Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

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 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 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 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 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 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.

Sophomore Luke Hoffman was crowned a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion in the discus at PSACs back on May 10, and that helped him earn the 2019 Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). 10 members of the Kutztown University track and field programs, including Hoffman, also earned All-Atlantic Region status. 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. Hoffman threw a personal-best 56.80m (186-4) at the championship event, which is a new meet record, and improved upon the KU and PSAC record that he already held. He is ranked fourth nationally in the discus. Fellow PSAC champion Brandon Leacraft also was recognized as All-Region in the javelin. It is the second regional honor for Hoffman and the third for Leacraft. Fellow Golden Bear men that received All-Region status include Zach Austen and Xavier Feliciano in the pole vault, Xavier Gutierrez in the steeplechase and Tommy Oliver in the decathlon. Feliciano and Oliver are now two-time all-region, while it is the first recognition for Austen and Gutierrez. On the women's side, all four All-Atlantic Golden Bears competed in field events. Becca Hemingway in the high jump, Megan Kirn in the javelin, Ashley Petre in the hammer and Ally Tama in the pole vault. Kirn, Petre and Tama all finished second in their respective events at PSAC Outdoor Championships. Petre has now earned all-region three times in the hammer, while Hemingway and Tama are two-time All-Atlantic Region in the high jump and pole vault respectively, and Kirn received her first all-region recognition. Hoffman, Leacraft and Kirn will all be competing on the national stage at the 2019 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Kingsville, Texas, beginning on Friday, May 24, and concluding the following day.

Kutztown University softball outfielders Tamara Jennings and Sara Keeny have been named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District 2 Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Kutztown University women's soccer and head coach Erik Burstein have announced rising seniors Kristina Miller and Emily Zwiercan as team captains for the upcoming 2019 season. Miller was also voted as a captain last season, while Zwiercan will be a first-year skipper this fall. Over the last three years, the duo has helped lead the Golden Bears to a ton of success, including earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament all three seasons. KU has played in NCAAs in eight of the last 10 years and has qualified for PSACs in each of the last 11 seasons. "I am very excited to announce that Emily will join Tina as our team captains for the upcoming season," said Burstein. "Both of these players have shown a strong commitment to our program, and they wholeheartedly believe in our culture and the standards and expectations we have set. They are also both fully aware that we have a fantastic group of upperclassmen who fully buy into our culture and who can also help provide leadership and insight to the entire squad, especially the incoming freshman; Tina and Emily are not threatened by that; they embrace it, which is important. "Next year will be a very challenging year for us, especially with PSAC women's soccer moving to a divisional format. It is absolutely critical that we begin the season with the proper leadership and there is no question we will have that with Tina and Emily." Miller started all 20 games last season and has 62 games played under her belt, starting 57 of them. She scored a career-high three goals as a junior and played in the center of a defense that allowed a program-low nine goals all season and recorded 12 shutouts, third-most in KU history. On the field, the Lansdale native received a number of different accolades including All-Atlantic Region First Team and All-PSAC First Team. Miller is also a standout in the classroom, earning a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and Dean's List Honors. Zwiercan has had a knack for finding the back of the net during her first three years in Maroon and Gold. She started every game last season and has appeared in 66 career games, making 44 starts. As a junior, Zwiercan finished fourth in the PSAC with 11 goals and sixth with 25 points. She ranks fourth all-time in KU history with 30 goals, fourth with 18 assists and tied for second with 78 points. The Reinholds native earned All-Atlantic Region and All-PSAC First Team honors last year and was also a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and Dean's List. Kutztown opens its 2019 campaign with back-to-back road games. The season-opener is Thursday, Sept. 5, at Charleston (W.Va.), followed by a trip to PSAC foe Millersville on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The home-opener is slated for Saturday, Sept. 14, at the newly renovated Keystone Field against East Stroudsburg.

