For the first time since 2018, the Pennsylvania College of Technology archery team has an All-American.

Casey Keiter of Dornsife became the 44^th Wildcat to earn that distinction as the USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals wrapped up Saturday at Lansing, Michigan, as a result of his top 10 indoor (9.867) and outdoor (9.208) national scores (19.075 total) in the men’s fixed pins discipline.

Earlier in the week, Penn College’s women’s softball team competed in the NCAA Division III Cleveland Regional, and several softball and baseball players were awarded postseason honors.

This coming week, the college’s United East-championship men’s golf team will compete in the NCAA Division III Championships in the Rochester, New York, area.

Archery

In team competition at the outdoor nationals, the fixed pins team of Keiter, Josiah Hinojos of Groton, Connecticut, and Wyatt Steigerwalt of New Ringgold qualified sixth and reached the quarterfinals, as did the men’s compound team of Eli Bartron of South Williamsport, Emery Gunsallus of Mill Hall and Brady Buriak of Herndon.

Individually in men’s fixed pins, Keiter qualified 14^th and was eliminated in the 1/16^th round, Hinojos qualified 21^st and lost in the 1/8^th round, Steigerwalt qualified 34^th and lost in the 1/32^nd round, Ben Malehorn of Selinsgrove qualified 43^rd and lost in the 1/32^nd round, Devin Albright of Philipsburg qualified 45^th and lost in the 1/32^nd round, Travis Lilly of Newport qualified 46^th and lost in the 1/32^nd round, Anthony Olenchak of Valhalla, New Jersey, qualified 49^th and lost in the 1/8^th round, and Wyatt Kennedy of Jackson, New Jersey, qualified 64^th and lost in the 1/32^nd round.

Individually in men’s compound, Eli Bartron qualified 19^th and reached the 1/8^th round, Gunsallus qualified 32^nd and reached the 1/16^th round, Buriak qualified 35^th and lost in the quarterfinals, and Colby Dell of Great Neck, New York, qualified 44^th and reached the 1/16^th round.

In women’s barebow, Liz Gruodis of Milford qualified 33^rd and reached the 1/16^th round.

“This was a great way to end the year,” coach Dustin Bartron said. “Weather was a factor with a tornado passing through on Thursday night, interrupting the team’s sleep to take shelter for over an hour in the hotel hallway.

“It is great to have an All-American and two Academic All-Americans (Keiter and Hinojos) this year.

“With all archers returning, we are looking forward to having a strong foundation to build from. Many of this weekend’s losses came down to being decided by one bad arrow shot during the match. With the strength and experience this group gained this season, I am excited for next year.”

Softball

In its opening game on Thursday at the double-elimination NCAA Division III Cleveland Regional, fourth-seeded Penn College was no-hit in a 5-0 loss to top-seeded Wisconsin-Whitewater. Mackenzie Weaver of Montoursville started for the Wildcats and allowed all five runs, three earned, in 2.1 innings. Mackenzi Tice of Mansfield finished the game in the circle, fanning four.

That put Penn College into a Friday afternoon elimination game against third-seeded Lebanon Valley College, which dropped its Thursday opener 10-2 against host and second-seeded Case Western Reserve University.

On Friday, the Wildcats fell 5-1 to Lebanon Valley and saw their season end at 28-17. Tice went 2.1 innings in the circle and took the loss. Grace Lorson of Jersey Shore and Payton Crawford of Bloomsburg each had two hits in the game, and Crawford earned a spot on the all-tournament team.

“It was a very exciting tournament for our talented freshman class. Crawford had been seeing the ball well the entire postseason, so it is well-deserved to be a part of the Cleveland All-Tournament Team!  We had the right mix of veterans and rookies this season. The future is bright for Penn College softball,” coach Angela Stackhouse said. 

Wisconsin-Whitewater finished the tournament with a 3-0 record and moves into the Super Regional round.

Earlier in the week, five Wildcats were named on the United East All-Conference teams. Weaver was named the Pitcher of the Year for the second time in her career, the first was in 2023, and in earning her fourth career all-conference honor, she was joined on the UE first team by fellow senior outfielder Madison Herriman of Danville. Named to the second team were freshmen pitcher Tice and catcher Crawford, while sophomore outfielder Lorson was a third-team honoree.

Also, Weaver was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Region IV second team. She ended the season with a 15-8 record, 1.64 ERA, 134 strikeouts and 21 walks in 154 innings of work. For her career, Weaver had a 63-26 won-loss record, 1.44 ERA, program-record 560 strikeouts, 118 walks, and a .332 batting average.

SCHEDULE

NCAA Division III Cleveland Regional

Hosted by Case Western Reserve at Mather Park, Cleveland, Ohio

(Double elimination)

Thursday, May 15

Game 1: No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater (35-6) vs. No. 4 Penn College (28-15), Penn College L, 5-0

Game 2: No. 2 Case Western Reserve University (28-10) vs. No. 3 Lebanon Valley College (29-13), Case Western W, 10-2

Friday, May 16

Game 3: No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater (36-6) vs. No. 2 Case Western Reserve (29-10), Wisconsin-Whitewater W, 7-6 (8 innings)

Game 4: No. 4 Penn College (28-16) vs. No. 3 Lebanon Valley (29-14), Penn College L, 5-1

Game 5: No. 3 Lebanon Valley (30-14) vs. No. 2 Case Western Reserve (29-11), Case Western W, 7-1

Saturday, May 17

Game 6: No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater (37-6) vs. No. 2 Case Western Reserve (30-11), Wisconsin-Whitewater W, 7-3

Baseball

An NCAA-era record five Wildcats earned UE All-Conference honors, including the Rookie of the Year in freshman designated hitter Levi Purnell of Snow Show, it was announced on Wednesday. Snaring first-team honors were sophomores Dallas Griess of Williamsport, an outfielder, and middle infielder Shawn Townsend of Hatboro. Sophomore outfielder Matt Munoz of Tobyhanna and sophomore corner infielder Jaydon Goebel of Honey Brook were named to the second team, and Purnell also earned a third-team nod for Penn College, which finished 18-18 overall and 11-7 in all UE games after finishing fourth during the conference’s regular season.

Golf

Tournament play for 43 teams and 10 individuals not on one of those teams, 225 players in all, will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday at Cobblestone Creek Country Club in Victor, New York, and Midvale Country Club in Penfield, New York. Both par 72 courses, Cobblestone’s championship course measures 6,866 yards long and Midvale’s is 6,632 yards.

The Wildcats tackle Midvale starting at 12:50 p.m. on Tuesday, and play on Cobblestone starting at 8:35 a.m. on Wednesday.

After 36 holes of competition, the field will be cut to the top 18 teams and the top six individuals not on one of those teams. Ties for the cut will be broken by a sudden-death playoff or, if necessary, by the non-sudden-death tiebreaking procedures.

Schedule

Tuesday, May 20 — NCAA Division III Championship at Midvale Country Club in Penfield, New York, 12:50 p.m.

Wednesday, May 21— NCAA Division III Championship at Cobblestone Creek Country Club in Victor, New York, 8:35 a.m.

Thursday-Friday, May 22-23 — NCAA Division III Championship at Midvale Country Club in Penfield, New York, and Cobblestone Creek Country Club in Victor, New York, TBA

For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website.

For more about the United East, visit the conference website.

For more about the NCAA, visit the ncaa.com website.