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Widener U Athletics

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Senior captain and setter Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa./Penncrest) also set a single-match school record by notching 57 assists earlier today.


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Widener Volleyball Splits at MAC Crossover; Barbieri & Dorman Set Records


ANNVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 1, 2016) – Sophomore Nicole Dorman (East Norriton, Pa.) and senior captain Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) each set a single-match school record as the Widener University volleyball team split against its competition at a MAC Crossover hosted by Lebanon Valley on Saturday. The Pride defeated Misericordia in four sets and also fell to FDU-Florham in five.


FDU-Florham 3, Widener 2 (25-22, 21-25, 26-28, 27-25, 12-15)

Widener opened the day with a back-and-fourth battle against FDU-Florham in which four of the five sets were decided by three points or less.


Despite the setback, Dorman and Barbieri established single-match school records for kills and assists. Dorman smashed 34 kills on 85 while also finishing the contest with seven digs, two service aces and a .341 hitting percentage. Barbieri contributed 57 assists along with four kills and five digs during the marathon.


Chrissy Murrin held the program standard for kills in a match with 29, which she registered against Keuka on Oct. 9, 2004. Barbieri, meanwhile, eclipsed the previous record mark of 56 assists which was initially established by Becky Rohrbaugh on Sept. 16, 2006 at Stockton and matched by Jamie Ballew at Elizabethtown on Oct. 15, 2008.


Another solid contributor in the match was sophomore Janie Kalinock (Ellicott City, Md.), who finished with a team-leading six blocks along with five kills. Senior Lauren Elliott (Aston, Pa.) added 25 digs.


Widener 3, Misericordia 1 (25-19, 25-19, 24-26, 25-16)

After a tough start to the day, Widener rebounded by registering a four-set victory over Misericordia to finish the weekend on a high note. The Pride were once again led by Barbieri and Dorman. Barbieri just missed a triple-double by contributing 37 assists and nine kills along with a season-best eight aces, while Dorman ended with 15 kills and seven digs. Freshman Ashley McAfee (Abington, Pa.) sparked the defense by racking up a career-high 17 digs.


Widener (8-11) will play its next four matches at the Schwartz Center beginning on Monday, Oct. 3 when it hosts Moravian. First serve is slated for 7:00 p.m.
 
Pitone Named MAC Men’s Runner of the Week for Second Time


ANNVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 3, 2016) – Widener’s Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa.) has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference Men’s Runner of the Week, as announced by the league office. He is receiving the award for the second time this fall.


Pitone ran in the Men’s 8k Gold Division and placed 24th overall among 336 competitors, including second among Division III runners, in a blistering time of 24:09 while racing against some of the nation’s best Division I competition. In addition, his mark was almost two minutes faster than any other runner from the other MAC institutions in their respective 8k races last week.


Widener will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 15 when it competes at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle.
 
oravian Edges Widener Volleyball in Five-Set Marathon





CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 3, 2016) – Senior captain Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) and sophomore Nicole Dorman (East Norriton, Pa.) each registered double-doubles, but the Widener University volleyball team fell to Moravian by a score of 3-2 on Monday evening at the Schwartz Center. Set scores were 25-23, 16-25, 15-25, 25-21 and 10-15.


Widener came out on a roll during the first set and burst out to a 7-1 advantage. Sophomores Kierston Forney (Manassas, Va.) and Janie Kalinock (Ellicott City, Md.) teamed up for a pair of blocks to provide a spark in the early going before two Moravian attacking errors helped the Pride build their lead up to 13-4. But by taking advantage of several Widener attacking errors, Moravian stormed back and tied the match at 16s when Mary Zacher dropped one of her two service aces. The Pride, however, got a kill and a solo block from Kalinock on the next two rallies to move ahead again and for good. Another solo block by Kalinock gave the hosts the narrow victory in a sloppy set that saw the teams combine for a negative hitting percentage.


The Pride led early in the second set, but a kill by Taylor Kornmann followed by a net violation on the hosts allowed Moravian to take an 8-7 advantage. The Greyhounds used the momentum to embark on a 13-4 run and build themselves an 18-10 lead. Widener came no closer than seven the rest of the way, and a kill by Zacher on set point allowed the Greyhounds to even things up.


After Widener scored the first point of the third set on a Kristin DeCicco (Sewell, N.J.) kill, the Greyhounds used a setting error by Barbieri as fuel to jump ahead. Consecutive service aces by Victoria Kauffman made it 4-1, and a solo block by Taylor Kornmann later put the Greyhounds ahead by an 18-9 score. Another Pride setting error allowed the visitors to take the third set by a 10-point margin.


Widener came storming back in the fourth set and hit at a .405 clip to eventually force a deciding frame. In a close set that featured five ties and three lead changes, Barbieri set up Dorman and Forney for kills to break a 15-all tie and force the Greyhounds to take a timeout. Widener did not surrender the lead the rest of the way and ended it on another kill by Dorman.


The fifth set, however, belonged to Moravian. After a back-and-forth start which featured five ties, a pair of Pride attacking errors kickstarted a 5-0 run for the Greyhounds. Two more errors on the attack by the hosts put Moravian firmly ahead at 13-7, and Zacher smashed a kill on match point to give the Greyhounds the victory.


Moravian (10-10) was paced by Zacher, who fell just shy of a double-double with 18 kills and nine digs. Kauffman contributed 44 assists and seven digs to go along with three aces, and Jean Markovic dug up 25 Pride attack attempts.


Barbieri and Dorman, who each broke a single-match school record over the weekend, led the way for the Pride in the setback. Barbieri had 48 kills and 13 digs, while Dorman added 22 kills and 12 digs. Kalinock put fohrth a solid effort with eight kills and eight blocks, including four solo, and freshman Ashley McAfee (Abington, Pa.) led the defense with 16 digs.


Widener (8-12) resumes Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action when it hosts Stevenson on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7:00 p.m.




Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
oucher Downs Widener Women’s Soccer in Non-Conference Action


TOWSON, Md. (Oct. 4, 2016) – The Widener University women’s soccer team dropped its final non-conference match of the season to Goucher by a 4-0 score on Tuesday evening at Beldon Field.


Goucher (6-4-1) scored twice late in the first half and never looked back. Isabel Suazo put the Gophers on the board with a strike in the 36th minute, and Stephanie Budrock knocked in another to double the margin just 2:14 later to give the hosts a 2-0 advantage at the break.


Widener came out strong in the second half and attempted to rally. Sophomore Stephanie Mindnich (Bellingham, Wash.) fired off two quick shots, but both of her boots were corralled by Gopher goalkeeper Lexi Rudolph. Budrock and Samantha Turner then added insurance tallies in the 74th and 81st minutes, respectively, to close out the scoring.


Rudolph turned away 12 shots to earn her fifth clean sheet of the season for Goucher, while the Pride’s Jenna Keating (Havertown, Pa.) failed to make a save in the setback.


Widener (2-6-2) resumes conference play when it visits Lebanon Valley on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 1:00 p.m.
 
idener's Ernie Pitone Named ECAC Men’s Runner of the Week for Second Time This Fall


DANBURY, Conn. (Oct. 5, 2016) – Widener senior Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) has been named the Corvias ECAC South Region Men’s Runner of the Week, as announced by the organization. He is receiving the award for the second time this season after also being named the Middle Atlantic Conference Men’s Runner of the Week on Monday.


Pitone ran in the Men's 8k Gold Division and placed 24th overall among 336 competitors, including second among Division III runners, in a blistering time of 24:09 while racing against some of the nation's best Division I competition. In addition, his mark was almost two minutes faster than any other runner from the other MAC institutions in their respective 8k races last week.

Widener will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 15 when it competes at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Field Hockey Edged by Cabrini on Late Second-Half Goal


RADNOR, Pa. (Oct. 5, 2016) – The Widener University field hockey team dropped a non-conference battle to Cabrini by a 2-1 score on Wednesday evening at Edith Robb Dixon Field.


The teams exchanged goals in the early going. After Sara Johnsen finished a pass from Jackie Neary to put the Cavaliers on the board just 1:42 into the contest, the Pride answered right back when junior Eliza Newlin (Lewisburg, Pa.) won a loose ball in front of the goal and found the back of the cage. The teams went into the recess tied at 1-1.


Cabrini (5-6) kept Widener’s offense at bay in the second half and threatened to score several times throughout the frame. The defensive line, however, came up huge to keep the contest deadlocked with freshman Codi Spoonhour and sophomore Sarah Quintus (Drexel Hill, Pa.) each recording defense saves.


But after Widener freshman Sam Scoma attempted a shot that sailed wide, the Cavaliers got the goal they needed when Taylor Mack deflected home a long pass from Sara DeVita in the 55th minute. The Cabrini defense did not allow the visitors to attempt a shot the rest of the way, allowing the team to hold on for the victory.


Taylor Bookman picked up the victory between the pipes for Cabrini by turning away one shot, while the Pride’s Mikayla Ninos (Northampton, Pa.) was credited with three saves in the loss.


Widener (5-5) will regroup and return to league action when it visits Albright on Saturday, Oct. 8 at noon.
 
Widener Volleyball Drops Conference Match to Stevenson


CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 5, 2016) – The Widener University volleyball team put up a strong fight but eventually fell to Stevenson by a 3-0 decision on Wednesday evening at the Schwartz Center. Set scores were 16-25, 18-25 and 24-26.


Stevenson came out firing on all cylinders at the beginning and built up a 4-0 advantage by most notably getting two straight kills from Kristen Brooks and an ace from Annika Schwartz. Widener fought back and tied the set up at 10s courtesy of an ace by senior captain Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.), but the Mustangs recovered by scoring the next three points and never trailed. After Chelsea Ireland and Lauren Weaver teamed up for a block to make it 18-15 and force the Pride to call a timeout, the visitors scored seven of the next eight points to close out the set.


The Pride challenged the Mustangs in the second set as well. A nip-and-tuck affair was highlighted by seven ties over the first 14 rallies before a Pride service error sparked a small three-point swing for the visitors. Widener answered with three straight, beginning with a kill by sophomore Janie Kalinock (Ellicott City, Md.) to knot things up at 10, but the Mustangs once again would not surrender the lead. Even though a block by junior Lauren Daly (Springfield, Pa.) and Barbieri brought the Pride within one again at 16-15, the Mustangs would answer with four straight points and did not look back the rest of the way.


