2005-06 PAC NEWS ARCHIVE

GCC'S PEDERSEN, LEUENBERGER NAMED TRACK/XC ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
Grove City College cross country/track & field standouts Elisa Pedersen and Andrew Leuenberger have each been named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Cross Country/Track teams by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).Pedersen, tabbed to the women's third team, graduated in May with a 3.81 cumulative grade-point average majoring in accounting and Spanish. Leuenberger, who was named to the men's third team, maintains a 3.99 cumulative GPA majoring in molecular biology.

PAC HONORS 237 STUDENT-ATHLETES ON SPRING 2006 ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL
A total of 237 student-athletes have been named to the PAC Academic Honor Roll for the Spring 2006 semester. The PAC Academic Honor Roll honors student-athletes on winter and spring varsity sports teams who earned a 3.6 grade-point average or higher (on a 4.0 scale) during their semester of competition.

ERIK ARNESEN OF GROVE CITY DRAFTED IN 17TH ROUND BY MLB'S WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Grove City College baseball pitching standout Erik Arnesen was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 17th round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft on June 6. Arnesen will report to the Nationals' New York-Penn League (A) affiliate in Winooski, Vermont.

THOMAS MORE HIRES JOHN ELLENWOOD AS NEW MEN'S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH
Thomas More College has announced the hiring of John Ellenwood as the new head coach of the Saint men's basketball program. Ellenwood, who previously was an assistant coach at Capital University, replaces Terry Connor, who stepped down at the end of the 2005-06 season to concentrate on his duties as athletic director at Thomas More.

GROVE CITY TABS CHELLE FUSS AS NEW WOLVERINE HEAD SOFTBALL COACH
Grove City College has hired Chelle Fuss as the new head coach of the Wolverine softball program, with additional duties as assistant women's basketball coach. Fuss comes to GCC from Geneva College, where she served stints as head softball coach and assistant basketball coach.

PAC PLACES SIX ATHLETES ON ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK TEAMS
PAC student-athletes continue to receive academic laurels from the just completed athletic season, as six conference athletes have been tabbed to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division Cross Country/Track & Field teams. Grove City accounted for four of the honorees, as senior Elisa Pedersen (3.81 GPA, Spanish/accounting) and junior Andrew Leuenberger (3.99, molecular biology) were first team picks while Cara Pierce (3.95, English/Spanish) and Sarah Bray (3.90, business management) were each named to the second team. Other second team honorees included Adam Hadbavny of Westminster (3.31, accounting) and Kelli Gee of Washington & Jefferson (3.92, biology).

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE SWEEPS 2005-06 PAC ALL-SPORTS TROPHIES
Washington & Jefferson College has captured the 2005-06 PAC Men's & Women's All-Sports Trophies. Complete All-Sports trophy standings, as well as a sport-by-sport breakdown, are now online.

GCC'S MIKE RITTER TABBED TO ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA BASEBALL SECOND TEAM
Grove City senior shortstop Mike Ritter has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Baseball Second Team. Ritter, an All-PAC First Team selection, possesses a 3.84 cumulative grade-point average majoring in molecular biology.

THIEL TO CONSTRUCT NEW BASEBALL & SOFTBALL FACILITIES FOR 2007 SEASON
Thiel College has announced plans for the construction of new baseball and softball fields in time for the 2007 seasons. Both the Tomcat baseball and softball teams currently play on off-campus fields at Riverside Park in Greenville.

WAYNESBURG BEGINS CONSTRUCTION OF NEW FIELDTURF FOOTBALL FIELD
Waynesburg College has begun construction on a new FieldTurf football surface at John F. Wiley Stadium, which will be completed in time for the 2006 football season.

FIVE PAC STUDENT-ATHLETES TABBED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT AT-LARGE TEAMS
Five student-athletes from the PAC have been named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division Men's & Women's At-Large Teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and released on May 25. On the men's side, Grove City swimmer Joel Boerckel (3.86 GPA, mechanical engineering) was a first time selection and moves on to the Academic All-America ballot, while three others earned second team honors: Waynesburg tennis player Matt Otis (3.99, elementary education), Bethany golfer Brian Lish (3.95, computer science) and W&J golfer Michael Grasso (3.88, business). The lone women's representative was Bethany tennis player Hillary Norman (3.90, managerial economics) on the second team.

PAC PLACES SIX PLAYERS ON 2006 ABCA ALL-MIDEAST REGION BASEBALL TEAMS
A total of six PAC baseball players have been selected to the 2006 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-Mideast Region Teams, released on May 24. PAC Player of the Year SS Brad Thoma of Thomas More was joined by 3B Shaun Pfeil of Washington & Jefferson, Grove City P Erik Arnesen, and DH Mark Nightingale of Thiel on the second team. Earning third team laurels was W&J sophomore outfielder Matt Pellis and Thomas More P/1B Pat Berndsen.

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON BASEBALL; WINS 2006 ECAC SOUTH REGION TOURNEY TITLE
Washington & Jefferson College posted wins over Villa Julie (9-1) and Keystone (6-5) on May 19 to capture the championship of the 2006 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region Tournament, held at Ross Memorial Park in Washington, Pa. W&J junior pitcher/first baseman Sam Mann earned Tournament MVP honors.

TMC'S THOMA, W&J'S MOUNTAIN HEADLINE 2006 ALL-PAC BASEBALL TEAMS
Thomas More senior shortstop Brad Thoma has been named 2006 PAC Baseball Player of the Year and Washington & Jefferson mentor Jeff Mountain was tabbed the 2006 PAC Coach of the Year to headline the 2006 All-PAC Baseball Teams. Thoma batted .428 with 45 RBIs, while Mountain led the Presidents to the PAC title and an ECAC playoff berth.

