Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown University baseball student-athletes Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown), Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) and Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) were recognized on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division II Academic All-District Team this week. The trio of Golden Bears received Academic All-District honors for their combined performance on the diamond and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-District and All-America program recognizes honorees in four divisions -NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Honorees must be starters or important reserves on their teams, reached sophomore standing or higher and have a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average. Graduate students must have a 3.50 GPA as both an undergrad and grad student. Peers, a graduate student from Gilbertsville, Pa., earned his undergraduate degree in business administration with a focus in accounting. He is currently pursuing his Master of Business Administration. Peers holds a 3.89 in his master's program and had a 3.58 undergrad GPA. After playing in the outfield during his first two seasons with the Bears, Peers moved to first base in 2023. He set new career-highs in batting average (.286), hits (44), RBIs (33) and walks (21), while tying a career-high with eight doubles. Proietto is a senior pitcher and first baseman for the Golden Bears. He also spent time at designated hitter. The Norristown, Pa., native is majoring in sport management and has a 3.99 GPA. Proietto ranked second on the team in wins (5), third in strikeouts (46) and third in innings pitched (48.0). He was 16th among PSAC pitchers with 8.62 strikeouts per nine innings and fanned five or more batters in 5-of-10 starts. He was productive with the bat, too, hitting a career-best .318 with 21 hits, three home runs, five doubles and 16 RBIs. Skrocki had a breakout season on the bump for the Maroon and Gold. A graduate student from Royersford, Pa., Skrocki is in the first year of his Master of Business Administration program. He posted a 3.90 undergrad GPA, earning his degree in business administration with a finance concentration. Skrocki earned All-PSAC East Second Team honors in 2023 behind career-best marks in ERA (3.35), wins (8), innings pitched (80.2), strikeouts (48) and opponent batting average (.240). The right-hander was tied for the PSAC and ranked among the top 30 in NCAA Division II. He also topped the league in innings pitched. Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First, Second and Third Team Academic All-America honorees will be announced June 7.

Kutztown University pitcher Haley Gravish (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg) was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Division II Softball Team earlier this week. Gravish, a sophomore, is a social media theory and strategy major that sported a 3.93 cumulative grade point average at the time of her nomination. The CSC Academic All-America program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. The Hamburg Pa., native stepped up in a big way for the Golden Bears this spring. Gravish threw just 5.2 innings during her first collegiate season on a senior-heavy Kutztown team in 2022, but transformed into the staff's ace in 2023. She set new career-best numbers across the board with a 2.34 earned run average, 19 wins, 14 complete games, 164.1 innings pitched and 113 strikeouts in 36 appearances (21 starts). Gravish also contributed 17 hits, 11 RBIs, six doubles and two home runs offensively for the Golden Bears. Kutztown finished with a 30-26 overall record, while qualifying for the PSAC Championship and NCAA Division II Championship tournaments. Gravish earned All-PSAC East Second Team recognition this season. She ranked second in the PSAC in wins, fifth in innings pitched, sixth in ERA and seventh in strikeouts at the conclusion of Kutztown's season. Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First, Second and Third Team Academic All-America honorees will be announced June 6.

History continued to be written by the 2023 Kutztown University women's lacrosse team, Thursday, when sophomore midfielder Sam Graf (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and junior attack Emma Meakim (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) were announced as Third Team All-Americans by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). Graf and Meakim join exclusive company as the Golden Bears' first All-Americans since Jane Geyer in 1984. Geyer, a Kutztown Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, was the program's lone player to earn All-America honors, doing so in both 1983 and 1984. Graf previously captured IWLCA All-Atlantic Region and All-PSAC East First Team honors. The dynamic two-way midfielder from Wayne, N.J., finished with a program single-season record 110 draw controls, third most in the PSAC. Graf also ranked among the conference leaders in shots (fourth, 148), goals (tied for fourth, 52) and points (seventh, 68). She set new career-highs in goals, points, shots, draw controls, ground balls (team-leading 47) and caused turnovers (22). Meakim joined Graf as a First Team All-Atlantic Region and All-PSAC First Team selection. The Hatboro, Pa., native had a breakout season, setting Kutztown single-season records with 59 assists and 82 points. Meakim also chipped in 23 goals, 33 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers. Meakim led the PSAC in assists and ranked second in assists per game (3.11) at the conclusion of the Golden Bears' season. She was fifth in NCAA Division II in assists per game and sixth in total assists. Behind its All-America selections, Kutztown took its game to a new level in 2023. The Golden Bears went from a four-win season in 2022 to a program single-season record-tying 13 victories this spring. Kutztown knocked off nationally ranked East Stroudsburg twice, entered the IWLCA National Poll for the first time and made its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament in program history.

