When one searches the words “together” and “golden”, you find that “together” refers to “being with each other” and “confident of your abilities and able to use them to achieve what you want”. “Golden” describes something that is “wonderful and likely to be successful & rewarding or because it is the best of its kind.”
Those two words epitomize WCU Athletics and what it means to be a Golden Ram. There are several Colleges & Universities that are the Rams, but only two that are the Golden Rams. It is the “Golden” that sets us apart yet unifies us at the same time. This philosophy of utilizing our collective abilities to achieve success while striving to be the best in all that we do, was never more evident than in 2023-2024.
WCU finished fourth out of 18 schools in the PSAC Dixon Trophy standings and 39th of more than 300 NCAA Division II schools in the Learfield Cup Standings. Golden Ram teams won six PSAC Championships (Women’s Soccer, Women’s Swimming, Men’s Swimming, Baseball, Softball, Women’s Lacrosse); 11 teams made NCAA Tournament appearances; our Cheerleading squad won their first UCA National Championship; one individual national champion, Jordan Coleman (women’s gymnastics – uneven bars) was crowned in 2023-2024. In addition, two Golden Rams coaches were named PSAC Coach of the Year.
academic honorees and two Academic All-Americans.
One of the most exciting enhancements to our athletic program over the last two years has been the creation of a unified Sports Performance Team. Working together with campus experts in mental health, sports psychology, sports nutrition, strength & conditioning and sports medicine, this group joined forces to a provide a holistic, science-based approach and provided resources to our student-athletes which allowed them to compete at their highest level.
Sustained success requires sustained support. With the support of the WCU Foundation, we raised a total of over $800 thousand from nearly 2,200 donors. On WCU’s Day of Giving, our generous supporters helped us raise over $107,000 which accounted for 42% of the total dollars raised on Day of Giving. Athletic donors constituted 65% of the total number of donors to the campaign. These vital dollars support athletic scholarship, program enhancements, and facility upgrades. Without the generosity of our supporters, our goal to provide the best experience for our student-athletes would be out of reach. With your continued support, we can continue to climb to new heights – together.
While the landscape of collegiate athletics and higher education is ever-changing, it is an exciting time to be a Golden Ram. Our history and tradition speak for itself, and with your help, we can ensure that our goals for the future are always within reach. Together, we have achieved much. Together, we can be GOLDEN.
Most important, we’ve reached this success in competition while recruiting, retaining and educating high-achieving student-athletes. This year, our department GPA was 3.296 and 19 of our teams produced a GPA of over 3.00. There were 266 PSAC Scholar-Athletes, 176 D2 Athletic Director Association
I hope to see you on campus and in the stands cheering on the Golden Rams in 2024-25!
Respectfully,
Terry Beattie Director of Athletics
West Chester University
Sport Performance
When it comes to athlete monitoring for sports performance, coaches do not want to leave any detail to chance. From training intensity, to recovery, to injury risk reduction, sports science has sought to answer questions regarding optimal performance by providing quantifiable data to sport coaches.
ATHLETIC TRAINING
SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Vital to the safety and welfare of the student-athlete, certified athletic trainers from the Department of Sports Medicine provide services to student-athletes. Faculty athletic trainers and graduate assistants provide the highest quality evidence-based care and education of the student-athlete in the domains of injury prevention, management, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.
SPORTS NUTRITION
Nutrition is one of the key components for achieving optimal health and performance, which is why we offer it as part of Sports Performance Program. Dr. Christine Karpinski, chair of the department of nutrition, has developed a comprehensive sports nutrition program where the purpose is to provide a food first, evidence-based approach in order to help guide student-athletes towards making healthier food choices. Student-Athletes are offered personalized services as well as participation in the fueling program.
ACADEMIC MENTORING
Dr. Margaret Ottley is the Co-Coordinator of the Master’s Concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology at West Chester University. She is a National Certified Counselor and a Certified Mental Health Coach. Dr. Ottley has consulted for various elite and Olympic level teams and has developed the Mental Performance initiative for WCU’s Student Athletes. Dr. Ottley works with several graduate students to assist WCU student-athletes with the mental aspect of their game in order to achieve optimal performance.