Widener continued to show improvement and had the Mustangs on the ropes in the third set. After falling behind by three points on two occasions, the Pride took advantage of several service errors and other mistakes by Stevenson to rally. The hosts found themselves leading 14-10 and then 18-14 on a service ace by sophomore Nicole Dorman (East Norriton, Pa.) to establish control, and a smash by classmate Kierston Forney gave Widener its biggest lead at 21-16.


Stevenson, however, stormed back and avoided dropping the set by closing out on a 10-3 run. Barbieri set up Dorman for a kill to tie the set at 24-all, but a kill by Annika Schwartz followed by a Pride attacking error allowed the Mustangs to escape with the set victory and win the match.


Schwartz finished with 12 kills and 11 digs to lead the way for Stevenson (16-7, MAC Commonwealth 5-0), which has yet to lose to a conference opponent since joining the league in 2012. Sara Bollinger had 20 assists and six digs, while Chelsea Ireland concluded the match with four kills and a team-leading four blocks.


Widener (8-13, MAC Commonwealth 2-2) was paced by Barbieri, Dorman and Kalinock. Barbieri registered 20 assists and seven digs, while Dorman contributed seven digs and led the team with 10 kills and three aces. Kalinock notched six kills and hit at a .357 clip.


The Pride will remain at home to host a tri-match against Kentucky Christian and Lancaster Bible on Saturday, Oct. 8 beginning at 10:00 a.m.
 
Logan Stroman Named Women’s XC and T&F Coach at Widener


CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 6, 2016) – Widener University Director of Athletics Jack Shafer has announced the hiring of Logan Stroman as the new head women’s cross country and track & field coach. He was most recently an assistant coach at Lebanon Valley for the past three years.


“We are excited to have Logan join us as our new women’s cross country and track & field coach at Widener,” said Shafer. “He has a proven track record as both a coach and former student-athlete, and he is already familiar with our programs and conference from his experiences as an assistant at Lebanon Valley. We firmly believe that Logan will be able to continue to build on the strong foundation in our women’s cross country and track & field programs that is already in place for future success and elevate them to elite status in all areas.”


At Lebanon Valley, Stroman worked with all six of the track & field and cross country programs with an emphasis on overseeing the sprinters, middle distance and distance runners as well as the jumpers. He also developed and implemented a strength and conditioning program for the sprinters, jumpers and distance competitors.


The Dutchmen student-athletes flourished under Stroman’s guidance. The programs collectively produced six individual NCAA Division III All-Americans in the 800 and high jump, including one national champion, as well as 29 Middle Atlantic Conference champions in individual events he oversaw. Furthermore, a combined 39 indoor and outdoor school records were established during his tenure, and the women’s program won the 2014 Middle Atlantic Conference Indoor Track & Field title.


“I would like to thank the student-athletes, Jack Shafer and the administration for their support throughout this process,” stated Stroman. “Vince Touey has and continues to build a successful men’s program, and I hope to match that standard with the women. Furthermore, I am thrilled for the opportunity to coach a strong group of talented student-athletes that I have been able to watch compete at a high level in the Middle Atlantic Conference.”


Prior to Lebanon Valley, Stroman coached in the same capacity on the scholastic level with the track & field programs at Chaska High School in Minnesota for two seasons. He helped the teams combine to break eight school records, and the boys team he previously ran for placed as high as ninth at the Minnesota State High School League Championships.


Stroman was also a standout student-athlete and former NCAA Division I All-American at the University of Minnesota, winning four Big Ten team titles with the Gophers and an NCAA bronze medal as part of its indoor distance medley relay group in 2010. He specialized in running the 400, 600 and 800-meter distances as well as the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.


A native of Chaska, Minnesota, Stroman earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a minor in coaching from Minnesota in 2011 as well as a master’s in applied kinesiology from the same institution in 2013. Furthermore, he is a USA Track & Field Level 1 certified coach and a certified strength & conditioning specialist by the National Strength & Conditioning Association.


Stroman will begin his duties at Widener later this month.

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College Sports Transaction

Widener – Named Logan Stroman head women’s cross country and track & field coach.








Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Women’s Swimming Soundly Defeats Stevenson, 190-71, in Opening Meet


CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 8, 2016) – Freshman Jill Bujanowski (Edgewater Park, N.J.) won three individual events in her first collegiate meet as the Widener University women’s swimming team earned a 190-71 victory over Stevenson in the opening dual meet of the season for both schools on Saturday afternoon at the Schwartz Center. Widener won gold in 13 of the 14 events to cruise to victory.


Bujanowski started off the afternoon by swimming the leadoff leg for the winning 200-yard medley relay team which touched the wall in 1:55.17. The group also included freshman Sammy Grogan (Newtown, Pa.), sophomore Lauren Griffith (Doylestown, Pa.) and senior Melaney Heald (Georgetown, Del.).


The Widener freshman followed up her debut performance by winning her first individual race and capturing the 100 back in 1:02.44. She ended the afternoon by also placing first in the 100 fly and 200 IM in times of 1:01.42 and 2:18.62, respectively.


Other notable individual performances were made by junior Christine Kunzler (Livermore, Calif.) and Heald. Kunzler won the 50 and 100 free events in 25.25 seconds and 56.01, while Heald was victorious in the 200 free in 2:01.42 and the 200 back with a mark of 2:20.47.


Widener (1-0, MAC 1-0) will next host Misericordia on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 11:00 a.m. during Homecoming Weekend.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Albright Outlasts Widener Field Hockey, 1-0, at Shirk Stadium


READING, Pa. (Oct. 8, 2016) – Albright scored an early goal in the first half and held on to defeat the Widener University field hockey team by a 1-0 score in Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action on Saturday afternoon at Shirk Stadium.


The Lions got the only goal they would need in the 12th minute. Amanda Long pulled Mikayla Ninos (Northampton, Pa.) out of the cage and slipped a pass to Kaley Donmoyer, who potted the ball from the right side to give the hosts the lead.


Widener, however, would apply pressure for the remainder of the game in an attempt to score the equalizer. Sam Scoma nearly tied the game when she fired a shot past goalkeeper Aileen Taylor, but Kendra Delgado came up with the defensive save in the 16th minute to keep the visitors off the board.


The Pride continued to send a barrage of shots on target throughout the remainder of the opening half and took four in a row following a penalty corner taken by junior Eliza Newlin (Lewisberg, Pa.). Taylor, however, turned away everything to keep Albright (9-2, MAC Commonwealth 2-1) ahead by a 1-0 score at the break and made four more saves in the second half to help the Lions survive and come away with the one-goal win.


Taylor made nine saves to earn the victory for Albright, while Widener’s Ninos stopped six shots in the tough setback.


Widener (5-6, MAC Commonwealth 1-2) will return home to face Wilkes on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 7:00 p.m.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Volleyball Defeats Kentucky Christian and Lancaster Bible


CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 8, 2016) – Sophomore Nicole Dorman (East Norriton, Pa.) registered her ninth double-double of the season and junior Lauren Daly (Springfield, Pa.) set a career high for kills as the Widener University volleyball team picked up two victories on Saturday afternoon at the Schwartz Center. The Pride defeated Kentucky Christian in four sets to start the day before sweeping Lancaster Bible later in the day.


Widener 3, Kentucky Christian 1 (25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-14)

Widener began the morning strong by hitting at a .323 clip to take the opening set against Kentucky Christian before gaining additional momentum to take the second frame as well. The Knights were able to extend the match, but the Pride recovered and easily took the fourth set to claim the victory.


Dorman notched her ninth double-double of the season by smashing 23 kills and recording 18 digs to lead the way for the Pride. She also recorded a .392 hitting percentage by only committing three errors on 51 swings. Senior captain Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) was on fire as the quarterback of the offense, tallying 53 assists while also contributing nine digs, four kills, two blocks and an ace. Sophomore Natalie Winn (San Marcos, Calif.) added a season-high 12 kills, and classmate Kierston Forney (Manassas, Va.) notched 11 kills in the winning effort.


Widener 3, Lancaster Bible 0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-14)

Widener made quick of Lancaster Bible and needed only 56 minutes to dismantle the Chargers in three sets. The Pride hit at a .354 clip, which was also their second highest hitting percentage of the season to date and also set a season best by smashing 50 kills over three frames as a squad.


Daly stepped up by smashing a career-best 11 kills. She also committed just three errors on 18 attempts to finish the match with an impressive .444 hitting percentage. Sophomore Janie Kalinock (Ellicott City, Md.) and Dorman notched 11 kills apiece, while freshman Caroline Dangel (Eldersburg, Md.) concluded the match with 12 assists, eight digs and a career-best four aces. Junior Carly Histing (Sicklerville, N.J.) also matched a career high with four kills.


Widener (10-13) returns to Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action when it travels to Messiah on Wednesday, Oct. 12 for a 7:00 p.m. match.








Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Field Hockey Triumphs Over Wilkes, 2-1, at Dixon Field


CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 12, 2016) – Junior Eliza Newlin (Lewisburg, Pa.) scored a goal and tallied an assist to propel the Widener University field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Wilkes on Wednesday evening at Edith R. Dixon Field.


Wilkes (8-6) took control in the early going by firing the first six shot attempts of the game, but Widener was able to capitalize on their first opportunity to open the scoring. Kayla Herr (Lancaster, Pa.) rifled a shot off a Newlin penalty corner that was saved by goalkeeper Dallas Kendra, and Newlin was in the right spot to pot the rebound.


The Colonels, who had a 10-2 advantage in total shots in the opening frame, continued to challenge Pride goalkeeper Victoria Byrne (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) and were eventually able to knot the score off a penalty corner of their own. Haley Gayoski sent a long pass from right to left, and Surdy shot a rocket to the back of the cage in the 34th minute.


With the teams deadlocked at 1-1, the Pride went on the offensive early in the second half and did not hold anything back. Shortly after senior captain Colleen Riley (Tannersville, Pa.) took a pass from sophomore Kelly Ramsdale (East Stroudsburg, Pa.) and nearly scored on a shot that barely went wide, the hosts capitalized on their third penalty corner of the frame when Herr finished a pass from Newlin. The junior captain’s ninth goal of the season proved to be the difference, as Byrne came up with a huge save down the stretch to keep the Colonels at bay.