Kutztown University senior Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) was selected to the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Atlantic Region First Team, Tuesday. The Swanton, Vt., native, a three-time all-conference pick, captured her first all-region honor at designated player after a standout season that saw her contribute with her bat and in the circle for the Golden Bears. Harvey hit .383 (62-for-162) with nine home runs, nine doubles, 39 runs batted in and 32 runs scored. She paced Kutztown in homers, RBIs, total bases (98), slugging percentage (.605) and was second in on base percentage (.423). Among PSAC players, Harvey ranked ninth in home runs. As a pitcher, Harvey contributed a 6-6 record and 3.58 earned run average in 30 appearances (16 starts). She struck out 57 and allowed a .273 batting average to opposing hitters, second-best on the team. Harvey was named All-PSAC East First Team at utility/pitcher back on May 2. She was also an all-league First Team performer in 2022 and Second Team honoree in 2021. Kutztown finished the 2023 season with a 30-26 overall record. The Golden Bears qualified for both the PSAC Championship and NCAA Division II Championship tournaments.

Kutztown University women's lacrosse had record representation on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Atlantic Region teams with five players honored, the organization announced Wednesday afternoon. A trio of Golden Bears were selected to the First Team: defender Cyrose Conteh (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown), midfielder Sam Graf (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and attack Emma Meakim (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland). Attackers Lailah ElBouazzaoui (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and Shannon Lake (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) claimed Second Team honors. It is the first career all-region honor for all five Kutztown student-athletes and the program's most selections ever in a season. The all-region selections are KU's first since 1984. The program held varsity status from 1976-90 and returned as a varsity program in 2008. Conteh, a 2023 All-PSAC East First Team pick, leads Kutztown with 25 caused turnovers, while rankings second with 58 draw controls and 40 ground balls. The senior from Elizabethtown, Pa., has totaled 131 draw controls (fourth in program history), 89 ground balls and 49 caused turnovers in 52 career games. She also registered 26 goals and 30 points over her first two seasons, when she served as an attack and midfielder. Conteh has 33 career points on 29 goals and four assists. Graf is also coming off an All-PSAC East First Team selection. The standout midfielder continues to build on a program single-season record with 109 draw controls, third most in the PSAC. Graf, of Wayne, N.J., also ranks fourth in the conference with 139 shots, fifth in goals with 49 and seventh in points with 65. The sophomore has established career-highs in goals, points, shots, draw controls, ground balls (team-high 45) and caused turnovers (21). Meakim is the third Golden Bear to collect both All-PSAC East and All-Atlantic Region First Team nods this season. The junior and native of Hatboro, Pa., enters the NCAA Tournament having already jumped to the top of Kutztown's single-season record book in assists (58) and points (81), while contributing 23 goals, 32 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. Meakim continues to pace the PSAC in assists and ranks second in assists per game (3.22). She ranks within the top five in NCAA Division II in both categories. ElBouazzaoui also captured All-PSAC East First Team honors earlier this month and finds herself on the All-Atlantic Region Second Team. The sophomore leads the Golden Bears and ranks fourth in the PSAC with a career-high 52 goals, including 10 hat tricks. ElBouazzaoui has taken 134 shots, second most on the team, and her 24 draw controls rank third. A Bridgewater, N.J., native, ElBouazzaoui is sitting on 95 career goals. Lake recently received All-PSAC East Second Team accolades. The junior from Medford, N.Y., is stepping up at the most important time of the season for the Maroon and Gold. Lake is up to 42 goals, 13 assists and 55 points, while adding 15 ground balls and seven caused turnovers. She's totaled 14 multi-goal games, including five in a row heading into the national tournament. Lake is coming off a hat trick in Kutztown's PSAC semifinal loss to Seton Hill last Friday. Kutztown, ranked 21st in the latest IWLCA Division II Poll and 14th in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division II Poll, will face No. 17/15 East Stroudsburg in the opening round of the NCAA Championship, Friday, May 12, at 3 p.m., on West Chester University's Vonnie Gros Field. It will be the fourth meeting between the teams this season.

