens its regular season Saturday, Feb. 22, at the University of Bridgeport at 1 p.m. The home-opener for KU is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m., against Caldwell University at Keystone Field.

Kutztown University will have 21 student-athletes representing its softball program for the 2020 season. The Golden Bears opened their season with a 4-5 record across their first two tournaments. Head coach Judy Lawes is in her 33rd season at KU, 19 wins shy of 1,000 for her career. KU will next hit the diamond for their spring break trip beginning Saturday, March 7, against Winston-Salem State in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Golden Bears will then play six days in Florida. Softball website

Eight members of the Kutztown University track & field teams earned All-Region recognition across five events, announced Monday from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). It is the second year in the last three that KU sported eight All-Region honorees, while it boasted 10 last year. To earn All-Region honors, an athlete must be one of the top-five individuals in their event in their respective region. In addition, each member of a region's top-three relay teams was also selected for the distinction. The eight regions used in NCAA DII are the Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West. The KU men are all representatives of field events as both Harley Cheatham and Tommy Oliver from the high jump, Xavier Feliciano in the pole vault and Larry Brown from the weight throw all earned All-Region status. For the women, Ally Tama in the pole vault and Taye Dairo from the high jump are from field events, while Meghan Forsythe in the 400m and Julia Wiemken in the 800m represent the lone track events for KU. At the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships over the weekend, Forsythe, Feliciano and Tama all earned PSAC titles in their respective events. Wiemken posted a new PR of 2:17.62 in the 800m, which ranks seventh all-time in program history. Oliver finished sixth in the heptathlon and tied a personal-best mark of 1.98m (6-6) in the high jump, while Brown placed fourth in the weight throw at 17.55m (57-7). The outdoor season begins for the Golden Bears at the Golden Ram Invitational at the Washington and Lee Carnival in Lexington, Va., Friday, March 20.

Kutztown University will have 26 student-athletes representing its baseball program for the 2020 season. The Golden Bears opened their season last weekend, Feb. 15-16, with a four-game split against Chowan University (NC). The wins gave first-year head coach Eric Folmar his first win as a head man in his collegiate debut as a head coach. Kutztown will next compete Saturday, Feb. 29, at Ohio Dominican for two games beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a game Sunday, March 1, at noon. Baseball website

Kutztown University women's soccer and head coach Erik Burstein have announced rising seniors Savanna Harrison and Sam LaBianca, along with junior Kayla Argen as team captains for the upcoming 2020 season. The trio of Golden Bears are all first-year skippers. Over the last three years, they have helped lead the Golden Bears to a ton of success, including earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament in two of the last three seasons. KU has played in NCAAs in eight of the last 11 years and has qualified for PSACs in 11 of the last 12 seasons. "The entire coaching staff is very excited to announce that Sav, Sam and Kayla will lead our women's soccer program moving forward," said Burstein. "In the past we have always waited until late spring to announce our team captains, but these three student-athletes are not only ready to take on a leadership role, but their uncompromising commitment to the program, their strong belief in our culture and the standards and expectations they have for themselves and their teammates are exactly what we need this spring, and moving forward." Harrison had a breakout junior season in the midfield last season, seemingly a magnet on the ball on both sides of the field. She played and started in 17 of the 18 games this season as a center midfielder. The Perkasie native may not have the flashy numbers in the statistical categories, but her importance to head coach Erik Burstein and both the KU offense and defense could not be underestimated. Harrison has one goal in her career, tallied last season, and has played in 53 career games. She will be back next year as a senior to help solidify the midfield. Harrison received her first postseason accolade in 2019, earning All-PSAC Second Team recognition. In the classroom, Harrison is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Dean's List. LaBianca made a shift around the field this past season. After predominantly playing in a midfield role her first two seasons in Maroon and Gold, the Beachwood, N.J., native played most of 2020 in the center of the KU defense. LaBianca started a career-high 15 games and played in 17 overall last season, finishing with six shots, three of which were on goal. In the classroom, LaBianca is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Dean's List. Argen once again played a prominent role in the midfield for Kutztown in 2019. She started a career-high 17 games and played in all 18. Argen finished the year with three goals and tied a career-best with five assists for 11 points. Her five assists led the team. In the classroom, Argen is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Dean's List. The Golden Bears finished the 2019 campaign at 11-7 overall and now has won 10 or more games in 18 straight seasons.