Byrne picked up her first collegiate victory between the pipes by making two saves for Widener, while Wilkes’ Kendra suffered the loss after turning away one shot. Defender Amanda Tredinnick recorded a defensive save off a shot by Widener’s Sam Scoma (Blue Bell, Pa.) in the 61st minute to keep the visitors within striking distance until the very end.


Widener (6-6) returns to Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action when it hosts Lebanon Valley on Saturday, Oct. 15 at noon during Homecoming Weekend. Seniors Dana Adamson (Warrington, Pa.), Alyssa Buckley (Flourtown, Pa.), Meghan McLaughlin (Woolwich Township, N.J.), Mikayla Ninos (Northampton, Pa.) and Riley will be recognized for their contributions to the program prior to the contest.
 
Widener Volleyball Falls to Messiah in Three Sets


GRANTHAM, Pa. (Oct. 12, 2016) – The Widener University volleyball team fell to Messiah by a 3-0 decision on Wednesday evening at the Brubaker Auditorium. Set scores were 25-19, 25-16 and 25-13.


Widener (10-14, MAC Commonwealth 2-3) was competitive in the opening set and built up early leads of 4-1 and 6-2. Janie Kalinock had two kills and Sabrina Barbieri added two assists during the opening stretch to put the visitors in control. The Pride maintained their lead for most of the set until a service ace by Jessica Zellers followed by a Kristen Douglas kill gave the Falcons a 17-16 edge. Messiah maintained its lead and ended the frame with three unanswered, which was capped by a Brooke Gallagher kill to win the frame.


After surrendering the first point on an attacking error, Messiah regained control and built up an 11-7 advantage courtesy of two straight aces by Gallagher. Widener brought the deficit down to just two, but the Falcons recovered and ended the frame with five unanswered to win it by nine.


Messiah (19-4, MAC Commonwealth 4-1) then took the third set and the match thanks to hitting at a jaw-dropping .609 clip, which included smashing 15 kills and committing only one error on 23 swings. A Zellers ace made it 10-3 to prompt a Widener timeout, and the Falcons later ended the frame on a 7-2 run to come away with the win.


Kalinock registered a .389 hitting percentage and finshed with eight kills to pace Widener. Barbieri finished with 22 assists and six digs, while Dorman notched eight kills and five digs.


The Falcons were led by Gallagher, who notched a game-high 31 assists to go along with six digs, three kills and two aces. Jane Underman and Douglas contributed 14 and 11 kills, respectively, and Underman also had two blocks.


Widener returns home to face Neumann for its annual Dig Pink game on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 11:00 a.m. during Homecoming Weekend.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Volleyball Drops Road Match to Cabrini


CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 14, 2016) – The Widener University volleyball team fell to Cabrini by a 3-0 score on Friday night at the Nerney Field House. Set scores were 25-22, 25-19 and 25-20.


Widener rallied from an early three-point deficit in the opening set and took a 15-13 lead when senior Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) set up sophomore Natalie Winn (San Marcos, Calif.) for a kill to prompt a Cavalier timeout. The Pride remained in control and went ahead by a 20-16 score when junior Lauren Daly (Springfield, Pa.) and Barbieri teamed up for a block, but the hosts scored the next four points and ended the set on a 9-2 run.


The Pride once again built up a lead in the second set and were cruising with a 10-3 advantage following three straight attacking errors by Emily Shannon. But the Cavaliers once again rallied from behind. Anne-Marie Jones notched a kill to give Cabrini a 15-14 edge before Shannon ended the set with a kill.


Cabrini carried the momentum it built up into the third set and never trailed the rest of the way. A kill by Kelly Guarino made it 7-3, and the margin would grow to as many as six before the Cavaliers would eventually come away with the three-set win.


Barbieri paced the Pride in the loss by providing a double-double with 24 assists and 10 digs. Daly contributed a career-best six blocks, while senior Lauren Elliott (Aston, Pa.) finished with 21 digs.


Emily Stokarski and Guarino led Cabrini (10-12) with double-double efforts. Stokarski contributed 34 assists and 15 digs, while Guarino ended the match with 14 kills and 19 digs. Jones led all players with three service aces.


Widener (10-15) returns home to face Neumann for its annual Dig Pink match tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. during Homecoming Weekend.
 
Lebanon Valley Outlasts Field Hockey, 1-0, on Senior Day



CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 15, 2016) - Lebanon Valley scored a late goal in the first half and held on to defeat the Widener University field hockey team by a 1-0 decision in Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action on Saturday afternoon at Edith R. Dixon Field.


The Dutchmen (9-5, MAC Commonwealth 2-2) scored the only goal they would need in the 24th minute of play when Brittany Fleisher found the back of the cage with an assist coming from Mikayla Poole.


Widener, however, applied pressure for the remainder of the game in an attempt to even the score with the Dutchmen. The Pride continued to send a barrage of shots throughout the game and outshot Lebanon Valley 8-7.


Senior Mikayla Ninos (Northampton, Pa.) held the score to a 1-0 decision with back-to-back saves in the 61st minute of the second frame. She totaled four in the contest, while Lebanon Valley’s Sarah DiMaggio stopped three shots to secure the win.


Prior to the match, Widener recognized seniors Dana Adamson (Warrington, Pa.), Alyssa Buckley (Flourtown, Pa.), Meghan McLaughlin (Woolwich Township, N.J.), Colleen Riley (Tannersville, Pa.) for their contributions to the program.


Widener (6-7, MAC Commonwealth 1-3) will next host nationally-ranked Alvernia on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.
 
Nationally-Ranked Stevenson Downs Football


CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 15, 2016) – The Widener University football team fell to nationally-ranked Stevenson by a 45-21 score on Saturday afternoon at Leslie C. Quick Stadium in a battle between the last two unbeaten programs in Middle Atlantic Conference play. The Mustangs rallied with 38 unanswered points between the second and fourth quarters to pull away.


Widener was forced to punt on its first possession, but the Pride got another life when Preston Addo fumbled the ball on the return and senior captain Alex Stewart (Pittsgrove, N.J.) recovered it at the 15-yard line. Working with a short field, freshman Chris Randle (Lindenwood, N.J.) was handed the ball five times and capped the drive with a one-yard rush to give the hosts a 7-0 lead at the 9:36 mark.


After Stevenson answered on its next opportunity to tie the score at 7s through, the Pride regained the lead in the second frame. Sophomore Justin Hardy (New Castle, Del.) returned the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to the Widener 45 to give the hosts good field position before Randle continued to stay busy with carrying duties and eventually found the end zone with another one-yard rush at 13:35.


Stevenson (6-0, MAC 5-0), however, scored a pair of touchdowns before the half to take control. With the teams tied at 14 and destined to go into the break all knotted up, Adoo made up for his mistake earlier in the game by returning a 44-yard punt by freshman Michael Raczak (Jamison, Pa.) 66 yards in the other direction on the return for a score. The play, which concluded with just 28 seconds on the clock, gave the Mustangs a 21-14 advantage at recess.


The visitors used the big play on special teams as a turning point as well as a wave of momentum to take charge in the second half. After Tim Sternfeld converted a 27-yard field goal for the only points of the third quarter, the Mustangs continued a hot stretch of scoring 38 unanswered into the fourth and final stanza. Quarterback Daniel Williams found Devin Williams for an 83-yard touchdown reception with 12:22 left, and then Austin Tennessee and Mike Datu each reached paydirt with interception returns for 60 and 28- yard touchdowns, respectively, with the plays occurring just 16 seconds apart to put the game out of reach.


Randle paced a Widener running game with 132 of the team’s 200 rushing yards on 25 carries. He also finished with three touchdowns. Quarterback Alex Krivda (Sellersville, Pa.) was limited to just 65 yards in the air and threw two picks which were returning for scores. Defensively, senior Steve Gozur (Hatfield, Pa.) had a team-leading 9.5 tackles.


Stevenson’s Daniel Williams was 18-for-26 on pass attempts for 240 yards. Devin Salisbury caught 10 balls for 95 yards, while Devin Williams reached the 100-yard plateau on three catches. Both players also scored a touchdown. On defense, Izaiha Pitts had 11 tackles and Tennessee contributed 6.5 tackles in addition to notching a long interception return.


Widener (4-2, MAC 4-1) will look to stay in the hunt for a postseason berth when it visits Misericordia on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 1:00 p.m.
 
Christine Kunzler Garners MAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week Laurels


ANNVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 17, 2016) – Christine Kunzler (Livermore, Calif.) has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference Women’s Swimmer of the Week, as announced by the league office. She is earning the award for the first time this season and third time of her career.


Kunzler led Widener to a convincing 191-65 win over Misericordia by factoring into four first-place finishes, which included winning three individual events. The junior started the day by anchoring the winning 200-yard medley relay team (1:55.27) and then won all three sprint freestyle events. Kunzler was victorious in the 50 free in a time of 25.13 seconds, the 100 free in 55.20 and the 200 free in 2:01.54.


Widener (2-0, MAC 2-0) will next host Albright on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1:00 p.m.


Ernie Pitone Named MAC Men’s Runner of the Week for Third Time This Fall


ANNVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 17, 2016) – Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa.) has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference Men’s Runner of the Week, as announced by the league office. He is earning the award for the third time this season.


Pitone finished second out of 383 runners at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle. He circled a 7.8k course in a time of 23:27.6 and only finished behind the top runner from a SUNY Geneseo squad which is currently ranked first in the country by the USTFCCCA. Pitone’s performance helped the Pride place 12th among 43 scoring teams in a field filled with nationally-ranked programs from several regions.


Widener will next compete at the Haverford Invitational on Friday, Oct. 21 for its final tuneup before the MAC Championships.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Field Hockey Rallies to Win Thriller in Double Overtime at Stevenson


OWINGS MILLS, Md. (Oct. 22, 2016) – Freshman Sam Scoma (Blue Bell, Pa.) scored her fourth goal of the season to propel the Widener University field hockey team to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Stevenson in double overtime on Saturday evening at Mustang Stadium.