Kutztown University's Department of Geography recently held its annual awards ceremony and Gamma Theta Upsilon induction. Congratulations to the following students: 2023 Student awardees: - Emily Leggiero, Justham Family Memorial Award - Patrick O'Brien, C. Josephine Moyer Geography Award - Emily Leggiero, Delaware Valley Geographical Award - Sorrel Langkamer-Smith, Robert and Rosalin Ensminger Award 2023 Gamma Theta Upsilon Inductees: - Anthony DeFusco - Zachary Goodman - Natalie Kamieniecki - Sorrel Langkamer-Smith

Kutztown University's Department of Biology recently held its annual awards ceremony. We congratulate the following award recipients: - Samuel Gundy Early Achievement Scholarship in Biology: Abbie Banks and Isabelle Mack - Department of Biology Academic Excellence Awards: Sydnie Bisesi, Jessica Haas, Nathan Hoffman, Emily Leggiero and Samantha Mikos - Biology Department Outstanding Student in Major/Track Award: Molecular/Micro/Cell: Nathan Hoffman; PreMed/Health Careers: Samantha Mikos; Allied Health: Ciara Long; Marine Science/Biology: Caroline Weber; Environmental Science/Biology: Emily Leggiero - Ronald R. Rhein Biology Scholarship: Elizabeth Hoffeditz - CPUB Award: Outstanding student in Biology, usually involving research: Sydnie Bisesi - Cyrus E. Beekey Award: Outstanding Graduate in Biology: Nathan Hoffman - Outstanding Student in Biology Award: Emily Leggiero - Biology Department Research Recognition Award: Nicholas Heffelfinger

Kutztown University baseball players Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.), Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge), and Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) were all named to All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division teams, as announced by the conference Tuesday afternoon. Moretski earned a first team nod as a utility player, while Martini and Skrocki were named to the second team. It's the first time since 2014 that three Golden Bears have been named to all-conference teams. It's the second All-PSAC nod in Moretski's career, with the other being a second team honor in 2021. The Harleysville, Pa. native was efficient on the bump and at the dish yet again in 2023. Moretski ended the season with a 3.38 ERA, striking out 47 in 37.1 innings pitched. His five saves are tied for the second-most in the PSAC this season and eighth-most in a season in program history. Moretski capped off his season with a 15-strikeout performance against West Chester, the third-most strikeouts in a game in program history. At the plate, Moretski batted .288, with 38 hits, 22 RBI, and three home runs. His batting average was third on KU as he played second base the majority of the campaign. It's the first All-PSAC nod for both Martini and Skrocki. Martini led KU in batting average (.333), hits (57), RBI (40), and tied the team lead in home runs (8). His 40 RBI are the 12th-most in PSAC this season while his OPS (1.003) is top 20 in the conference. Martini was named the PSAC East Athlete of the Week and NCBWA Atlantic Region back on March 14 after strong performances against Chestnut Hill and Lincoln. Skrocki was the ace of the KU pitching staff all season. The right-hander from Royersford went 8-3 on the season with a 3.35 ERA, striking out 48 in 80.2 innings pitched. Skrocki is tied with Chase Nowak and Brent Francisco, both from East Stroudsburg, at the top of PSAC with eight wins. Skrocki tossed a complete game against Mansfield on April 14 in what was a 2-1 KU win and set career bests-in almost every statistical category in 2023. Despite being picked last in the PSAC East preseason coaches poll, the Golden Bears ended the season 26-19, including a 12-12 mark in PSAC East play. KU finished fifth in the East, just missing out on the PSAC Tournament due to a tiebreaker with Shippensburg.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) released its Division II softball All-Region teams and Kutztown University sophomore outfielder Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) was voted to the Second Team, announced by the organization Wednesday. This is the second postseason honor on the season for Stocklin, who also earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Second Team All-Conference honors earlier this month. Stocklin, who was named the 2021-22 KU Female Freshman of the Year, had a sophomore surge this season. She leads the KU lineup in hits (65) and runs scored (44), which ranks 10th in the conference. and is second in batting average (.361), starting all 53 games in the leadoff spot, setting the tone for her team to score runs. Stocklin has three triples on the year, which is tied for ninth-best in the conference. Kutztown's season continues with its third straight trip to NCAA Atlantic Regionals when it takes on host Charleston tomorrow, Thursday, May 11, at noon.

