Men's Soccer, Cross-Country Teams Opening

A year ago, the Pennsylvania College of Technology men's cross-country and men's soccer teams each captured Penn State University Athletic Conference championships. This year, they are looking to repeat.

Men's Soccer After winning five straight conference titles from 2004-08, the Penn College men finished second in 2009, then returned to the top last year when they posted a 16-4 record and placed among the top four in the United States College Athletic Association. In five seasons under coach Enrique Castillo, the Wildcats are 74-13-3. Penn College opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday, hosting Davis College.

"Our goal is to always win the conference and to win the national (USCAA) championship," Castillo said. "I think we're going to get there (national tournament). We have more depth than we did before."

Patrick Masango, of Harrisburg, was a key part of last year's success, but did not return to college. Even so, Castillo believes his core of Billy DeAngelo, of Dallas; Patrick Kehoe, of Oley; Isaac Hostetter, of Lebanon; Chris Brennan, of New Hope; and Tristan Smith, of Bermuda; along withPhil Bair, of Franklintown; Garduno Hernandez, of West Grove; Godwin Omo-Ekpadi, of Norristown; Cody Sollenberger, of Lancaster; Talila Tolla, of Mountville; Jacob Tuck, of Hollsopple; and Sterling Weikel, of Dewart; will get the job done. Freshman Aaron Volz, of West Chester, is projected to start in goal.

"We have an excellent team and we have the potential to be a great team," Castillo stated.

"We have good strikers. Last year, we had two, and, this year, we added (several) more. We have good striking potential," the coach continued.

"My philosophy is to maintain possession as much as possible and we have the team to do it. We can possess and knock the ball around, we just need time. Hopefully, by the middle of the season, we should be clicking," Castillo said.

"We're Penn College and (because of our winning tradition) we're always going to have a target on our backs. The school expects us to do well, I'm expecting us to do well and I think the players are, too. Expectations are high for us every year and I wouldn't want it any other way," Castillo added.

Cross-Country The Wildcat runners begin their 12th season under coach Mike Paulhamus on Thursday in the NEPA Classic at King's College in Wilkes-Barre - a 4-kilometer distance for women and 6 kilometers for the men. Despite the fact that last year's top men's runner, Jake Shedden, of Canton, no longer is with the team after transferring to Mansfield University, the coach has high hopes.

Top returnees for the men's squad are Travis Cain, of Bloomsburg; Seth Beckman, of Linden; and Corvin Oberholtzer, of Wellsboro. Other returning men are Matthew Brzezinski, of Easton; Joseph Chadowski, of Fairfax, Va.; Robert Forbes, of Warren; William Fuka, of Clifton, Va.; Edward Knyff, of Ocean Gate, N.J.; and John Kriner, of Lancaster. Freshmen include Daniel Starr, of Stewartstown; Daniel Flynn, of Blairstown, N.J.; Christopher Dorman, of Manchester, Md.; Daniel Rose, of Albrightsville; and Anthony Cicero, of Doylestown.

"Travis came in second in most of the meets (last year) and he has been working hard over the summer," Paulhamus said. "I think Travis should be able to hold his own in most of the meets we go to.

"It's been a new, exciting late summer for me so far. I do have some talented kids who have been here and some new kids who have come in. It makes me a little apprehensive because I don't know where this all will come out. Once we've run a couple of races, I'll know where to take our practices," the coach said.

Penn College men have won eight consecutive conference team titles.

"We always try to achieve the highest goals we can. The league championship is our first goal, and also to finish really well at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association meet.

"We have a lot of growing to do yet, but they're impressing me already," Paulhamus added.

Unless there is a sudden influx of runners, the college again will not be able to field a women's cross-country team. On the roster are returnee Shannon Abercrombie, of Roaring Branch, and Alison Erb, of Harrisburg. Although they can run as individuals, five women are needed for team competition.

"I see the women running all around campus. I just can't seem to get them running for cross-country," Paulhamus said.

Flashback In women's volleyball over the weekend, Penn College went 1-2 in the Penn State Beaver Classic. The Wildcats dropped their season opener against Rochester College on Friday, falling 16-25, 15-25, 22-25. In their first Saturday, they lost to Penn State Fayette, 20-25, 17-25, 22-25, and then rebounded against host Penn State Beaver for a 25-13, 25-20, 25-21 win. Lyndsey Smith, of Mechanicsburg, was named to the All-Tournament Team.

On Friday, junior Tara Powell, of Burgettstown, had five digs in the game, while sophomore Lindsay Moyer, of Canton, added two kills and four blocks. Senior Lindsey Smith, of Mechanicsburg, led the team with 10 assists. In Saturday's opener, freshman Kelly Hebert, of Wellsboro, played strong against Fayette with four solo blocks and kills. Smith had 17 assists in the game. Against Beaver, Moyer had four kills and six digs, while Courtney Gernet, of Palmyra, added four kills. Smith had 19 assists, bringing her tournament total to 46.

SCHEDULE Women's Volleyball Overall record: 1-2 Friday, Aug. 26 vs. Rochester College at the Penn State Beaver Classic, L, 16-25, 15-25, 22-25 Saturday, Aug. 27 vs. Penn State Fayette at the Penn State Beaver Classic, L, 20-25, 17-25, 22-25 Saturday, Aug. 27 vs. Penn State Beaver at the Penn State Beaver Classic, W, 25-13, 25-20, 25-21 Thursday, Sept. 1 at Lycoming College, 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1 vs. Baptist Bible at Lycoming College, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Mount Aloysius College at Penn State Harrisburg, 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 at Penn State Harrisburg, 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7 host Penn State Scranton, 7 p.m.

Men's Soccer Tuesday, Aug. 30 host Davis College, 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 host Penn State Brandywine, 1 p.m.

Cross-Country Thursday, Sept. 1 NEPA Classic at Wilkes-Barre, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 Albright Invitational at Reading, 10:30 a.m.

Golf Wednesday, Sept. 7 Penn State Fayette Invitational at Mystic Rock, 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 Mont Alto Invitational at Penn National, 11 a.m.

Women's Soccer Wednesday, Sept. 7 at Albright College, 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 host Cedar Crest College, 1 p.m.

Coed Tennis Wednesday, Sept. 14 at Penn State Hazleton, 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at Penn State Lehigh, noon

(Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's Athletics Web site . For more information on the PSUAC, visit on the Web; more about the USCAA also is available online.)

Vol. 10, No. 2