After a scoreless first half which saw the Pride hold a slight 4-2 advantage in shot attempts, Stevenson came out of the recess with a vengeance and potted the first goal of the match in the 45th minute. Blair Bitner sent the ball inside the arc, and Rosemarie Neiva redirected it past senior goalkeeper Mikayla Ninos (Northampton, Pa.) and just inside the far post.


Stevenson (4-10, MAC Commonwealth 1-5) threatened to double their lead with about 10 minutes remaining in regulation when Sara McVey came in on a breakaway completely unchallenged, but Ninos came out and disrupted the play to keep it a one-possession game. Widener then cashed in on its fourth penalty corner of the half, as junior Eliza Newlin (Lewisburg, Pa.) slipped a loose ball past Kelsey Eure in the 65th minute. Classmate Kayla Herr (Lancaster, Pa.) was credited with an assist on the play.


In the overtime, Stevenson nearly scored the golden goal when McVey came in uncovered on another breakaway against Ninos. The Pride senior, however, made a diving save in the 74th minute to keep the teams deadlocked at 1-1. Ninos also made a kick save and Sarah Quintus (Drexel Hill, Pa.) blocked an attempt off of two more swings by McVey to help send the game into another extra session.


The Pride carried the momentum they earned off of several big defensive stops into the offensive end by sending a barrage of shots at Eure. After five unsuccessful attempts, Scoma came through by slipping the loose ball into the cage through a scrum of players from both sides in the 89th minute to give the visitors the sudden victory.


Ninos picked up the victory between the pipes for Widener by making seven saves, including several from point-blank range. Stevenson’s Eure suffered the loss by turning away four shots.


Widener (7-8, MAC Commonwealth 2-4) will look to wrap up its 2016 campaign on a high note when it visits Arcadia on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Football Soundly Defeats Misericordia to Remain in Postseason Contention
DALLAS, Pa. (Oct. 22, 2016) – Sophomore D'Andre Sapp (Queens, N.Y.) rushed for a pair of touchdowns and was among six players to reach paydirt as the Widener University football team raced to a convincing 51-9 victory over Misericordia on a wet and windy Saturday afternoon at Mangelsdorf Field.

After Misericordia (0-7, MAC 0-6) was quickly forced to punt on its first possession, Widener started with the ball on its own 23 and quickly marched down the field for the first score of the game. Montrell Hicks-Taylor (Newark, Del.) caught a long toss from senior Alex Krivda (Sellersville, Pa.) for 39 yards to put the visitors in good field position, and Sapp charged in for a touchdown from 12 yards away to put the Pride on the board. The 77-yard drive only took 2:36 off the clock.

The Cougars took advantage of a blocked punt to get on the board by converting a 37-yard field goal at 5:33, but the visitors marched down the field on their next possession and were able to reach paydirt again without any trouble. Sapp rushed 10 yards to record his second touchdown of the afternoon to give the guests a 14-3 advantage by the end of the first quarter.

The teams continued to exchange scores in the second quarter. After Michael Raczak kicked a line drive through the uprights from 39 yards out, the Cougars scored a 64-yard touchdown when Sam Gillison caught a short pitch from Jeff Krisiak and marched down the left sideline. Haydn Warren then caught an 11-yard pass from Krivda to make it 24-9 with 5:41 left to play in the half. The Pride dodged a bullet when the Cougars could not slice the deficit after blocking another punt, and the teams went to the recess with the visitors leading by 15.

With the offense struggling to earn good field position in the second half, the defense stepped up to put points on the board. Misericordia made it into the red zone and was threatening to score, but a ball that was stripped by senior Byron Cooper (Philadelphia, Pa.) was scooped up by classmate Travon Barnes (Randallstown, Md.) and brought back 87 yards to make it 31-9 with 6:42 on the clock. Hicks-Taylor then put the game away by racing 60 yards for a touchdown just 2:09 later.

Led by Hicks-Taylor, the Pride had a commanding 338-58 advantage in rushing yards. Hicks-Taylor registered a team-leading 110 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown, while Nick Milone added 81 yards and Richard Brown had 70.

On the defensive side on the ball, senior captain Steve Gozur (Hatfield, Pa.) recorded a team-high seven tackles and had one pass breakup. Cooper added four tackles in addition to forcing a fumble that led to a score.

Misericordia, which was limited to just 197 yards of offense, was offensively paced by Krisiak. He completed nine passes for 139 yards. Gillison recorded 74 receiving yards, which included a 64-yard touchdown reception. Rand-Willever recorded a game-high 10 tackles, while Henn added nine tackles and had six solo.

Widener (5-2, MAC 5-1) returns home to face reigning champion Albright on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1:00 p.m.





Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Women's Soccer Falls Short Against #9 Messiah


GRANTHAM, Pa. (Oct. 22, 2016) – The Widener University women's soccer team fell to nationally-ranked Messiah by a 4-0 score on Saturday evening at Shoemaker Field.


Widener (3-10-2, MAC Commonwealth 1-5) came out strong and held Messiah to a scoreless first half only allowing them to find three uncapitalized opportunities. Messiah’s Marisa Weaver, however, opened the scoring in the 65th minute of the second half and the Falcons never looked back by putting away three more opportunities to end the match with a 4-0 decision.


Sara Yunez made one save to pick up the victory between the pipes for Messiah (13-2, MAC Commonwealth 6-0). Widener’s Jenna Keating (Havertown, Pa.) finished with five saves in the setback.


The Pride will regroup and challenge nationally-ranked Arcadia for its final home match at Leslie C. Quick Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Golf Competes at Dutchmen Invitational


LEBANON, Pa. (Oct. 24, 2016) – The Widener University golf team finished fifth at the Dutchmen Invitational on Monday afternoon at the Lebanon Country Club. The Pride registered a team score of 366.


Lenny Welch paced the Pride by registering a score of 84 to finish tied for sixth overall among 37 golfers. Josh Sheehan tied for 14th with an 89, while Boy McCoy placed 22nd after carding a 94. Kyle Ciaccia fired a 99 to finish 28th and complete the team score on the par 72, 6,562-yard course.


Lebanon Vally’s blue team won the team championship by carding a 322, which was 18 strokes better than runner-up Elizabethtown. The Blue Jays’ Kyle Hakun captured the individual crown by firing a 75.

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Final Team Standings

1. Lebanon Valley (Blue) 322; 2. Elizabethtown 340; 3. Penn College 345; 4. Lebanon Valley (White) 359; 5. Widener 366; 6. Misericordia 399; 7. Cairn 400.


Widener Scores

T-6. Lenny Welch 84; T-14. Josh Sheehan 89; 22. Boyd McCoy 94; 28. Kyle Ciaccia 99; T-29. Eric Schwindt 100.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Women’s Cross Country Places Fifth at MAC Championships


GRANTHAM, Pa. (Oct. 29, 2016) – The Widener University women’s cross country team placed fifth overall at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships on Saturday afternoon at the Starry Athletic Complex on the campus of Messiah College.


Paced by individual champion Veronica Wheeler, DeSales won its first-ever conference title with 34 points. Messiah finished in the runner-up position with 76 points and was followed by Misericordia (84) Lebanon Valley (121), Widener (163), Eastern (176), King’s (220), Stevenson (262), Lycoming (264), Wilkes (275), Arcadia (313), Alvernia (316), FDU-Florham (356), Delaware Valley (373), Manhattanville (389) and Albright (411).


The Pride were led by Blair Gelb (West Deptford, N.J.), who hit the tape 14th overall among 156 runners by navigating a 6,000-meter circuit in 24:21.1. Senior Shae Spicer (Burlington, N.J.) and sophomore Sarah Cardone (York, Pa.) were 16th and 36th, respectively, with times of 24:23.9 and 25:31.4. Senior Brianna Englert placed 52nd in 26:04.1 and Madeline Mayes (Hillsborough, N.J.) was 63rd in 26:13.8 to round out the team’s top five.


For their efforts, Gelb and Spicer were also named to the All-MAC Second Team.


Widener will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 12 when it competes at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.

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Team Standings (Final)1. DeSales 34;2. Messiah 76; 3. Misericordia 84; 4. Lebanon Valley 121; 5. Widener 163; 6. Eastern 176; 7. King’s 220; 8. Stevenson 262; 9. Lycoming 264; 10. Wilkes 275; 11. Arcadia 313; 12. Alvernia 316; 13. FDU-Florham 356; 14. Delaware Valley 373; 15. Manhattanville 389; 16. Albright 411.

Widener Results (6k)

14. Blair Gelb 24:21.1; 16. Shae Spicer 24:23.9; 36. Sarah Cardone 25:31.4; 52. Brianna Englert 26:04.1; 63. Madeline Mayes 26:13.8; 70. Marissa Conley 26:49.1; 75. Sam Eigenbrot 27:08.9; 81. Kimmy Hall 27:18.4; 86. Elise McCann 27:30.7; 92. Emily Swope 28:11.1; 105. Caroline Fitzpatrick 28:50.7.


2016 MAC Women’s Cross Country Awards

Runner of the Year:Veronica Wheeler (DeSales)
Rookie of the Year:Tara Johnson (King’s)
Coach of the Year:Gordon Hornig (DeSales)


All-Middle Atlantic Conference Second Team

Blair Gelb

Shae Spicer






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Men’s Cross Country Wins Fourth Straight MAC Championship






GRANTHAM, Pa. (Oct. 29, 2016) – Led by first-place finisher Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa.), the Widener University men’s cross country team captured its fourth straight Middle Atlantic Conference championship and seventh overall on Saturday morning at the Starry Athletic Complex on the campus of Messiah.


The Pride finished with 82 points and narrowly edged out DeSales and Messiah, which had 85 points apiece, to claim the title. Misericordia (108) and Stevenson (117) completed the top five and were followed by Lebanon Valley (135), Eastern (166), King’s (219), Wilkes (274), Alvernia (313), Lycoming (330), Arcadia (350), Hood (391), Delaware Valley (427), FDU-Florham (431) and Albright (471).


In addition to winning its fourth straight title, Widener also picked up three major awards at the end of the competition. Pitone was named the MAC Runner of the Year for the third straight season after being named the MAC Rookie of the Year in 2013. Freshman Frank Livolsi (Lansdale, Pa.) was tabbed the MAC Rookie of the Year for being the top freshman finisher, while veteran mentor Vince Touey was named the MAC Coach of the Year.