All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors were bestowed upon three members of the Kutztown University men's tennis team, Wednesday, as Nolan Perugini and Renatos Santos were named First Team Doubles and Josh Carl earned a Second Team Singles nod. The top of the Golden Bears' lineup was a strong point all season, especially so against conference opponents. Perugini, a senior from Reading, and Santos, a junior from Portugal, compiled a 7-3 overall record at first doubles, including a 4-1 mark in the PSAC. The duo earned a 6-0 victory over West Chester on March 30 and knocked off the top doubles team from regionally-ranked Edinboro on April 13. Additionally, Perugini and Santos won matches over regionally-ranked non-conference opponents Salem and West Liberty. Their only setback in conference play came against nationally-ranked No. 40 Mercyhurst. Carl, a junior, held down third singles for KU and sported a winning 3-2 record in league play. The Hummelstown, Pennsylvania native played .500 tennis upon the team's return from Spring Break in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He opened league play with a straight set victory at West Chester and later rallied for a three-set victory against Sebastian Pardo of nationally-ranked Mercyhurst in mid-April. Carl finished the year with a 5-10 overall singles record and went 5-9 at No. 3. Perugini and Carl are both repeat all-conference selections, while Santos was recognized for the first time. Perugini was an All-PSAC Second Team pick in singles and doubles last spring. He was joined by Carl on Second Team Doubles.

Matt Cella, Ahkee Cox-Cowan, Abdul-Hassan Neblett and Luke Snyder have been named captains of the 2019 Kutztown University football team. Head coach Jim Clements introduced the captains during a team meeting following the conclusion of spring practice. Cella is a two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division selection. The rising senior was voted to the First Team at center in 2018, where he started all 11 games for a Golden Bear team that went 9-2 and reached the NCAA Division II Championship tournament for the third time in program history. With Cella leading the way up front, Kutztown ranked first in the PSAC and 12th in NCAA DII in yards per game (471.1). The Golden Bears were also the second-highest scoring offense in the conference at 38.0 points per game and second in total yards (5,182). A native of Secane, Pennsylvania, Cella was named to the Don Hansen Gazette Super Region 1 Third Team offense this past season and earned All-PSAC East Second Team honors at guard in 2017 as a sophomore. Cox-Cowan is coming off a season in which he produced a career-high 62 tackles (43 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. The cornerback from Harrisburg is a two-time All-PSAC East First Team honoree, two-time Don Hansen Gazette Super Region 1 pick and 2017 D2CCA all-region choice. Cox-Cowan set program single-season records with 17 pass breakups and 20 passes defended in 2017, and his 2018 totals of 14 breakups and 17 passes defended ranked in the top five all-time. He enters the 2019 season five passes defended and nine breakups away from tying program career records. Neblett, a Newark, New Jersey native, averaged 4.4 yards per carry and caught two touchdowns out of the backfield for the Maroon and Gold in 2018. The redshirt senior has played in all 11 games each of the last three seasons, contributing 557 rushing yards, 264 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his KU career. Snyder earned All-PSAC East Second Team honors at linebacker for the second consecutive season in 2018. The Levittown, Pennsylvania product made a career-high 53 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, forced a pair of fumbles and deflected a pair of passes. Snyder had a huge afternoon against Bloomsburg last Sept. 29 with nine tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in KU's 44-10 victory. The senior has recorded 111 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks over the course of his career. Kutztown, which went 9-2 and reached the NCAA Division II Championship tournament for the third time in program history last season, opens its 2019 schedule at home against Assumption on Sept. 7.

Sara Keeny, who set Kutztown University softball single-season records with 100 hits and a .518 batting average, has been selected as the 2019 Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) Atlantic Region Player of the Year. Four Golden Bears were honored on the all-region teams in total, with Tamara Jennings joining Keeny on the First Team, and Cheyenne Jones and Jenna Lipowski being named to the Second Team. Keeny's name is littered throughout KU's record book for both single-season and career success. The senior outfielder from Warminster, Pennsylvania 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 named 2019 PSAC East Athlete of the Year, supplementing her record-breaking 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). Keeny is the fourth player in program history to earn D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year honors, following Steph Denlinger (2007, 2009) and Ashley Fitzgerald (2008). She is the only Golden Bear among this year's all-region selections that is a repeat selection after earning Second Team accolades in 2018. Jennings enjoyed a breakout spring in her final season wearing Maroon and Gold. The Philadelphian established new career-highs in batting average (.416), hits (72), runs scored (50), doubles (13), triples (three), home runs (seven), RBIs (51), slugging percentage (.647), on base percentage (.458) and stolen bases (14). Jennings, who shared the outfield with Keeny, was an All-PSAC East for the first time in her career. She ranked second in the PSAC in hits, RBIs and runs scored at the conclusion of the conference tournament, and was top 10 in batting average, slugging percentage, at-bats and stolen bases. Jones, a redshirt senior from Levittown, Pennsylvania, hit a career-best .353 with 61 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, six homers and 47 RBIs. In 55 games, the Golden Bears' primary designated player also set new career marks in slugging percentage (.561), on base percentage (.367) and runs scored (22). Jones was a repeat All-PSAC East selection after ranking fifth in the league in RBIs and ninth in hits. Lipowski increased her batting average by 90 points over freshman year, finishing the 2019 season with a .369 average, 65 hits, 15 doubles, five home runs and 50 RBIs. The Nanticoke, Pennsylvania native matched Keeny for third in the PSAC in doubles, while ranking fourth in RBIs and tied for fifth in hits. Lipowski was one of four KU players to start and play in all 56 games. She made 48 of those starts at first base, where she also had a supurb season defensively with 215 putouts, 15 assists and a .996 fielding percentage to be named All-PSAC East for the first time.

