Penn College Athletes Give Back to Community

Published 01.16.2017

News
Athletics
Wildcat Weekly

Being an athlete at Pennsylvania College of Technology means more than hitting a ball or scoring a goal: It means giving back to the community and, during the Fall 2016 semester, Wildcats completed 1,648 community service hours.

Wildcat athletes volunteered at 10 events, on campus and in the Williamsport community, and helped raise $1,575 for various charitable organizations. Organized by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, all athletic programs participated in at least one event including walks to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and sexual assault, marathons supporting the Salvation Army, cleaning up the Susquehanna River Walk and Logue Park, helping incoming students move in, volunteering at Firetree Place, hosting a youth soccer clinic, and participating in No-Shave November.

Last year, the department reached slightly more than 3,000 community service hours and is on pace to surpass that total by the end of the 2016-17 academic year.



Community service is an important initiative by both the North Eastern Athletic Conference and NCAA Division III.

In December, Thomas Ross, of Williamsport, a senior basketball captain, was selected as a nominee for the 2017 Allstate NABC Good Works Team. He was the only representative from the NEAC and joins 180 men's basketball players from around the country. The awards recognize a unique group of men’s and women’s college basketball student-athletes who stand out for their charitable achievements and community involvement.

In action over the past week, Penn College men’s and women’s basketball teams each went 2-2.

Men's Basketball  
At Lancaster Bible College on Tuesday in the NEAC, Penn College lost, 70-54. Marquis Delgado, of Mansfield, led the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points.

On Thursday in the first of a six-game NEAC homestand, Penn College overcame an eight-point halftime deficit against Penn State Berks for an 84-82 win that assured the Wildcats of their first four-win season in three years. Five Penn College players scored in double figures, as Ben Sosa, of Loyalsock Township, led the way with 20 and Erik Eichinger, of Villanova, added 19. For one of the few times this season, the Wildcats outscored their opponent with points in the paint, 44-28, which proved decisive in the victory. Penn College also led in rebounds, 44-34.

Hosting Wilson College in conference action on Saturday, Sosa scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds as Penn College won its second straight, 73-67. The Wildcats outscored Wilson 42-24 in the paint as they won back-to-back games for the first time since Dec. 5-6, 2015. The five wins is the most in a season for the Penn College men since the 2010-11 season.

Squaring off at home against Gallaudet University Sunday afternoon, Penn College lost, 82-63, to drop to 5-9 overall and 3-6 in the NEAC. Eichinger led the Wildcats with 12 points. Penn College was outscored in the paint, 56-26.

In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week: host Penn State Abington (4-8 overall, 3-4 NEAC through Sunday), 7 p.m. Wednesday; host St. Elizabeth (3-8, 2-5), 2 p.m. Saturday.

Last meeting vs. Penn State Abington: Lost on Dec. 4, 103-75. Thomas Ross scored 12 points.

Last meeting vs. St. Elizabeth: First meeting.

Statistically speaking through Sunday: Delgado was fifth in the NEAC with 3.9 assists per game; Jesse White, of Harrisburg, is seventh in the NEAC with 94 rebounds.

NEAC South Division standings through Sunday: Gallaudet University 9-0, Lancaster Bible College 6-2, Wilson College 4-5, Penn State Abington 3-4, Penn State Berks 3-5, Penn College 3-6, Bryn Athyn College 2-5, St. Elizabeth College 2-5.

Women's Basketball
After snapping a two-season, 22-game loss string last Sunday, Penn College returned to NEAC play on Tuesday at Lancaster Bible College and lost, 86-47. Alicia Ross, of Williamsport, led Penn College with 25 points and Jane Herman, of Greencastle, added 15 points. The Wildcats were outscored in the paint, 44-16.

At home on Thursday in conference action, the Wildcats lost, 64-48. Gwendolyn Lavelle, of Pocono Summit, led Penn College in scoring with 11 points.

In conference action on Saturday at home with Wilson College, Penn College won, 63-61, on a buzzer-beating basket by Ross. Ross finished the game with 26 points and 15 rebounds while Herman added 15 points.

With a 68-59 home win over Gallaudet University on Sunday, Penn College won consecutive games for the first time since the end of the 2014-15 season to go to 3-10 overall and 3-6 in the conference. Ross ripped the cords for 28 points, hiking her career total to 1,338, while Lavelle added 16 points and Herman 13 points and 10 rebounds.

In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week: host Penn State Abington (6-6 overall, 4-3 NEAC through Sunday), 5 p.m. Wednesday; host St. Elizabeth (9-5, 7-2), noon Saturday.

Last meeting vs. Penn State Abington: Lost on Dec. 4, 75-47. Ross scored 23 points.

Last meeting vs. St. Elizabeth: Lost last Jan. 30, 85-66. Ross scored 24 points.

Statistically speaking through Sunday: Ross was tied for fifth in the NEAC with 2.9 steals per game, eighth in scoring average at 17.9 per game and 14th in rebounds with 90.

NEAC South Division standings through Sunday: Lancaster Bible College 8-0, Bryn Athyn College 6-1, St. Elizabeth College 7-2, Penn State Abington 4-3, Penn State Berks 3-5, Penn College 3-6, Gallaudet University 2-7, Wilson College 0-8.

Wrestling
Returning to the mats for the first time in more than two months, the Wildcats went 0-3 at the Gettysburg College Duals on Saturday to drop to 0-7 on the season. At Gettysburg, they lost to Keystone College, 27-18; King’s College, 44-6; and Gettysburg College, 51-3. Leaders for Penn College were Tanner Leid, of New Holland, who went 2-1 on the day, winning twice while wrestling at 165 pounds and losing at 174, and Dylan Otis, of Towanda, at 285, who also went 2-1, winning twice by fall before losing the same way.

SCHEDULES/RECORDS/RESULTS
Men’s Basketball
Overall record: 5-9
NEAC record: 3-6
Tuesday, Jan. 10 – at Lancaster Bible College (NEAC), L, 70-54
Thursday, Jan. 12 – host Penn State Berks (NEAC), W, 84-82
Saturday, Jan. 14 – host Wilson College (NEAC), W, 73-67
Sunday, Jan. 15 – host Gallaudet University (NEAC), L, 82-63
Wednesday, Jan. 18 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 21 – host St. Elizabeth (NEAC), 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 25 – host Bryn Athyn (NEAC), 7 p.m.

Women’s Basketball
Overall record: 3-10
NEAC record: 3-6
Tuesday, Jan. 10 – at Lancaster Bible College (NEAC), L, 86-47
Thursday, Jan. 12 – host Penn State Berks (NEAC), L, 64-48
Saturday, Jan. 14 – host Wilson College (NEAC), W, 63-61
Sunday, Jan. 15 – host Gallaudet University (NEAC), W, 68-59
Wednesday, Jan. 18 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC), 5 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 21 – host St. Elizabeth (NEAC), noon
Wednesday, Jan. 25 – host Bryn Athyn (NEAC), 5 p.m.

Wrestling
Overall record: 0-7
Saturday, Jan. 14 – at Gettysburg Duals, vs. Keystone College, L, 27-18; vs. King’s College, L, 44-6; vs. Gettysburg College, L, 51-3
Wednesday, Jan. 18 – at Centenary College, N.J., 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 27 – at York College, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 29 – host Scranton University, noon

For more, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.

No. 22