Congratulations to the following Kutztown University Department of Computer Science and Information Technology students on receiving the department's 2022-2023 Graduation Award for Academic Excellence. - Atom Roese, B.S. Computer Science - Spencer Paukstis, B.S. Information Technology - Luis Feliz, B.S. Game Development - Nathan Zolna, M.S. Computer Science (Combined B.S.)

On Wednesday, May 3, Kutztown University's Department of Communication Studies presented its annual student awards. - Outstanding Senior in Communication Studies for Academic Excellence: Avery Meiners, Perkasie, Pa. - Outstanding Achievement for a Senior in Communication Studies: Lauren Jackson, Stafford, Va., Kyle Golden, Hellertown, Pa. and Wioletta Zieba, Bethlehem, Pa. - Outstanding Senior in Communication Studies for Dedication and Service: Wesley Butler, Reading, Pa. - Outstanding Senior in Social Media Theory & Strategy for Academic Excellence: Kayla Sherry, Tamaqua, Pa. - Outstanding Achievement for a Senior in Social Media Theory & Strategy: Chloe Krempasky, Schnecksville, Pa., Emily Lynch, Fallsington, Pa., Emily Sewilo, Schnecksville, Pa. and Maggie Strawoet, Mercersburg, Pa. - Outstanding Senior in Social Media Theory & Strategy for Dedication and Service: Kaitlin Bilger, Macungie, Pa.

Six Kutztown University women's lacrosse players were voted All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division, including four to the First Team, the league office announced Wednesday afternoon. Defender Cyrose Conteh (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) was named First Team along with a trio of attackers in Lailah ElBouazzaoui (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan), Sam Graf (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) and Emma Meakim (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland). Second Team honors went to attack Shannon Lake (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) and defender Robin Spector (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional). The six selections are the most for Kutztown since the program regained varsity status in 2008 and second-most all-time to a record eight picks in 1982. Conteh concludes the trio of all-conference picks that moved from the Second Team in 2022 to the First Team in 2023. The senior from Elizabethtown, Pa., is having a career year for the nationally ranked Golden Bears. In 17 games (all starts), Conteh has caused a team-high 23 turnovers, won 57 draw controls and collected 39 ground balls. Conteh also has one goal on the year. Over the course of her 51-game career, Conteh has compiled 130 draw controls (fourth in program history), 47 caused turnovers and 88 ground balls. She spent her first two seasons as an offensive midfielder, registering 26 goals and 30 points before transitioning to defense under current head coach Kristen Nicholson in 2022. ElBouazzaoui is a repeat all-conference selection after capturing a Second Team spot in 2022. The sophomore from Bridgewater, N.J., leads the Golden Bears and ranks fourth in the PSAC with a career-high 50 goals . She'd been held without a goal in just one of KU's 17 games and has 10 hat tricks to her credit, including a career-high seven goals in a win over Bloomsburg, April 19. ElBouazzaoui has fired 125 shots, second most on the team, and her 24 draw controls rank third. With three points in Kutztown's PSAC quarterfinal win over 15th-ranked East Stroudsburg, Tuesday, ElBouazzaoui surpassed 100 career points (102) in just 34 games. She's seven goals shy of 100 in her career. Graf also has two All-PSAC East honors in as many seasons and is appearing on the First Team for the first time. The dynamic midfielder sits third in the conference in draw controls with a program season record 106, third in shots with 129, fifth in goals with 49 and sixth in points with 65. Graf, a Wayne, N.J., native, has set new career-highs in goals, points, shots, draw controls, ground balls (team-high 43) and caused turnovers (21). She joins ElBouazzaoui with a team-high 10 hat tricks this season. Meakim's development has been on an upward trajectory since she arrived at Kutztown in 2021. The first-time all-conference selection is having an outstanding junior season, setting new program single-season records in assists (58) and points (81), while chipping in 23 goals, 31 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. The Hatboro, Pa., product leads the PSAC in assists and ranks second in assists per game (3.41), while ranking fifth in NCAA Division II in both categories. Meakim is also third in the league in points and points per game (4.76). She has 13 multi-assist performances in 17 games this season, including a career-high eight against Lock Haven, March 11. The Maroon and Gold have counted upon Lake to take on more of a scoring role this spring and she has delivered. The junior from Medford, N.Y., has started all 17 games on attack and heads into Friday's PSAC semifinal against Seton Hill one goal shy of her first career 40-goal season. Lake has produced 39 goals, 13 assists and 52 points, while adding 14 ground balls and seven caused turnovers. She's recorded 13 multi-goal games and has been red hot down the stretch for KU with 23 goals over her last nine games, including a career-high five at Millersville, April 22. Spector is a physical force for the Bears on the backline, where she's supplied a career-high 19 caused turnovers and 30 ground balls. The junior and two-year starter from Northfield, N.J., has also totaled five draw controls. In 42 career games, Spector has 80 ground balls and 33 caused turnovers. Kutztown's four First Team selections were second-most in the conference behind unbeaten and top-ranked West Chester's five. East Stroudsburg added three as the three teams combined for 12 of the 13 picks. Millersville defender Taiyana Goldsborough was the only player from another team to break onto the First Team. The Golden Bears were also second to West Chester in overall all-conference honorees. This year's PSAC East major award winners were West Chester's Hannah Stanislawczyk (Athlete of the Year), East Stroudsburg's Maggie Sell (Defensive Athlete of the Year), East Stroudsburg's Hannah Schiemer (Freshman of the Year) and West Chester's Ginny Martino (Coach of the Year).

