The Collegian, Oct. 10, 2025

Collegian The Homecoming 2025 Edition Homecoming 2025

College gets top ranking

Steven Mauch Contributing Writer

The college has been ranked second for “Best Value in the North” and fifth overall in the region by U.S. News and World Report.

The U.S. News ranking is the second recent ranking that highly rated the college, following The Princeton Review’s rankings that The Collegian

reported on earlier this year.

“These rankings affirm that Grove City College offers an exceptional education that combines rigorous academics and a remarkable value in our distinctly Christian community,” President Bradley Lingo said in a college news release.

“The college’s commitment to academic excellence and affordable tuition ensures our graduates can live out their

Homecoming kickoff

callings with purpose and integrity.”

The cost of attending the college contributed to the value ranking. According to a college press release, “The college’s annual tuition rate of $22,750 is less than half of the national average of $46,950.”

“Part of it has to do with the types of students we attract … and having high academic rigor means that you’re going

to attract better students, and then if those students come here and then they end up graduating in four years, that makes a big difference,” Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs Peter Frank said.

“So, for example, our graduation rate is somewhere around 80%, and you compare that to the state system in Pennsylvania, I think their average four-year graduation

rate is around 28%, so it’s a pretty big difference, so that’s a big measure (of value).”

Frank also mentioned U.S. News looks at outcomes as well, such as career and graduate school placement, including what kinds of jobs the students get.

Frank later said that career services data show that “96%

Alumni Association to present awards

Kathryna Hoyman Managing Editor

The Alumni Association will host its annual awards ceremony at 7 p.m. on Friday in Harbison Chapel, recognizing four accomplished alumni. The ceremony will present the Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award to three alumni and the recently renamed David Rathburn Distinguished Service Award to one alumnus.

The Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award honors alumni who have had distinctive success in their fields. The alumni receiving the Jack Kennedy Award this year are as follows:

Capt. Mae (Parham) Pouget, Medical Corps, USN, Ret.

After graduating from the college in 1982, Pouget served 26 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy. Throughout her time of service, she held many leadership positions within the Medical Corps, including heading up medical services, staff and programs. She served at hospitals and bases in the United States as well as abroad, earning various medals and honors for her work. She was deputy chief of the Navy’s Medical Corps from 2014 to 2017, overseeing 4,000 doctors.

Pouget, who was a letterwinner on the women’s basketball team during her time at the college, retired in 2021 and now lives with her husband, Lane Thurmond, in Alexandria, Va.

Jake Reid A graduate of the college from the Class of 2005, Reid has been the president and CEO of the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Sporting Kansas City since 2018. He took on this position at 33, becoming the youngest president among MLS clubs. Reid has worked for Sporting Kansas City since 2010, helping the organization win three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups and one MLS Cup. In 2024, Reid was the MLS Executive of the Year, receiving highest honors for business leadership. Reid earned his bachelor’s degree from the college in marketing and continues to be active in his community, serving on the boards of several local organizations. He and his wife, Danielle, have two sons.

Dr. Ted Schaffer Schaffer graduated from the college in 1975 and has since earned his medical degree, going on to serve in numerous leadership positions at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital, including working as the chairman of Medical Education. He has

Grove City Community Library endures hardship

Madelyn Braho Staff Writer

The Grove City Community Library has made efforts to raise funds and cut costs to prevent permanent closure.

Funding became a serious problem in 2023 when the previous director was arrested for embezzling $26,000.

According to current Director Scott Amon, “That was the first blow.”

The board of directors also depleted the library’s funds beginning in 2020 to cover expenses. By the middle of 2023, it was clear the library was in serious financial trouble and might have to close by the end

of the year.

Although that did not happen, the library is still undergoing financial strain. The library has shrunk costs by decreasing hours, reducing program expenses and cutting staff benefits, according to Allied News. The library and local businesses have hosted many fundraisers in support, including a day this summer at Collage Coffee, when all profits went to the library.

The library does not receive direct federal funding, but it gets money from the state, some of which comes initially from the federal government.

LUKE MORTON

Several students put their musical talents to use at Java Jam this past Monday. Students gathered in SHAL Courtyard to listen to fellow Grovers perform while enjoying free coffee from Urban Trail at this annual Homecoming tradition.

From the Tower Freshman follies and post-grad providence

When I volunteered to write the alum editorial, all ideas or concepts for any article I would’ve wanted to write or could’ve written escaped my mind – a classic Collegian tradition. Clearly, I’m in the spirit of Homecoming!

I could write about my newfound post-grad success (a very short article), or I could reminisce on my days at Grove City. I could lament the many pitfalls of the past five months, or I could skip those since they’ve been done before.

When I looked back over the past years of alum editorials, I found articles written by my dear friends and former peers expressing the exact feelings of insecurity and uncertainty that I suffer from now. What a comfort! I mean that sincerely. It seems that post-grad life is pretty uniform for everyone. It’s a lot like being a freshman at Grove City.

You graduate with confidence in who you are, excited for the next chapter and ready for whatever your new life throws at you. Then, your new life actually begins.

It’s fun, foreign and exciting. You can take yourself in any direction you choose. Simultaneously, it’s scary, daunting and unnerving. You spend a lot of time pretending like you know what you’re doing and where you’re going.

After a few weeks, maybe a month, you fall into a steady routine and convince yourself you’ve mastered your new surroundings, and nothing can bring you down. Then reality hits (whether it comes in the form of a failed exam or a job rejection depends on whether you’re 18 or 22), and you’re thrown totally out of whack.

The similarities are striking. There’s even a post-grad version of the Org Fair — LinkedIn! You’ll put your name down for dozens of opportunities, and you’ll probably never see anything come of it – not even an email.

But what I didn’t know as a freshman that I try to remind myself of now is that no matter how put-together your peers may seem by the time your first Homecoming rolls around, you’re all still fresh-faced in your new phase of life.

Just as I did as a freshman, I now share late-night conversations with friends about how clueless we feel. (The only difference is that I go to bed at 9 p.m., so my post-grad latenight is the freshman equivalent of early evening.)

Likewise, what I find extraordinarily reassuring is that just as patience paid off in my freshman year and things eventually did fall into place, now too will patience pay off and things will eventually fall into place.

Life outside the Grove City “bubble” is very different, yes, and the same successes and opportunities guaranteed on campus are not as readily available, of course. But what doesn’t change regardless of your place and pace of living is the reliability of God and His work in your life – even when it is unseen.

It’s funny how quickly we can forget how provident God has been in our lives. It’s ironic how quickly we fall into a false sense of complacency and confidence in our own capabilities, when time and time again we prove not to really know much about anything at all.

My experiences at Grove City College have not only shaped me as a professional and given me what I need to be successful, but they have also fundamentally affected who I am as an individual, thanks to the challenges I encountered along the way.

It’s such a privilege to return to campus to see friends who are still here, enjoying their four years, and to reunite with fellow graduates who are also experiencing the same “freshman” feeling.

Emma Rossi Sports Editor ’23 Editor-in-Chief ’24-25

Collegian Staff

Emily Fox Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Board

Matthew Purucker

News Editor

Catharine Runion

Community Editor

Christa Bashinski

Entertainment Editor

John Hatzis

Perspectives Editor

Mia Gallagher

Sports Editor

Staff Writers

Mara Brak

Madelyn Braho

Anastasia Brown

Randall Elvin

Alexandria Fox

Natalie Hanna

Andrew Hutchinson

Art & Photography

Luke Paglia

Photo Chief

Bernie Komoroski

Comic Strip Artist

Staff Photographers

Luke Morton

Vertigo of freedom

Grace Scheller

Perspectives Editor ’22-25

Managing Editor ’23-25

The first work trip I took for my brand-new big kid job was a short excursion to Grove City. A fellow marketing colleague and I made the drive up to campus to photograph Smith Hall, a project my company had a hand in designing. I led my colleague through the classrooms, the labs and the campus walkways. I told her to mind the grass, to park in the back of the student lot and to zip up her top as I high-fived my old professors and gabbed with those I had even the briefest relationships with during my four years at school. I did ev-

erything in my power to feel like the established, respected student I once was. I was likely vibrant with desperation.

I can remember exactly how it felt to be an upperclassman. What I felt during my first visit as an alumna was not that. I was starving for the familiarity of what I’d already mastered, and instead, I was met with a garish, bone-deep sense of melancholy. Of course, I always assumed I’d come back one day without an active student ID or a roommate to go home to, but to live those moments out in real time is something else entirely. You can always go back, but you can never go home.

It’s the feeling of pure displacement – of winding up in an unexpected limbo where you’re not ready for what comes next, but what came

before is off the table. In short, it amounts to, “What now?” That’s when “vertigo of freedom” kicks in.

Kierkegaard describes anxiety as the feeling we experience once we recognize the sheer abundance of choices before us. He describes it as a sort of dizziness, a vertigo. “He whose eye happens to look down into the yawning abyss becomes dizzy … It is just as much in his own eye as the abyss … for suppose he has not looked down.”

But Kierkegaard doesn’t position his metaphor as a warning, but rather as an awakening. This is where he flips the switch: “Whoever has learned to be anxious in the right way has learned the ultimate.”

Our job as post-grad indi-

On pursuing truth

Matthew Purucker News Editor

Kathryna Hoyman Managing Editor

Editing

Olivia Emerick Copy Chief

Copy Editors

Anna Kasianides

Kendall Lambrect

Jaci Morell

Bonnie Pittman

Campbell Wiersma

Advertising

John Remaniak Business Manager

Tava Derr

Social Media Manager

Advisory

Nick Hildebrand

Staff Advisor

The Collegian is the student newspaper of Grove City College. Opinions appearing on these pages, unless expressly stated otherwise, represent the views of individual writers. They are not the collective views of The Collegian, its staff or Grove City College.

When friends texted each other about the pandemonium on Sunday, Sept. 28, they were concerned about the potential threat to Grove City College, trying to find out what was happening that afternoon.

While some speculation ran rampant in those texts and on social media, police searched across campus, finding no evidence of a threat to the college. Normal activities resumed the next day, but with the investigation ongoing, the pursuit of the culprit behind the false call continues.

Although that pursuit is important, this event raises a more pertinent issue. How do we, as a society, go about finding truth in a world of deception? Like in most cases, the Bible is a good place to start.

In the first half of John 14:6, Jesus said to Thomas that he is the “way,” the “truth” and the

THE GREEN EYESHADE AWARD

This week’s award goes to Christa Bashinski for being proactive and designing a compelling layout for her section early despite having five exams this week.