Pitone led a group of 156 runners by punching in an 8,000-meter time of 25:31.8, which was more than 37 faster than the rest of the field. Classmate William McDermott (Lansdowne, Pa.) placed second overall in 26:09.1, while Livolsi crossed the line in fifth with a mark of 26:48.9. Sophomores Ryan Rastatter (Havertown, Pa.) and Thomas Rozinski (Lansdale, Pa.) notched times of 28:09 and 28:29.9, respectively, to complete the team’s top five.


Widener will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 12 when it competes at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.

-agate-

Team Standings (Final)
1. Widener 82;2. DeSales 85; 3. Messiah 85; 4. Misericordia 108; 5. Stevenson 117; 6. Lebanon Valley 135; 7. Eastern 166; 8. King’s 219; 9. Wilkes 274; 10. Alvernia 313; 11. Lycoming 330; 12. Arcadia 350; 13. Hood 391; 14. Delaware Valley 427; 15. FDU-Florham 431; 16. Albright 471.

Widener Results (8k)

1. Ernie Pitone 25:31.8; 2. Will McDermott 26:09.1; 5. Frank Livolsi 26:48.9; 31. Ryan Rastatter 28:09; 44. Thomas Rozinski 28:29.9; 58. Nathaniel Piekos 28:59.8; 76. Brendan Stevens 29:55.5; 78. Michael Ambrulavage 29:59; 84. Tyler Oates 30:12.0; 89. Sean Stovall 30:32.4; 94. Joe Stefanski 30:42.8; 122. Robert Montoro 32:42.6.


2016 MAC Men’s Cross Country Awards

Runner of the Year:Ernie Pitone (Widener)
Rookie of the Year: Frank Livolsi (Widener)
Coach of the Year:Vince Touey(Widener)


All-Middle Atlantic Conference First Team

Ernie Pitone

Will McDermott

Frank Livolsi






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Football Bettered by Albright at Quick Stadium






CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 29, 2016) – The Widener University football team fell to Albright by a 33-9 decision on Saturday afternoon at Leslie C. Quick Stadium.


Albright (6-2, MAC 6-1) converted a field goal on its first possession, but the Pride were able to respond and even things up with a field goal of their own before the end of the first quarter. Junior Kyle Lowery (Audubon, Pa.) intercepted a pass by Alec Vignola in the red zone, and freshman Michael Raczak (Jamison, Pa.) chipped in a 20-yard field goal to make it 3-3 with 5:57 on the clock.


The Lions, however, rattled off 16 straight points in the second quarter and never looked back. After Vinny Williams caught a 21-yard toss to make it 10-3, the Lions drove deep again and found a way to add more points despite having Lowery pick off another throw by Vignola. With the Pride starting from their own three-yard line, freshman Chris Randle (Lindenwood, N.J.) couldn’t hold on to a handoff from senior quarterback Alex Krivda (Sellersville, Pa.) and dropped the ball in the end zone. The freshman recovered the fumble resulting in a safety before Vignola and Williams teamed up for another touchdown pass to give Albright a 19-3 advantage at the break.


After a scoreless third quarter, Albright took advantage of Krivda’s second interception of the game to earn good field position and find paydirt again. On a trick play, Vignola caught a pass from Kyle Dickerson to help make it 26-3 with 13:20 left.


Widener made an attempt to rally with freshman Sean McGaughey (New Market, Md.) stepping into the quarterback position and got its first touchdown of the game when senior Haydn Warren (East Brunswick, N.J.) rushed in from 14 yards out. But after a high snap on the extra point attempt was covered up by holder Collin Wilson (Hainesport, N.J.), Albright squashed any hopes of a Pride comeback by scoring on its next drive.


Albright’s Vignola completed 21 of his 34 passes for 325 yards and factored into three touchdowns to pace the visitors offensively. Williams caught eight of his throws for 187 yards. The defense, which held Widener to just 11 yards rushing, was led by Will Harrison’s eight-tackle performance.


Highlighted by D’Andre Sapp’s (Queens, N.Y.) eight receptions, the Pride had three receivers catch at least four passes. Price had a team-leading 72 yards receiving, which included a long of 41. McGaughey was a bright spot for the hosts by completing 10 of his 15 passes for 132 yards and leading the team’s touchdown drive.


Defensively, senior Steve Gozur (Hatfield, Pa.) made a game-high 10.5 tackles and forced a fumble. Lowery recorded two interceptions and also had a fumble recovery, while sophomore Vince Char (Southampton, Pa.) registered two sacks.


Widener (5-3, MAC 5-2) will regroup and play its final road game of the regular season when it visits King’s on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 1:00 p.m.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener's Ernie Pitone Earns MAC Men’s Runner of the Week Laurels


ANNVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 31, 2016) – For the fourth time this season, senior Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa.) has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference Men’s Runner of the Week.


Pitone captured his third straight individual title at the MAC Championships over the weekend by navigating an 8,000-meter course in 25:31.8. He crossed the line more than 37 seconds faster than the rest of the field, and his performance helped the Pride win their fourth straight team crown at the league’s annual postseason event. Pitone, who was the conference’s rookie of the year in 2013, also concluded his career at the conference championship by earning All-MAC First Team laurels four times.


Widener will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 12 when it competes at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.


Widener's Aaron Green Named MAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week


ANNVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 31, 2016) – Sophomore Aaron Green (Camden-Wyoming, Del.) has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference Men’s Swimmer of the Week, as announced by the league office. He is receiving the award for the first time of his career.


Green led Widener to a 151-111 dual meet win over Albright by factoring into four first-place finishes. He most notably won the 100-yard backstroke in 54.60 seconds and the 100 fly in a conference-best time of 52.45. In addition, Green swam the fly leg for the winning 200 medley relay which touched the wall in 1:37.23 and was also a member of the first-place 400 free relay which clocked in at 3:14.09.


Widener (3-0) will look to remain unbeaten against Middle Atlantic Conference competition when it treks to Hood to face Messiah, FDU-Florham and the host Blazers on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m.


Widener Field Hockey’s Scoma and Quintus Earn MAC Weekly Recognition


ANNVILLE, Pa. (Oct. 31, 2016) – Freshman Sam Scoma (Blue Bell, Pa.) and sophomore Sarah Quintus (Drexel Hill, Pa.) of the Widener University field hockey team were each recognized by the Middle Atlantic Conference with a weekly award, as announced by the league office. Scoma was named the offensive player of the week, while Quintus earned defensive player of the week accolades after helping the Pride earn a 2-1 comeback win over Arcadia.


Scoma, who is being recognized by the conference for the first time, scored both goals for the Pride in Thursday’s road victory over Arcadia in a rainstorm by finding the back of the cage in the 21st and 46th minutes of action. The freshman finished her first collegiate campaign with six goals, including a team-leading four game-winning markers.


Quintus is receiving the top defensive honor for the second time this season after making strong contributions on both sides of the ball in the triumph over Arcadia. The sophomore recorded two defensive saves and set up Scoma’s game-winning tally in the second half. Quintus finished the fall with 10 defensive saves, which ranks among the best in the conference through the end of the regular season.


Widener (8-8, MAC Commonwealth 3-4), which concluded the fall by winning three of its last five games, is slated to return 16 letterwinners and seven starters next year.





Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Volleyball Sweeps Lycoming to Advance to MAC Commonwealth Semifinal Round



CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 31, 2016) – Sophomore Nicole Dorman (East Norriton, Pa.) registered her 11th double-double as the Widener University volleyball team swept Lycoming in the play-in game of the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth Tournament on Monday evening at the Schwartz Center. The Pride won another tight match between the two programs by set scores of 25-23, 25-21 and 25-22.


Widener improved to 13-17 overall and advanced to the semifinal round of the conference tournament. Lycoming ended its 2016 campaign with an overall ledger of 15-20.


The visiting Warriors led for most of the opening set which would produce eight ties and two lead changes. Lycoming took a 2-1 advantage when Catherine Burger set up Tayler Whitman and Kristine Jahn for consecutive kills and moved ahead by a 5-2 score, but the Pride kept knocking on the door throughout the frame and would not go away. Senior captain Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) set up sophomore Janie Kalinock (Ellicott City, Md.) for a kill before adding an ace to give Widener an 18-17 edge, and the Pride never trailed the rest of the way. The Pride would clinch the set by a 25-23 decision on an attacking error by Lauren Fink.


The teams played a close set and were deadlocked for the fourth time at 9s courtesy of a kill by Fink. Widener, however, rattled off six straight points to take control and most notably got two kills from sophomore Natalie Winn (San Marcos, Calif.) during the hot stretch. Dorman and Kalinock teamed up for block to give the hosts their largest lead at 18-11, and Dorman later smashed a kill on set point to give the Pride the 25-21 set victory.


The third set proved to be another nail-biter, as the teams exchanged points and produced five lead changes and four ties through the first nine rallies. Junior Lauren Daly and Dorman stuffed a Jahn attack to give the Pride a 6-4 edge, but the Warriors came back and moved ahead by a 12-11 score on consecutive errors by the hosts. Widener, however, did not go away and went ahead by an 18-17 score when Winn finished a pass from Barbieri to prompt a Warrior timeout. The break, fortunately, did not cool down the Pride and the hosts used the hot hand of Winn down the stretch to seal the set and match victory.


Dorman finished with 17 kills and 13 digs to lead the way for Widener, which advanced to the semifinal round of the conference tournament for the second straight season. She also had three blocks and two aces. Winn and Kalinock contributed nine and eight kills, respectively, and Barbieri notched 38 assists.


Lycoming used a balanced attack and got double-digit numbers from Emily Hepner and Burger. Hepner recorded 11 digs and three assists, while Burrger registered 17 assists. Whitman ended the match with seven kills and hit at a .462 clip.


The Pride will next travel to top-seeded Stevenson to face the host Mustangs in a MAC Commonwealth semifinal match on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 7:00 p.m.



Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Three Widener Volleyball Players Earn All-MAC Commonwealth Accolades



ANNVILLE, Pa. (Nov. 2, 2016) – Sophomore outside hitter Nicole Dorman (East Norriton, Pa.) headlined a list of three Widener University volleyball players who garnered All-Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth accolades, as announced by the league office on Wednesday morning. Dorman received All-MAC Commonwealth First Team recognition, while seniors Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) and Lauren Elliott (Aston, Pa.) earned honorable mention status.

Dorman, who made the all-conference second team last season, was the most lethal weapon of Widener's offensive attack for the second straight season. The outside hitter leads the league in kills, averaging a jaw-dropping 3.97 per set, and is among the national leaders in the category. Dorman also broke the school record for assists in a match with 34 against FDU-Florham on Oct. 1 and has racked up 11 double-doubles this season. Entering tonight's match against Stevenson, the sophomore leads the team in kills (425) and hitting percentage (.244) as well as second in digs (256) and service aces (33).

Barbieri, a four-year starting setter for the Pride, is earning MAC Commonwealth postseason recognition for the third time. She most notably leads the team and ranks second in the league in assists, averaging 3.91 per frame, and eclipsed the single-match assists record by racking up 57 against FDU-Florham on Oct 1. The senior captain ranks third all-time in program history with 3,584 career helpers and she ranks first on the team in aces for the second straight year with 41 to date.

Elliott is the team's primary libero and defensive specialist for the second straight season and is receiving postseason all-conference laurels for the first time of her career. The senior leads the team and ranks sixth in the league in digs, accounting for 3.82 per set, and she enters tonight's MAC Commonwealth semifinal match with 1,256 career digs. The mark ranks seventh in the program annals.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener's Ernie Pitone Named ECAC South Region Men’s Runner of the Week


DANBURY, Conn. (Nov. 2, 2016) – Senior Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa.) of the Widener University men’s cross country team has been named the ECAC South Region Men’s Runner of the Week, as announced by the organization on Wednesday afternoon. He is being recognized for the fourth time this season.


Pitone, who was also named the Middle Atlantic Conference Men’s Runner of the Week on Monday, captured his third straight individual title at the MAC Championships over the weekend by navigating an 8,000-meter course in 25:31.8. He crossed the line more than 37 seconds faster than the rest of the field, and his performance helped the Pride win their fourth straight team crown at the league's annual postseason event. Pitone, who was the conference's rookie of the year in 2013, also concluded his career at the conference championship by earning All-MAC First Team laurels four times.

Widener will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 12 when it competes at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.
 
Sabrina Barbieri Makes CoSIDA Academic All-District Volleyball Team


MURRAY, Ky. (Nov. 3, 2016) – Widener University’s Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) District IV Academic All-America Volleyball Team, as announced on Thursday afternoon by the national organization. The senior captain was chosen to the all-district first team and is now eligible for Academic All-America laurels.


Barbieri, who is currently pursuing a doctorate of physical therapy at Widener, is receiving the recognition for the first time of her career after helping the team make three straight appearances in the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth Tournament. The four-year starting setter most notably led the team and currently ranks second in the league in assists, averaging 9.28 per frame, and eclipsed the single-match assists record by racking up 57 against FDU-Florham on Oct 1. The senior captain ended her career ranked third all-time in program history with 3,609 career helpers, and she has also earned postseason All-Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth recognition three times as a collegian.


Off the court, Barbieri is currently pursuing a doctorate of physical therapy and serves as a Clinic Coordinator and Student Board Member of the Chester Community Physical Therapy Clinic. She has also been an Academic All-MAC selection and is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success.


Following today’s announcements, Widener has three student-athletes who have made the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team in their respective sport during the 2016-17 academic year. The other honorees include football standouts Steve Gozur (Hatfield, Pa.) and Vince Char (Southampton, Pa.).

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2016-17 Widener University Capital One Academic All-District Selections

Sabrina Barbieri (Volleyball)

Vince Char (Football)

Steve Gozur (Football)






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener Football’s Char and Gozur Earn CoSIDA Academic All-District Honors




MURRAY, Ky. (Nov. 3, 2016) – Widener University’s Vince Char (Southampton, Pa.) and Steve Gozur (Hatfield, Pa.) have been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) District IV Academic All-America Football Team, as announced by the national organization on Thursday afternoon. Both players were chosen to the all-district first team and are now eligible for Academic All-America laurels.


To be nominated for the CoSIDA Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.3 or higher cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or significant reserve.


Char, a mechanical engineering major in his sophomore year of eligibility, is being recognized with the award for the first time of his career. The defensive tackle currently leads all Middle Atlantic Conference players with 15 tackles for a loss, ranks second in sacks and is among the national leaders in both categories. Furthermore, he has been a MAC Academic Honor Roll selection.


Gozur, a chemical engineering major, is also receiving the award for the first time. The senior captain is leading the team in tackles for the second straight season and has accumulated 65 to date, which also places him sixth in the league. The linebacker, who has made the All-MAC Second Team also ranks second in the conference with 57 solo tackles through eight games this season. Furthermore, Gozur has earned a place on the 2015 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team and the Academic All-MAC Team. He is currently pursuing a leadership certificate at the Oskin Leadership Institute and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.


Following today's announcements, Widener has three student-athletes who have made the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team in their respective sport during the 2016-17 academic year. Senior volleyball captain Sabrina Barbieri (Glen Mills, Pa.) was also recognized for the achievement earlier today.
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2016-17 Widener University CoSIDA Academic All-District Selections
Sabrina Barbieri (Volleyball)
Vince Char (Football)
Steve Gozur (Football)






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Widener's Nicole Dorman Earns AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention Laurels


LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 10, 2016) – Sophomore outside hitter Nicole Dorman (East Norriton, Pa.) was honorably mentioned for American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III All-Mid-Atlantic Region laurels, as announced by the national organization on Thursday afternoon. She is receiving the recognition for the first time of her career.


Dorman, who was named to the All-Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth First Team earlier this month, led Widener's offensive attack for the second straight season. The outside hitter ranks first in the league in kills, averaging a jaw-dropping 3.94 per set, and is among the national leaders in the category. Dorman also broke the school record for kills in a match with 34 against FDU-Florham on Oct. 1 and racked up 11 double-doubles this season. The sophomore ended the fall ranked first on the team in kills (433) and hitting percentage (.239) as well as second in digs (266) and service aces (33).






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
SUBJECT: Six Wildcat Cross Country Runners Named to 2016 CACC All-Academic Teams

DATE: November 10, 2016
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NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - Fifty-two (52) student-athletes on Thursday were named to the 2016 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Cross Country All-Academic Teams, as announced by conference commissioner Dan Mara.

Six of the conference’s 52 student-athletes are members of the Wilmington University cross country teams, led by three-time honoree and 2016 CACC Runner of the Year Ken Fontal.

In order to be named to the CACC Cross Country All-Academic Team, recipients must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have been a student-athlete at their current school for at least two semesters, and achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher through the spring or summer semester of 2016.

Fontal, a senior, came into the 2016 season with a 3.65 grade point average while going for his degree in finance. This is the third season Fontal has been named to the All-Academic Team. He is joined by his men’s teammates Logan Brady and Miguel Suero.

Brady earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and now has a perfect 4.0 grade-point average while going for his master’s in sports management at Wilmington. Suero, a sophomore, carried a 3.67 grade point average in behavioral science into this season.

Three female runners were also named to the All-Academic Team, led by sophomore Cynthia Biron’s 3.84 grade point average in criminal justice. Sophomore Tara Langan carried a 3.80 grade point average into the season while studying elementary education while sophomore Tori Crawford is also studying elementary education with a 3.63 grade point average.

AGATE:

2016 CACC Cross Country All-Academic Team

Cynthia Biron – So. – 3.84 – Criminal Justice
Logan Brady – Gr. – 4.00 – M.S. Sports Management
Tori Crawford – So. – 3.63 – Elementary Education: K-6
Ken Fontal** - Sr. – 3.65 – Finance
Tara Langan – So. – 3.80 – Elementary Education: K-6
Miguel Suero – So. – 3.67 – Behavioral Science

** - Three-time honoree
 
All,



Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) won the NCAA Mideast Regional title and automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships today.



Story below...





Pitone & McDermott Lead Men’s Cross Country at NCAA Mideast Regional


CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (Nov. 12, 2016) – Senior Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa.) raced to the individual title and Will McDermott (Lansdowne, Pa.) finished in the runner-up position to help the Widener University men’s cross country team place sixth among 52 scoring teams at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships on Saturday.


Pitone navigated the 8,000-meter circuit in 24:52 and teammate McDermott hit the tape just six seconds behind him in 24:58 to lead the way for the Pride. Both seniors also qualified for the NCAA Championships for the third straight year.


Freshman Frank Livolsi (Lansdale, Pa.) finished 27th overall and third on the squad in 25:43 and earned all-region laurels along with Pitone and McDermott for finishing among the top 35. Sophomore Ryan Rastatter (Havertown, Pa.) and freshman Thomas Rozinski (Lansdale, Pa.) completed the team’s top five by crossing the line with times of 26:37 and 27:25, respectively.


Led by Schaffer Ochstein’s fifth-place performance, Johns Hopkins edged out Haverford by just one point to claim the team title. Both Centennial Conference schools automatically for the upcoming NCAA Championships, while Carnegie Mellon, York and Dickinson rounded out the top five in the standings and will look to potentially earn an at-large bid to the event.


Pitone and McDermott will next race at the NCAA Championships on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky. The race is slated to start at noon.

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Top 10 Team Standings

1. Johns Hopkins 64; 2. Haverford 65; 3. Carnegie Mellon 115; 4. York 172; 5. Dickinson 222; 6. Widener 245; 7. Salisbury 283; 8. Muhlenberg 339; 9. Elizabethtown 343; 10. DeSales 368.


Widener Results

1. Ernie Pitone 24:52; 2. Will McDermott 24:58; 27. Frank Livolsi 25:43; 74. Ryan Rastatter 26:37; 141. Thomas Rozinski 27:25; 168. Brendan Stevens 27:46; 209. Nathaniel Piekos 28:18.
 