KU special education majors (pictured from left to right) Hallie Page, Morgan Pierce and Rosetta Teutonico spoke on a panel along with three students from Elizabethtown College at the 11th annual District HR Exchange Conference held at Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Conference Center Thursday, April 27. The three pre-service teachers shared their perspectives on what they hope for in a future teaching position. The conference session was attended by superintendents, HR directors and other district and intermediate unit administrators in an effort to learn what factors are most likely to attract and keep prospective new teachers entering the profession.

Kutztown University's Department of Geography recently held its annual awards ceremony and Gamma Theta Upsilon induction. Congratulations to the following students. 2023 Student awardees: - Emily Leggiero, Justham Family Memorial Award - Patrick O'Brien, C. Josephine Moyer Geography Award - Emily Leggiero, Delaware Valley Geographical Award - Sorrel Langkamer-Smith, Robert and Rosalin Ensminger Award 2023 Gamma Theta Upsilon Inductees: - Anthony DeFusco - Zachary Goodman - Natalie Kamieniecki - Sorrel Langkamer-Smith

Senior Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) and sophomores Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) and Haley Gravish (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg) were named to the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams, voted on by the league's head coaches and released Tuesday. Harvey earned a spot on the First Team, while Stocklin and Gravish are on the Second Team. It is the third All-PSAC recognition for Harvey, who was named First Team last season and Second Team in 2021. The utility/pitcher has found most of her success in 2023 at the plate, leading Kutztown in batting average (.392), slugging percentage (.615), home runs (8) and RBIs (36). Her average and HRs both rank inside the top-10 in the PSAC. Harvey has started 47-of-49 games played this season. She also boasts a winning record as a pitcher, going 6-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 26 appearances. Stocklin was voted All-PSAC for the first time in her career and is having a sophomore surge. She leads the KU lineup in hits (61) and runs scored (42), and is second in batting average (.357), starting all 50 games in the leadoff spot, setting the tone for her team to score runs. Stocklin has three triples on the year, which is tied for ninth-best in the conference. Gravish has followed in the footsteps of last year's No. 1 starter, Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro), admirably in her first real season of action. She has a 17-6 record with a 1.94 ERA in 31 appearances, making 17 starts and throwing 144.2 innings. Her 17 victories is tied for third in the PSAC and her ERA ranks fifth. Gravish has struck out 108 batters, tied for eighth in the PSAC, and opponents are hitting just .256 off the right-hander. Kutztown finished the regular season with a 28-22 overall record and 22-10 mark in the PSAC East. KU is the three seed and will take on the West's two seed, Mercyhurst, in its first game of the PSAC Tournament on Wednesday, May 3, at 12:30 p.m., from Veterans Park in Quakertown.