The Green Eyeshade Award honors student contributors that demonstrate consistency and excellence in their work.

“life.”

Without Christ, life is a lie. If you refuse to accept Jesus, the eternal truth, as true, it is impossible to accept Christ’s sacrifice, the greatest truth, for it saves your life. So the way we go about pursuing the greatest truth is by praying, reading God’s word (truth) and enjoying fellowship with others in that truth.

Although that is the way we should pursue the greatest truth, we can go about finding other truths with the greatest truth in mind. Admittedly, the difference between those is significant, but as Christians, we should do all things through a Christian mindset, with the truth having the utmost importance.

Returning to Sept. 28, the police officers who arrived on campus believed they were pursuing a man with a gun outside Buhl library, as The Collegian reported last week. They searched across campus for this man, but when, and only when, they knew there was no threat, the college messaged the student body that fact.

When The Collegian was learning about the “potentially dangerous situation,” as the first email alert from the college said, the editors did not jump to conclusions, despite the texts they received, which assumed the worst. That response framed the way The Collegian framed its pursuit of the truth of that day.

After the college lifted the lockdown, The Collegian received reports from various people having allegedly done various things. To find out what was true, the editors planned and conducted interviews with many people, many of whom The Collegian did not quote in the article from the last issue.

Following conversations with person after person, confirming detail after detail, The Collegian could finally put together a timeline of what happened where. Then, and only then, The Collegian could publish its report.

The above example should illustrate a couple of key takeTRUTH 10

Interested in Community?

Want to write about what’s happening on campus?

Hear about a new club or business in Grove City someone should cover?

Write for Community! RunionCG22@gcc.edu

CHRISTA BASHINSKI

GRACE DAVID

Class of ’25 Collegian alumni with the Collegian’s advisor, Nick Hildebrand. From left to right: former News Editor Violet Whitmore, former Managing Editor and Perspectives Editor Grace Scheller,

current Staff Advisor Hildebrand and former Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief Emma Rossi.

Homecoming Court 2025

Though Homecoming traditions remain the same, the circumstances students face have changed over the decades. Check out this article from the 1950 Homecoming edition when students were concerned about their classmates being drafted.

Homecoming is the time when old friends get together and talk about the good old days. But for some very unfortunate members of the student body, there won’t be any talking, not on the campus at least.

This year’s Homecoming isn’t any different from those in previous years to most of us. But to those who were hit by the draft and are no longer on campus, it’s a different

story — the old army story, complete with barracks, pinups, blood and sweat.

Many of the old faces will be seen on campus mingling with the new ones. But of course, the men who were eyed and pointed out by Uncle Sam will not be there.

Those who left just recently were: Burr Rodgers, Pete Edwards, Bob Polkinghorn, Ken Montag, John Moser, Carl Barber, Jim Hilty and Jim Starrell.

Those who have received notice pending induction are: Al Martinsko, Bob Swisher, Dick Hamilton and Dale MacKay.

Before the semester closes, there will be several more who will shake hands with the Uncle and don the standard

clothing.

Several parties were held during the past month for the men who were on the eligible list. Till the last minute, fingers were crossed that some word of encouragement might come from the Pentagon, but the Pentagoners were too busy following Truman’s flight to MacArthur. Tears were shed in both directions. The men who left their better halves behind tried hard to stop the deluge, but the look the frails’ faces broke even the stoniest. It looks like V-mail will be the ruler of the day in the very near future unless the Pentagoners stop following Truman’s flight and start mapping out a flight of their own.

VERTIGO

continued from 2

viduals is simply to practice flipping the switch. It begins by recognizing that what came before you is gone for good –and for all the right reasons. God shut a door that he knew could no longer serve you, regardless of how strong your urge to open it may be. It is a wildly uncomfortable feeling to be displaced in such a way. But the goal now is to sit with yourself, to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, to overcome the vertigo of freedom while you have the luxury of stillness. The ground below you and the path you once walked may not feel familiar, but that’s only because you’ve stepped beyond the limits that once defined you. My second work trip for my

brand-new big kid job was a two-day site visit in Washington, D.C. The hotel concierge addressed me as Miss Scheller, described my cushy suite on the top floor and the nearest Michelin-star restaurant. I listened as the businesswomen sauntered through the lobby in pencil skirts and Louboutins. I did not look like these women, and I was certainly not serious enough of a person to receive the work-trip concierge spiel that they did. I certainly didn’t belong in that lobby. And I didn’t belong on campus, either. Neither of those things, it turns out, is necessarily bad news. The ground felt unsteady beneath me in both scenarios. I felt Kierkegaard’s vertigo, but at least it’s starting to feel like momentum.

Take photos but have nowhere to display them?

Join our team! For more info about being a Collegian photographer, email PagliaLR23@gcc.edu.

Drew Pelesky

Grove’s oldest club

Madelyn Braho Staff Writer

Usually when a college club has been around for 87 years, most members are no longer involved. But with the Grove City College Outing Club, graduation doesn’t mark the end of membership.

The Outing Club was established in 1938. According to Alumni Secretary Julianna Jacobs, members never stop being members. “There are alumni that still regularly return to the cabin that graduated in the seventies,” Jacobs said.

That cabin is one of the most unique aspects of the club: It’s owned by the alumni.

“If any of the alumni has any involvement, Tom Morris is the most involved,” explained Outing Club Vice President Erien Schwab. Tom is known for telling stories about how the college has changed since the seventies, as well as tales of his two dogs.

“It’s really cool to see how culture has changed and just to gain wisdom from him,” Jacobs said.

Alumni have their own organization, which is led by Lee Morrisson. “The alumni do a ton of stuff with each other,” Sam Rees, the president of the club, said. “The alumni organization is very active and they still put out their own news reports.”

On lower campus... Alumni Pickleball

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new pickleball courts on lower campus, a gift from the Class of ’24, will be reserved for alumni and Homecoming registrants to play.

Every summer, alumni come out to the cabin to do maintenance and repairs that students can’t manage on their own. They also have a yearly outing trip of their own: a canoeing trip in Canada that current students are invited on.

The club is very active even beyond alumni involvement.

Members visit the cabin weekly in addition to other trips.

“Our main goal is to take students on trips that they might not have been able to go on living at home,” Schwab said.

Trips vary, from skiing to hiking through Carolina marshes. On one trip, members had to stand in as park rangers. “The website of a national park that we went to told us that it was well kept, and then we get there and an hour

in we’re using hatchets and knives just to whack our way through,” Schwab recounted.

The club also puts on a hike at the cabin overlook toward the start of the fall semester where the stars are clearly visible.

Members come up with trip ideas, and it’s almost entirely student led. “If you have a suggestion for something you want to do, even if it’s something that none of us have done before, don’t say, ‘oh well, that’s not something the Outing Club does.’ We’ll do it,”

Rees encouraged.

In order to make this possible, the club reimburses members for the cost of trips up to 70%, according to Schwab. This is possible because of their fundraisers, including

On Pine and Broad Streets... Homecoming Parade

11 a.m.

This parade is the highlight of Homecoming for many. See different reunion groups, Greek group floats and marching bands from around Mercer county as they travel down town.

pie baking in the spring, organized by the vice-president, and the concession stand. The stand is run in cooperation with Parkhurst.

According to students, having the alumni be a part of the club is a huge benefit. “That’s one of my favorite parts about the club. It’s pretty rare that alumni from all over the country come to a certain place near Grove City every single year,” Jacobs said.

The upcoming pig roast on Oct. 26 will be another opportunity for students and alumni to interact. A pig is cooked in a firepit for 24 hours, and alumni and students from all around bring their families.

“Everyone’s invited,” Rees said.

By Thorn Field... Food Trucks

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Several food trucks will be set up around Thorn Field during the Homecoming football game. Stop for a quick lunch, and cheer the Wolverines on to victory!

OUTING CLUB HISTORIAN

Grove City College students get to know Outing Club alumni. Tom Morris ’77, second from right, oversees the cabin.

OUTING CLUB HISTORIAN Faculty advisor Devin Stauff ’05 socializing on an outing.

OUTING CLUB HISTORIAN

The Outing Club’s cabin, located in Clear Creek State Forest.

Mr. and Mrs. Coach A very Grover love story

Lucy Aderholt Contributing Writer

Known by each other’s players as “Mr. Coach” and “Mrs. Coach,” Steve ‘85 and Melissa Lamie met while coaching basketball at Grove City College in 1993. They got married in 1996 and have both been working and coaching at the college ever since.

Melissa was hired as the women’s head soccer and basketball coach, and one year later, Steve was hired as the assistant men’s basketball coach. The late Nancy Paxton, former vice president of student affairs and dean of students, helped set up the relationship.

“(Paxton) was matchmaking and setting us up, like, ‘Hey, they just hired this new basketball assistant, he’s a really good guy. Get to know him – make sure you get to know him,’” Melissa explained.

Steve played basketball at the college, and the head coach recommended him for the new assistant coaching position.

Melissa was originally from Colorado, played soccer and basketball at Calvin College and was completely unfamiliar with Grove City until she heard about the job opening in a newspaper.

“I basically saw the job posting, and I knew that it was going to be my job. I’d never heard of Grove City College, I’d never been to Pennsylvania, and I was like, that’s where I’m going,” Melissa said.

The Lamies’ involvement has spanned many aspects of campus, especially early on in their coaching years. Melissa has taught various exercise science and physical education classes, coached women’s basketball for 13 years, men’s and women’s golf for 10 years and is now in her 33rd year of coaching women’s soccer.

Steve taught biology, physical education and exercise science classes. He was a resident director, coached track for nearly 10 years and is now in his 32nd year of coaching men’s basketball.

“I’m working where I want to work. Look, this is my dream job, and it’s more than just a job – it’s my life,” Steve said. Melissa shared funny aspects about dating Steve when he was the resident director of Hopeman, like having to sign in, like the students, and get

permission from Mrs. Paxton to be in his room.

The couple also explained how working together has impacted their lives. “(Coaching) at the same place is good because it has allowed us to be very invested in our home here,” Melissa said.

Grove City College is a unique place to coach, as it allows the Lamies to apply their faith to their teams. “The biggest thing is being able to combine my faith with what I’m doing … I’ve always felt the freedom to make it about more than soccer and make it about more than being a good person, but really to get into tying it to your faith,” Melissa said. “I’ve always felt supported in that.”