W&J CAPTURES 2006 PAC BASEBALL TITLE WITH 7-4 VICTORY OVER THOMAS MORE
Top-seeded Washington & Jefferson completed its run out of the loser's bracket, as the Presidents recorded a 7-4 title game win over fourth seed Thomas More in the championship game of the 2006 PAC Baseball Championship Tournament, being held at Ross Memorial Park in Washington, Pa., on Sunday, May 14. It was the fourth straight tournament win for the Presidents, who opened the tourney with an 8-1 first round loss to the Saints before rallying with wins over Bethany (8-4), Grove City (10-7) and Thomas More (12-6), forcing the decisive third matchup with the Saints for the PAC title. It was the third PAC baseball title in W&J history, while the Presidents (32-13) tied the school record for wins in a season.

PAC PLACES FIVE PLAYERS ON 2006 ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT BASEBALL/SOFTBALL TEAMS
The PAC has placed five players on the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division Baseball and Softball Teams, released May 11. In baseball, both Washington & Jefferson junior pitcher/first baseman Sam Mann and Grove City senior shortstop Mike Ritter were first team selections. Mann maintains a 3.88 GPA majoring in  political science & history, while Ritter has a 3.84 GPA majoring in molecular biology. For softball, Westminster junior outfielder Heather Gurgiolo (3.96 GPA, political science) and Grove City junior outfielder Paula Rice (3.93 GPA, accounting) were both tabbed to the first team, while Westminster senior second baseman Abby Mazar (3.64 GPA, elementary education) was selected to the third team

W&J MEN'S GOLF FINISHES IN 19TH PLACE AT 2006 NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS
The PAC champion Washington & Jefferson men's golf team finished in 19th place out of 23 teams after the second day of competition at the four-day 2006 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships, held May 8-11 at the Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln, Neb.

THOMAS MORE SOFTBALL DROPS 4-1 LOSS TO DENISON IN 2006 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Thomas More softball team was eliminated in two games at the Salem, Virginia regional of the 2006 NCAA Division III Softball Championships on May 11-12. The sixth-seeded Saints opened the tournament by dropping a 4-3 first round decision to third-seed Emory University on May 11. Thomas More was then eliminated on May 12 with a 4-1 loss to Denison in the loser's bracket.

FINAL PAC BASEBALL RELEASE ONLINE
The final PAC spring release for baseball, through the end of the regular season on May 7, is now online. The current 2006 PAC statistics for baseball and softball are also now available.

GRAND SLAM LIFTS WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON TO 2006 PAC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Freshman OF Kelly Morrow belted a grand slam home run in the fifth inning to lift third-seeded Washington & Jefferson College to a 5-3 win over top-seeded Thomas More in the title game of the 2006 PAC Softball Championship Tournament, hosted by top-seeded Thomas More in Crestview Hills, Ky., on May 6. Thomas More had advanced to the title game via a 10-2 win over fourth-seeded Waynesburg in the loser's bracket final earlier in the day. In addition, the 2006 All-PAC Softball teams were announced at the tournament on May 5.

AARON KREPPS OF W&J SIGNS PRO FOOTBALL CONTRACT WITH CFL'S B.C. LIONS
Washington & Jefferson senior wide receiver/kick returner Aaron Krepps has signed a professional free agent contract with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

GCC MEN, W&J WOMEN CAPTURE TEAM TITLES AT 2006 PAC TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Grove City men and Washington & Jefferson women each captured team titles at the 2006 PAC Track & Field Championships, hosted by Westminster College on April 29 at Harold Burry Stadium in New Wilmington, Pa. On the men's side, freshman Dorran Coley of Thiel earned MVP honors, while Grove City mentor Dr. Stan Keehlwetter was tabbed Coach of the Year. Lauren Weinheimer of W&J was named MVP on the women's side, with Mark FitzPatrick of Washington & Jefferson being named Coach of the Year. A complete listing of All-PAC performances for the meet, which saw nine conference records broken, is now online

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON CAPTURES 2006 PAC MEN'S & WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Washington & Jefferson has swept the 2006 PAC Men's & Women's Golf Championships, held at Speidel Golf Course (men) and Crispin Golf Course (women) on April 27-28 in Wheeling, W.Va. Presidents Michael Grasso and Jamie Seka earned medalist honors. Complete team and individual scores for the men and women are now online.

CONNOR STEPS DOWN AS BASKETBALL COACH AT THOMAS MORE TO FOCUS ON AD DUTIES
Thomas More announced that Terry Connor has stepped down from his position as men's basketball coach to focus his efforts solely on serving as Director of Athletics at the College. Connor has led the Saint basketball program since 1998 and has served as AD at Thomas More since 2001. A search for a new men's basketball head coach is underway.

W&J TABS GUTIERREZ AS MEN'S CAGE COACH
Washington & Jefferson has announced the hiring of Glenn Gutierrez, a 21-year assistant coach at the NCAA Division I and II levels, as the new head coach of the President men's basketball program. Gutierrez replaces Karel Jelinek, who resigned following the 2005-06 seasonj.

GROVE CITY CAPTURES 16TH STRAIGHT PAC MEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
The Grove City Wolverines captured their 16th consecutive PAC men's tennis team title after winning eight of nine flights at the 2006 PAC Men's Tennis Championships, held at the Pennbriar Athletic Club in Erie, Pa., on April 21-22. Veteran GCC head coach Joe Walters was honored as PAC Coach of the Year, while Washington & Jefferson senior Gary Tan earned PAC Player of the Year laurels after a come-from-behind win in the first singles championship match. Team scores and a complete list of individual results are now online.