Senior Sara Keeny of Warminster, Pa., was recognized as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Athlete of the Year and freshman Bridget Bailey of Norwood, Pa., was named Freshman of the Year, and the Kutztown University softball team was well-represented on the postseason accolades list with six student-athletes earning All-PSAC East honors, as voted on by league coaches Monday. Keeny is Kutztown's first Athlete of the Year since the 2013 season, and Bailey brings home KU's first Freshman of the Year since Keeny won the award in 2016. Joining Keeny and Bailey, seniors Tamara Jennings of Philadelphia, and Cheyenne Jones of Levittown, Pa., along with sophomore Jenna Lipowski of Nanticoke, Pa., and freshman Katelyn Ostaszewski of Philadelphia, made the distinctive list. The six members are the most for the program since the 2013 season when seven made it. Keeny left her mark on the program, etching her name in several record books and top-10 marks. She is KU's all-time career hits leader with 289, tied for the most triples with 14, second in career batting average at .440 and ranks second in both program and PSAC history with 134 stolen bases. The 289 hits is third-most in PSAC lore and the most since Bloomsburg's Erica Miller finished with 310 from 1998-2001. Keeny played in 190 career games, starting every one. It is her fourth All-PSAC recognition in as many years. The Warminster native finished the season ranked atop the PSAC in batting average (.518), on-base percentage (.561), hits (100), runs scored (62) and triples (7). Her 100 hits was the most by a KU player in a single season and ranks third in the PSAC all-time. Keeny was also second in the conference in stolen bases (45), third in doubles (15) and sixth in both slugging percentage (.684) and walks (23). She also posted a career-high 29 RBI and ended the season on a 12-game hit streak. In her first season on the collegiate level, Bailey stepped in admirably and became Kutztown's ace of the pitching staff. She went 18-8 with a 2.60 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 178.0 innings. The 181 Ks is sixth-most by a KU pitcher in a season. Bailey also had three saves, tied for the most in a season in program history, and made 41 appearances this year. Bailey ranked second in the PSAC in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, and was 10th in ERA. She also has a hit to her name, going 1-for-5 at the plate. Bailey was a two-time PSAC Pitcher of the Week this season. Jennings received her first postseason honor after having a career year. She finished second behind Keeny in the PSAC in hits (72) and runs scored (50) and was also second with 51 RBI. Jennings had a .416 batting average and a .647 slugging percentage, both ninth-best in the conference, while her 14 stolen bases was eighth. She also set a new program record with eight sacrifice flies. The Philadelphia native concluded her career with 179 hits, 109 runs, 92 RBI and 37 doubles. She started in 169-of-178 games played in her four years. Jones is now a two-time All-PSAC performer. She posted career-high numbers in hits (61), RBI (47), runs (22), batting average (.353) and slugging percentage (.561), starting 54-of-55 games this season. Her 47 RBI ranks fifth in the PSAC. The Levittown native finished her career in Maroon and Gold with 125 hits, 87 RBI, 51 runs and 15 home runs, batting .320. Lipowski enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign starting all 56 games, primarily at first base. She finished in the top-five in the PSAC in hits (65), RBI (50) and doubles (15). Lipowski also batted a career-high .369 and hit five home runs, while also posting a .551 slugging percentage. In the field, Lipowski ranked second with a .996 fielding percentage at first. The Nanticoke native will return for her junior season next year approaching a couple of milestones. Lipowski is 11 hits shy of 100 with 89 and also has 60 RBI. She is batting .340 for her career. Ostaszewski broke out in her first season in Maroon and Gold. She started in 48-of-55 games her freshman season at shortstop and finished with 60 hits, 42 runs and 25 RBI, while batting .370. Her 42 runs ranked fifth in the PSAC and the 60 hits is 10th. Ostaszewski recorded a .438 slugging percentage and stole 12 bases. At short, she boasted a .918 fielding percentage. The Philadelphia native surged in the last half of the season. She also earned PSAC Athlete of the Week honors following the last week of the regular season. The Golden Bears finished their 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.