“It has grown us in our faith because we’re with like-minded kids, like-minded administrators and faculty that sharpen us. It’s a really wholesome place … So, just being

in a Christian community, I don’t want to ever take that for granted. I love that. That’s changed us,” Steve said.

There are definitely hardships that come with coaching college sports as a married couple. The Lamies explained that coaching in the same season was incredibly difficult. Now, their seasons offset each other, and they have help from family during any overlap. When one is in season, the other has more responsibilities at home, and they both understand the job’s demanding nature firsthand.

Their family is involved in the college’s community as well. Their oldest daughter played soccer and graduated from the college, and their younger twins chase balls for the soccer team and often walk to campus after school.

“(The Lamies) have been a good example of what putting your faith in, coaching at

the same time and balancing a family can look like … (and) showing us what it looks like to have your priorities correct in the realm of coaching,” Maggie Miller, the assistant women’s soccer coach, said.

The Lamies have built relationships with and positively impacted many students during their time so far at Grove City College. “It’s my alma mater … I’m going to do well for the place that I call home. We believe in working in a place where you really believe in the mission,” Steve said.

Melissa agreed, “It’s home. I mean, we built a house a couple of years after we got married. And he loves Pennsylvania. He’s from Pennsylvania, and he would be happy if he never had to leave. I like to go to Colorado sometimes and things like that, but I don’t foresee us going anywhere else until we’re done.”

Best of autumn in Western Pa.

Olivia Petty Contributing Writer

As a “broke” college student on a budget, you may assume your autumnal recreation is limited to laps around the quad – beautiful, but a little repetitive. How about watching the sun set over silver waves or eating crêpes in an old opera house? Western Pennsylvania offers a handful of inexpensive yet interesting activities.

Almost the ocean, Presque Isle State Park waits an hour away in Erie, Pa. Junior Anna Claire Puglia, a native of San Diego, loves Presque Isle for its reminiscence of her home.

“I think it’s one of the most beautiful places in Western Pa. I love water and the ocean and the beach, and it’s definitely the closest thing to that Western Pa. can get. It’s worth it because you get to go out into God’s creation, have a little break from campus and walk

along the beach,” she states.

As Pennsylvania’s only “seashore,” this park offers recreational activities, wildlife-viewing opportunities and overnight accommodations, according to “The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

If you prefer mountains –or, rather, hills – Clear Creek State Forest beckons.

Hemming in the town of Kennerdell, this forest promises a steep hike through meandering woods to the reward of a sunrise or sunset at the end. Senior Ellie Patton confirms the adventure is worth the 30-minute drive.

“The hike is so fun, and the view at the end of the hike is so worth it too. It’s a great view of the Allegheny River, especially if you camp there and wake up to see the sunrise. It’s glorious,” Patton says.

If rocks and trees don’t saAUTUMN 11

In love with Dr. Love

My mind has been stuck on one person and one person only. They have such a way with words and such great emotional intelligence. What do I do with my crush on Dr. Love?

Well, this is definitely a turn of events. Have you ever watched “Dash & Lily?” It’s one of my favorite movies to watch around Christmas time. (Please don’t tell me it’s too early to bring up Christmas. It’s never too early). They get to know each other by passing notes back and forth through a red notebook before ever meeting each other.

Get this: The notebook was left by Lily for one lucky stranger to find in The Strand, a bookstore in New York City. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good bookstore. A relationship built upon the foundation of wise words and banter is one for the books. They prove it. There’s something about getting to know a person through letters and notes that’s on another level.

Take Conrad Fisher from “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” His letters to Belly are FULL of yearning and love. Who doesn’t want that? I feel like no one really takes the time to write letters anymore, and I fear that it’s a dying art. Let’s bring yearning back, please. Crushes can be kind of strange. Sometimes, you don’t really know how you developed a crush on a person. One day they’re just someone you know and the next they’re all you can think about. Crushes are full of hope and daydreams until reality sets in. That’s when you figure out if you’re in it for the long haul. Behind this screen (pen?) I write my true thoughts and am more transparent with my readers than I am in real life sometimes. I realize I don’t know anything about you, secret admirer, but you know a great deal about me. Tell me something about yourself. What kind of music do you listen to in the fall? Are you a coffee person or a tea person? Who’s more to blame, Summer or Tom?

In return, I’ll tell you about myself. For my other readers … try not to use these as hints to figure out who I am. (You can try, but Dr. Love’s identity will remain elusive for the present.)

This fall I’ll have “Linger” by The Cranberries on repeat. I’m not a coffee or tea person; I’m partial to smoothies. Both Summer and Tom are partly to blame. I love slow walks across the quad, and someday I’d like to own a café/ bookshop. My ideal type is simple: kind, curious, loves music and will stay for a long conversation.

If you’d rather stay a mystery, I get it. I mean, that’s my whole brand. But if you choose to be brave and take that next step forward by answering my questions, I’ll write back.

Waiting wistfully,

Dr.

Love Love M.D. Doctor Love

OLIVIA PETTY

Pennsylvania’s only beach: Presque Isle State Park.

MELISSA LAMIE

Steve and Melissa Lamie stop for a selfie on a hike.

The price of showbiz

Andrew Hutchinson Staff Writer

Through her Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has made it clear she is the ultimate American showgirl. However, a successful artist cannot rely on reputation or past successes, but must continue creating, and to a certain extent, must keep fans appeased. With her 12th studio album, Taylor Swift tries to recreate the happier pop albums of her past that fueled the Eras Tour, the most commercially successful tour in history.

Some of her popularity cooled after the apathetic response to “The Tortured Poets Department” and its lack of memorable writing. “The Life of a Showgirl” has a mixed relationship with fans and listeners thus far, but this new release is a good, if flawed, album.

This marks Swift’s first album since 2014’s “1989” not

produced by Jack Antonoff, with Max Martin returning to the helm. Despite this change, the production, choice of instrumentation and general sound create the same vintage-pop atmosphere of Antonoff’s recent release “Man’s Best Friend.” Tracks like “Actually Romantic,” “Wood” and the Sabrina Carpenter feature “The Life of a Showgirl” could easily sit beside Carpenter’s recent work. Despite this, all 12 tracks can be linked in sound to other “eras” of Swift’s music. The guitar in “Wood” recalls “1989,” “CANCELLED!” channels “Reputation” and “Midnights,” “Eldest Daughter” echoes the introspective tone of “Folklore” and “Wi$h Li$t” could seamlessly integrate into “Lover.”

While many critics have bashed the album for its lack of creativity, I found enough interest to justify adding a handful to my personal playlists, despite none of the tracks

having the instant-hook brilliance of “Shake It Off” or “Cruel Summer.” It generally presents like an amalgamation of all her previous sounds and writing in a presentation like “Midnights,” fitting the tone Taylor curated in the lead-up to the album’s release. However, it would be remiss to not cover the lyrical element of the album. Unlike the “Red” and “1989” albums that Swift claimed some similarity to, the profanity remains on par with “The Tortured Poets Department” or “Midnights,” with a decent amount of strong profanity. More perplexing and frankly disappointing is the innuendo that Swift includes in a few of the songs, most prominently in “Father Figure” and “Wood.” This has not been a prominent part of Swift’s other writing and aligns more with Sabrina Carpenter’s explicit metaphors. Furthermore, Swifties from the “Folklore” era may be disappointed by

‘Count’ (of Monte Cristo) me in

Benjamin Treadwell

Contributing Writer

On Sept. 25, I had the opportunity to attend The Institute for Faith & Freedom and the Department of Modern Languages collaboration screening of the 2024 film adaptation of “The Count of Monte Cristo,” and the movie is definitely worth taking the time to watch. The visuals, from cinematography to set design, are amazing, the plot is riveting and the themes at the heart of the story deserve contemplation.

The narrative of the film (adapted from Alexander Dumas’ novel of the same name) follows a young sailor named Edmond who, after being falsely accused of treason and sent to prison, makes a clever, harrowing escape, becoming an unimaginably wealthy count (via finding a hidden treasure hoard) and proceeds to use his incredible wealth to weave a web of intrigue to ruin the lives of the three men who conspired to ruin his life.

Even though this was a French-language film with English subtitles, I didn’t miss much of the plot, as the visual storytelling made up for what the dialogue lost in translation. Unlike in current American filmmaking, most of the

shots had a very limited depth of focus, meaning all of the audience’s attention is placed on the characters and their expressions and interactions. When the shots didn’t tightly focus on the characters, they either emphasized the sets and locations, generating a magnificent atmosphere that immersed the audience in the sumptuous Napoleonic world, or the focus broadened to emphasize the framing of the shot, which contributed to the story still more and returned attention to the characters actions and relationships.

the lack of philosophic depth in the writing, as “The Life of a Showgirl” has far simpler language. This isn’t an innate problem, as grandiloquence is antithetical to pop songs, as proven by how “The Tortured Poets Department” struggled to include catchy tunes. The writing in “Elizabeth Taylor” and “Eldest Daughter” is still more profound than that of typical popular music and even shows more depth than Swift’s other pop albums. Collectively, the writing has some issues, especially for discerning listeners, but it is successful in writing memorable choruses and bridges and maintaining a good deal of the depth included in modern Taylor Swift albums. Naturally, there is an infinite amount of speculation regarding hidden meanings for the different tracks, from the perceived feuding with Charli XCX in “Actually Romantic” to whether “CANCELLED!” was

written about Brittney Mahomes or Blake Lively. What is clear is that Swift is devoted to her fiancé Travis Kelce in a way she has not been with her previous lovers. She mentions a change of mind on the topic of marriage and wanting to potentially settle down and become a mother. This is an immense change of intent for the artist and certainly impacts the sound and writing of the album. Whatever future music Swift chooses to release will inevitably be a radical departure of subject matter, and a joyful side of Swift will be more visible.

While the magic of the multi-platinum albums of her past may not have been captured in “The Life of a Showgirl,” both in sound and writing, it will undoubtedly have great success. The showgirl has opened the curtain to her life, and the glitter hides most of the cracks in the window. .

Anniversary chart toppers

Emily Fox Editor-in-Chief

Welcome back, Wolverines! The Collegian staff has been carefully curating content to share with our alumni returning for Homecoming. In honor of the reunions gathering on campus this weekend, we’ve put together a list of the yearend Billboard chart toppers for each class celebrating a reunion this year.