W&J BASEBALL EARNS FIRST-EVER SPOT IN DIVISION III TOP 30 NATIONAL POLL
For the first time in school history, the Washington & Jefferson baseball team has cracked the ABCA/Collegiate Baseball Division III Top 30 national poll. The Presidents (19-5, 7-2 PAC) are currently ranked 29th in the nation.

WAYNESBURG TABS HEARD AS MAT COACH
Waynesburg College has announced the hiring of Charlie Heard, a three-time All-American and two-time Olympic alternate, as the new head coach of the Yellow Jacket wrestling program.

THIEL TABS LOOMIS AS MEN'S CAGE COACH
Thiel College has announced the hiring of Tim Loomis as the new head coach of the Tomcat men's basketball program. Loomis spent the past five years as head boys basketball coach at Kennedy Catholic High School. He also has an extensive collegiate coaching resume, including stints as head coach at Florida Atlantic University and California University of Pa.

GROVE CITY ANNOUNCES FACILITY UPGRADES
Grove City has announced plans for several upgrades to its athletic and recreational facilities in time for the 2006-07 academic year, including artificial turf, lights and a new eight-lane track at Thorn Field.

GROVE CITY HIRES SARAH HARRIS AS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH
Grove City College has announced the hiring of Sarah Harris as the new head coach of the Wolverine women's basketball program. Harris comes to GCC from Division I UNC-Greensboro, where she was a graduate assistant coach.

GCC'S WALTERS EARNS 300TH TENNIS WIN
Veteran Grove City tennis coach Joe Walters earned his 300th career tennis coaching win after leading the Wolverine men to an 8-1 win over PAC rival Thiel on March 27.

JAN FORSTY OF BETHANY EARNS 500TH CAREER SOFTBALL COACHING VICTORY
Bethany softball coach Jan Forsty earned her 500th career coaching win on March 19 with a 4-1 non-conference victory over Penn State-Behrend. Forsty is now 500-278-4 in 19 years as a head coach at Wheeling College and Bethany.

SULKOWSKI, MATT DRAHOS EACH EARN HOOPS ALL-AMERICA HONORS, ECAC REGION LAURELS
Bethany College senior Matt Drahos and Washington & Jefferson College senior Leigh Sulkowski, the 2006 PAC Player of the Year for men's basketball and women's basketball, respectively, have each earned All-America and ECAC All-Region honors during the week of March 20. Sulkowski has been named a First Team All-American by D3Hoops.com and is the ECAC Division III South Region Player of the Year. Drahos posted a pair of All-America laurels, garnering second team laurels from DIII News and honorable mention recognition from D3Hoops.com, while also being tabbed to the ECAC Division III Men's South Region First Team.

GCC'S COURAGE CAPTURES NATIONAL TITLE IN 100 FREESTYLE TO PACE PAC SWIMMERS AT 2006 NCAA MEN'S SWIM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sophomore Caleb Courage became the first men's swimming national champion in Grove City College history on March 18, as he captured the 100 freestyle title at the 2006 NCAA Division III Men's Swimming & Diving Championships in Minneapolis, Minn. Courage won the event in a school-record time of 44.51 to join W&J sophomore Kaitlyn Orstein (women's 400 IM) as a 2006 D-III swimming national champion. Courage led a PAC contingent of five GCC swimmers and one Westminster swimmer which earned All-America honors at the 2006 meet. Complete results can be found at the official NCAA Championships site.

BETHANY HIRES ALUMNUS MARK SWIGER AS NEW BISON CROSS COUNTRY HEAD COACH
Bethany College has announced the hiring of Mark Swiger, a 1982 Bethany graduate, as the school's new head cross country coach. Swiger was head coach at Wheeling Jesuit from 1990-2003, earning 17 WVIAC Coach of the Year awards. He replaces John McGowan, who remains at the school as head swimming & diving coach.

PAC PLACES SIX ON D3HOOPS.COM ALL-REGION TEAMS; SULKOWSKI NAMED PLAYER OF YEAR
Six PAC basketball players have been tabbed to the 2006 All-Great Lakes Region Men's Basketball and Women's Basketball teams by the D3Hoops.com website. Leading the way was Washington & Jefferson senior guard Leigh Sulkowski, who was named Region Player of the Year by the website. Other women's honorees included Bethany senior Jenny Place and Thiel freshman Amber Bodrick, who were both All-Region second team selections. On the men's side, Bethany senior Mike Drahos was a second team pick, while brother Matt Drahos and W&J junior Jon Koch were each tabbed to the third team.

W&J'S ORSTEIN REPEATS AS D-III SWIM NATIONAL CHAMP IN 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Washington & Jefferson sophomore swimming standout Kaitlyn Orstein has repeated as national champion in the 400 individual medley, while adding a second place finish in the 200 IM and a third place finish in the 100 breaststroke at the NCAA Division III National Swimming & Diving Championships in Minneapolis, Minn.

W&J MEN AND WOMEN HOLD LEADS IN 2005-06 PAC ALL-SPORTS TROPHY RACES
The Washington & Jefferson men and women each hold leads after the conclusion of the 2005-06 winter varsity sports season in the 2005-06 PAC All-Sports trophy race.

THIEL WRESTLERS MURPHY, KEMBLE COMPETE AT NCAA D-III WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Thiel College junior wrestlers Corey Murphy and Mike Kemble competed at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, hosted by the College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J., on March 3.

BETHANY MEN, W&J WOMEN EACH FALL IN NCAA D-III BASKETBALL OPENING ROUND
The PAC champion Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team saw its 2005-06 season come to an end on March 3, as the Presidents (22-5) dropped a 73-55 decision to Medaille (N.Y.) College (26-1) in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in Rochester, N.Y. The PAC men's champion also suffered an early exit from the tournament, as Bethany (24-4) saw its 18-game win streak snapped in a 75-56 defeat at Transylvania (Ky.).