Sophomore Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and junior Karen Lapkiewicz(Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) of the Kutztown University women's basketball team garnered league recognition Thursday as the duo were voted to the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) teams, announced by the league office. Derr earned First Team honors while Lapkiewicz was named to the Second Team. It was the second straight season Derr made All-PSAC after being on the Second Team last year. It is the first postseason recognition for Lapkiewicz. It has been an historic season for the Golden Bears (18-11) thus far. They won a share of the PSAC East title, the first time since 1996. In defeating Lock Haven University in the PSAC Quarterfinals Wednesday, March 6, the Maroon and Gold qualified for their first Final Four since the 2009-10 season. They also set a new program-record for made three-pointers in a season with 224. They currently have 240. Derr, who holds the school-record for three-pointers in a game (nine), ranks 11th in the PSAC in scoring at 17.1 points per game. She's also second in three-pointers made (85), sixth in free-throw percentage (80.4) and 15th in rebounding (6.8). She has started all 29 games this season and all 30 last year, never missing a game. Derr is KU's first, First Team honoree since the 2014-15 season when assistant coach Advia Campbell received the recognition. As a freshman last season, Derr tallied 409 points, the most by a freshman in program history. She has been named a PSAC Athlete of the Week twice this season and is a two-time Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Media Organization Team of the Year member. Lapkiewicz has had a breakout junior campaign. She is second on the team, averaging 11.3 ppg, a 3.8 ppg boost from last season. Lapkiewicz is a team captain and has started all 29 games this season and has played in all 88 KU games through her first three seasons. The Southampton native is also second on the team in three-pointers (38), free-throws (70) and minutest (29.3).

Redshirt-senior Anthony Lee (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington) of the Kutztown University men's basketball team has had arguably the most decorated career in program history. Lee continued to add on to his long list of accolades as he was voted the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Athlete of the Year, as announced by the league office Thursday. Lee was also named to the All-PSAC First Team for the second straight season. He has been a member of the All-PSAC teams each of his four seasons at KU, having received Second Team his first two years. The Willow Grove native becomes the sixth player in program history to earn the honor of Athlete of the Year in the conference. Lee, who was a two-year captain, will go down as one of the best men's players in program history. He had a decorated career, and did it in several statistical categories, showing the epitome of a 'team-player.' Lee finished his time in Maroon and Gold second all-time and fourth in PSAC history in career points (2,292), first in three-pointers made (275), second in field goals made (773), third in steals (200) and free-throws (471), eighth in rebounds (656) and blocks (102) and ninth in assists (324). Lee holds school records for points in a game (50), three-pointers made in a game (8), season (83) and career (230), and three-point percentage in a season (.516) and career (.467). His average of 19.4 points per game (ppg) through his four years ranks fourth all-time at KU. He was a 2018 All-Atlantic Region Second Teamer and the 2019 Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Media Organization Pete Nevins Player of the Year. Lee was also a seven-time PSAC East Athlete of the Week honoree throughout his career. The Golden Bears (16-14 overall) 2018-19 campaign ended in the PSAC Quarterfinals Wednesday, March 6, in a loss at top seed East Stroudsburg. In that game, Lee recorded his first career triple-double and the first one for Kutztown since Stephen Dennis back on Dec. 2, 2009. He finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists, and also added two blocks and one steal and never left the court, playing in 40 minutes. Lee ended the 2018-19 season scoring 822 points, the most by a player in a single season in program history. Wednesday also marked his 59th straight game reaching double-figures in points. Kutztown had its fifth straight season of at least 16 wins and sixth consecutive season it made the postseason. KU has advanced to at least the quarterfinals each of the last five years.