1965 – “Wooly Bully” by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs “Wooly Bully” beat the Brits as Billboard’s yearend chart topper in 1965, surpassing The Beatles to take the No. 1 spot. The rock ‘n’ roll beat proved popular among listeners, remaining on the top 40 charts for 18 weeks and selling more than three million copies. Despite peaking at No. 2 on the American Hot 100 charts, Billboard gave “Wooly Bully” the coveted No. 1 year-end ranking.

1970 – “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel This melody, still widely

recognized and listened to today, held the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 list for six weeks. The folk-rock duo captured the hearts of audiences with soft piano and lyrics expressing the peace that can come from having a true friend to lean on during difficult times. Lines such as “If you need a friend, I’m sailing right behind. Like a bridge over troubled water, I will ease your mind” still resonate with listeners of all ages and remind us of the value that friends who stick with us through all seasons add to our lives.

1975 – “Love will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille

The bouncy beat performed by husband-andwife duo Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille was a cover of the song originally written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. Though they were not the first to cover the song, their version held the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 chart for four weeks in 1975. It is one of two songs put out by the duo that

IMDB

Dressed for royalty

Alexandria Fox Staff Writer

When the British capital reclaimed the global spotlight from Sept. 18 to 22, London Fashion Week (LFW) reminded us exactly why it remains the creative heartbeat of fashion month. Between boundary-pushing aesthetics and moments of pure spectacle, this edition definitely lived up to our expectations.

One of the most talked-about events was Roksanda’s milestone show in the

subterranean ballroom of the newly debuted Chancery Rosewood, the former U.S. Embassy site. On the afternoon of Sept. 20, founder Roksanda Ilincic celebrated her brand’s decades in business and used the platform to introduce new talent. The runway welcomed Louis Mayhew (an LCF MA grad) and Jacek Gleba (Central Saint Martins) into Roksanda’s circle and also revived Cameron Williams’s “Nuba” line after a hiatus.

In Roksanda’s typical fashion, the collection used both

bold color-blocking and artful silhouettes, but what resonated most was her upholding of tradition — honoring legacy but also opening doors for fresh voices. The room felt less like a blast from the past and more like a proclamation: The brand isn’t done, and they aren’t changing their style either.

Across the week, LFW’s style switched between tame and all-out showmanship. Several of the most riveting moments included Burberry’s closing spectacle, which took over Perks Field at Kensing-

ton Palace and transformed the grounds into a festival-style stage, complete with a sky-printed tent and riffs on the classic trench. Additionally, Conner Ives leaned fully into pop-culture iconography (like Gaga and Uffie) with sequins, neon colors and a transgender and nonbinary cast.

We also saw Aaron Esh’s “gritty glamour” balance East End culture and toughness, using leather, intense cuts and styling that looked polished but also intense. Then there were the “cra-

zy looks:” H&M’s return to the runway featured several nepo babies (Romeo Beckham, Lila Moss, Iris Law and Amelia Gray Hamlin) walking in edgy, streetwise ensembles. We also saw Naomi Campbell show up in full denim: a floorlength, deconstructed denim gown which definitely took us back to the ’90s. These weren’t just fashion stunts for clicks, though; they blended celebrity, heritage and innovative design, all with a theatrical

Bad Bunny, bad pick? Super Bowl halftime headliner raises questions

Randall Elvin Staff Writer

On Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif., Bad Bunny will perform in front of an audience of millions at Super Bowl LX.

The 68,000-seat Levi’s Stadium will host the first-ever Spanish-language halftime show in the event’s history. Once just a small break between halves, the Super Bowl halftime show has become a cultural milestone where music and culture collide.

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar with three Grammys to his name, represents a blend of trap and pop music. His performance will most likely feature Spanish lyrics front and center, which is a first for a show traditionally dominated by English singers in the American sporting event.

Bad Bunny’s popularity has greatly helped Latin music in rising popularity across the world. For many fans, this is a symbol of representation that has been decades in the making.

Like any decision in our world today, there has been plenty of controversy over picking Bad Bunny. Questions have arisen about whether Spanish “fits” the American football stage. Beyond his music, Bad Bunny frequently speaks openly on issues like immigration and politics. He uses his platform to criticize political leaders and policies he sees as unjust.

Many see him as bold and admire his passion for ideas outside of music, while others criticize him for politicizing

entertainment. Most recently, he spoke about not hosting any U.S. tours because he feels that there would be a large presence of ICE agents outside awaiting his fans. When asked

by a reporter if there was any validity to Bad Bunny’s statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded, “As far as ICE being at the Super Bowl, as far as I’m

aware, there’s no tangible plan in store right now.”

With all the talks of controversy and lots of opinions flying from every direction, you may find yourself wondering:

Why didn’t they pick anyone else? Rumors earlier this year suggested that the league would go with Taylor Swift, Drake or even Morgan Wallen. With the end of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, one of the highest-grossing tours of all time, many speculated she would have time to bring her talent to America’s biggest stage.

On the other hand, Drake could have delivered a huge global appeal to those in attendance and those watching on TV as he boasts multiple all-time albums and streaming records. Also in consideration was country sensation Morgan Wallen. Wallen could have brought his massive country audience, which tends to lean more into the traditional American angle of the Super Bowl.

With Bad Bunny confirmed for the Super Bowl, it seems the league is aiming for more than just breaking records; it’s making a cultural statement. Only time will tell how Bad Bunny uses this illustrious stage. His Puerto Rican roots and Latin rhythm will share the same spotlight that other Super Bowl halftime stars once occupied. Past performers include Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Shakria, Prince and other huge singers. Each of these artists left their mark on the halftime show.

Now, Bad Bunny has the chance to redefine how millions of Americans view not only the performance, but also their country. All eyes will be on Levi’s Stadium in early February to see how Bad Bunny utilizes the stage in a way that could redefine culture and music for all.

YAHOO

ROYALTY

Reminiscing and reunions

1970

Welcome back class of 1970! Though many years ago, the Grove City College Marching Band remains as steadfast and talented as it did during this event at what was then known as the College Field.

1980

Welcome back class of 1980! The tradition of Homecoming Court has not changed over 45 years. Do you remember the Homecoming Queen from 1980?

1965

Welcome back class of 1965! Take a look back in time to fellow students in your year. These students appear to be partaking in some type of registration or checkin. Remember doing this at Grove City College in the year 1965?

1975

Welcome back class of 1975! School spirit skyrockets as cheerleaders gather with Willie. Thank you for your dedication in cheering on your fellow Wolverines through the years.

1985

Welcome back class of 1985! These classmates from 1985 embrace the Grove City College spirit. Hopefully you have continued to celebrate the school spirit through the years.

1990

Welcome back class of 1990! One of the most beautiful and elegent places on campus is MAP South Lobby. It remains a great location to dress up and take some pictures, just like these students from the Class of 1990 did.

by

Luke Paglia, Photo Chief

Photos by GCC

Take a look at the reunion classes through the years.

1995 2000

Welcome back class of 1995! The Greek Games may have been popular in the ’90s, but they are no more. Greek life is still a big part of the campus environment, however. Which Greek group were you a part of?

Welcome back class of 2000! The 100year tradition of recognizing the Spring Queen carried over to Y2K for these folks. Members of the pageant line up for photos in MAP South Lobby.

2005

Welcome back class of 2005! The holidays around Grove City College are as joyful as ever. This choral group performs a Christmas concert to glorify Christ our Saviour.

Welcome back class of 2010! Graduation may seem like an eternity ago, or it may seem like yesterday. Regardless, don’t be a stranger to Grove City College.

2010 2020

Welcome back class of 2020! Your class had potentially the most memorable graduation and not for the best reason. Hopefully, despite the finish line, you take pride in your Alma Mater and come back with open arms.

2015

Welcome back class of 2015! People always ask the question, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” Take a moment to reflect on that question from your college graduation to now.

Kingsnorth leads conference

English author talks AI dangers and Christian mindset

Matthew Purucker News Editor

Paul Kingsnorth, author of “Against the Machine,” headlined the Christian Writers Conference at Grove City College on Tuesday.

Kingsnorth spoke at three events promoting his new book, “Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity.” Published Sept. 23, the book argues against the rise of what he says is “the techno-industrial culture” that “is destroying the Earth itself, and is reshaping us all in its image,” according to Kingsnorth’s website.

Kingsnorth was an atheist for most of his life before converting to Christianity, which changed him for the better in ways he could not have imagined.

“Now, I sort of accidentally had a public conversion,” Kingsnorth said. “I’ve been a writer for all of 30 years, but I’ve only been a Christian for five or six years. … Didn’t expect it to happen, didn’t really want it to happen for a while, and then it did, so like C.S. Lewis, I just had to deal with it.

LIBRARY

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So, federal budget cuts will not initially affect them.

“We’re more worried about (the) ripple effect that might take a couple years to take into effect,” Amon said. “If we lose (state funding), it would be a big problem, but it would not necessarily completely shut us down.”

Fundraising has been a larger focus to make up for what is missing. In September, the library hosted its annual book sale and has a spaghetti dinner on Oct. 18 and a soup fundraiser on Nov. 14. Patrons can also buy tickets for raffle baskets available through December, which include themes like coffee, baking, Steelers and Star Wars, among others.

The goal goes beyond staying open through December, though.

“We’ve kind of been having the same issue where we do lots of fundraisers, we have money in the account, and as time goes on, the money obviously drains out of the account. (There are) different reasons: bills, payroll, insurance,” Amon said. “We’re pretty confident we’re good through the end of the year. What we don’t want to do is just keep repeating this year after year.”

To address this concern, the library now encourages pledging monthly.

“Back in April, we started a monthly donor program,

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aways. First, the truth is hard to find. If students knew the call was a hoax, they would not have run or jumped out of windows to safety. If world leaders knew how to solve the world’s problems, they would (hopefully) not wage wars or incite division and hate.

Second, about news, especially about potentially life-changing or societal-altering events, do not say what you think; say what you know. If you say, “The police evacuated students from the library. I don’t know why,” instead of “The police evacuated students from the library because (I

“And now I ask myself whether I’m a writer who’s a Christian or a Christian writer, or whether there’s a difference between those two things.”

Kingsnorth opened his visit to campus by participating in an interview with Professor of English Jeffery Bilbro in front of students, professors and visitors in the Great Room in Breen Student Union. Bilbro interviewed the English writer for the first half hour of the discussion, with attendees able to ask questions for the remaining 30 minutes.

“It’s an absolute boon to have a speaker of such caliber and reach,” English Department Chair Joshua Mayo said in a speech introducing Kingsnorth before the discussion.