JELINEK STEPS DOWN AS HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH AT W&J
Washington & Jefferson has announced that Karel Jelinek, who has led the President men's basketball program for the past four years, has resigned effective March 10.

BETHANY DRAHOS BROTHERS EACH NAMED BASKETBALL ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
The standout senior basketball duo of Matt Drahos and Mike Drahos at Bethany has been honored as both players were named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American College Division Men's Basketball teams. Matt was one of five first team selections, while Mike was a second team honoree.

BETHANY MEN, W&J WOMEN CAPTURE 2006 PAC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS
The top-seeded Bethany men and Washington & Jefferson women each captured championships with wins in the title games of the 2006 PAC Basketball Tournaments on Feb. 25. On the men's side, the Bison rolled to their 18th straight win (and a conference-record 23 straight wins against PAC foes) with a 95-64 home win over fourth-seeded Waynesburg in Bethany, W.Va. Leading the way was senior F Mike Drahos with 28 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. On the women's side, senior G Leigh Sulkowski scored a game-high 25 points and became the 35th women's basketball player in NCAA Division III history to surpass 2,000 career points, leading top-seeded Washington & Jefferson to a come-from-behind 61-58 win over #2 seed Thomas More. On Friday night between the two semifinal games, the 2006 All-PAC Women's Basketball Teams were announced, while the 2006 All-PAC Men's Basketball Teams were announced earlier in the week. Complete tournament recaps for both the men's basketball and women's basketball tournaments are now online, as are final conference men's basketball and women's basketball statistics through the PAC tournaments. The 2006 NCAA Tournament teams will be announced on Sunday night (Feb. 26), with pairings to be released on Monday, Feb. 27.

BETHANY'S MATT DRAHOS, W&J'S SULKOWSKI NAMED 2006 JOSTENS TROPHY FINALISTS
Both 2006 PAC Basketball Players of the Year - Bethany senior forward Matt Drahos and Washington & Jefferson senior guard Leigh Sulkowski - are among the 10 men's & women's finalists, respectively, for the 2006 Jostens Trophy, given annually to a top player in NCAA Division III for success in basketball, academics and community service.

SNELL STEPS DOWN AS THIEL CAGE COACH
Thiel College has announced that Mike Snell will not return as men's basketball coach in 2006-07. Snell has led the Tomcat basketball program for the past four seasons.

KUREY ASSUMES AD DUTIES AT BETHANY
Bethany College has named Joseph M. Kurey Director of Athletics, effective immediately. Kurey, who has been affiliated with Bethany for more than 45 years and is currently Senior Vice President and Treasurer, has agreed to take on this responsibility in addition to his other duties.

THREE PAC BASKETBALL PLAYERS HONORED IN THE "FACES IN THE CROWD" SECTION OF SI
The PAC received some national publicity this week, as three conference basketball standouts were highlighted in the "Faces in the Crowd" section of Sports Illustrated. The Bethany senior duo of Matt & Mike Drahos were listed for both players surpassing the 1,500-point scoring plateau, while Thiel freshman Amber Bodrick was lauded for her national-best 51-point effort in an overtime win over Bethany this season

DAVE THOMAS ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION AS HEAD WRESTLING COACH AT WAYNESBURG
Waynesburg College has announced the resignation of Dave Thomas, head coach of the Yellow Jacket wrestling program, for personal reasons. Thomas, a Waynesburg native, led the program for the past six seasons. A search to fill the position is now underway.

MATT DRAHOS, HUFFMAN HONORED AS 2006 ALL-PAC MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAMS RELEASED
Bethany senior forward Matt Drahos is the 2006 PAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year, while Bison head coach Aaron Huffman has been named PAC Coach of the Year as part of the 2006 All-PAC Men's Basketball teams, released on Feb. 20.

THIEL WRESTLING PLACES SECOND AT REGIONALS; ADVANCES PAIR TO NATIONALS
Led by junior Corey Murphy’s individual championship at 165 pounds, Thiel College tied for second place with 99.5 team points at Saturday’s NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Qualifier, hosted by Case Western Reserve University.

WESTMINSTER SWEEPS 2006 PAC MEN'S & WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Westminster College swept both the men's and women's team titles at the 2006 PAC Swimming & Diving Championships, hosted by Grove City College in Grove City, Pa. Grove City sophomore Caleb Courage was named PAC Men's Swimmer o the Year, while Washington & Jefferson sophomore Kaitlyn Orstein was tabbed PAC Women's Swimmer of the Year. Westminster head coach Rob Klamut earned PAC Men's & Women's Swimming Coach of the Year recognition. Finals results from Thursday, Friday and Saturday are now available online, as is the complete listing of All-PAC performances for all three days of competition.

THIEL TO DISCONTINUE SIX VARSITY SPORTS
Thiel College has announced the discontinuance of six varsity sports - men's & women's cross country, men's & women's tennis, and men's & women's golf - effective at the conclusion of the 2005-06 academic year.

THIEL CONTINUES PAC WRESTLING DOMINATION AFTER WINNING SIXTH STRAIGHT TEAM TITLE
The Thiel Tomcats continued their recent domination of PAC wrestling by capturing their sixth consecutive team title (and 14th in the past 16 years) at the 2006 PAC Wrestling Championships, hosted by Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., on Feb. 9. The MatCats captured seven of 10 weight classes to post 157 points and easily outdistance host W&J (84) and Waynesburg (41). The Tomcats also swept both major awards, as sophomore 174-pounder Brandon Council was named PAC Outstanding Wrestler while Thiel's Craig Thurber was PAC Coach of the Year,

SEVEN PAC BASKETBALL PLAYERS EARN CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT II HONORS
The PAC is well represented in the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division basketball teams, as five men and two women from the conference were named to the teams, which were released on Feb. 9. Leading the way on the men's side was the senior duo of Matt and Mike Drahos, both of whom earned first team recognition and now move onto the ballot for the Academic All-America teams, which will be announced on March 1. Other men's honorees were second team selections Scott Mezyk of Bethany and Chuck Cotherman of Grove City, while Mark DeMonaco of Westminster was tabbed to the third team. On the women's side, Bethany's Jenny Place earned second team recognition, while Katie Lewandowski of Waynesburg was picked for the third team.