The defending co-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division champion Kutztown University women's basketball team is the favorite to repeat in 2019-20, as KU was voted first in the PSAC East Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the conference office Thursday morning. KU had seven-of-nine first place votes. KU will have 14 players on its 2019-20 roster. The Golden Bears finished their historic 2018-19 season at 19-12 overall and 14-6 in the PSAC, winning a share of the PSAC East title, the program's first since 1996. They hosted the PSAC final four for the first time in program history and advanced to its first ever PSAC Championship game. Kutztown will be a deep and experienced team this season, and returns three starters, including All-PSAC East First Teamer Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Second Teamer Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy). Derr scored 526 total points, which ranks second all-time in program history for points in a season, and made a school-record 89 three-pointers last season. Lapkiewicz finished with career-highs of 11.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg in 29.5 minutes per game. Brianna Tarabocchia (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) is the third starter back, averaging 8.1 ppg and 5.0 rpg in 24.1 minutes per game. Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) and Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) both played in all 31 games last year and could see more time starting this year. Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) played in 27 games in 2018-19 and provides great outside shooting for KU. KU's 253 made 3-pointers were the most in a season. Head coach Janet Malouf, in her 26th season, holds a 372-323 overall record, fourth in PSAC history in career wins. PSAC co-champion Bloomsburg was picked second with two first place votes, followed by Shippensburg in third and West Chester and Millersville tied for fourth. KU begins its season with exhibitions at Division-I Penn State and Iona Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, respectively. The regular season begins Nov. 8-9 with the PSAC/CIAA Conference Challenge at Lincoln University, facing off with the host Lions that Friday and St. Augustine's Saturday. PSAC play then begins Saturday, Nov. 23, at Clarion. Kutztown has its home-opener the following Saturday, Nov. 30, against Penn State Lehigh Valley at 1 p.m. Full Poll Results Women's East 1) Kutztown (7) 2) Bloomsburg (2) 3) Shippensburg T4) West Chester T4) Millersville 6) East Stroudsburg 7) Lock Haven 8) Shepherd 9) Mansfield Women's West 1) IUP (5) 2) Cal U (2) 3) Edinboro (1) 4) Pitt-Johnstown 5) Seton Hill (1) 6) Gannon 7) Slippery Rock 8) Mercyhurst 9) Clarion

The Kutztown University men's basketball team was picked fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, released by the league office Thursday afternoon. KU will have 16 players on its 2019-2020 roster. The Golden Bears finished last season 16-14 overall, the fifth straight season of at least 16 wins and sixth consecutive season it made the postseason. They have won at least one postseason game each of the last five seasons, advancing to at least the PSAC Quarterfinals each of those seasons. Head coach Bernie Driscoll, in his 20th season, holds a 323-218 (.597) overall record, seventh in PSAC history in career wins. Kutztown returns three starters that started in the two PSAC Tournament games last season, including senior Josh Townsend (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), junior Facundo Arens (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Bahia Blanca) and sophomore Austin Laughlin (Glen Mills, Pa./Garnet Valley). Townsend and redshirt-juniors Moe Williams (Townsend, Del./Life Center Academy) and Tarojae Brake (Coatesville, Pa./Octorara Area (Lock Haven)) were named team captains for the upcoming campaign. Townsend averaged nearly a double-double with career-highs of 10.6 ppg and 8.5 rpg (sixth in PSAC) in 24.0 minutes per game last year. His 256 rebounds this season rank in a tie for seventh all-time in program history for rebounds in season. Arens started in 28-of-30 games, averaging 6.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.0 apg in 27.4 minutes per game, all career-highs. Laughlin ranked second on KU with 27 made three-pointers in his first collegiate season. Williams played in 20 games, missing time due to injury, but still finished the year second on KU scoring 12.0 ppg and led KU at 8.7 rpg in 27.9 minutes per game. The program is also excited about what Brake will bring to the table after sitting out last season following a transfer from Lock Haven. Sophomores Kyree Generett (York, Pa./William Penn), Da'Quan Granberry (Linwood, Pa./Chichester) and Akello Mosby (Philadelphia, Pa./Carver) all appeared in at least 24 games and their experience will once again help the lineup in 2019-20. Defending PSAC East champion East Stroudsburg was tabbed first with four first place votes, followed by Shippensburg with three first place votes. West Chester and Millersville come in at third and fourth respectively, as KU rounds out the top-five. Kutztown begins its regular season in West Chester, with games against Lincoln Friday, Nov. 8, and against Claflin the following day Saturday, in the PSAC/CIAA Challenge. The home-opener is set for Wednesday, Nov. 13, against the University of the Sciences at 7 p.m. PSAC play begins Saturday, Nov. 23, at Clarion. Full Poll Results Men's East (# of 1st place votes) 1) East Stroudsburg (4) 2) Shippensburg (3) 3) West Chester (1) 4) Millersville 5) Kutztown (1) 6) Lock Haven 7) Shepherd 8) Bloomsburg 9) Mansfield Men's West 1) IUP (7) 2) Slippery Rock 3) Pitt-Johnstown (2) 4) Mercyhurst 5) Cal U 6) Gannon T7) Edinboro T7) Seton Hill 9) Clarion