Following the conversation in the student union, Kingsnorth lectured in Harbison Chapel about the themes and details found within the new book and held a book-signing reception in Rathburn Hall.

“I think language has to be used in a way that connects us to the meaning of humanity,” Kingsnorth said. “What does it actually mean to be a human? I would say the age of the ma-

where patrons can contribute a set amount each month, and over time that starts to add up,” Amon explained.

As of late September, 47 donors gave monthly, although the library hopes to double that number by the end of the year. Supporters can donate by mailing a check to the library or by using Zeffy, a donation platform linked on the library’s website.

But even for those who cannot donate, they can still support the library in other ways. For example, all students of the college can sign up for a free card to read what Amon said is “a lot more of the popular fiction.”

Students and others can also attend a Dungeons & Dragons group, which runs weekly at the library, as well as monthly book clubs and crafting groups.

“We are looking to expand the kind of programs we do; (we) just have to see what people are interested in,” Anon said. “If people have suggestions, they’re more than welcome to let us know.”

While the library will be able to stay open through December, there is still a long way to go before the library can reach pre-2023 financial stability, for which it has been asking the local community to help.

Those interested can visit the library’s website (www. grovecitypalibrary.org) to donate and learn more information.

think) there’s an active shooter,” you communicate only the truth and omit conjecture.

While you may believe talking like that is absurd, people fall for lies repeatedly, with social media only making telling the truth from lies more difficult. And the malicious lies, far too numerous to name, could put lives on the line and wreak immense havoc, as experienced by students last Sunday afternoon. Therefore, pursue the (eternal) truth, so you never fall astray to people who, as Michael Caine (Alfred) in The Dark Knight said, “want to watch the world burn.”

chine is dark and depressing, but it also, at its root, is asking us that question.”

Bilbro said, according to a college news release, the conference was moved up to the fall to be a part of Kingsnorth’s ongoing North American book tour. It is typically in the spring.

Kingsnorth has written works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, including the novel “The Wake,” which was a finalist for the Booker Prize, an annual award honoring the best original English-language novel published in the United Kingdom. Before becoming a full-time author, the Ireland resident worked as a journalist.

“If you listen to the people who are creating AI systems, they all talk about how they’re making God, or they’re building God or they’re summoning entities into the world. They talk about creating intelligences that are greater than us, supersede our evolution, that will replace us,” Kingsnorth said. “This stuff is very, very open. … They’re very clear about the fact that they’re doing something that’s actually quite religious. It’s a spiritual story that they’re trying to create.”

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of students are in graduate school or working six months out.”

Lee Wishing III, vice president for student recruitment, also mentioned that students and faculty seek a rigorous education. Wishing continued to mention that companies want the work ethic and values the college affirms in its students.

Both Frank and Wishing said the rankings reflect highly on the faculty.

Frank discussed that part of attracting and maintaining the best faculty involves supporting them and providing the best facilities, referencing the renovation of Smith Hall. Wishing discussed how

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been an award-winning family physician for more than four decades, training over 500 residents and advocating for family health. He also led seven family physician groups to consolidate into one organization, Renaissance Family Practice.

During his time at the college, Schaffer was the president of his junior and senior classes and earned the Senior Man of the Year recognition.

He and his wife, Nancy (Cotton) ’76, currently live in Schaffer’s hometown, Annville, Pa., and have four children, all of whom, like their father, became family physicians.

The David Rathburn Distin-

the college is attracting the best faculty in the country for a Christian school. Both Frank and Wishing discussed how the Christian community among students and between students and faculty contributes to the quality and value of the college.

Wishing also emphasized the different educational focus of the college, which stems from the belief that “there is a higher purpose to higher education.”

The Princeton Review ratings also showed that students from the college are among the happiest.

Wishing described how the result of a Christian education is joy, and that “the ultimate purpose of an education is virtue and joy.”

guished Service Award, named after the college’s beloved late trustee chair emeritus, honors those who have shown exceptional service to Grove City College. This year’s recipient is Dr. Hans Sennholz.

Dr. Hans Sennholz

Sennholz was born in Germany in 1922 and received his first doctorate from the University of Cologne. After studying under Austrian economist Ludwig Von Mises at New York University and earning his Ph.D. in 1955, he joined the faculty at Grove City College. For the next 36 years, he served as a professor of economics and the chairman of the Department of Economics. His time at the college greatly influenced the Department

Frank concluded that the U.S. News and World Report’s findings separate the college from other higher education institutions.

“Grove City is very serious about being a Christian liberal arts college, and so helping people see that their time here at college is much more than just getting skills in a narrow discipline … so that you can go out and get a job,” Frank said. “That’s part of it, but the much bigger picture is that we’re hopefully helping you, with our liberal arts foundation rooted in (a) Christian worldview, helping you see a much bigger picture of what your purpose is in this world beyond just a career, but really a vocation, a calling.”

of Economics, as well as thousands of students who remember him as an inspiring, motivating and challenging teacher of the Austrian School of economics. A son, Robert, and a grandson, Roland, of Sennholz and his wife, Mary, are both alumni of the college.

The presentation of these four awards will mark the 61st Alumni Association Awards Ceremony.

“As we approach the 150th anniversary of our college in 2026, these occasions to honor people, people who make us into the place we are today, is a great opportunity that I’m thankful to be able to commemorate,” Melissa MacLeod, senior director of alumni and college relations, said.

Interested in writing for The Collegian?

The Collegian provides excellent opportunities for students who are interested in journalism careers, in writing and in exploring campus events and issues. All sections welcome new writers. Contact FoxER22@gcc.edu to learn more about the ways you can get involved.

GCC

Paul Kingsnorth spoke at the Christian Writers Conference.

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tiate the hiker, where should they go for fall foods?

Iron Furnace in Franklin, Pa. is a lesser-known coffee shop than Collage. It provides good coffee and autumnal sights. According to Puglia, this coffee shop offers a diverse list of fall-flavored drinks, and it provides entertainment in addition to energy.

“Franklin is just the closest thing to a perfect fall town that I’ve ever been in. It has beautiful stone churches and houses. If people wanted to do something where they could see all of the leaves changing color and have a pretty fall drive and also get coffee, that would be a perfect place to go,” Puglia expounds.

But you may still be hungry after hiking and drinking coffee. If so, go to Wunderbar. Situated in Harmony, Pa., Wunderbar offers locally sourced and internationally inspired sandwiches, crêpes

MSOC

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tying Geneva on Wednesday and has the potential to lead to more wins this season as a game we can build off of,” Higgs said.

Higgs tallied three shots on goal for the Wolverines with Camden, Ladas and Merrick each recording one. Freshman goalie Keller Krieger was treated to an uneventful first half, while junior Anthony D’Ippolito preserved the shutout by making two saves in the second.

The Wolverines outshot Thiel 31-3, including a 14-2 lead in shots on goal. Grove City also maintained an edge in corner kicks, tallying 13 to Thiel’s two.

According to Higgs, the team was able to implement skills they worked on in practice in this game, which ulti-

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er Maddie Mills started and played the first 32 minutes without facing a shot. Freshman goalkeeper Ella Lotz entered in relief and finished the final 58 minutes, making one save to secure her first collegiate win. The clean sheet was a complete team effort, as the defensive unit consistently denied Thiel any sustained offensive possession. Through ten matches, Stevenson leads Grove City with six goals. Plunkard and White are tied for second on the team with three apiece, while freshman forward Lauren Muhanna has also tallied three.

This week, Stevenson made PAC offensive honor role, with Costa making defensive honor role and Horst claiming newcomer honor role. At the beginning of the season, senior midfielder Natalie Giunta, Costa, Keller and Stevenson were listed as the PAC players

ROYALTY

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flourish.

It is worthwhile to note the number of “nepo babies” seen on the runway this season, adding to the ongoing debate of whether this is becoming the new supermodel pipeline or if these highly sought-after spots really go to true contenders.

But the real theme of LFW 2025 was London’s DNA. This was not about imitation or echoing Paris or Milan, it was about skewed proportions, rough edges and bold risk-tak-

and coffees. Located in a renovated opera hall, this coffee shop serves Italian, French and American treats in a historic German town, according to the Wunderbar website.

“I only found out about Wunderbar this past summer, but I love the crêpes. They’re to die for, and it’s such a fun place to go to. The music’s great. Rustic vibes. Can’t go wrong. Even when it’s busy, it’s not too loud, which is nice. Good for studying and for socializing,” Patton says.

This life at Grove City College brings you close to historical coffee shops, lakeshore beaches and hill-top sunsets.

A well-rounded college experience includes more than rigorous academics and valuable relationships: It also entails late-night hikes to glimpse the star-powdered sky above the Allegheny Mountains and early-morning drives to catch the sun-stained waves at Lake Erie.

mately allowed them to stay undefeated in league play.

“One of the things we … (practiced) was giving the ball to our wingers and letting them cross it into the box. We were looking to be more dynamic on offense and create more chances by playing it wide and then crossing it, and that’s how we scored our three goals,” Higgs said.

“We are really looking to score early and keep the pressure on them throughout the (game). I think we can wear (our opponents) down by keeping possession and utilizing our deep roster. And if we don’t let them score, we can’t lose.”

After travelling to Hiram, Ohio to face the Terriers last Wednesday, Grove City will venture to New Wilmington, Pa. to take on the Westminster Titans at 5 p.m. tonight.

to watch.

Grove City was selected as the PAC preseason favorite for 2025, following back-to-back league titles and nine total championships, which is the most in conference history.

Led by veteran Head Coach Melissa Lamie, now in her 33rd season, the Wolverines earned eight first-place votes and 116 points in the coaches’ poll. Grove City is unbeaten in its last 20 regular-season PAC matches (17-0-3) and looks to extend its dominance after a strong campaign and thrilling 4-3 championship win over Westminster in 2024.

The Wolverines will look to carry this momentum forward as they continue their push for a top position in the PAC standings. The Wolverines faced Hiram on the road Wednesday for a rescheduled match up. They then face off at Westminster today, followed by a home battle at 7 p.m. against Franciscan on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

ing. The new CEO of the British Fashion Council, Laura Weir, already seems to be making waves by advocating for more equity and support for new voices (implementing fee waivers and expanding guest programs), and this week was the beginning of her new agenda. Roksanda’s celebration, Burberry’s theatrical finale, the cutting-edge designers and celebrity crossovers all contributed to something more than a regular show schedule. London claimed its stage back. This fashion month was sure to be one for the history books.