PAC TO ADD CHATHAM COLLEGE AS 10TH LEAGUE MEMBER IN 2007-08
The PAC has announced the addition of Chatham College in Pittsburgh, Pa., as the 10th member of the conference, beginning in the 2007-08 academic year. Chatham is an NCAA Division III active member which currently competes in the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference (AWCC).

THIEL HIRES BREWER AS VOLLEYBALL COACH
Thiel has announced the hiring of Steve Brewer as the new head coach of the Tomcat volleyball program. Brewer, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Hiram, replaces Amy Schafer after Thiel decided to split her volleyball and softball coaching duties. Schafer remains at Thiel as head softball coach.

GROVE CITY EXPANDING ATHLETIC STAFF
Grove City College has announced an expansion of its athletic department staff which will result in several changes in 2006-07, including Melissa Lamie stepping down as head women's basketball coach at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season.

192 STUDENT-ATHLETES NAMED TO FALL 2005 PAC ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL
A total of 192 student-athletes have been named to the PAC Academic Honor Roll for the Fall 2005 semester. The Honor Roll consists of fall varsity sports athletes who earned a grade-point average of 3.6 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) during their season of competition.

LYLE RETIRING AS GCC MEN'S SOCCER COACH AFTER 34 YEARS; DREVES TO REPLACE
After 34 seasons at the helm of the program, Dr. Don Lyle is retiring as head men's soccer coach at Grove City. Lyle will continue as director of athletics and chair of the physical education department at the College. He will be replaced as Wolverine head men's soccer coach by Michael Dreves, who has served as the top assistant at Grove City  for the past five years.

THIEL'S HENDRICKS NAMED TOP O-LINEMAN; EIGHT PAC FOOTBALL PLAYERS TABBED TO HANSEN'S NCAA D-III ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
The honors continue to roll in for PAC football players following an historic 2005 season which saw the conference place two teams in the NCAA playoffs for the first time in history. On Jan. 13, eight PAC players were named to the 2005 Division III All-America Football teams by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, led by Thiel senior offensive tackle Dave Hendricks. In addition to being a First Team All-American, Hendricks was tabbed as the national Offensive Lineman of the Year by Hansen's. Hendricks was joined on the first team by Westminster nose tackle Ryan Chmura. Other PAC honorees included senior WR Brandon Chambers of Thiel on the second team; Westminster senior C B.A. Lambie and Thomas More junior CB Chris Willis on the third team; and W&J senior QB Chris Edwards, Thiel sophomore RB Steve Minton and Thomas More junior LB Mark Carlisle all earning honorable mention.

ONDERKO NAMED PAC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The PAC has announced the hiring of Joe Onderko as executive director of the conference, effective July 1, 2006. Onderko becomes the first full-time executive director in the 50-year history of the PAC.

HANSEN ALL-REGION TEAMS FEATURE 21 PAC PLAYERS; THIEL DUO RECEIVES HONORS
A total of 21 PAC football players have been named to the 2005 NCAA Division III All-South Region team by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, including seven first team honorees. Leading the way was the Thiel duo of senior offensive tackle Dave Hendricks, who was named Offensive Lineman of the Year in the Region, and Thiel coach Jack Leipheimer, who was tabbed Regional Coach of the Year. In addition to Hendricks, the other PAC platers to receive First Team recognition were running back Steve Minton and wide receiver Brandon Chambers of Thiel, center B.A. Lambie and defensive tackle Ryan Chmura of Westminster, and linebacker Mark Carlisle and cornerback Chris Willis of Thomas More.

W&J NAMES BILL DUKETT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Washington & Jefferson College has announced the hiring of Bill Dukett, a 23-year veteran of the College, as director of athletics at W&J. Dukett has worked in the alumni affairs and development offices at W&J since 1998. He began his career at W&J in 1982, serving for 16 years as associate head football coach while also serving as head track & field coach (1982-92) and head men's & women's golf coach (1992-2003). Dukett will begin his new position on February 1.

SAINT VINCENT HIRES BOB COLBERT AS NEW BEARCAT HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
New PAC member Saint Vincent College has announced the hiring of Bob Colbert as the new head coach of the Bearcat football program, scheduled to restart at the College in 2007 following a nearly 50-year hiatus. Colbert, a 36-year coaching veteran, has spent the past six years as associate head coach at Bridgwater (Va.) College, reaching the NCAA Division III playoffs each of those years and capturing the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title the past five seasons. He is the brother of Kevin Colbert, director of football operations for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, who hold their training camp at Saint Vincent each summer.

PAC FOOTBALL PLACES FIVE ON D3FOOTBALL.COM ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
A total of five PAC football players were named to the 2005 D3Football.com All-America teams, released on Dec. 17. Thiel senior wide receiver Brandon Chambers and Westminster senior nose tackle Ryan Chmura were each selected to the second team. A pair of Washington & Jefferson players - senior wide receiver Aaron Krepps and junior guard Chris Hickey - were tabbed to the third team. Finally, Thiel senior offensive tackle Dave Hendricks earned honorable mention recognition.

