Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

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.

Kutztown University is pleased to welcome the newest members of the Golden Bear family, including both new incoming freshmen and transfer students.

Junior sprinter Kelly Groth (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) represented Kutztown University on the Google Cloud Academic All-District Track & Field/Cross Country Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Groth, an elementary education major from Audubon, Pennsylvania, raised her cumulative GPA to 3.82 following the spring semester. She is appearing on the Google Cloud Academic All-District Team for the first time. Groth is also a five-time Dean's List student and soon-to-be three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete and two-time D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient. Groth had a huge 2018-19 season on the track, setting five school records, winning PSAC indoor championships in the 60-meter dash and as part of the 4x400-meter relay and being named Most Outstanding Runner at the 2019 Indoor Championships. During the indoor season, Groth established program benchmarks in the 55-meter dash (7.22), 60-meter dash (7.70) and 200-meter dash (25.42). She went on to register school record times in the 100-meter dash (11.96w) and 200-meter dash (25.21) outdoors. Groth collected three All-PSAC honors at the Indoor Championships, adding to her 60m and 4x400m relay titles with a runner-up finish in the 200m. She was named USTFCCCA All-Atlantic Region in the 60m and 200m. Groth is now eligible for Academic All-America honors. First, Second and Third Team Academic All-Americans will be announced on June 26.

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.

Caleb Baukman of the Kutztown University men's track & field team has been selected to the Google Cloud Academic All-District Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Team, as voted upon by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Baukman graduated summa cum laude earlier this month, earning a Bachelor of Social Work. Throughout his academic career, the Wallingford, Pennsylvania native and 2018-19 KU Male Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year compiled a 3.93 GPA. In his premiere event, the high jump, Baukman placed a career-best third at the 2019 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Indoor Championships to earn All-PSAC honors for the first time. He followed that up with sixth-place finish in the event at the 2019 Outdoor Championships. Baukman ranks seventh all-time in the high jump on KU's Indoor Top 10 list (6'6.25"/1.99m) and 10th on the Outdoor Top 10 list (6'6.75"/2.00m). He earned All-Atlantic Region honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) at the conclusion of the 2018-19 indoor season. Academically, Baukman was an eight-time Dean's List honoree and is poised to become a four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete and three-time D2ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient later this summer. Baukman moves onto the Google Cloud Academic All-America ballot. First, Second and Third Team Academic All-Americans will be announced June 26.

Kutztown University inducted 12 students into the Sigma Pi Sigma Honor Society for physics at its induction ceremony this spring. Sigma Pi Sigma exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics; to encourage interest in physics among students at all levels; to promote an attitude of service of its members towards their fellow students, colleagues, and the public; to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics. Sigma Pi Sigma's mission is not completed in the induction ceremony with the recognition of academic accomplishment. In the four dimensions of Honor, Encouragement, Service, and Fellowship, the mission of Sigma Pi Sigma takes a longer view.

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.

Recent Kutztown University graduate Tommy Biltcliff joins the Patriot League's multimedia staff as a finalist in two categories for a Sports Video Group (SVG) 2019 College Sports Media Award. Biltcliff graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in cinema, television and media production. This year's winners will be announced at the 11th annual College Sports Media Awards Ceremony on May 30, at the SVG College Summit in Atlanta hosted by Jen Lada, ESPN host and reporter. Representing a variety of college athletic departments, conference offices, professional networks, production companies and students, award finalists are named across four divisions in a total of 20 categories.

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.

Kutztown University inducted four students into the Rho chapter of the Alpha Beta Alpha Honor Society for library science at its induction ceremony this spring. Alpha Beta Alpha (ABA) is the library science fraternity at Kutztown University. Founded on Nov. 20, 1957, the Kutztown chapter (Rho) is the last ABA chapter in the United States. ABA's goal is to spread the joys of reading and to have a positive impact on the community. Their motto is "Books, People, Service, Life". There have been nearly 50 Alpha Beta Alpha chapters, all of which have disbanded, with the exception of Kutztown's Rho chapter. The Rho chapter is the headquarters of the fraternity. The purpose of ABA is the following: - To maintain an abiding interest in librarianship - To acquire a true professional spirit and a deep sense of responsibility to the profession - To seek a sincere, sympathetic and full understanding of the work and problems of human beings Alpha Beta Alpha came to Kutztown in 1957 as the organization's RHO chapter, and is the final chapter still in existence.