Widener Women's Basketball Drops Season Opener to Wesley on Last-Second Basket


DOVER, Del. (Nov. 15, 2016) – Freshman Devan Rimmer (Perkasie, Pa.) netted 22 points in her collegiate debut and sophomore Emily Hardy (Lewisberry, Pa.) registered a double-double, but it wasn’t enough as the Widener University women’s basketball team fell to Wesley by a 71-69 decision in the season opener for both schools on Tuesday evening at Wentworth Gymnasium.


After a tight start, Hardy converted a layup to break a 4-4 tie and spark a 14-9 run for the Pride over the last seven minutes of the opening quarter. Rimmer later sank a layup to give the visitors an 18-9 advantage at the end of the frame.


With the defense in the process of not allowing the Wolverines to convert a field goal for a span of 7:44, Widener continued to add to its lead in the second quarter and went ahead by double digits when junior Allison Gallagher (Souderton, Pa.) converted a free throw. Hardy continued her scoring streak and reached twin figures at the 6:42 mark on a three-point play the old-fashioned way before Remmer made two free throws to give the Pride their largest lead of the half at 35-19.


Wesley (1-0), which trailed 35-23 at the break, came out strong in the second half and rode the hot hand of Alexus Stroud to get back into the game. After sinking four free throws in the final minute of the second quarter, the junior guard drove in for a layup to open the scoring in the third frame and then scored five straight points to suddenly make it a one-possession game at 35-32 with 8:06 on the clock. The last basket capped a streak of 13 unanswered points for the Wolverines with Stroud accounting for 11 of them.


Junior Brianna Cullen (Lansdale, Pa.) temporarily thwarted Wesley’s chances of taking the lead by making a layup, but Wesley would not go away and tied the score at 37s when Stroud drilled a jump shot. Widener, however, would not surrender the lead and ended the third quarter with a 54-46 lead by getting balanced scoring from six different players over the next six minutes.


The Wolverines, however, had another run in them in the fourth quarter and were able to move ahead for the first time since the opening minutes when Brionna Johnson drained a shot from downtown to give the hosts a 55-54 edge on the scoreboard. But the lead would not last long, as Rimmer dialed up from long distance on the other end.


A seesaw battle ensued with the teams exchanging the lead five more times and finding themselves deadlocked in another four instances before it was all over. (But) following a free throw by Hardy which knotted the score at 69s, Wesley’s Brionna Johnson provided the heroics by putting back a missed jumper by Tiyanna Gibbs with 0.9 seconds remaining to allow the hosts to escape with the victory.


Rimmer was outstanding in her first game as a collegian, scoring a team-high 22 points for Widener by shooting 7-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-6 from long range, and 6-of-7 from the line. The freshman also added five rebounds and three steals. Hardy notched a double-double by accumulating 14 points and 10 rebounds while also setting a career high with four blocked shots.


Wesley was paced by Stroud’s 27-point effort. She also contributed six rebounds and three steals. Gibbs netted 16 points, and Johnson added 10 points, six boards and three assists.


Widener (0-1) will next trek to Muhlenberg College over the weekend to compete at the Scotty Wood Invitational. The Pride will first face Bryn Athyn on Friday, Nov. 18 at 1:00 p.m. before playing in the consolation or championship game the following day.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330


Subject: College Football Final: Delaware Valley 45, Widener 7



Widener Football Drops Keystone Cup Battle to Delaware Valley


CHESTER, Pa. (Nov. 12, 2016) - The Widener University football team fell to Delaware Valley by a 45-7 decision in the annual Keystone Cup battle between the schools on Saturday afternoon at Leslie C. Quick Stadium.


Delaware Valley (8-2, MAC 7-2) got off to a quick start and never looked back. After freshman quarterback Sean McGaughey (New Market, Md.) was sacked by Marc Isaac and fumbled the ball on Widener’s first offensive play, Dashawn Darden scampered into the end zone just six seconds later on 1st-and-goal from the Widener nine-yard line to put the visitors ahead. The play also sparked a run in which the Aggies would score 45 unanswered points, which was capped by a 60-yard punt return by Mike Anusky who reached paydirt untouched with 13:50 remaining in regulation.


Widener was able to avoid being blanked when McGaughey found senior Blaine Price (Jefferson, Md.) in the end zone on a 4th-and-3 opportunity to conclude a 63-yard drive with 9:12 remaining in regulation. The Aggies, however, had the game in hand and would run down the clock over two more possessions to earn the convincing 38-point victory.


Quarterback Dashawn Darden led Delaware Valley’s offensive attack by producing big yardage in the air and on the ground. He finished with 128 yards passing and an additional 75 yards rushing while factoring into four of the Aggie touchdowns. TJ Waters led the Aggie defensive effort with a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown to go along with three tackles and two pass breakups.


Widener, which was limited to six first downs and 113 yards of offense, got its most significant contributions from senior captain Steve Gozur (Hatfield, Pa.), Price and freshman Chris Randle (Lindenwood, N.J.). Gozur registered a game-high 13 tackles and forced a fumble, while Randle finished with 50 rushing yards and Price ended the game with four receptions totaling 31 yards.






Matthew Chmura

Sports Information Director

Widener University

1 University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Office: 610-499-4436

Cell: 610-751-7330
 
Madison Ireland Leads Widener Women’s Basketball Past Bryn Athyn at Scotty Wood Invite




ALLENTOWN, Pa. (Nov. 18, 2016) – Freshman Madison Ireland (Garnet Valley, Pa.) scored 23 points and dished out four assists in leading the Widener University women’s basketball team to an 81-73 victory over Bryn Athyn in the opening game of the Scotty Wood Tournament at Muhlenberg’s Memorial Hall on Friday afternoon.


Widener (1-1) scored the first four points of the game and seized control in the early going. Ireland sank a pair of free throws to make it 8-3 with 7:33 on the clock, but Bryn Athyn came back and was able to tie the match at 12-all when Kristina Clark finished a pass from Hicks. Clark, who notched 10 of the Lions’ opening 14 points, led the comeback before Hicks converted two charity shots to give the Lions their first lead at 16-15. A layup by Sarah Elizabeth Atunrase extended the margin to six and helped Bryn Athyn end the first quarter with a 22-19 advantage.


Brittany Vick took over in the second quarter and as the Lions built their lead up to eight at 30-22 by draining a 3-pointer and sinking a layup. A basket by Clark then made it a double-digit game with a layup at 6:05. Widener was able to regain the lead when freshman Kylie Herman (Shillington, Pa.) sank a free throw with under a minute remaining, but Bryn Athyn’s Allison Warren came back the other way and hit a buzzer-beating layup to give the Lions a one-point edge at the break.


Widener went ahead when Ireland nailed a trifecta on the team’s opening possession of the third quarter to set up a back-and-forth frame which featured two ties and four lead changes. Hicks and Keana Schoennagle provided a spark for the Lions by hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 52-47 before the margin grew to as many as nine. Herman tied the game at 59s by making a layup with eight seconds remaining, but Clark came through this time with a buzzer-beating layup to put Bryn Athyn back ahead by two to conclude the frame.


In the fourth quarter, the Pride would not go away and quickly tied the game up when sophomore Emily Hardy (Lewisberry, Pa.) put back a missed shot. Ireland and Hicks then traded 3-pointers to continue the seesaw battle and set the tone for the rest of the game.


After three more lead exchanges, Widener was able to earn extra opportunities by outplaying the Lions on the glass and getting to the charity stripe. Sophomore Emma Gardy (Warrington, Pa.) hit a jumper to put the Pride up for good, and Gallagher took a charge with under a minute remaining to prevent the Lions from tying the game or taking the lead. Senior Aly Furgiuele (Norwalk, Conn.) and Ireland then sank free throws down the stretch to put the game out of reach.


Ireland filled up the stat sheet to lead the way for Widener. She finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists while committing only two turnovers. Gallagher contributed 18 points, eight boards and three steals, while junior Brianna Cullen (Lansdale, Pa.) finished with a game-high 13 rebounds.


Bryn Athyn (0-1) was paced by Clark’s 32-point outburst. She made 11 of her 17 field goal attempts while also shooting 10-of-14 from the free throw line. Hicks added 14 points and four steals, and Atunrase redirected eight shots.


Widener will next face the winner of the other matchup between Immaculata and nationally-ranked Muhlenberg tomorrow at a time to be determined.






Matt Chmura

Sports Information Director
Widener University
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013
O: 610-499-4436 | C: 610-751-7330machmura@widener.edu
WidenerPride.com | @WidenerSports
 
Widener Women’s Swimming Continues Competing at F&M Invite


LANCASTER, Pa. (Nov. 19, 2016) – Junior Christine Kunzler (Livermore, Calif.) recorded a top-eight finish and anchored a relay to lead the Widener University women's swimming team on the second day of action at the Franklin & Marshall Invitational. The Pride ended the evening in fifth place among 13 schools with 351.5 points.


Kunzler advanced to the finals in the 50-yard freestyle and touched the wall with a sixth-place time of 24.56 seconds. She also anchored on the 14th-place 200 medley relay during the morning session that registered a time of 1:54.84 and also included sophomore Lauren Griffith (Doylestown, Pa.), freshman Sammy Grogan (Newtown, Pa.) and junior Liz O’Sullivan (Somers Point, N.J.).


Other notable performances were made by freshman Jill Bujanowski (Edgewater Park, N.J.) and the 800-yard free relay. Bujanowski placed fifth in the 100 fly in 57.89, which was Widener’s highest individual finish of the day, while Kunzler, freshman Nikki Mowry (Millersville, Pa.), sophomore Kaylin Augustine (Wyoming, Pa.), and senior Melaney Heald (Georgetown, Del.) combined for a mark of 7:54.79 on the relay to end the evening.


Widener will conclude competing at the Franklin & Marshall Invitational tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.


Widener Men’s Swimming Ends Second Day Third in Standings at F&M Invitational


LANCASTER, Pa. (Nov. 19, 2016) - Junior captain Ian Gaynor (Donegal, Ireland) won the 50-yard freestyle and factored into a pair of runner-up performances as the Widener University men's swimming team remained in third place among thirteen competing schools after the second day of competition at the Franklin & Marshall Invitational. The Pride ended the day with 644.5 points.