THIEL'S HENDRICKS, W&J'S KREPPS TABBED TO AP LITTLE ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
Thiel senior offensive lineman Dave Hendricks and Washington & Jefferson senior wide receiver Aaron Krepps have each been named to the Associated Press (AP) Little All-America Football Third Team.

PAC AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS ON AFCA DIVISION III ALL-AMERICA FOOTBALL TEAM
The PAC is just one of two Division III conferences in the nation (joining the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) to place three players on the 2005 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III All-America team. PAC All-Americans for 2005 are Washington & Jefferson senior wide receiver Aaron Krepps, Thiel senior offensive lineman Dave Hendricks, and Grove City senior defensive back Aaron Margo.

THIEL'S CHAMBERS, W&J'S EDWARDS LEAD GAGGLE OF FOOTBALL POSTSEASON HONORS
PAC football is very well represented in the first wave of 2005 postseason awards. A total of 18 conference players (five on the first team, five on the second team, eight on the third team) have been selected to the 2005 D3Football.com All-South Region Team. Leading the way was Thiel senior wide receiver Brandon Chambers, who was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the South Region. In addition, nine league players were tabbed to the 2005 ECAC Division III Southwest All-Star team. That team was paced by Washington & Jefferson senior quarterback Chris Edwards, who earned Player of the Year recognition.

BETHANY COLLEGE HIRES TIM WEAVER AS NEW HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Bethany College introduced current Columbia University and former Harvard University defensive coordinator Tim Weaver as its 36th head football coach during a press conference Thursday afternoon (Dec. 8) in Hummel Field House.

THREE PAC WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS NAMED TO 2005 GREAT LAKES ALL-REGION TEAMS
Three PAC players have been selected to the 2005 Great Lakes All-Region Men's Soccer Teams. Westminster sophomore forward Mallory Bugel was a first team honoree, while Lady Titan sophomore defender Brittany McKee was named to the second team and W&J senior forward Jen Pergola was tabbed to the third team.

THREE PAC MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TABBED TO 2005 MID-ATLANTIC ALL-REGION TEAMS
Three PAC players have been selected to the 2005 Mid-Atlantic All-Region Men's Soccer Teams. Washington & Jefferson junior midfielder Mike Seminerio was a first team honoree, while Bethany junior midfielder Lavel Williams was named to the second team and W&J sophomore defender Travis Brown was tabbed to the third team.

JACK LEIPHEIMER OF THIEL NAMED AFCA REGION II FOOTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
After leading the Thiel Tomcats to an undefeated 10-0 regular season, Thiel head football coach Jack Leipheimer has been named Region II Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

THIEL FOOTBALL FALLS TO BRIDGEWATER 24-13 IN NCAA D-III PLAYOFF SECOND ROUND
The Thiel Tomcat football team saw the most successful season in the program's history come to an end on Nov. 26, as the PAC champion Tomcats (11-1) suffered a 24-13 home loss to Bridgewater (Va.) in the second round of the 2005 NCAA Division III Playoffs.

BUGEL EARNS ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Westminster sophomore Mallory Bugel has been selected to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American College Division Women's Soccer third team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

THREE PAC FOOTBALL PLAYERS TABBED TO PLAY IN 2005 AZTEC BOWL
Washington & Jefferson senior wide receiver/kick returner Aaron Krepps, Grove City senior strong safety Aaron Margo and Thiel senior offensive tackle Dave Hendricks will represent the PAC in the 2005 Aztec Bowl, which annually pits a team of Division III all-stars against the Mexican national team. This year's game will take place on Dec. 17 in Toluca, Mexico.

PAC FOOTBALL TEAMS SPLIT IN NCAA PLAYOFFS AS THIEL TOPS JOHNS HOPKINS 28-3; W&J FALLS AT BRIDGEWATER 30-21
The PAC posted a split in NCAA Division III Football first round playoff action on Nov. 19. The PAC champion Thiel Tomcats (11-0) remained undefeated by rolling over Johns Hopkins (8-3) 28-3 in Greenville. Senior WR Brandon Chambers led the way for the 'Cats, as he hauled in 10 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns against the Blue Jays. Washington & Jefferson (9-2) was not as fortunate, as the Presidents suffered a 30-21 setback at Bridgewater (9-1) in another opening round contest. Thiel will now host Bridgewater in a second round contest in Greenville next Saturday, Nov. 26 at noon.

GCC'S PEDERSEN EARNS CROSS COUNTRY ALL-AMERICAN HONORS WITH 27TH PLACE FINISH
Grove City College senior runner Elisa Pedersen has earned All-American honors after placing 27th in a 213-runner field at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.

2005-06 PAC MEN'S & WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SEASONS READY TO ROLL ON NOVEMBER 18
The 2005-06 PAC basketball season gets underway on Friday, November 18, as all seven league schools are in tournament action. The preseason poll and composite schedules for men's basketball and women's basketball are now online. You can also read season previews for the men's programs at Bethany, Grove City, Thiel, Thomas More, W&J, Waynesburg and Westminster, as well as the women's programs at Bethany, Grove City, Thiel, Thomas More, W&J, Waynesburg and Westminster.

EDWARDS, LEIPHEIMER EARN TOP HONORS ON 2005 ALL-PAC FOOTBALL TEAMS
Washington & Jefferson senior quarterback Chris Edwards has been named 2005 PAC Player of the Year and Thiel head coach Jack Leipheimer has been tabbed 2005 PAC Coach of the Year, topping the 2005 All-PAC Football Teams which were released on Nov. 16.