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HALL OF FAME

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the football team to four consecutive winning seasons, the longest such streak for the program since the 1920s.

Yoho headlined the Wolverines’ 17-0 win that season over Geneva with an 87-yard fumble return for a touchdown. That remains the longest fumble return in program history upon induction.

In baseball and wrestling he was similarly successful, leading the 1977 baseball team in batting average, home runs, hits, stolen bases and triples. Yoho’s six triples in 1978 set a single-season program record that stood for 45 years, and his 11 career triples ranked first in program history.

After injuries decimated the Grove City wrestling team’s lineup in 1976, Yoho joined the team late in the season and

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The other aspects of the cinematography contributed to the film’s flowing feel. Between the fluid circling shots and quick pace, “The Count of Monte Cristo” didn’t have any scenes that dragged on, and the movie felt shorter than its three-hour length. The filmmakers carefully created collages of critical moments to glide through long stretches of time, as the story takes place over two decades. Even the action scenes have a smooth feel, allowing the audience to see and gasp over each skillful strike.

Finally, the story, by its very

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No. 1 on the charts, the other being “Do That To Me One More Time,” though this song only topped the chart for one week.

1980 – “Call Me” by Blondie

“Call Me” was written by Giorgio Moroder for the film “American Gigolo.” Moroder initially intended for popular artist Stevie Nicks to perform the song. Instead, after Nicks turned down his offer, Debbie Harry, the lead singer of Blondie, was chosen to lead the song. “Call Me” topped the Hot 100 chart for six of the 25 weeks it remained on the Billboard list.

1985 – “Careless Whisper” by George Michael (released on Wham! album “Make it Big”)

The saxophone solo has withstood the test of time, frequently heard floating throughout campus by current Grovers. George Michael mourns a lost love in his first solo hit that topped the Hot 100 chart for three weeks. Of the eight No. 1 hits Michael performed, “Careless Whisper” remained on the list the longest at 22 weeks. Michael wrote the song on a bus, thinking about the time he cheated on his lover at a school disco. He performed the song for the first time the night he was fired from his job as a DJ in the Bel Air restaurant. The restaurant owner might not have enjoyed his music, but the populace certainly did.

1990 – “Hold on” by Wilson Phillips

This multiple-time Grammy-nominated hit is more than just an upbeat tune. The lyrics were co-written by band members Carnie Wilson and Chynna Phillips during a time when Phillips was struggling with addiction. Phillips was quoted by the American Songwriter in an interview on the Kelly Clarkson Show saying, “I knew that I was at a crossroads that I either had to hold on for one more day or just die.” Phillips held on and got clean,

The college has inducted five alumni into its Hall of Fame.

won two of his three matches.

Two years later, he qualified for the 1978 NCAA Division III Championships in Wheaton, Ill. after compiling a 6-31 regular season record in the 190-pound weight class.

nature, causes the audience to contemplate the nature of revenge. The count is carefully orchestrating the humiliation and downfall of his enemies, driven by his thirst for revenge. Indeed, the count says that the only thing keeping him alive is his desire for vengeance. To help him bring down the three men who ruined his life (including his former friend who stole his fiancée while Edmond was in jail), he enlists the assistance of two young people whose lives were also ruined by the count’s enemies. However, his anger and his plots of revenge consume him, making him vengeful even toward the innocent heirs of his enemies. His plot to destroy the corrupt

and in 2011 she got to sing the song alongside her bandmates when the song was used in the film “Bridesmaids.”

1995 – “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio feat. L.V.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” was born out of a Stevie Wonder song. Producer Doug Rasheed cut part of “Pastime Paradise” and ran with it. He created a beat, pulled in synth instruments and approached LV Sanders to write the chorus. The entire choir is actually LV’s own voice. Coolio wrote the verses, and, despite the title of the song, they actually reflect a member struggling with the confines of the gang.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” ran No. 1 for three of the 38 weeks it was on the Hot 100 list.

2000 – “Breathe” by Faith Hill

The title track of the Grammy award-winning album by Faith Hill actually never hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 list.

The song reached No. 2 and remained on the list for 53 weeks. However, Hill’s album won her three Grammys, the first being Best Country Album, the second being Best Female Country Vocal Performance and the third being Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for the song “Let’s Make Love” sung with her husband Tim McGraw.

2005 – “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey Mariah Carey’s hit single topped the Hot 100 list for an astounding 14 weeks. The song remained on the list for just over two months short of an entire year, totaling 43 weeks. Carey filmed an iconic music video for the hit, in which she bolts from her own wedding with her ex. The song won the artist two Grammys, one for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and one for Best R&B song.

2010 – “TiK ToK” by Kesha Kesha’s first Billboard topper is still a staple in high school cafeterias across the country as teenagers sing and jump along to the electropop

prosecutor leads to the death of one of his proteges.

It becomes very clear that if one lets their life be consumed by hatred, murderous fire will always destroy more than its initial targets. In the end, the movie demonstrates that the only cure for the disease of hate and revenge is love. The only way to end generational conflict is to love, forgive and hope. After all, hope and love endure.

“The Count of Monte Cristo” is an excellent film, visually and thematically beautiful. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants magnificently presented action, drama and solid messages.

hit at school dances. Though the song continues to be popular with audiences, Billboard quotes Kesha stating that as she was writing the song, she believed it was “too dumb.” Dumb or not, “TiK ToK” hasn’t lost its momentum. Kesha performed the song on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, and on the first day of 2025, the song broke its record for streams on Spotify 15 years after its initial release. “TiK ToK” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for nine weeks and was certified diamond and 12 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2024.

2015 – “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

Every college student remembers hearing “Uptown Funk” in elementary school. Over and over again. The song was inescapable, and it ran on the Hot 100 list for over a year at 56 weeks. The feel-good song features the smooth vocals of pop legend Bruno Mars, brass instruments and a base guitar part written by Ronson.

2020 – “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” ran No. 1 on the Hot 100 list for four of the 90 weeks it remained. The synth-pop artist’s song was the first to ever reach five billion streams on Spotify. The song topped Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 chart in 2021 and joined Spotify’s Billions Club. More recent hits in the club include “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish. ard Greenfield. Though they were not the first to cover the song, their version held the no. 1 spot on the Hot 100 chart for four weeks in 1975. It is one of two songs put out by the duo that hit no. 1 on the charts, the other being “Do That To Me One More Time,” though this song only topped the chart for one week.

LUKE PAGLIA

A surprising blessing

I had my ICO journey mapped out. God had different ideas.

Mary Golias Contributing Writer

My Inner-City Outreach experience has been a saga of things not going how I planned. It all started sophomore year when I was a part of the ICO Tucson, Ariz. team. I participated in all the prep for the trip, paid for my airplane tickets and even made it to the night before we flew out of Pittsburgh.

There was only one problem. I was sick. I tried to convince myself by going to all my classes earlier that day that I was well enough for the trip, but through the entire day, I had no peace.

Everything felt wrong as I was sitting playing games with my team. I didn’t hear God’s voice, but I had an unexplainable feeling that God wanted

me to go home. I was livid. Why would God want me to leave a mission trip – a time dedicated to serving him? Why would I come this far to have to go home and sit around all of spring break?

I was so frustrated with God and wanted to understand why this was his plan for me.

The first thing I learned through that disappointment was that I needed to discover how to rest. The spring semester of my sophomore year was the most overcommitted I had ever been, and it led to terrible burnout at the end of the semester. Without going home, I know I would have suffered from much worse burnout than what I endured.

It took a year, but during my junior year I got to see more of why God took me away from ICO Arizona. I wanted to give ICO trips another shot, but I was scared to commit to the entirety of spring break.

That was when I heard about ICO Philadelphia. The trip to Philly was only half of the break, which meant I could still rest for five days. I joined the team and grew to love everyone through our weekly meetings and prayer groups.

It was an incredible blessing to be part of a group of students whom I wouldn’t normally interact with and to be able to encourage each other through the year.

The trip itself was such a fun and uplifting week. It was full of fun road-tripping, service, Wawa runs, worship and even a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

ICO Philly partners with The Philadelphia Project, which is a nonprofit organization that partners with local churches, nonprofits and homeowners to build a better Philadelphia. Our stay at the Philly Project was incredible, and I fell in love with the organization and

the people there.

One day during our service, a pastor of a local church, Pastor Mark, told me I have, “the face of a missionary,” and for some reason that has stuck with me ever since.

Almost every day of our trip, the service trip manager, Courtney Zellers, was sharing details of the summer internship program at The Philly Project. I was looking for internships at that time but making no progress in my other applications.

It felt like God was nudging me again. Before spring break was over, I had applied for an internship, and I interviewed the Monday that classes started back up. I landed an internship with them less than a week later.

This summer I spent 12 weeks in Philadelphia as The Philadelphia Project’s media intern. This experience produced so much growth in my

faith, my profession and my relationships with others.

I was constantly looking back to my sophomore year and thanking God that I did not go on my first ICO trip. If I had, I would have never spent my summer with an unbelievable group of people, making a difference in Philly.

I am planning to go on two ICO trips during my senior year: ICO Aliquippa over fall break and ICO Philadelphia over spring break. Over the years of serving on short-term mission trips, I have fallen in love with them and look for opportunities whenever I can get them.

My love for ministry, and Pastor Mark’s “face of a missionary” remark, have made me seriously consider missionary work after I graduate. I genuinely have no idea what I will be doing a year from now, but I will say with confidence, “Here I am, Lord, send me.”

One nation under love

Those seeking refuge deserve compassion, not mockery

Carter Freeman Contributing Writer

“If you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow … then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever.” - Jeremiah 7:6-7

Despite our striving, our lives remain but a breath. Our nation will crumble, our empires will fall, the earth and the heavens will pass away. All that echoes through eternity is the way we love. We are blessed to be one nation under a loving God. What does it mean for our nation to live in light of God’s love? It can begin in how we love our neighbor — fellow children of love, our sisters

“Were we not once foreigners ourselves?”

and brothers in this eternal, spiritual struggle against all that is wicked and evil, including the most wretched parts of ourselves.

How can we fight against this great enemy if we dehumanize our neighbors? How can we reach out our hand to lift up our brother if we do not see him as a child of God?

Tragically, our government has forgotten our nation’s fundamental truth. President Trump’s administration has mocked the plight of women and men who have sought refuge in America, reducing their suffering to a joke.