The seventh-ranked Kutztown University field hockey team had three student-athletes selected to the 2019 Victory Sports Tours/NFHCA Division II Senior Game team, and another was named as an alternate, as announced Thursday. Senior midfielders Molly Bobjak and Mackenzie Fuhrman, along with forward Kyra Wozniak earned spots on the roster, while midfielder Gabby Hess is an alternate for the showcase. The three game selections is tied for the most under head coach Marci Scheuing and the four overall are the most. The Senior Game is currently projected to take place Saturday, Nov. 23, at 5 p.m., at Millersville University's Biemesderfer Stadium. The game features the top senior players in the nation. The selected seniors are given the opportunity to represent their institution while competing against their peers. There are 34 field players and four goalies who were tabbed to the game. These four Golden Bear seniors have been instrumental to the program throughout their four years. Over the past four seasons, this group has been a part of three straight seasons posting .500 or better records, totaling 43 victories thus far. They helped KU qualify for the PSAC tournament last season for the first time since 2015. They also have eight wins against nationally-ranked opponents throughout their careers. Bobjak is a two-year team captain. She has played in 55 games, starting 37 in the midfield during her time at KU. Bobjak has one goal and 10 assists thus far throughout her career, including a career-high five assists this season. She is also a member of the Dean's List, the NFHCA National Academic Squad and is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete. Fuhrman has started all 65 games of her career. She has totaled 16 goals and 26 assists, ranking fifth all-time at KU for career assists. Mackenzie is a two-time First-Team NFHCA All-American and All-PSAC. She was voted the 2018 team MVP. In the classroom, Mackenzie is a member of the Dean's List, the NFHCA National Academic Squad and is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete. Wozniak has played in 64 career games, starting 50 of them at forward. She ranks seventh in program history with 46 career goals and reached the century mark with 100 points. She is a two-time Second Team All-American and First Team All-PSAC member. Wozniak is a member of the Dean's List, the NFHCA National Academic Squad and is a PSAC Scholar-Athlete. Hess has played in 45 games, starting the last 31 in the midfield during her four-year career. She has scored two goals and recorded the first assist of her career this season on the game-winning goal over then top-ranked Shippensburg. Kutztown has five regular season games remaining including tonight, Thursday, against third-ranked Millersville at 7 p.m., at Andre Reed Stadium.

Kutztown University will have 17 student-athletes representing its women's bowling team for the 2019-2020 season. KU was ranked seventh in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Division II/III Preseason Poll, which was recently released by the organization. The Golden Bears head into their new season under the direction of first-year head coach Angela Reynolds, who joined the team in August. Kutztown went 74-57 last season with eight wins over teams in the NTCA National Top 25, including four in the top 10. The Maroon and Gold reached the sixth round of the East Coast Conference Championship in March. KU opens the 2019-20 season this coming Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13, with the Bud Whitman Memorial at Berks Lanes in Sinking Spring.