TWICE AS NICE: HISTORIC DAY FOR PAC FOOTBALL AS THIEL, W&J EARN NCAA BERTHS
The 2005 season will be remembered as a historic one for PAC football, as the conference has placed two teams in the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in the 50-year history of the conference. PAC champion Thiel (10-0), fresh off its thrilling triple-OT win at Carnegie Mellon on Nov. 12, will host Johns Hopkins University (8-2) in an opening round contest this Saturday (Nov. 19). The game marks the first-ever NCAA playoff appearance for the Tomcat football program. Thiel joined in the Big Dance by Washington & Jefferson (9-1), as the Presidents will travel to face Bridgewater (Va.) (9-1) in another first round matchup on Nov. 19. W&J and Bridgewater meet for the third time in the playoffs in the past six years, with each team winning once previously (including W&J posting a double-OT home win last season). If both Thiel and W&J post first round victories, the two teams would face each other in the Round of 16 in Greenville on Nov. 26 in a rematch of Thiel's 38-35 overtime win over the Presidents in Washington on Oct. 1. The conference weekly press release and final regular season football statistics are now online.

GROVE CITY MEN ADVANCE TO ECAC SOCCER FINALS; W&J MEN, WESTMINSTER WOMEN EACH FALL IN NCAA SOCCER TOURNAMENT ACTION
The PAC had three conference soccer teams in postseason action on Nov. 12. The Grove City men posted the top performance of the day, as the Wolverines advanced to the championship of the ECAC Division III South Region Tournament by outlasting top-seeded McDaniel. The two teams played to a 1-1 double-overtime tie before GCC advanced via a 2-1 margin in penalty kicks. Grove City then fell to host Johns Hopkins 3-0 in the ECAC championship match on Sunday (Nov. 13). In NCAA Tournament action, the Washington & Jefferson men suffered a 3-1 setback at Carnegie Mellon in an opening round men's contest, while the Westminster women fell at The College of New Jersey 5-0 in a second round women's matchup.

THIEL FOOTBALL WINS THRILLER AT CMU TO FINISH 10-0; WAYNESBURG POSTS HOME PAC WIN OVER WESTMINSTER; THOMAS MORE FALLS
The final weekend of the college football season on Nov. 12 saw the game of the day take place in Pittsburgh. The PAC champion Thiel Tomcats (10-0) closed the regular season with a thrilling come-from-behind 50-48 triple overtime win at Carnegie Mellon (5-5) behind six touchdown passes by QB Darrell Satterfield. The win by the Tomcats has the PAC in position to possibly have two NCAA playoff teams (Thiel and 9-1 Washington & Jefferson) for the first time in the 50-year history of the conference. The NCAA pairings will be announced on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 13). The final conference game of the year saw Waynesburg (4-6, 2-4 PAC) snap a four-game losing streak with a 40-13 home win over Westminster (4-6, 2-4 PAC), while Thomas More (5-5) closed its season with a 31-7 loss to rival Mount St. Joseph (9-1) in the Bridge Bowl. The conference release (with any playoff pairings) and statistics will be available here by Sunday night.

PAC RUNNERS, TEAMS FARE WELL AT 2005 NCAA D-III MID EAST REGIONALS AT DICKINSON
Several PAC teams and runners posted solid finishes at the 2005 NCAA Division III Mid East Regionals on Nov. 12, hosted by Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa. Leading the way were the Grove City women, who finished in fourth place in a 42-team field led by senior Elisa Pedersen, who qualified for the NCAA National Championships after finishing in fifth place (22:23.4) in a 293-runner field. The Waynesburg women finished in 16th place in team competition, led by freshman Megan Grover with a 32nd place finish. On the men's side, GCC led the way for the conference in 17th place out of 40 teams, followed by Washington & Jefferson in 25th place. W&J sophomore Matt Rudzki was the top PAC men's finisher in 25th place (26:54.6) in a 279-runner field. Complete men's and women's results are now online.

W&J VOLLEYBALL FALL TO CARNEGIE MELLON AT ECAC SOUTH REGION TOURNAMENT
The PAC champion Washington & Jefferson volleyball team saw its 2005 season come to an end on Nov. 11, as the Presidents dropped a 3-0 decision at Carnegie Mellon (30-18, 30-23, 30-26) in an opening round match.

BETHANY ANNOUNCES ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL CHANGES
Bethany College announced major changes on Nov. 11 in their athletic department, which includes releasing Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Steve Lee and two other football coaches from their contracts. The complete release is here.

PAC PLACES 13 ATHLETES ON COSIDA FOOTBALL/ VOLLEYBALL ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS
One week after placing eight conference soccer player on the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II teams, the PAC was even more successful in student-athletes earning football and volleyball CoSIDA Academic All-District II honors on Nov. 10, as 13 conference athletes (11 football, two volleyball) were recognized. Seven of the 24 first team football honorees were PAC players, led by the Washington & Jefferson quartet of QB Chris Edwards, RB R.J. Zitzelsberger, WR Aaron Krepps and DB Cory Walsh. They were joined on the first time by LB Garret Choby and DL Richard Welch of Grove City and DL Adam Hadbavny of Westminster. Second team football honorees were OL Chris Teter of W&J, WR T.J. Parker of Bethany, and RB Matt Weil and DL Jordan Johnston of Grove City. In volleyball, W&J libero Anne Reynolds was a second team honoree, while Grove City setter Kim Walsh earned third team laurels. The seven football first team awardees now move to the Academic All-America ballot, with the team scheduled to be announced on Dec. 1.

2005 ALL-PAC SOCCER TEAMS ANNOUNCED
The 2005 All-PAC teams and postseason award winners for both men's soccer and women's soccer have been released.