Gaynor hit the wall in 20.71 seconds to capture the individual crown in his premier event. The Pride also piled up additional points in the race by having junior Tom Platt (Wallingford, Pa.) register a mark of 21.77, which was good for a tie for sixth place, and Jeremy Lahn was 13th in 21.85.


Another notable performance was made by the 800-yard free relay that clocked in at 7:10.53 in fourth place. The group consisting of senior Michael Grajek (Freehold, N.J.), freshman Paolo Cortez (Brick Township, N.J.), sophomore Aaron Green (Camden-Wyoming, Del.) and Gaynor.


The Pride also got additional top-eight individual finishes from freshman Jon Luksic (Shavertown, Pa.), classmate Martin Bohdan (Tobyhanna, Pa.) and Grajek. Luksic finished eighth in the 200 breast in 2:14.47, while Bohdan was sixth in the 200 free in 1:45.82 and Grajek was seventh in the same event with a time of 1:46.76.


Widener, which only trails Delaware and Washington & Lee in the standings, concludes competing at the Franklin & Marshall Invitational tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.










Matt Chmura

Sports Information Director
Widener University
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013
O: 610-499-4436 | C: 610-751-7330machmura@widener.edu
WidenerPride.com | @WidenerSports
 
Widener Men’s Basketball Drops Tournament Championship Contest to Rowan


CHESTER, Pa. (Nov. 19, 2016) – The Widener University men’s basketball team fell to Rowan by a 91-87 score in the championship game of the 8th Annual Tip-Off for Autism Awareness Tournament at the Schwartz Center on Saturday afternoon.


Widener took an 87-85 lead with just 1:11 remaining and appeared to be in control when sophomore Ryan McMahon (Mount Laurel, N.J.) drove down the left baseline for a layup. The Profs, however, responded by converting six straight shots from the line to close out the game.


After Shawn Wilson made both of his attempts with just over a minute remaining to tie the score for the sixth time, Rob DePersia got himself to the stripe to put the Profs ahead. The sophomore was fouled in the corner when going for a loose ball against junior Sam Smith (Wyomissing, Pa.) following a missed 3-point attempt by freshman Connor Laverty (Upper Township, N.J.).


The Pride had an opportunity to tie the game when Sardayah Sambo (Middletown, Del.) pulled down an offensive rebound and earned a trip to the line, but both of his attempts rimmed out. DePersia then made two more charity shots to put the game on ice.


Rowan (2-1) used the long ball to build up a double-digit lead in the first half and went ahead by a 26-16 score when Jordan Sintras nailed a shot from downtown. But after Joey Montalvo hit a trifecta to make it 29-18 with 10:27 on the clock, Widener got a trey on the other side from Smith and started to rally. Senior Kendall Green (Mount Laurel, N.J.) set up Sambo for a layup to give the Pride a 46-37 advantage in the waning minutes to eventually help the hosts carry a five-point lead into the recess.


Widener led for practically the entire second half and led by a 67-60 score when Green took a pass from classmate John Fender (Wallingford, Pa.) and finished on a fast break. The Profs, however, responded with seven unanswered and took a 72-71 advantage at the midway point courtesy of a layup coming off the hands of Teirique Robinson. But even though the Pride regained the lead by as many as eight on a basket by Smith, the visitors once again came from behind and made clutch shots from the line down the stretch to pull out the win.


Wilson scored a career-high 30 points for Rowan and was named Tournament MVP for his efforts. He was joined on the all-tournament squad by DePersia, who finished the game with 16 points and seven rebounds to go along with six assists.


The Pride were led by Green and Sambo for the second straight game in the setback. Green earned a spot on the all-tournament team by contributing 21 points and three assists, while Sambo notched a double-double with 22 points and 10 boards. McMahon matched two career highs by netting 12 and dishing out six assists.


Widener (1-1) will hit the road for the first time this season to face Immaculata on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 7:00 p.m.










Matt Chmura

Sports Information Director
Widener University
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013
O: 610-499-4436 | C: 610-751-7330machmura@widener.edu
WidenerPride.com | @WidenerSports
 
Widener’s Ernie Pitone Finishes Second at NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships


LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 19, 2016) – Senior Ernie Pitone (Springfield, Pa.) of the Widener University men's cross country team earned All-America laurels at the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday, Nov. 19 at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park.

Battling through cold and windy conditions, Pitone garnered NCAA All-America status for the second straight year by navigating the 8,000-meter circuit in 24:09 to place second overall among a competitive field of 280 runners. The senior held off Tim Nichols of Tufts by seven one-hundredths of a second to earn the runner-up position, which was also the highest finish in program history since Macharia Yuot won the national title in 2006.

Like Pitone, senior Will McDermott (Lansdowne, Pa.) also competed at the national event for the third straight season and punched in a time of 25:17.2. He placed 76th overall after finishing 80th as a junior in 2015 and 142nd during his sophomore campaign two seasons ago.

Wisconsin-Platteville's Ian LaMere won the individual title for the second straight season by hitting the tape in 23:40.4, while North Central captured its fifth team crown in the last nine years and 17th overall to continue its dominance on the national landscape

Pitone and McDermott completed two of the most decorated careers in the history of the Widener men's cross country program. Both runners helped the Pride capture four straight Middle Atlantic Conference titles by factoring into the scoring every season, and they also finished first and second individually during the last two years at the league's championship meet. Furthermore, Pitone ended his career as a three-time conference champion, a regional champion and the second student-athlete in program history to garner NCAA All-America recognition multiple times.
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Top 10 Team Standings
1. North Central 60; 2. Geneseo State 204; 3. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 209; 4. Washington 216; 5. Claremont Mudd Scripps 251 6. Wisconsin-La Crosse 295; 7. MIT 301; 8. Johns Hopkins 316; 9. Williams 330; 10. Loras 352.

Widener Results
2. Ernie Pitone 24:09; 76. Will McDermott 25:17.2.










Matt Chmura

Sports Information Director
Widener University
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013
O: 610-499-4436 | C: 610-751-7330machmura@widener.edu
WidenerPride.com | @WidenerSports
 
Women’s Basketball Falls to Nationally-Ranked Muhlenberg


ALLENTOWN, Pa. (Nov. 19, 2016) – The Widener University women’s basketball team fell to #17-ranked Muhlenberg by a 75-38 decision in the championship game of the Scotty Wood Tournament on Saturday evening at Memorial Hall.


Muhlenberg (2-1) led from wire-to-wire in the contest and only faced one tie in the early stages. The Pride were competitive at the beginning and only found themselves trailing by a 21-15 score in the second quarter when freshman Angelica Borja set up junior Nikki Petri for a 3-point field goal, but the Mules closed out the quarter with 20 unanswered points to build up a 41-15 cushion heading into the break.


The Mules stayed in control throughout the second half. After Chelsea Gary opened the scoring in the third quarter, the hosts would not allow Widener to come closer than 20 the rest of the way. The margin grew to as many as 41 on a layup by Madison Kirchofer before Borja later closed out the game with a bucket on the other end.


Muhlenberg was led by Gary, who earned Tournament MVP accolades after registering a double-double with 15 points and 12 boards. She also blocked four shots. Sara Dilly and Emily O’Mahoney each joined Gary on the all-tournament team after combining for 13 points for the host Mules, who had 15 different players score in the contest.


Sophomore Emily Hardy (Lewisberry, Pa.) paced Widener in the setback. The post player scored four points while also posting two career highs with 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. Freshman Madison Ireland (Garnet Valley, Pa.) added six points by shooting 3-of-5 from the field and also earned a spot on the all-tournament squad.


Widener (1-2) will regroup and be back in action to entertain Marywood in its home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 7:00 p.m.










Matt Chmura

Sports Information Director
Widener University
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013
O: 610-499-4436 | C: 610-751-7330machmura@widener.edu
WidenerPride.com | @WidenerSports
 
Strong Second Half Pushes Widener Men’s Basketball Past Immaculata


IMMACULATA, Pa. (Nov. 22, 2016) – Sophomore Nick Jackson (Rockville, Md.) scored a career-high 20 points in leading the Widener University men’s basketball team to an 84-77 victory over Immaculata on Tuesday evening at Alumnae Hall.


After a tight first half which featured five ties and eight lead changes, Widener came out strong in the second frame and built up a nine-point advantage when sophomore Ryan McMahon (Mount Laurel, N.J.) found senior John Fender (Wallingford, Pa.) for a layup to make it 53-44. Jackson broke a 38-all tie and sparked a 15-6 run by providing 11 points during the stretch to allow the visitors to pull away. McMahon then sank a 3-pointer to put Widener up by double digits before finding Fender for a trey to give Widener its largest lead at 65-53 with 8:57 on the clock.


The Mighty Macs made it a one-possession game when James Willis nailed a 3-point field goal to create a 66-63 score, but their hopes were dashed when senior Kendall Green (Mount Laurel, N.J.) converted from long range on the ensuing possession. Junior Sam Smith (Wyomissing, Pa.) pushed Widener back ahead by nine at the charity stripe and also hit free throws in the final minute to put the game out of reach.


The first half was a seesaw battle between the squads in which neither side led by more than five points. Widener led for most of the stanza and found itself up by four courtesy of a Green layup before unfortunately surrendering the lead. But with the Mighty Macs threatening to take a lead into the break with the ball and the score tied at 38s, Sardayah Sambo (Middletown, Del.) came up with a huge block on a last-second layup attempt by Mike Piekarski to give the Pride all the momentum moving forward.


Jackson netted a career-best 20 points for Widener by shooting a blistering 8-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-2 from long range, and 2-of-3 at the line. Sambo also netted 20 points while contributing eight boards, four assists and four blocks. McMahon set a career mark for assists with eight and also tallied eight points. Green and Smith netted 16 and 11, respectively, and combined for 11 rebounds as well as five helpers.


Immaculata (1-3) was paced by Matt Simon, who netted 26 points and grabbed six rebounds in the losing effort. Roy Ferrell Jr. added 19 points and eight boards, while Piekarski tallied eight points and dished out seven assists.


Widener (2-1) returns home to face Ursinus on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 2:00 p.m.










Matt Chmura

Sports Information Director
Widener University
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013
O: 610-499-4436 | C: 610-751-7330machmura@widener.edu
WidenerPride.com | @WidenerSports
 
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