Kutztown University will have 16 student-athletes representing its men's and women's tennis teams for the 2019-2020 season. The Golden Bears are set to play at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Individual Championships Oct. 5-7, in Bloomsburg, Pa.

Kutztown University will have 13 student-athletes representing its women's swimming program for the 2019-2020 season. Read the full season preview online. Last season was one of the most successful seasons for the Kutztown University women's swimming team in the last decade. KU is hoping to see similar results this year as it begins competition for the 2019-20 campaign with a home meet today, Thursday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m. at Keystone Pool against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) foe Shippensburg. The Golden Bears finished PSACs with 283.5 points and a 10th-place finish, their highest since placing ninth in 2012. The Maroon and Gold also had a strong dual season with an 8-2 record for the program's highest win total since 2010-11 when they went 9-1. "Last year was a pleasant surprise," said head coach Tim Flannery, entering his 24th season at the helm. "I wasn't expecting to go 8-2 [in duals] and beat LIU Post, but we did. It was good from the standpoint that we had a lot of freshmen that came along and continued to get better as the season went on. They moved into bigger roles and will be some of our leaders this year." Kutztown has its earliest meet in over a decade today, Thursday, Sept. 19, when it hosts Shippensburg. But the Golden Bears will be prepared and there are positives to take out of the early start. "This is actually a good thing for us," Flannery said. "It helps us to be able to get into the water and practice earlier. It will give me a better look at the team altogether and give us time to put together our lineup." Kutztown will have three straight meets on the road following Shippensburg, and won't return to Keystone Pool until Saturday, Nov. 9, when it will have back-to-back home meets on consecutive weekends. Senior day is set for Saturday, Jan. 25, at home against Lock Haven.

Kutztown University will have 19 student-athletes representing its women's volleyball program for the 2019 season. Read the full season preview online Bolstered by the return of its leading offensive and defensive pieces, and its starting setter, the Kutztown University women's volleyball team is optimistic about taking steps forward to compete atop its new division in 2019. A shift to the Central Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has the Golden Bears poised to take aim at favorite East Stroudsburg and head coach John Gump, now in his 23rd season at KU, is intrigued by the familiar faces in place to try and make it happen. With no seniors and seasoned underclassmen returning, Gump recognizes the upside of that experience. "A majority of our returnees played in meaningful matches last year and that should help a lot," said Gump. "When you're coming in, we can talk all we want about what to expect, but until you experience the speed, size and athleticism at this level it's a bit of an unknown. Nothing can replicate that." Kutztown began its season at Shippensburg University Sept. 6-7, and continues this weekend, Sept. 13-14, hosting the Kutztown Classic tournament.

Kutztown University has announced eight student-athletes will represent its women's golf team for the 2019-2020 season. The Golden Bears opened their season last weekend at the Evann Parker Memorial in North East, Pa., and continue Sept. 14-15 at the Le Moyne Invitational in East Syracuse, N.Y.

Kutztown University has announced 11 student-athletes will represent its men's cross country team for the 2019 season. Read the full season preview here. The Kutztown University men's cross country team is coming off the heels of one of its most successful seasons in the last two decades in 2018, and it looks to keep the success and momentum of the program going into 2019. The Golden Bears matched their best result at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships since 2002 with a fourth-place team finish last fall. They are once again expected to be near the top of the conference this season. Kutztown was voted fifth by the league's coaches in the 2019 PSAC Preseason Poll. Head coach Ray Hoffman, entering his 22nd year at the helm, road the legs primarily of his successful senior class last year, as four of the seven in the lineup at PSACs were seniors. Even though it will be tough to not be able to pencil them into the lineup this year, Hoffman knows he has the returning talent ready to step up and keep the ball rolling. "We lost five of our top seven runners from last year," said Hoffman. "That leaves a lot of open holes for us. The good thing is we had some younger guys that got a lot of experience last year that are back this year. I still feel that we are in a good position to continue that high standard that we've set." Kutztown's 2019 season begins with a meet at Franklin & Marshall tonight, Thursday, at 6 p.m.