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 inducted 44 students into the Chi Omega Upsilon chapter of the Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society for counseling at its induction ceremony this spring. Chi Sigma Iota is an international honor society for counseling students, professional counselors, and counselor educators. The society was established in 1985 by counseling professionals in the State of Ohio. Chi Sigma Iota's mission is to promote recognition to those in the counseling profession who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, research, and clinical practice. The members are dedicated to the counseling profession and the advancement of the profession. The Chi Omega Upsilon Chapter was a new Charter Chapter organized in 2017, with Deborah L. Duenyas, Ph.D. as chapter faculty advisor. Membership Eligibility for membership is extended only to those students at Kutztown University in the Counselor Education program who have completed nine credits and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better.

Kutztown University inducted two students into the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society for communication studies at its induction ceremony this spring. Lambda Pi Eta is the official communication studies honor society of the National Communication Association (NCA). Lambda Pi Eta represents what Aristotle described in his book, Rhetoric, as the 3 ingredients of persuasion: Logos (Lambda) meaning logic, Pathos (Pi) relating to emotion, and Ethos (Eta) defined as character credibility and ethics.

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).

More than 1,750 students have been named to the Spring 2019 Dean's List at Kutztown University. To be eligible for the Dean's List, an undergraduate student must be registered for at least 12 credits and have a minimum grade point average of 3.60.

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.

Kutztown University inducted 40 new members into the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society for adult learners at its induction ceremony this spring. Inductees are adult students who have a minimum of a 3.2 GPA and have successfully completed at least 24 credits at Kutztown University.

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.

More than 180 Kutztown University students have been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) as part of the Spring 2019 class. To be inducted at KU, students must attend an orientation, a three-hour leadership training seminar, three success networking team meetings and three speaker broadcasts featuring leading figures delivering success-related messages to members.

Kutztown University inducted 10 students into its 2019 class of Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society at its annual induction ceremony this spring. The Kutztown University Chapter (Xi of PA) of the Lambda Alpha National Anthropology Honor Society provides an opportunity to recognize the academic achievements of students in the Anthropology Program. Lambda Alpha honors outstanding academic achievement in anthropology. Graduation regalia, including stoles and pins, can be purchased from Lambda Alpha to symbolize this honor. Lambda Alpha offers a national scholarship worth $5000 to be awarded to a graduating senior majoring in anthropology, as well as awards for outstanding student papers. Lambda Alpha maintains a journal that provides an opportunity for students to share their work with a national audience. To join the Xi of Pennsylvania Chapter of Lambda Alpha, undergraduate students must be a junior or senior, have completed at least 12 semester hours of course work in anthropology (which can include no more than six semester hours in sociology), have an anthropology GPA of at least 3.0 and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

The Kutztown University Department of Mathematics inducted 13 students into Kappa Mu Epsilon, a national mathematics honor society, at its induction ceremony on Friday, May 3. Kappa Mu Epsilon is a specialized honor society in Mathematics. KME was founded in 1931 to promote the interest of mathematics among undergraduate students. Its chapters are located in colleges and universities of recognized standing which offer a strong mathematics major. The chapters' members are selected from students of mathematics and other closely related fields who have maintained standards of scholarship, have professional merit, and have attained academic distinction. Both men and women are eligible for membership. To qualify for membership, a student: - Must have completed at least three semesters of college-level mathematics; - Must have completed at least three mathematics courses at the MAT 181 level or above; - Must have an overall GPA at Kutztown University of at least 0; and, - Must have a GPA for all the mathematics courses above MAT 181 taken (at KU) of at least 3.0.