MENTAL HEALTH
Many student-athletes experience mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety that can negatively impact them and their lives. Just like with building muscle and working out – when we struggle, we build strength. Seeking help for our difficulties is a sign of strength. Athletics works closely with Dr. Rachel Daltry, director of the WCU Counseling Center to address the mental needs of our student-athletes. She supports our teams and coaches in supporting their mental health needs.
The WCU Athletics Academic Mentoring Program, AMP, exists to provide a service to student-athletes who may be at-risk academically, or are deemed to be in need of services to help to navigate academics at the college level. Additionally, many first year student -athletes participate in the program to better acclimate to college. Graduate level mentors meet with student-athletes to assist them in both utilizing existing university resources and also to monitor their academic progression throughout the semester. Ideally, all issues and concerns that may hinder academic progress will be addressed during the semester so that these student-athletes are in the best position to succeed.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
West Chester University Strength and Conditioning offers a balanced and full-body focused approach for all of our student athletes across our 24 Division II NCAA Sports. We focus on full range-of-motion exercises to attempt to make our student athletes as strong as they can be within their given sport while always providing modifications where needed. Our goal is to keep our players on the field, so they can perform. “If it’s important, you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse!”
Student-Athlete Success
STUDENT ATHLETE SUCCESS PROGRAM
The Student-Athete Success Program (SAS) emphasizes different areas of focus for student-athletes in an effort to expose and educate them in ways that differ from what is learned on the field and in the classroom. Partnersihips with professionals in areas outside of athletics allow us to offer programming that may not otherwise be accessible to student-athetes and it is presented in a way that meshes their being an athlete with becoming an engaged and capable member of society. The SAS program areas include:
• Academic Success
• Career Development
• Civic and Community Engagement
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Leadership Development
• Wellness and Mental Health
Programming highlights included Cooking Classes, a CHOPPED Cooking Competition, a LinkedIN Workshop, a NARP Life Panel, several Ram’s Let’s Talk mental health meetings,and a program discussing Life After Athletics.
MICHAEL HORROCKS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
A stand-alone area of the SAS program, the Michael Horrocks Leadership Institute provides leadership development and training opportunities for all WCU student-athletes. Broken into three distinct programs, the MHLI offers several ways that student-athletes can discover their own leadership style. The Emerging Leaders Conference is a one-day program for first and second year athletes to focus on character building and responibility. The Captain’s Leadership Advancement Series (CLAS) is for our captains to work on conflict management and
effecitve communication in leading their respective teams. The flagship program, The Academy is an application only, multi-year commitment focusing on self discovery, personal leadership, and philosophy development. A select group consisting of three cohorts (sophomores, juniors, and seniors) attend three workshops each semester.
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
Athletics celebrated National Girls and Women in Sport Day by welcoming 80 girls in grades 2-5 for several mini sports camps in gymnastics, field hockey, rugby and tennis. Afterwards, WCU hosted a women in sport panel with former athletes from gymnastics, field hockey, rugby, and swimming to discuss their experiences as NCAA Woman of the Year finalists.
TEAM IMPACT
Both the women’s gymnastics team and women’s volleyball team had members of their rosters brought on through Team Impact. Team IMPACT matches children facing serious illess and disability with college sports teams, creating a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved.
MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION
WCU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee spearheads the fundraising campain for Make-A-Wish. With the annual goal of $10,000, the SAAC hosts fun events and raises funds to help grant a wish for a child with a critical illness. Having granted a number of wishes in the past, the SAAC was able to raise $4,200 in 23-24.
Academic and Athletic Achievement
The West Chester University Athletics Program has a rich and successful history. Presently, there are 24 intercollegiate athletic programs at WCU. We have one of the largest D-II programs in the country. Men’s sports include: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis and outdoor track & field (n=10). Women’s sports include: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, indoor track, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, outdoor track & field, and volleyball (n=14). There is also a cheerleading squad. In the 2023-24 academic year there were 563 student-athletes (~ 1 in 26 undergraduates) participating in these programs.