Kutztown University has announced 87 student-athletes will represent its football team for the 2019 season. Read the full season preview here. Head coach Jim Clements, who enters his sixth season on the KU sideline having produced winning seasons in each of his previous five campaigns, knows that the 2019 team will need to forge its own identity, but hopes the experience of playing in last year's national tournament fuels the current roster's hunger to get back there. "Camp went well for us, but the biggest thing was to try and stay as healthy as we could," said Clements. "A lot of new faces were working hard. We have great depth at certain spots on the field and wish we had more at others, but overall the coaching staff took a lot of positives away from preseason." Kutztown committed just 13 turnovers a season ago, finishing plus-eight on the season. The Golden Bears were also one of the nation's top teams in red zone efficiency. If this year's team can limit self-inflicted mistakes the same way last year's did, Clements likes KU's chances to have another successful season. KU opened its season Saturday, Sept. 7, with a 54-16 win over Assumption College. Kutztown will be put to the test Saturday, Sept. 14, when it hits the road for the first time in 2019. The Golden Bears take on Cal U at 1 p.m.

Kutztown University has announced 16 student-athletes will represent its women's cross country team for the 2019 season. Read the full season preview here. The Kutztown University women's cross country team watched a decorated senior class run for the last time in Maroon and Gold after Fall 2018. But there is a strong group of experienced and talented returners that expect to keep the program near the top of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and Atlantic Region. "We had a great group of seniors last year that contributed from the first time they stepped on campus," said head coach Ray Hoffman, in his 22nd year in charge. "We couldn't have asked for more out of them. They set us up well for the future and helped guide the younger runners on how to be successful. We have a lot of holes to fill in the lineup, but I thought last year we had a lot of depth so the girls that are back I know we can rely on." Kutztown was picked fifth in the PSAC preseason poll. "I think that this group is competitive and can put us right into the top-four or top-five of the PSAC," Hoffman said. "They were behind some great leaders last year in those seniors, so now I'm excited to see who is going to step up and take on a leadership role. It's their time now to shine." Kutztown kicks off the year a week later than usual. The Golden Bears will be running at the Franklin & Marshall 5k Invitational on Thursday, Sept. 5, with a 6 p.m. start. Kutztown's annual home meet will take place on Saturday, Sept. 14, beginning at 9 a.m., on the North Campus course. The 2019 PSAC Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 25, at Bloomsburg.

Kutztown University will have 31 student-athletes representing its women's soccer program for the 2019 season. Read the full season preview online The 2019 season will bring a new look to the Kutztown University women's soccer team. With the renovation of Kutztown Field, KU will have a ton of positive energy around the program, as it continues to compete to achieve its lofty, yearly goals of winning championships. Not only will the field be different for the Golden Bears this year, but the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) has also changed up its format for women's soccer. Since 2010, the PSAC has had a single division. With the addition of Shepherd University to the conference, the PSAC is now instituting two divisions (East and West), a first since it last had two divisions in 2009. Each team plays each other twice during the regular season. Kutztown was recently voted second in the Eastern Division of the PSAC preseason poll, behind defending conference champs and nationally-ranked Bloomsburg. Nationally-ranked West Chester, 2017 PSAC champion East Stroudsburg, and 2018 semifinalist Millersville round out the top-five in a very competitive division featuring a majority of the top teams in the Atlantic Region. But head coach Erik Burstein, beginning his 13th season as head coach, once again has an experienced and talented team that has played in big, postseason games earlier in their careers. "I have tremendous faith in this group," said Burstein. "We have some exceptional athletes who work hard, have great attitudes, buy into our culture, believe in our system and have worked hard to adapt to their new roles and responsibilities. They are an exciting group who truly want to be successful, and I believe they will be. However, we all know this new divisional format will provide some very different and unique challenges. We need to focus on one game at a time and make sure we finish in the top-four in the East. Once that is accomplished, we can start thinking about competing for championships. Stay humble and stay focused; one game at a time." KU finished the 2018 season at 14-4-2 overall and qualified for both the PSAC and NCAA Atlantic Region tournaments. It was the third consecutive NCAA berth and eighth in 10 years. Dating back to the 2008 season, Kutztown has earned 11 straight PSAC Tournament appearances. Kutztown begins its 2019 campaign with back-to-back road games. It will take on the University of Charleston (WV) in the season opener on Thursday, Sept. 5, and then play at Millersville on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The home-opener in the brand-new Keystone Field complex will be Saturday night, Sept. 14, under the lights at 6 p.m., against East Stroudsburg.