Kutztown University wrestlers Andrew Dunn Jr., Jeff Reimel and T.C. Warner became All-Americans this past weekend at the NCAA Division II National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. Redshirt sophomore Andrew Dunn Jr. (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic (Virginia Tech)) wrote a new chapter in Golden Bear wrestling history Saturday night, edging Nebraska-Kearney's Jarrod Hinrichs, 2-1, to claim the 2019 NCAA Division II 285-pound National Championship at the Wolstein Center. Dunn Jr. is the fifth KU grappler to win a national championship all-time and first since Ziad Haddad in 2015. Haddad won back-to-back championships at 285 lbs. in 2014 and 2015, making Dunn the program's third national champion from the weight class. The former Bethlehem Catholic standout joined Kutztown this season after going 20-11 and qualifying for the NCAA Division I Championships last season as a freshman at Virginia Tech. Dunn Jr.'s immense talent showed right away as he opened the season with seven consecutive victories, many against DI competitors. Dunn Jr. would only drop two matches on the entire season (26-2), both to DI opponents, and finished the year with 18 straight wins to claim Super Region I and NCAA DII championships. After advancing to the semifinals Friday, Dunn Jr., ranked fourth by the NWCA, met up with top-ranked Kameron Teacher of Notre Dame (Ohio) in the semifinals Saturday morning. Dunn Jr. quickly jumped to a 6-3 lead with three takedowns and increased his advantage over last year's national-runner up to 7-3 with an escape 19 seconds into the second. Two penalty points in the final 1:26 of the third allowed Teacher to get within a point, but Dunn Jr. earned his spot in the national final with a 7-6 decision. The national championship match between Dunn Jr. and fifth-ranked Hinrichs was much more defensive, though Kutztown's entry tried to be the aggressor early on. Hinrichs was called for stalling twice with the latter resulting in a penalty point that put Dunn Jr. in front. Hinrich's started from the bottom in the second and escaped nine seconds into the period to tie the score at one. Dunn Jr. countered with an escape from bottom nine seconds into the third to restore his one-point lead. Though he was hit with a stall warning in the final 10 seconds, the clock ran out and Dunn Jr. had his national title with a 2-1 decision. Senior Jeff Reimel (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), ranked No. 1 at 184, also entered Saturday with national championship aspirations, but he ran into a determined Michael Pixley of McKendree in the semifinals. Pixley scored a takedown and four-point nearfall in the first minute and led 10-3 after a period. A frustrated Reimel was called for his second and third misconducts in the second period and disqualified from the match after ceding four penalty points. Pixley would go on to win the national title. Reimel, who finished as an All-American in 2018 with a fifth-place finish at 184, dropped his consolation semifinal to Pitt-Johnstown's Brock Biddle, 15-13, in overtime. Reimel used a four-point nearfall early in the third to take an 11-9 lead, but Biddle answered with a reversal to tie it. The two grapplers traded reversals in the final 51 seconds of regulation, with Biddle tying the match at 13 with 17 seconds left. Biddle won the match 21 seconds into the extra session with a takedown. Reimel took sixth in the weight class after a medical forfeit of the fifth-place match, but still earned his second straight All-America honor. Reimel ended the season 18-2. T.C. Warner (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley (Bloomsburg)) also became a two-time All-American on Friday during wrestle backs at 174 lbs. He scored an 11-2 major decision over Seton Hill's Damon Greenwald in the consolation quarterfinals, before falling to third-ranked Kolton Eischens of St. Cloud State in the consolation semis by pin (2:30). Warner, from Mechanicsburg, capped his career with a win in the fifth-place match -an impressive one at that. The senior knocked off No. 1 Brandon Supernaw of Western Colorado, 6-2, behind two takedowns, an escape and a riding time point. Warner, who was 15-0 entering nationals, went 4-2 to finish 19-2. Head coach Robert Fisher's Golden Bears brought home the first top 10 national team finish in program history, placing 10th with 41 points. After advancing all the way to seventh in the NWCA Poll and tying a record for the highest national ranking in program history during the regular season, Kutztown surpassed its former best national showing of 14th, set in 2015.