2023-24 Academic highlights include
- 480 WCU Athletic Director Academic Honor Roll recipients (min. of 3.0 GPA; 447 in 2022-23) – school record
- 266 PSAC Academic Honor Roll recipients, (min GPA of 3.25; 260 in 2022-23)
- 176 D-II Assoc. of Athletic Directors Academic Honor Roll recipients (min of 3.5 GPA; 173 in 2022-23).
The Academic Success Rate (ASR) for all WCU student-athletes was 87% (89% in 2021-2022). Graduation rates (based on 5 years) for the 2016-2017 cohort of student-athletes was 77% (76% in 2021-2022) versus the student body’s rate of 72% (73%).
The four-year rate was 77% versus 74% respectively. Historically, when comparing student-athletes to the WCU students at large the spring term and cumulative GPA of the student-athletes is almost always higher than the student body. There is an occasional exception. Note that due to the NCAA extending eligibility due to the pandemic some student-athletes have taken advantage of the extra year to remain in school. A table of the GPAs for the last two years is provided next.
BASEBALL (32-20, 14-10)
• PSAC Tournament Champions
• Ninth PSAC Title
• Combined with Softball and Women’s Lacrosse to make WCU first PSAC team to win all three conference titles in same year in league history.
• NCAA Tournament
• Seventh appearance in eight years
• 19th overall
• 21-game winning streak
• longest in program history - surpassed 20-game streak by 2012 national championship team.
• Seven All-PSAC East selections
• Player of the Year - Anthony Boccio
Anthony Boccio
• PSAC East Player of the Year
• NCBWA Atlantic Region Player of the Year
• Consensus first team all-region (NCBWA, D2CCA, ABCA)
• D2CCA Honorable Mention All-American
• Hit .400 (62-for-155) with 18 extra-base hits
• 48 RBI Second in PSAC
• .553 on-base % - Second highest in single season team history.
• Rode 21-game hitting streak during 2024 season
• Registered 200th collegiate hit in PSAC Tournament
Julian Costa
• 8-3, 1 SV, 3.41 ERA, 73 K’s in 71 IP
• PSAC East Second Team All-Conference
• ABCA/Rawlings All-Region
• Pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout vs D’Youville on 3/30.
• Carried no-hitter into final batter of the game
MEN’S BASKETBALL (19-11, 15-7)
• Qualified for PSAC Tournament and made PSAC Quarterfinals for 12th consecutive season
• Three All-PSAC East selections
• Most All-PSAC selections since 2019-20
• Jordan Kellier named PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year
• Made national news with Jordan Kellier Senior Day reveal as parents arrived from Jamaica just prior to Senior Day as a surprise to see him play for the first time in his collegiate career
Jordan Kellier
• PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year
• First Team All-PSAC East
• Third DPOY in team history
• Led PSAC in double-doubles with 17
• Averaged a double-double, averaging 12.9 ppg/10.7 rpg
• Ranked second in Division II in rebounds (322).
Robert Smith
• Second Team All-PSAC East for third year in a row
• Scored 1,000th career point
• First WCU player to score all 1,000 points at WCU since Matt Penecale in 2018-19.
• Ranked second on team in scoring, averaging 17.2 points per game on 44.1 % shooting.
• Scored in double figures in 24-of-27 games with 11 20+ point performances.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (24-7, 18-4)
• Matched 2014-15 and 2022-23 seasons for most wins during head coach Kiera Wooden’s tenure (24), and second most wins in program history.
• Completed unbeaten regular season at home. Have not lost in Hollinger since January 11, 2023, winners of 24 in a row at home.
• 2022-23 NCAA Tournament
• First back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances since 2014-15 & 2015-16 seasons.
• Four All-PSAC East selections
Emily McAteer
• First Team All-PSAC East
• D2CCA All-Region
• CSC Academic All-District
• Scored 1,000th collegiate point and 1,000th point at WCU after two seasons as a Golden Ram
Leah Johnson
• PSAC East Player of the Year
• First Team All-PSAC
• WBCA HM All-American
• D2CCA All-Region
• CSC Academic All-District
• Broke WCU career scoring (1,777) and assist (602) records.
• Scored in double figures in 30 of 31 games.