Kutztown University will have 27 student-athletes representing its field hockey program for the 2019 season. Read the full season preview online 2018 was an exciting and memorable year for the Kutztown University field hockey team both on and off the field. KU celebrated its 50th season as a program and did it in style, finishing 14-5 overall, the most wins by a program since 2007 and its fourth-straight winning season. Along the way, the Golden Bears also earned a spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament for the first time since 2015. Kutztown defeated two nationally-ranked teams last season, including a 2-0 victory over No. 1 West Chester Oct. 24, the second year in-a-row defeating the top-ranked team. KU saw itself ranked as high as sixth in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division II National Coaches Poll. Head coach Marci Scheuing will have plenty of talent and experience at her disposal as 10 of the 11 starters from the PSAC Quarterfinal Round return. Seven of those 10 returning starters are seniors and two are juniors, so the 2019 team is surely seasoned. Kutztown opens its season Thursday, Sept. 5, on the road in Garden City, New York, at Adelphi. After a tournament at Saint Michael's in Vermont that weekend, the home-opener at Andre Reed Stadium is set for Friday, Sept. 13, at 3 p.m. vs. Slippery Rock. PSAC play begins Sept. 27, at Slippery Rock, while the conference home-opener is against Seton Hill Oct. 5, which is also senior day.

Tamara Jennings made history, Tuesday, as the first Kutztown University softball student-athlete to be named a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Spring Top 10 Award winner. Jennings, who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in computer science in May, turned in the best season of her career in helping lead the Golden Bears to 36 victories and a spot in the PSAC Championship tournament. The Philadelphian compiled a .416 batting average with 72 hits, 50 runs scored, 13 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 51 runs batted and 14 stolen bases in across 56 games, setting career-highs in every category. Jennings also had a .458 on base percentage, .647 slugging percentage and .981 fielding percentage. Jennings led the PSAC with eight sacrifice flies, while ranking third in RBIs, fourth in runs scored and fourth in hits. She was also amongst the conference leaders in batting average (ninth), slugging percentage (ninth), stolen bases (ninth) and at-bats (10th, 173). For her on-field work, Jennings earned All-PSAC East, National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Atlantic Region First Team, Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Atlantic Region First Team and D2CCA All-America Honorable Mention honors. The outfielder's combination of on-field and classroom performance led to spots on the Google Cloud Academic All-District First Team and Academic All-America Third Team. Jennings and teammate Sara Keeny were the softball program's first Academic All-Americans. Jennings received the Kutztown University Honors Program Award and Computer Science/Technology Award in 2019. She will be named a PSAC Scholar-Athlete for the fourth time and NFCA Scholar-Athlete for the third time later this summer. Jennings, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), will begin work towards her Master of Science at Kutztown this fall. She is enrolled in the five-year computer science/information technology combined M.S./B.S. program. Tuesday's announcement gives Kutztown a female Top 10 recipient for the second year in a row. Jennings is KU's eighth female Spring Top 10 winner and 21st female Top 10 honoree since the awards were initiated during the 1997-98 academic year. The Top 10 Awards, selected by the PSAC's sports information directors, recognize student-athletes who distinguish themselves in the classroom, as well as in the arena of competition. The conference designates Top 10 Award winners after each of the sports seasons: fall, winter and spring. To be a candidate for the Top 10 Awards, a student-athlete must have achieved a minimum of a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and must be a starter or key reserve with legitimate athletic credentials.