In July, the White House posted on its official Instagram: “When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!” with

emojis of a plane and musical notes. The administration also collaborated with Florida to name a migrant detention center “Alligator Alcatraz.”

This is not humor. This is humiliation. It strips our fellow man of his innate dignity and betrays our Christian duty to uphold justice. And it is not just the rhetoric of the White House that dehumanizes. Its policies do the same. On his first day in office, President Trump signed Executive Order 14159, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” which allows deportation to occur without a hearing, much less a trial.

“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.” The LORD is just.

That will never change. Perhaps we should reconsider our jokes. Were we not once foreigners ourselves? Remember our past mothers and fathers. They left the world they knew, carrying only memories of the language they held dear, the applause of their grandmother’s laugh and the wrinkles in their grandfather’s eye. They left the world that loved them to go into a world that did not. They left their home so we might have a better one. Like Abraham, they made the great, strenuous and arduous step into a land unknown. A land of promise and opportunity, to pursue life, liberty and happiness. We belong to a kingdom that took us in at our lowest, when we were weak, poor and in need of hope. A kingdom that washed us in the depths

of its oceans and warmed our spirits in its eternal flame. A kingdom that liberated our enslaved souls, delivering us without judgment from the pit whence we came. A kingdom that looks at you and me and sees not a sinner, not a Gentile, not a Jew, but Christ. A kingdom of life. Our siblings to the south belong to that kingdom, as do we. I implore you, let us not look down on those who struggle toward this city on a hill.

May we see them in their time of need and extend our hands in imitation of the One who pulled us from the pits of despair. I do not discount the challenge before us. But we know nothing that endures is easily done. If we are one nation under love, let us bear the cross that comes with that distinction.

MARY GOLIAS

Anastasia Brown Foreign Correspondent

While Grove City was just beginning to buzz in anticipation of 2025’s Homecoming festivities, I was catching a transatlantic flight.

As a study abroad student this fall, with a full load of English classes at Oxford University, I am fulfilling a childhood dream – but also battling a small amount of FOMO. After all, fall semester at Grove – especially Homecoming season – is full of old school traditions and new connections with the incoming freshmen and hundreds of visitors popping up around campus for sporting events.

There’s a reason so many alumni come back every fall. Grove is a special place, and one worth missing when we are away.

While flying “across the pond,” I had an extensive layover in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. I picked up a book entitled “Questions of Travel” – a modern reprint of Victorian travel-writer William Morris’s journal as he explored Iceland for two months in 1871. I was imagining an adventure chronicle akin to Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” but the little book surprised me.

The narrator was no intrep-

Homegoing Spending Homecoming weekend at Oxford

“There’s

a reason so many alumni come back every fall. Grove is a special place and one worth missing when we are away.”

id adventurer, goal clearly etched in mind, prepared to battle any adversity that may confront him. Instead, William Morris is a timid man, easily annoyed – by seasickness, or a bad night of sleep on rough ground, or conflicts of personality between himself and his travel companions.

He enjoys many aspects of the trip – in fact, he has a keen eye for finding mundane beauty (a flower, a sunset, a pleasant sound of a pot “tinkling” against other objects in his backpack). But he also sometimes wonders why he has come at all. “I felt as if I should have been glad of any accident that would have kept me at home,” he moans at one point early in the adventure.

The title for the volume is drawn from the title of an Elizabeth Bishop poem – incidentally, one of my favorite poems. In Bishop’s poem, she prods why we feel the need to travel in the first place: “What childishness is it that while there’s a breath of life / in our bodies, we are determined to rush / to see the sun the other way around?”

When put in such brusque language, travel does seem to be unnecessary and even childish – what are we accomplishing there that we could not just have easily accom-

plished here? Why did William Morris spend two months eating and sleeping on lava fields, when he would have been much more comfortable back at home in London? Why did I bother to sit in a plane for eight hours, just to sit in another classroom and hear English professors teach on the same books we already have in good old Henry Buhl?

“Is it lack of imagination that makes us come / to imagined places, not just stay at home?” asks Bishop near the end of the poem. Are we just too bored to stay quietly in one place? Or does travelling have a deeper inherent value? Neither Morris nor Bishop directly answer that question, but through my own experiences, I am beginning to formulate an insight.

I didn’t leave Grove City for a semester because I found home too dull and thought that visiting new grocery stores and learning to read a railway map was the most entertaining alternative. Instead, I am travelling because I am starting to see my home as being much bigger than I once thought. For every new experience I have confronted in this new country, I am finding half a dozen commonalities between the ways we and the Brits live our everyday lives.

Humanity has a lot more similarities holding it together than differences pulling it apart. The little life I am carving out in Oxford for the next three months will be a challenge, and I am already learning new practical skills and

Fall Fest comic contest winners!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our comic contest! We are grateful that so many of you used your talents to contribute to our paper, and we hope to work with you again in the future! The wait is over. Here are the editorial board’s top picks. Congratulations to our winners! 1 st place: 2 nd place: Runners up:

recognizing aspects of myself that I had not noticed before. But at the bottom of it all, God is at work in all corners of the earth, and the same sun is still shining on me here as in Pennsylvania (at least, when it’s not raining – typical England!)

ANASTASIA BROWN

Seniors dominate in annual Powderpuff Game

Catharine Runion Community Editor

Last Thursday, Oct. 2, the junior and senior classes gathered to officially kick off the Homecoming season with the college’s annual Powderpuff Football Game.

It was everything you would expect from a traditional football game: constant action, enthusiastic cheerleaders and nail-biting gameplay — except the roles were entirely switched. The girls got a chance to show their prowess on the field, and the guys cheered their hearts out on the sidelines.

The two teams were divided by class with the cheer squads also following suit. Though the seniors rallied together for a resounding victory, the juniors gave them a run for their money.

Many of the girls involved had been waiting for a chance to play for years.

“I’ve wanted to play Powderpuff since I heard about it freshman year, just because I love football. Unfortunately, we were only able to practice once before the game, but we still came together and made a couple key stops to hold the seniors to only one touchdown,” junior Jacqueline Marriott said.

For Julia Sikora and the rest of the senior team, this was personal. She talked about how their defeat last year as juniors motivated them to do even better this year as seniors.

“The seniors came back from a devastating loss last year to win with an 8-0 ending game score. We came in with much of the same players and coaches from last year, so it was great to play with the girls again and learn from our shared experience,” Sikora said.

“Knowing where we failed last year was helpful to recognize our weaknesses as a

“It was such a fun time coming together as students to support one another and just have an absolute blast doing it.”

team, so we really focused on defensive plays and aggressive blocking.”

But the girls weren’t the only ones bringing energy to the field.

“(The guys) showed up with amusement park-level enthusiasm,” Sikora said.

While both teams put on stirring performances, the senior cheerleaders won crowd favorite. Everyone involved seemed to have the time of their lives.

“It was a blast! The game was great, and we acquired some pom poms to cheer with. David Thomas had some crazy

— Benjamin Forastiere

pink capris,” senior Braedon Weigle said.

The cheerleading squads and football teams fed into each other’s energies.

“The senior girls were playing out of their minds with a two-point conversion on the first quarter. And the senior cheerleaders were a class act, with our spectacular half-time show of rollercoasters, lifts and pyramids, wildly outperforming the juniors,” senior Dom Puglisi said.

Despite the teams’ rivalries, this event merely served to bring the students together.

“It was such a fun time com-

Athletics inducts five into Hall of Fame

GCC Sports Information

Grove City College inducted the Class of 2025 into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Sept. 27, honoring five distinguished athletics alumni.

The honorees are as follows:

Srinivasan Balaji

ors at the 1992 conference championships and All-Region recognition at the NCAA Mideast Championships, notching a 22nd-place finish at this event.

Chris Smith

Smith, a 1972 graduate of the college, excelled as a defensive back and punt returner in four seasons as a member of the football program.

ing together as students to support one another and just have an absolute blast doing it,” senior Ben Forastiere said.

upfield.

next year

This 1994 graduate is regarded as “the best tennis player ever to come to Grove City College” by longtime Head Coach Joe Walters. Balaji helped lead the Grove City men’s tennis team to one of its best four-year runs in program history while personally setting impressive records. Balaji became the first PAC men’s tennis player to earn the conference’s Most Valuable Performer award four times.

She capped her career as a student-athlete by earning the college’s Sportswoman of the Year award for the 1992-93 academic year. The PAC named Moeller to its 60th Anniversary Team in both women’s cross country and women’s track and field in 2014.

He won eight total conference titles, including four crowns at first singles, three first doubles titles and one conference championship at second doubles.

Julie (Clinefelter) Moeller

Before graduating in 1993, Moeller helped lead the college’s women’s cross country and women’s track and field programs to unprecedented heights.

Her impressive list of achievements includes receiving the PAC

Most Valuable Performer hon-

Moeller returned to the college in 2005 as a faculty member and has since been promoted to professor of biblical and theological studies.

Tanner Prosser

An all-around performer on the basketball court for Grove City from 1999 to 2004, versatile forward Tanner Prosser earned All-PAC honors in each of his four seasons.

Prosser concluded his career as the program’s all-time leader with 367 assists. He also recorded 1,263 points, which ranked fifth in program history upon graduation. Posser also tallied 801 rebounds, the third highest in Grove City history. He owns the program record with 106 career games started.

As three-time team co-captain, Prosser helped lead Grove City to the 2003 conference title by leading the team in rebounds, assists and steals.

A four-year starter at safety during an era when run-oriented offenses dominated the college football landscape, Smith intercepted a Grove City-record 22 passes during his career.

He led Grove City in interceptions in each of his four seasons.

Smith returned to Grove City College in 1979 as assistant football and assistant track and field coach. During his 36 years in the college’s athletic department, he served as head football coach, athletic director and head men’s and women’s golf coach.

The Grove City football program won its first two PAC titles under his guidance, while the athletic department swept the conference’s men’s and women’s All-Sports Trophies four times during his term as athletic director.

Tim Yoho Yoho excelled in football, baseball and wrestling in his time at Grove City College.

The 1978 graduate helped

(2-2): Oct. 11, 2 p.m. vs. Waynesburg

Soccer (7-2-2): Oct. 10, 5 p.m. at Westminster Women’s

Maybe

the juniors will pull inspiration from their defeat.

GRACE DAVID

The senior powderpuff team celebrating their victory over the juniors last Thursday.