• Recorded back-to-back triple doubles as first WCU player in team history to do so, first DII player since 2021-22.
CHEERLEADING
• Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) Open All-Girl GameDay Division National Champions.
• Registered highest score in every round en route to National Championship
• Recorded a score of 98.8 in Finals highest of all GameDay Divisions for the day of competition.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF
• PSAC Championships
• Men’s Golf
• 8th (973-328, 327, 318)
• Connor Strine 5 (73, 81, 75; +13)
• Ryan D’Ariano T31 (85, 79, 79; +27)
• PSAC Championships
• Women’s Golf
• 5th (1,018-338, 342, 338)
• Kirsten Vanderhorst 14 (82, 83, 84; +33)
• Josephine Genuardi T25 (85, 88, 89; +46)
• Morgan Kunze T25 (86, 88, 88; +46)
• 14 Vanderhorst +33 (82, 83, 84; 249)
MEN’S & WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Men’s Cross Country
• PSAC Championships
• Placed 7th as a team
• Jason Vogt (22nd) & Josh Miller (23rd) - Second Team
All-PSAC
• NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships
• Placed 10th as a team
• Highest finish since 2018
• Miller finished 36th (31:58.8) - top finish since Chase Knorr in 2021.
Women’s Cross Country
• PSAC Championships
• Placed 13th as a team
• NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships
• Placed 17th as a team
FOOTBALL (6-5, 4-3)
• Recorded 11th consecutive winning season by taking two of the last three to conclude the 2023 season.
• Four All-PSAC East selections
• First Team - Pat Methlie, D’Shaun Seals, and Connor Noble.
• Second Team - Ayyub Dail
Bill Zwaan
• Retired at conclusion of 2023 season after 21 seasons at the helm
• Finished his career with 217 wins, six PSAC East Titles, one PSAC Conference crown, 10DII playoff appearances, including two national semifinal appearances
Connor Noble
• First Team All-PSAC East
• Second Team All-Super Region One
• Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America
• Led team and ranked second in league in tackles with 106 stops
Duke Greco
• Hired as 17th head coach in school history
• Just third in last 35 years
• Five All-PSAC Selections
• First Team - Paige Wolfe, Jasmine Miller
• Third Team - Adriana Palumbo, Gianna Funari, Ella Shockley
• Two NFHCA All-Americans
• First Team - Paige Wolfe, Jasmine Miller
FIELD HOCKEY (10-7,
4-5)
Jasmine Miller
• First Team All-PSAC
• NFHCA First Team All-America
• Led team in scoring with 18 goals/37 points
• Finished regular season leading PSAC in goals and tied for most in DII
Paige Wolfe
• First Team All-PSAC
• NFHCA First Team All-America
• Led team in assists with six
• Finished second on team in points (14)
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS
• Gymnastics East Conference Championships
• Competed in second session
• 6th out of 8 (193.800)
• USA Gymnastics Championships
• Qualified for team finals for the first time in program history
• 4th (193.100)
• Five WCGA at USAG Championships All-Americans
• Sarah Eskew First Team (Vault & All-Around)
• Jordan Coleman First Team (Bars)
• Lily McFarland First Team (Beam)
• Caroline Cascadden First Team (Floor) Second Team (Beam)
• Kristina Rodriguez Second Team (Floor)
Barbara Cordova
• WCGA Region 7 Coach of the Year
Jordan Coleman
• USA Gymnastics Women’s College National Championships-Uneven Bars National Champion
• Scored a 9.8775 on bars in event final on day three of USAG Chamionships
• Second national champion in school history, first since 2017
• Also earned GEC Performance of the Year honors after scoring a 9.925 in season opener
Caroline Cascadden
• GEC Specialist of the Year
• WCGA All-America at USAG’s
• Floor-first team
• Beam-second team
• WGCA Regular-Season All-America
• Beam
• 2024 PSAC East regular season champions
• 2024 PSAC Tournament Champions
• 2024 NCAA Tournament
• 2024 NCAA DII Atlantic Region Finalist
• Seven All-PSAC East selections
• Defensive Player of the Year - Jess Gorr
• Coach of the Year - Ginny Martino