Kutztown University field hockey's Mackenzie Fuhrman was selected to the Google Cloud Academic All-America NCAA Division II Women's At-Large Third Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Thursday. Fuhrman is a first-time honoree and becomes the sixth Golden Bear field hockey student-athlete to earn Academic All-America status. The Lancaster, Pennsylvania native is the program's third Academic All-American in the past four years, joining Courtney Konowal (Second Team, 2017-18) and Anna Behm (Thrid Team, 2015-16). Fuhrman, a rising senior holds a 3.93 cumulative GPA in communication design. On the field, she is coming off back-to-back National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America First Team and All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) First Team seasons in 2017 and 2018. Fuhrman registered career-highs of 11 assists and 21 points, and tied a career-high with five goals last fall as KU went 14-5 overall record and advanced to the PSAC Championship tournament for the first time in three seasons. Fuhrman's 0.53 assists per game ranked seventh in NCAA Division II and she ranked 43rd in points per game at 1.05. The midfielder is a three-time NFHCA Scholar of Distinction and National Academic Squad honoree and is in line to receive her third PSAC Scholar-Athlete award later this summer. Fuhrman has collected 44 career points on 12 goals and 20 assists in 53 games.

Rachel Tarnopoll of the Kutztown University women's golf team has been named All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Second Team following a career-best senior season. Tarnopoll, of Sparta, New Jersey, won two tournaments to go along with three top five and five top 10 finishes. An 83.14 scoring average over 14 rounds was a new career low for the remarkably consistent Tarnopoll, who averaged 83.2 (21 rounds) as a junior in 2017-18 and 83.4 (17 rounds) as a sophomore in 2016-17. The Golden Bears' leader during the spring season, Tarnopoll tied for individual medalist honors at the Kutztown Spring Invitational with a 6-over par 76 on April 7 at Moselem Springs Golf Club, and captured the East Stroudsburg University Spring Invitational outright with a 7-over two round total of 151 on April 13-14. Tarnopoll, who took 11th at the PSAC Championship back in October, recorded four rounds in the 70s this past season and tied the record for the lowest round in school history with an even par 72 during the final round of play at the ESU Invitational on April 14. Tarnopoll's final three season scoring averages in Maroon and Gold rank 11th, 12th and 13th, respectively, while her 84.0 career scoring average is the fourth best in program history. The all-conference honor is a career first for Tarnopoll, while Kutztown has had at least one golfer named All-PSAC in each of the last five seasons.

Championship Central | Tickets The Kutztown University men's and women's rugby teams will participate in the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championships this weekend, May 31-June 2, at Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia. Fans can follow Kutztown's Twitter account for weekend updates, as well as KU's schedule pages (women / men). All matches featured in-stadium will be covered live on ESPN+, the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer and International segment and ESPN. Fans can now subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and, in addition to hundreds of rugby matches annually, can stream thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. This year's 16-team women's field features defending champion Lindenwood University, who won the championship match last June over Penn State, 21-12, to capture its first women's title. Penn State also returns this year and is joined by the women's sides from Army, Bloomsburg, Delaware, Drexel, Kutztown, Life, Navy, Northeastern, Notre Dame, Queens University, Saint Joseph's, Temple, Virginia Tech as well as the National Small College Rugby Organization Selects Squad. For the first time, the women's championship field will be competing for the A. Jon Prusmack Cup. Kutztown will be in Pool D, along with NSCRO, Army and Northeastern. The KU men's sevens team will be competing in a 24-team pool and is placed in Pool D along with Iona, Wisconsin and Boston College. 2019 Collegiate Rugby Championships Complete information can be found at www.usasevenscrc.com SCHEDULE Friday, May 31 11:10 a.m. Kutztown Women vs. Northeastern University, Academy Field 2 1:10 p.m. Kutztown Women vs. Army University, Academy Field 2 2:50 p.m. Kutztown Women vs. NSCRO, Academy Field 2 Saturday, June 1 Women's matches will depend on the results of Friday's competition. 10:40 a.m. Kutztown Men vs. University of Iona, Talen Energy Stadium (ESPN +) 12:20 p.m. Kutztown Men vs. University of Wisconsin, Academy Field 1 5:15 p.m. Kutztown Men vs. Boston College, Talen Energy Stadium (ESPN +) Sunday, June 2 Matches to be determined based on Saturday's competition. ROSTERS Kutztown University Women's Team Melissa Albe, Kintnersville, Pa. Arianna Casado, Easton, Pa. Karleigh Davila, Clifton, N.J. Nicolle Dudkewic, Effort, Pa. Selena Garrett, Garnet Valley, Pa. Colleen Graney, Allentown, Pa. Aysia Grondahl, New Hope, Pa. Paige Krahling, Downingtown, Pa. Sarah Masters, Langhorne, Pa. Alexandra Quigg, Marlton, N.J. Riley Walker, Philadelphia, Pa. Kathryne Wasdyke, Rockaway, N.J. Kutztown University Men's Team Austin Barnes, Thornton, Colo. Maxim Bennett, Charlotte, N.C. Brandon Boon, Unionville, Pa. Jackson Clark, Greenville, S.C. Jason DeNofa, Philadelphia, Pa. Sam Devine, Philadelphia, Pa. Murphy Lill, Naussau, N.Y. Gerald Lowe, Pretoria, South Africa D'Montae Noble, Falls Church, Va. Ryan Nolan, Drogheda, Ireland Joe O'Shields, Charlotte, N.C. Daquan Perry, Philadelphia, Pa. Jake Rice, West Chester, Pa. Angel Santiago, Warminster, Pa.