Kutztown University redshirt sophomore Andrew Dunn Jr. wrote a new chapter in Golden Bear wrestling history Saturday night, edging Nebraska-Kearney's Jarrod Hinrichs, 2-1, to claim the 2019 NCAA Division II 285-pound National Championship at the Wolstein Center. Dunn Jr. is the fifth KU grappler to win a national championship all-time and first since 2015. The former Bethlehem Catholic standout joined Kutztown this season after going 20-11 and qualifying for the NCAA Division I Championships last season as a freshman at Virginia Tech. Dunn Jr.'s immense talent showed right away as he opened the season with seven consecutive victories, many against DI competitors. Dunn Jr. would only drop two matches on the entire season (26-2), both to DI opponents, and finished the year with 18 straight wins to claim Super Region I and NCAA DII championships. After advancing to the semifinals Friday, Dunn Jr., ranked fourth by the NWCA, met up with top-ranked Kameron Teacher of Notre Dame (Ohio) in the semifinals Saturday morning. Dunn Jr. quickly jumped to a 6-3 lead with three takedowns and increased his advantage over last year's national-runner up to 7-3 with an escape 19 seconds into the second. Two penalty points in the final 1:26 of the third allowed Teacher to get within a point, but Dunn Jr. earned his spot in the national final with a 7-6 decision. The national championship match between Dunn Jr. and fifth-ranked Hinrichs was much more defensive, though Kutztown's entry tried to be the aggressor early on. Hinrichs was called for stalling twice with the latter resulting in a penalty point that put Dunn Jr. in front. Hinrich's started from the bottom in the second and escaped nine seconds into the period to tie the score at one. Dunn Jr. countered with an escape from bottom nine seconds into the third to restore his one-point lead. Though he was hit with a stall warning in the final 10 seconds, the clock ran out and Dunn Jr. had his national title with a 2-1 decision.

Kutztown University will have 29 student-athletes representing its baseball program for the 2019 season. KU showed it could play with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's best last season and is focused on taking another step on its journey back to the top in 2019. The message remains simple from 17th-year head coach Chris Blum, who enters the new season three wins shy of becoming just the fifth coach --and third fastest-- in PSAC history to reach 500 victories at a conference school: maximize strengths and improve in a few key areas. "I'm very optimistic about what's going on," said Blum. "Our pitchers are doing well in their bullpen sessions and I think we can have a top-notch defense. We just need to sure up a couple outfield spots and have the bottom of our lineup execute their games, whether that's speed, drawing walks, hit-and-run situations to get on and get guys into scoring position." The Golden Bears finished three games under .500 in 2018 at 19-22 overall, but 12 wins against PSAC East opponents (12-15) were the program's most since its most recent PSAC championship in 2014. Read the full season preview online

10 members of the Kutztown University track & field teams earned All-Region status across 11 events, announced on Tuesday, Feb. 26, from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), KU's most in a season since 2013. Last year KU sported eight All-Region honorees. These honors cap off a successful week for head coach Ray Hoffman and both men's and women's programs. The Golden Bear women won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship last weekend, the program's fourth title and first since 2006. The KU men finished third overall, its best finish since 2012. 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 10 student-athletes are KU's most since it also reached that number during 2013. Kelly Groth (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) received the nod for two events, both the 60m and 200m. She was the lone representative on the track. In the field, Taye Dairo (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), Becca Hemingway (Perkiomenville, Pa./Boyertown Area) and Caleb Baukman (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) earned All-Region honors in the high jump, while another trio of Ally Tama (Towanda, Pa./Towanda Area), Katie Seegert (Old Saybrook, Conn./Old Saybrook) and Xavier Feliciano (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett (Immaculata)) received recognition in the pole vault. The duo of Ashley Petre (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) and EJ Umoh (Bear, Del./Appoquinimink (Lock Haven)) were named in the weight throw. Tommy Oliver (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) rounded out the group by earning All-Region in the heptathlon. Petre is the only Golden Bear to earn the distinction before. At PSACs last Saturday, Feb. 23, Groth's new school-record of 7.70 in winning the 60m, and then placing second in the 200m brought her into All-Region status for the first time in her career. Dairo won the high jump in a PR of 1.69m (5-6.50), third all-time at KU, while Hemingway finished third at 1.63m (5-4.25). Petre was second in the weight throw with a career-best throw of 16.76 (55-0), fourth all-time in KU history. Both Tama and Seegert each had personal-best and NCAA-Provisional marks of 3.65m (11-11.75) in the pole vault at KU's Last Chance Invite on Feb. 15. For the men, Umoh posted an NCAA-Provisional in the weight throw of 18.16m (59-07.00), second all-time, at the Last Chance Invite. Feliciano also had a Provisional mark at the event, clearing 4.85m (15-11.00), eighth at KU, in the pole vault. Baukman finished third in the high jump at PSACs with a PR of 1.99m (6-6.25), seventh all-time in program lore. Oliver had a career-best finish of second in the heptathlon at the PSAC Championships. The outdoor season for the Golden Bears begins on Thursday, March 14, at the 49er Classic in Charlotte, N.C.