Five members of the Kutztown University wrestling team were named 2023 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) DII Scholar All-Americans. Andreo Ferraina (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth), Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg), Hunter Horton (James Creek, Pa./Tussey Mountain), Alex Ward (Manassas, Va./Battlefield), and Matthew Weinberg (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) were the Golden Bears tabbed for the recognition. In order to be eligible for the award, student-athletes must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale. The benchmark for those who qualified for the 2023 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship is a 3.25 GPA, while All-Americans had to maintain a 3.0. Wrestlers also had to have competed in four dates of competition. As a team, the Golden Bears finished the regular season with a 7-5 record, capped off by a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Super Region I Championships. Both Weinberg and Gimbor represented KU at the NCAA Division II Championship, with Weinberg earning All-American status and placing fourth at 184-pounds. That duo both earned All-PSAC nods as well. Horton, a redshirt freshman, competed at the 165 and 174-pound weight classes and finished with a 7-8 overall record, including two pins. Ferraina, also a redshirt freshman, competed at 125 and 133-pounds, finishing with a 6-4 record. Ward, a freshman, wrestled at 174 and 184-pounds, finishing his first collegiate season with a 6-6 record.

Kutztown University wrestling placed All-American Matthew Weinberg (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and national qualifier Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) on 2022-23 All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams. Weinberg is a repeat First Team selection after going 28-3 and placing fourth in the 184-pound weight class at the NCAA Division II Championships. The Philadelphian led Kutztown in wins, wins over nationally-ranked opponents (four), technical falls (four) and pins (14). He went a perfect 11-0 in duals, including 7-0 in PSAC matches, while racking up 52 team points for the Golden Bears. Weinberg finished runner-up at 184 in the NCAA Super Region 1 Championships, before battling back from a first round defeat at nationals to reach the consolation final and ultimately finish fourth for his first All-America honor. Gimbor, in his first year as a Golden Bear, reached the 20-win mark with a pair of victories in the NCAA DII Championships and secured a spot on the All-PSAC Third Team. The Bernville, Pa., native registered a 21-10 overall record, five pins and a team-leading five major decisions. Gimbor posted an 8-3 record in duals and went 5-2 in PSAC duals, earning 33 team points while yielding just nine. He qualified for nationals by virtue of a third-place finish in the 165-pound bracket at the Super Region 1 Championships and went on to win a preliminary round match and consolation match in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Eric Bartos of Mercyhurst claimed Athlete of the Year, while teammate Jake Niffenegger was voted Freshman of the Year. Pitt-Johnstown's Pat Pecora took home his third straight Coach of the Year honor.

Two Kutztown University student-athletes were featured on the 2022-23 All-East Coast Conference teams. Junior Chloe Sromovski (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) was voted to the First Team while classmate Megan Hanaway (Forked River, N.J./Lacey Township) made the Second Team. The all-conference honors are the first of both Sromovski and Hanaway's careers, and mark the first time the Golden Bears have had multiple all-conference selections since 2018. Sromovski has had another terrific season for the Maroon and Gold and is coming off her first career ECC Bowler of the Week nod yesterday. The Wilkes-Barre, Pa., native is Kutztown's workhorse, having put in 500 Baker frames and 295 traditional frames --both team-highs-- heading into this weekend's conference championship tournament. She leads all Golden Bears with a 192.5 traditional average and is second in Baker frame average at 18.71. Sromovski is also tops on the team in fill percentage, strikes, spares and makable spares in both Baker and traditional play. Sromovski is the first KU bowler to earn All-ECC First Team accolades in six years, dating back to Jenn Fitts and Angela Kozma in 2017. Hanaway is enjoying the best year of her career, having developed into a team leader for head coach Angela Reynolds. She currently leads the Bears with an 18.76 Baker frame average across 398 frames and is tied for the team lead in Baker fill percentage with Sromovski at 79.6%. Hanaway, from Forked River, N.J., also sports a 175.9 traditional average. Mercyhurst captured all three major awards with Haley Youker taking Bowler of the Year, Jenna Stretch Rookie of the Year and Micahel Machuga Coach of the Year.