Two inline speed skaters from Kutztown University have qualified to compete at the 2019 Inline Speed Skating World Championships next month in Barcelona, Spain. Recent graduate McKenzie Browne '19 and freshman Jazzmyn Foster qualified for a spot on the senior women's world team and will compete June 30-July 14. Browne, a native of Coopersburg, Pa., is a 17-time national champion and won four gold medals at this year's National Championships. Her skating career has taken her to South Korea, Argentina, Colombia, Italy, Belgium, China, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and now Spain. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies at KU and is an alumnae of Southern Lehigh High School. Foster, a native of Birdsboro, Pa., earned two silver medals and a bronze at this year's National Championships. This marks her third year on the national team. She recently competed in China in 2017, and the Netherlands last year. She recently completed her freshman year at KU and is an alumnae of Exeter Township Senior High School. In July, Barcelona will experience the world's largest Roller Sports and Skateboarding event. The World Roller Games will see more than 4,000 athletes in action and will crown the world's best in 11 very diverse disciplines such as Alpine, Artistic, Roller Freestyle, Downhill, Inline Freestyle, Inline Hockey, Rink Hockey, Roller Derby, Speed, and Skateboarding. The Scooter will debut as new World Skate discipline in the 2019 edition. For more information on the 2019 World Roller Games in Barcelona, please visit their website.

Recent Kutztown University graduate Sara Keeny of the Golden Bears' softball team is in elite company as one of the best players to come through the program in its illustrious history. Keeny was voted to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America First Team, as announced at the NCAA Division II Championship banquet on Wednesday evening. Keeny is Kutztown softball's first All-American since 2012, when Samantha Derr was also named to the First Team, and 12th in program history. Fifty-one student-athletes from 38 different institutions were chosen to one of three 2019 NFCA Division II All-America teams. Keeny, a Warminster, Pennsylvania native, received NFCA All-Atlantic Region honors for the fourth straight season, but was a First Team selection for the first time in her career. She shattered former career-highs in most offensive categories this season on her way to one of the best hitting seasons in the program's 44-year history. Prior to the start of the NCAA Division II Championship tournament, Keeny led the nation in hits (100), while ranking fifth in batting average (.518), seventh in total bases (132), ninth in on base percentage (.561), 10th in triples (seven) and 11th in stolen bases (45). Keeny is a four-time All-PSAC East selection and a three-time NFCA All-Atlantic Region honoree. She was recently voted PSAC East Athlete of the Year, backing her batting average, hit and stolen base totals with 62 runs scored, 15 doubles, 29 RBIs, 23 walks, .684 slugging percentage and .955 fielding percentage in 56 games. Keeny is Kutztown's career hits leader with 289 and holds a share of the program's triples record with 14. She also ranks second in batting average (.440) and stolen bases (134), third in runs scored (172), fifth in total bases (348), seventh in walks (62) and eighth in at-bats (657). Kutztown finished its season with a 36-20 overall record, the ninth-most wins in program history. They went 3-2 in the PSAC Tournament, defeating Edinboro, Bloomsburg and West Chester, and finished third.