by Dan Teliski ’97, Gannon Sports Information Director
It was tough to put on the breaks and bring the 2005-06 athletic campaign to a halt. The softball team extended play well beyond the regular season while individual and team post-season accolades continued to flow in on a daily basis. Three of Gannon’s four spring teams that accumulate records posted a .500 mark or better. Overall, it was another successful year for Gannon athletics. Three programs represented Gannon in NCAA Division II Tournaments. Softball made its second consecutive NCAA appearance while men’s golf and wrestling sent individuals to the post-season.
Softball The word “potential” is commonly thrown around in the sports world, but it’s rare when one of those teams reaches the apex of their potential. The Gannon softball team was thinking about the NCAA Division II Tournament ever since the 2005 season ended. The Lady Knights returned every letterwinner from a 2005 squad that qualified for the NCAA post-season and expectations were extremely high entering the 2006 campaign. Everyone’s beliefs turned out to be true when the team opened the season with eight consecutive victories during a spring trip to Florida. The hot start included four victories against top-25 teams. The Lady Knights eventually became one of those nationally-ranked teams, finishing the season ranked 19th in NCAA Division II. The squad completed the season with a 41-18 record, the second-highest victory total in school history. Gannon finished the regular season one game out of first place and finished third at the GLIAC post-season tournament. The Lady Knights advanced to the NCAA Tourna-
Softball Team
ment for the second consecutive year and third time in school history. The squad entered the post-season as the Great Lakes region’s second seed, the highest post-season seeding in the program’s 30-year history. Joanna Fergus received post-season awards after leading the GLIAC’s top-ranked offense. The senior first baseman was named GLIAC Player of the Year, becoming the first player in school history to win the award. She also became the second player in school history to be named All-American when she was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America second team. The softball program was as successful in the classroom as it was on the field. Sophomore shortstop Jaclyn Corroto was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II first team while Fergus and sophomore pitcher Lauren Soldner landed spots on the third team. Twelve Lady Knights were named to the GLIAC All-Academic team.
Women’s Lacrosse
Another winning season is nothing new to the Gannon lacrosse faithful. Lacrosse fans across the country have simply become accustomed to the fact that Gannon will always post a winning record. The lacrosse squad won eight of its last 10 matches and finished the season with an 11-6 record. The Lady Knights have never recorded a losing season in the program’s 11-year history. Gannon reached double digits in victories for the second consecutive season and posted its highest victory total since the 2001 squad went 14-4. The Lady Knights finished ninth in the final Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll.
Junior midfielder Shannon Pagano and freshman attacker Krista Schunk capped fabulous seasons with All-America accolades. Pagano was named to the first team while Schunk landed a spot on the second team. Pagano and Schunk were also named to the IWLCA AllRegion first team while junior midfielder Joanna Culkin and senior defender Joanne Heintz were selected to the IWLCA All-Region second team.
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Joanna Culkin