PAC CROWNS CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS IN MEN'S & WOMEN'S SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL ON NOV. 5; ALL-PAC VOLLEYBALL TEAMS ALSO ANNOUNCED
Three different schools captured PAC fall sports titles on Nov. 5. In volleyball, second-seeded Washington & Jefferson capped a stellar 24-5 regular season by upsetting top-seeded Waynesburg 3-1 in the conference title match behind 14 kills by senior OH Lakia Gordon. The Grove City men's soccer team also recorded an upset, as the second-seeded Wolverines posted a 2-1 road win at top seed Washington & Jefferson behind a pair of penalty kick goals by junior Bob McNees. Finally, new league member Thomas More captured its first conference title in any sport, as the third-seeded Saints posted a 2-0 win over fourth seed Grove City to capture the PAC women's soccer title. The conference also released the All-PAC Volleyball Teams and postseason award winners.

PAC PLACES EIGHT PLAYERS ON COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT SOCCER TEAMS
The PAC was well represented on the 2005 CoSIDA Academic All-District II College Division soccer teams, released on Nov. 3, as the conference had eight players (six women, two men) honored. On the women's side, Washington & Jefferson senior midfielder Lyndsay McCaskey and Westminster sophomore forward Mallory Bugel were each first team selections. A trio of Grove City players - Katie Klingensmith, Kristin Hummel and Alix Flowers - joined Sarah Bouldin of Westminster on the third team. On the men's side, both Bethany junior forward Sean Esterbauer and Waynesburg junior midfielder Ross Phillips were both first team honorees. The four first team awardees will now move to the Academic All-America ballot.

GROVE CITY SWEEPS MEN'S & WOMEN'S TITLES AT 2005 PAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Grove City College men's and women's cross country teams each captured team championships at the 2005 PAC Cross Country Championships, hosted on Oct. 29 by Thiel College at the Greenville Airport In Greenville, Pa. Individual champions were sophomore Matt Rudzki of Washington & Jefferson and senior Elisa Pedersen of Grove City. Final team and individual results are now available online.

PAAC SAAC HONORS PAIR AS SEPTEMBER 2005 PAC SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
Bethany senior cross country runner Ken Hopper and Westminster junior volleyball player Katie McDermott have been selected as PAC Scholar-Athletes of the Month for September 2005 by the members of the PAC Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).

W&J'S EDWARDS FINALIST FOR DRADDY TROPHY
Washington & Jefferson senior quarterback Chris Edwards has been selected as one of 16 finalists nationally (and one of just three from NCAA Division III) for the Draddy Trophy, known as the "Academic Heisman". Each of the 16 finalists will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) will present the Draddy Trophy to the winner at the 48th NFF Awards Dinner on Dec. 6 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

GROVE CITY COLLEGE EARNS 19TH CONSECUTIVE PAC WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
The Grove City College women's tennis team posted victories in all nine flights to finish with a perfect team score of 54 points at the 2005 PAC Women's Tennis Championships, held Oct. 21-22 at the Pennbriar Fitness & Racquet Club in Erie. The Wolverine netters of head coach Cathy Jacobs, who earned PAC Coach of the Year laurels, have now capture their 19th consecutive conference title. GCC sophomore Kristin McNally was named 2005 PAC Player of the Year after capturing the top singles draw. Complete team standings and individual results are now online.

GENEVA COLLEGE ADDED AS NINTH MEMBER OF PRESIDENTS' ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) has announced the addition of Geneva College of Beaver Falls, Pa., as the ninth member of the conference. The members of the PAC Presidents' Council voted unanimously to accept Geneva's application for membership during a conference call on Sept. 26. Geneva, currently a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), is completing an NCAA Division III exploratory year in 2005-06 and will begin playing a full conference schedule in 2007-08. The complete release is here.

PAC SCHOOLS ACTIVE IN HURRICANE RELIEF
Several PAC schools have been active in relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast. Grove City, Thiel and Washington & Jefferson all collected money for the effort at their home football games on Sept. 10, with Thiel raising $375 and both Grove City and W&J donating a portion of gate receipts. Thomas More did not charge admission for its home football game against Grove City on Sept. 17, and instead accepted donations for hurricane relief efforts.

2005-06 PAC RELEASE ARCHIVE NOW ONLINE
If you miss a week of PAC action, you can always check past PAC releases in the 2005-06 archive, which is now available online.

NEW 2005-06 PAC DIRECTORY NOW AVAILABLE
The updated 2005-06 PAC directory is now available online.

2005 PAC FOOTBALL PREVIEW NOW ONLINE
With training camps ready to roll, anticipation for the upcoming football season is building. The 2005 PAC Football Preview, featuring a comprehensive look at all seven conference teams, is now available online to give fans an up close look at their favorite team..

RICK CREEHAN RESIGNS AS W&J ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Washington & Jefferson College Director of Athletics Rick Creehan has resigned his position effective August 31, to become the executive vice president of Adrian College (Mich.). The complete release is here. W&J has named long-time former volleyball coach Vicki Staton to serve as interim director of athletics.

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PICKED TO REPEAT AS PAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS
The Washington & Jefferson football team has been selected to repeat as champions of the PAC, according to the preseason poll released at the 2005 PAC Football Media Day in Pittsburgh on August 2. The complete release is here.

PAC TO ADD SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE AS EIGHTH MEMBER
The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) has announced the addition of Saint Vincent College of Latrobe, Pa., as the eighth member of the conference. Complete information can be found here.

2005 PAC COMPOSITE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE NOW ONLINE
Believe it or not, football season is just around the corner. To help you make your fall plans, the composite 2005 PAC football schedule is now online.

W&J MEN, WESTMINSTER WOMEN CAPTURE PAC 2004-05 ALL-SPORTS TROPHIES
The Washington & Jefferson men and the Westminster women have captured the 2004-05 PAC All-Sports trophies. The complete release, along with a sport-by-sport breakdown, is here.