The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association announced its Academic Honor Roll for the 2023 season, including 10 from Kutztown University. Shayla Anderson-Buchanan (Philadelphia, Pa./New Hope Christian Academy), Allison Fernandez (Westfield, N.J./Westfield), Sydney Gibbons (Cresson, Pa./Penn Cambria), Abby Kiely (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro), Cecilia Marshall (Bellingham, Mass./Home Schooled), Jordyn Osner (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown), Ashley Ryan (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus), Paige Saxey (Clearfield, Utah/Clearfield), Emilee Stelma (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) and RoseMary Werkheiser (Easton, Pa./Easton) were all tabbed to the list. The 2023 NCATA Academic Honor Roll includes all active Acrobatics & Tumbling student-athletes with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30 or higher. In all, 516 Acrobatics & Tumbling student-athletes, from 34 competing teams, were named to the NCATA Academic Honor Roll in 2023. Kutztown finished this season with a winning record at 5-3 overall and was undefeated inside Keystone Arena. The Golden Bears also set several new event records and set a new overall score record along the way.

The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) recognized six Hidden Heroes at the 2023 Hidden Heroes Award and Ambassador Send-Off Ceremony (virtual) Thursday, April 27, including Kutztown University junior Hannah Williams as the Rising Star of the Year. Awardees were recognized for their commitment to ensuring college students on campuses nationwide are registered, informed and civically engaged during election seasons and beyond. The Rising Star of the Year is awarded to an Andrew Goodman Ambassador who is a first- or second-year student and exhibits the qualities of an Ambassador Honoree. Williams is a junior at KU majoring in political science with paralegal studies and minoring in sociology. They plan to work as a paralegal in the field of environmental law. Williams is passionate about civil rights, environmental protection and LGBTQ rights and hopes to encourage students to vote intentionally and effectively. Williams has been a dedicated Ambassador for two semesters, hitting the ground running upon joining the Andrew Goodman Network ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Bringing an unending enthusiasm for community organizing to each project, Williams has flawlessly executed numerous engaging events on campus at Kutztown University. This year, Williams joined Mo Banks, host of The Andrew Goodman Foundation's Live The Legacy Podcast to record Season 3, Episode 5 in which they offered a no-nonsense approach on why young voters are turning out in record numbers. Learn more online. About The Andrew Goodman Foundation The Andrew Goodman Foundation's mission is to make young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy by training the next generation of leaders, engaging young voters and challenging restrictive voter suppression laws. The organization is named after Andrew Goodman, a Freedom Summer volunteer and champion of equality and voting rights who was murdered, alongside James Earl Chaney and Michael Schwerner, by the KKK in 1964 while registering Black Americans to vote in Mississippi. To learn more, visit www.andrewgoodman.org.

Kutztown University has announced 14 student-athletes will represent its women's bowling team for the 2022-2023 season. Read the full season preview here.

13 students were inducted into Kutztown University's Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society Tuesday, April 18. Those inducted were Eric Bittenbender, Nathan Boyd, Sara Cabry, Andrew Carducci, Samantha Dunlap, Melissa Fatzinger, Reilly Hastings, Alex Kowalchuk, Kylie Krantz, Sarah Lazarchak, Olivia Mastroeni, Declan Mullen and Michael Weisser. Learn more about KU's Department of History at https://www.kutztown.edu/academics/colleges-and-departments/liberal-arts-and-sciences/departments/history.html.

Kutztown University presented the Chambliss Student Academic Achievement Awards to six accomplished students Friday, April 21. Students who received awards were nominated by staff and faculty members for meeting one or more of the six areas of achievement: successfully completed research projects, high-quality original artwork, high-quality artistic performances (music, chorus, drama, etc.), original writing in literature or meritorious writing in other fields, noteworthy achievements in athletics, and outstanding service to the KU community.