Kutztown University inducted 10 students into its 2019 class of Alpha Epsilon Lambda, National Honor Society for Graduate and Professional Students, at its annual induction ceremony on Wednesday, May 1. Kutztown University is the home of the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Lambda. This chapter marked the founding of the first honor society solely for graduate students in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The mission of the organization is to confer distinction for high achievement, promote leadership development, promote scholarship and encourage intellectual development, enrich the intellectual environment of graduate institutions and encourage high standards of ethical behavior. Graduate students seeking membership in the Gamma Chapter at Kutztown University must have completed a minimum of 12 graduate semester hours, attain a graduate quality point average in the upper 35 percent of all graduate students currently enrolled at the university and provide a record of leadership and service to the campus and the community.

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.

Kutztown University inducted 18 students into its 2019 class of Alpha Phi Sigma, National Honor Society for Criminal Justice, at its annual induction ceremony on Tuesday, April 16. Alpha Phi Sigma was founded in 1942 at Washington State University and became affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) in 1976. Today there are almost 300 Alpha Phi Sigma chapters around the country. KU's Kappa Alpha chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma was established in 2008 with 13 founding members. The chapter advisors are Dr. Pietro Toggia and the assistant advisor is Dr. AnnMarie Cordner. To be eligible for membership, a student must be a criminal justice major or minor, have completed at least 40 credit hours, including at least four criminal justice courses, have an overall QPA of 3.2 or higher, and have a QPA in criminal justice courses of 3.2 or higher.

Kutztown University inducted 11 new members into the Alpha Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the International Sociology Honor Society, at its annual induction ceremony on Tuesday, April 30. Alpha Kappa Delta is a non-secret, democratic, international society of scholars dedicated to the ideal of Athropon Katamannthanein Diakonesin or "to investigate humanity for the purpose of service." Membership is open to undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members from active chapters who meet our minimum standards. Currently, there are more than 115,000 members in Alpha Kappa Delta and more than 650 chapters.

Kutztown University inducted 31 new members into the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology at its annual induction ceremony this spring. Psi Chi is the International Honor Society for Psychology majors, with chapters around the globe. The KU Chapter of Psi Chi holds biweekly meetings and plans other events for its members and other psychology students. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings, where topics typically center around psychological research and graduate school. To join Psi Chi, you must meet certain membership qualifications (see below). More about the benefits of joining Psi Chi can be found on the Psi Chi Website. The Psi Chi website also has more information about awards, careers, graduate school, preparing research presentations, conventions and chapter information, so check it out! The Kutztown University Chapter of Psi Chi is open to all students who meet the following KU Chapter qualifications for active student membership: Completion of at least 36 credits for undergraduates, 12 of which were taken at Kutztown University; 15 credits for graduate students. Completion of 9 semester hours of Psychology taken at KU. Declaration of a major or minor in psychology. An overall cumulative GPA and a minimum GPA in psychology of 3.30 for undergraduates; 3.75 for graduate students. High standards of personal behavior. Two-thirds affirmative vote of those present at a regular meeting of the chapter.

Kutztown University inducted seven students into its 2019 class of the Gamma Theta Upsilon International Honor Society in Geography at its induction ceremony this spring. Kutztown University is home to the Gamma Psi Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), the International Geographical Honor Society. GTU is open to any and all KU students that have an overall GPA of 3.3 or better, at least 36 credit hours and a minimum of nine credit hours in geography. Students must also have a 3.3 or better GPA in geography. Inductees are exposed to the history of GTU and the meaning of the organization's symbols and colors.

Kutztown University inducted 26 students into the Sigma Delta Pi National Hispanic Honor Society at its induction ceremony on Monday, April 29. Sigma Delta Pi is the only honor society devoted exclusively to students of Spanish in four-year colleges and universities. It is not only the largest foreign-language honor society in existence, it is among the elite as attested by its membership since 1966 in the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), the nation's only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. Membership is granted only to those who attain its standards of high academic achievement in the study of the Spanish language, the literature and culture of Hispanic nations, and other college-level subjects. Specifically, students must have completed three years of study of college-level Spanish (18 semester credit hours) or the equivalent thereof, including at least three semester hours of a course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization at the junior (third-year) level. The student must have a minimal grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale in all Spanish courses taken and rank in the upper 35 percent of his/her class.