GRACE DAVID Senior Reese Hasley takes the ball

Colsen Frank Cross Country Newcomer of the Week

Ben Bladel Football Defensive Player of the Week

Blaire Beatty Women’s Tennis Newcomer of the Week

BALAJI

PROSSER

SMITH

YOHO

Wolverines in hunt for autumnal accolades

Mia Gallagher Sports Editor

As the leaves begin to change, temperatures begin to drop and alumni begin to arrive for Homecoming, the Wolverines find themselves at the peak of their fall PAC schedules.

Capitalizing on the lessons learned during preseason and the battles fought during nonconference play, Grove City’s fall sports programs now look to their remaining regular season games as opportunities to fine tune their form ahead of tournament play later this month.

Whether their PAC tournament kicks off early next week like men’s and women’s golf or their title quests persist into the middle of November like football, athletes across campus continue to strive for excellence on and off the playing field.

So, before any PAC titles are claimed, here’s everything you need to know about our beloved fall sports teams:

Football After a defen sive masterclass in week one pro duced a 31-14 victory against Cortland, the Wolverines struggled to generate the same strength of performance in the next two games.

D-III pow erhouse Mount Union and PAC rival Wash

ington & Jefferson dealt the

Ben Bladel – and to encourage its young offense – led by junior quarterback Sutton Ellis – to find renewed success.

Grove City will continue its PAC schedule tomorrow against the visiting Waynesburg Yellow Jackets. The matchup, which will serve as the college’s homecoming game, will kick off at 2 p.m. from Robert E. Thorn Field.

Women’s Soccer

The reigning PAC champions faced an onslaught of fierce nonconference competitors to open their 2025 program — clinching only two out of these early six matches. The challenges these games posed, however, prepared the Wolverines well for their conference competition, allowing them to put up dominant performances against the likes of Bethany, Geneva and Thiel.

Grove City boasts a shots-on-goal percentage

of 52.9% and has tallied 26 goals through their first 10 matches of the season. Junior Tori Stevenson currently leads the Wolverines with six goals for the year, followed by freshman Lauren Muhanna, who has tallied three.

Women’s soccer continues their PAC title quest this evening with a rivalry matchup at Westmin-

Men’s Soccer

The Wolverines have looked dominant through their first 10 matches of the season, carefully balancing consistency and with effortful advancement along the way. Boasting a 3-2-1 nonconference record heading into PAC play, men’s soccer has yet to drop a match through four conference face offs – even managing a 1-1 draw with PAC powerhouse Geneva on Oct. 1.

Grove City’s offense has produced 22 goals and a shots-on-goal percentage of 44.9% thus far in 2025. Their efforts are led by junior Noah Gray and sophomore Luke La das, who have tallied eight and four goals, re spectively.

Men’s soccer will join the women’s team for a double header against Westminster, this eve ning.

Women’s Volleyball

Coming off a challeng ing year in 2024, women’s volleyball has looked sharp thus far in 2025, producing a 10-4 record and impressive

wins against nonconference and PAC competi alike.

Junior Sar ah Hart currently leads the Wolverine offense with 178 kills, followed by classmate Alayna Dorst, who’s tal lied 158. Dorst also leads Grove City with 193 digs and senior Brooklyn Wirebaugh maintains a current edge in assists with 151.

Women’s volleyball will travel to Washing ton, Pa. this evening to take on Washing ton & Jefferson.

Women’s Tennis

After dropping its opening match to John Carroll, women’s ten nis has put up consis tent performances throughout their fall program, boasting a current record of 8-2.

Golf

With a roster brimming with young talent, like freshmen Grace Yurko and Grace Stitt, and seasoned veterans, like senior Julia Ehrenberger and junior Peyton Joines, the team’s prospects of clinching the 2025 conference title later this month are high. With their victory over Washington & Jefferson on Oct. 4, the Wolverines earned a first-round bye in the PAC tournament. Playoff action is set to begin next week on Tuesday and will conclude with the title match next Saturday, Oct. 18.

Grove City shuts out Thiel

Garrett Gess Contributing Writer

The Grove City College women’s soccer team continued its strong run in conference play, improving to 3-0-1 against PAC opponents with an impressive 11-0 victory over Thiel last Saturday, Oct. 4. This win also evened the Wolverines’ overall record at 4-4-2. The Wolverines wasted no time establishing momentum, striking for six goals in the first half before adding five more after halftime. Junior midfielder Tori Stevenson and freshmen

midfielder Emily Horst and forward Bethany Kuechly each recorded two goals to lead the offensive surge. Adding to the scoring rally was senior midfielder Rian Garvey, juniors forward Hannah Plunkard and defender Kirsten Musser, sophomore forward Kiara White and freshman midfielder Payton Allan. The Wolverines’ success was also fueled by strong supporting play. Senior defender Karly Keller, junior defenders Hannah Costa and Meghan Tischler, senior midfielder Hailey Muñoz and freshman

Hazyl Wilson all provided assists. The midfielders in particular controlled possession, maintaining pressure on Thiel’s back line and dictating the rhythm of the game. Defensively, Grove City was dominant, allowing just one shot in the entire match.

The Wolverines outshot Thiel 49-1 overall, including a commanding 24-1 advantage in shots on goal. Grove City also controlled set pieces, earning 11 corner kicks compared to Thiel’s single attempt.

In goal, junior goalkeep-

After facing a difficult schedule in 2024-2025, both women’s have put formances at each of vitationals — recording top three finishes at With the PAC fall tournament ner, the men’s and women’s golf teams will lean on sophomore Luke ren Kardos — who have each recorded first place finishes in 2025 — to

Both squads will round out their fall schedule with the PAC championship tournament next Monday and Tuesday.

Cross Country

Although both teams graduated a talented senior class last year, underclassmen from the men’s and women’s cross-country teams have stepped up to deliver strong performances thus far in 2025.

With freshman Colsen Frank and senior Luke Roberts leading the way for the men’s team and senior Audrey Karwowski and sophomore Rebekah Burger taking care of business for the women, both squads head into their final races eager to compete for the PAC title at the end of this month.

Cross country returns to action this evening for its annual Grove City Alumni 5K.

Senior Mia Gallagher leading the football team out onto the field at White Out Night on Sept. 27.

JOHN HAKE

Senior Annie Vannoy takes on a CWRU defender.

Tornado takedown

Football breezes by Geneva to secure second win

Chance Rains Contributing Writer

The Grove City College football team secured their second win last Saturday, Oct. 4, with a 22-9 victory over the Golden Tornadoes of Geneva College.

The Wolverines were aided by an impressive defensive performance from senior linebacker Ben Bladel, who put up a single-game, record-tying performance with four sacks. Bladel’s performance highlighted a dominant evening for the Wolverines defense, holding the Tornadoes to negative rushing yards and stalling their ground game completely.

While Geneva’s junior quarterback Caleb Romano did lead a furious aerial attack to the tune of 19 completed passes for 335 yards and a touchdown, the Wolverines were able to hold their opponent to single-digit points for the first time this year.

“I had no clue that I tied the record during the game. I feel honored to be in the record books, but football is truly a team sport, and it takes all 11 doing their part to lead to individual success,” Bladel said.

On the offensive side, junior quarterback Sutton Ellis went 16-for-27 and tallied three touchdowns through the air while junior running back Chase Rankin totaled 157 rushing yards on 25 carries from the ground.

While neither team was able to find success early in the first quarter, Geneva broke the deadlock with a seven-play, 56-yard drive that resulted in a 23-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

The Wolverines struck back quickly, with Ellis finding junior wide receiver Breck Peacock for a 75-yard touchdown. Following a 60-yard kickoff return, Geneva stalled another drive and turned it over after failing to convert a fourth down, setting the Wolverines

up with excellent field position. Ellis capitalized on this advantage, throwing a twoyard touchdown pass to Peacock. The extra point attempt was no good, giving the Wolverines a 10-point advantage, 13-3, going into the half.

The Wolverines received the ball to start the second half and drained the clock on a seven-minute, 45-second scoring drive to go up 19-3. Ellis connected with junior wide receiver Daniel Sullivan on the two-yard touchdown but failed to secure the two-point conversion.

Geneva would make a rapid advance on their next drive, making it to the two-yard line of Grove City, but an interception by sophomore cornerback Mason Clouse gave the Wolverines the ball back. Grove City and Geneva traded punts to end the third quarter.

Grove City’s next drive re-

sulted in a missed field goal, but another turnover on downs by Geneva allowed Grove City to move the ball into field goal range. Freshman kicker Brady Lane’s kick was good from 44-yards to the Wolverines and extended the lead to 22-3.

Geneva was not out of it yet, with Romano throwing a 62-yard touchdown pass on the next drive. The extra point attempt was good, narrowing the Wolverines lead to 22-9. Grove City failed to move the ball on their next possession, giving it back to Geneva with 3:14 to go. A sack from Bladel forced Geneva to burn their final timeout, and senior linebacker Keegan Fraiser intercepted a Romano pass to seal the victory for the Wolverines.

Senior captain Ethan Wiley said the team learned a lot from the game.

“When we live in the vision that we’ve been given, we’re

Grove City College men’s soccer team secured a 3-0 win against Thiel last Saturday, leading them to a 6-2-2 overall record and 3-0-1 record against PAC opponents.

Grove City started off strong, scoring all three goals in the first 40 minutes of play, with no response from the Tomcats. Senior midfielder Camden Thomas led the scoring effort with his first goal of the season at 6:06 and was assisted by sophomore forward Evan Yoder. The lead grew less than three minutes

later when sophomore midfielder Luke Ladas scored his fourth goal of the season. Junior forward Ryan Merrick assisted the goal. The scoring was closed out when the final goal was booted in by junior forward Ryan Higgs, assisted by freshman forward Andrew Perry at 39:25, which was also his first goal of the season.

“The team played great defense, and (we) got our first clean sheet of the conference games. We scored early too, which helped us get off to the right start. I think it was a good response to

a really good football team. What sets us apart is when we’re disciplined to that vision,” Wiley said.

The Wolverines return to Robert E. Thorn Field tomor-

row for a homecoming showdown against the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. and will serve as the culmination of the weekend’s event line-up.

JOHN HAKE

Junior Carlo Denis outmanuevers his defender on Sept. 5. Soccer stalls the Tomcats

Natalie Hanna Staff Writer

JOHH HAKE

Junior wide receiver Breck Peacock takes on his Mount Union defender on Sept. 13.

JOHN HAKE

Senior Jack Jollie making a tackle during Sept. 13 game.