This spring, two students from Kutztown University participated in The Washington Center (TWC)'s first Cybersecurity Accelerator Program, including Adam Frederick, a sophomore, computer science major from Exeter, Pa.; and Delijah Joseph, a junior, information technology major from Mount Pocono, Pa. This program was designed to engage historically marginalized learners with career exploration, mentorship and networking in the fastest growing and rewarding field of cybersecurity. Thanks to scholarships provided by select states along with private donors, this program was available at no cost to students. Participants were invited to join The Cyber Guild for a digital Cyber Discovery Experience and to travel to Washington, D.C. for a Cybersecurity Bootcamp Weekend. As part of this weekend experience, students heard from representatives from The White House, United States Cyber Command, CISA (among others) and were able to network with over 35 employers. They also had the opportunity to tour the Verizon Tech and Policy Center and AWS Skills Center. See photos of the bootcamp here. Through this program, many participants were also selected for a virtual micro-internship by a cybersecurity employer, where they received a financial stipend, worked with an employer supervisor and gained access to Teach to Work trained project-based mentorship. About The Washington Center The Washington Center is the largest and most established student internship program in Washington, D.C. Since our founding, we've helped more than 60,000 young people translate their college majors into career paths. We use our scale and expertise to customize each student's experience to be truly transformative. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn.

Congratulations to Kutztown University College of Business students Hernan Machorro and Cameron Baumgardner on their performance at the ninth annual Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Collegiate Financial Plan Competition. There were 222 plans submitted this year and Machorro placed seventh (winning a monetary prize) and Baumgardner received Honorable Mention.

Kutztown University athletics honored 95 student-athletes Thursday afternoon as a part of the Pennsylvania Alpha Omega Chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma in the National College Athlete Honor Society. The luncheon recognized those student-athletes who excel in both the classroom and competition. Chi Alpha Sigma was founded in 1996 by then DePauw University head football coach Nick Mourouzis. His goal was to provide outstanding student-athletes with an opportunity to become connected within a fraternal association that aligns their educational and athletic successes for a lifetime. In order to be inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, a student-athlete must attend a four-year accredited college or university that is a member of the NCAA, NAIA, USCAA or NCCAA. The honoree also must achieve at least junior academic standing by the fifth semester or seventh quarter, as determined by the certifying institution, and must have achieved a minimum cumulative grade-point average of a 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale).

Kutztown University has conferred degrees for more than 430 students for the 2022 fall semester and 2023 winter session. Kutztown University announces degree conferment twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer. Commencement exercises are held in May and December; however, students finish the requirements for graduation throughout the entire year. The cumulative grade point average necessary for honors distinction is: with honor (cum laude) 3.40; with high honor (magna cum laude) 3.60 and with highest honor (summa cum laude) 3.80. Students who have requested privacy (FERPA) are not listed publicly.

Kutztown University inducted 37 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 40 students into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at the induction ceremony held Tuesday, Feb. 28. Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study.

Kutztown University will have 27 student-athletes representing its women's lacrosse program for the 2023 season. Read the full season preview. Kutztown women's lacrosse had a competitive first year of a new regime last season under head coach Kristen Nicholson. The Golden Bears are searching for more in 2023 as they are set to begin their season this weekend. It may not have been the way they had hoped it would have gone from a wins and losses standpoint, but Nicholson was proud of how her team competed all season in her first year in charge. "I think we exceed our expectations of what I thought we would accomplish in year one," said Nicholson. "We were able to compete with the best teams in the country and go toe-to-toe with them. I think our record did not reflect what we accomplished and how much we grew. That has set us up for this season and we know that we belong in any game. Our successes will show. This season isn't about just competing anymore, it's about winning. I want this program to reach the heights that I know we're capable of reaching. We want to win more conference games than we have before. We have goals in reach, but we're going to take it day-by-day until the end of the year." KU finished the 2022 season at 4-13 overall and 1-11 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. However, eight of the losses were decided by just three goals or less, showing that the Maroon and Gold were just a couple of bounces away from a completely different season. The Maroon and Gold have four non-conference games on their schedule, including three in-a-row during the first week of the regular season. A home game with Holy Family (Feb. 25) and contests at Caldwell (March 1) and Wilmington (March 4) will give Kutztown early tests before PSAC play starts with a home game against Shepherd on March 8.