• Five IWLCA All-Americans
Ginny Martino
• PSAC East Coach of the Year
• IWLCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year
• Won her 400th career game, becoming just the eighth coach at any level to reach that milestone.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE (20-1, 12-0)
Hannah Stanislawczyk
• Consensus First Team All-America (IWLCA/USA Lacrosse Magazine)
• PSAC Tournament MVP
• Broke WCU career goals record
• Ended career in regional finals with 302 career goals
Jessica Gorr
• PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year
• IWLCA Third Team All-America
• USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team All-America
• Broke WCU career wins record (55)
• Finished the year fourth in DII in both goalsagainst average and save percentage
WOMEN’S RUGBY
• NIRA Tier II Tournament
• Advanced to semifinals at Davenport
• Fourth consecutive semifinal appearance
• USA Rugby 7’s Collegiate Championships
• Third consecutive appearance
• Two 15’s All-NIRA selections
Faith Morley
• First Team All-NIRA
• Third consecutive All-NIRA Recognition
• Scored two trys in 15’s
• Finished the year second on team in scoring in 7s-9 trys for 45 points
• Served as a team Captain once again in 2023-24
Brooke Crago
• Scored five trys and added two conversions for 29 points during 7’s season
• Also scored four trys during 15s season
• Named to National Collegiate Rugby 7’s Championships All-Tournament team after scoring a try in a 19-0 victory over Notre Dame College (OH) during Championships in Washington, D.C.
• 2024 PSAC Tournament Champions
• First Championship since 2021
• Went 4-0 through PSAC Tournament for first unbeaten run since 2017.
• 2024 NCAA Tournament
• Advanced to pod final vs NCAA National Finalist Charleston (WV) after defeating Gannon and UC to open tournament.
• Opened postseason 6-0 for the first time since 2017.
• Four All-PSAC East selections
• Three First-Team selections
Danielle Ciliberto
• D2CCA Second Team All-Region
• PSAC Tournament MVP4-0 with three complete games in Quakertown
• Finished season 23-10 in circle as first WCU pitcher over 20 wins since Amanda Houck in 2018.
• Tossed two no-hitters-3/12 vs Post; 4/13 vs Mansfield
SOFTBALL (36-22,
18-13)
Madison Melvin
• First Team All-PSAC East for fourth consecutive year
• D2CCA & NFCA All-Atlantic Region
• PhillySIDA Academic All-Area
• Broke WCU and PSAC career hits, runs, and stolen base records.
• Ended career as DII active career leader in hits with 343
MEN’S SOCCER (11-5-5, 7-3-2)
• PSAC Tournament
• Advanced to conference championship game for first time since 2018, falling to Millersville 1-0
• NCAA Tournament
• Advanced to NCAA Tournament for first time since 2019
• Fell to #5 Post on PK’s in second round
• Five All-PSAC East selections
• First Team - Dan Good, Andrew Markopoulos, and Owen Slack
• Second Team - Ian Alicea, Jack Dieffenderfer
Andrew
Markopoulos
• First Team All-PSAC
• D2CCA All-Region
• United Soccer Coaches All-Region
• United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-America
• Tied for team lead in scoring (6 G, 12 P)
Daniel Good
• First Team All-PSAC
• D2CCA All-Region
• United Soccer All-Region
• CSC Academic All-District
• PhillySIDA Academic All-Area
• United Soccer Scholar All-America
• Set program record for career wins (42), goalsagainst average (0.99), and shutouts (26)
• 2023 PSAC Tournament Champions
• First back-to-back championships since 2009 & 2010.
• 2023 NCAA Tournament
• 2023 NCAA DII Atlantic Region championship game appearance
• Made sixth regional championship game appearance in seven years.
• Five All-PSAC East selections
• Faith Matter - Player of the Year
• First Team - Faith Matter, Jacqueline Graham, Alyson Cutter, Kaitlynn Haughey
• Second Team - Julia Raybold
WOMEN’S SOCCER (16-3-4, 11-3-2)
Faith Matter
• First Team All-PSAC East
• PSAC East Player of the Year
• United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American
• First Repeat All-American since Sarah Oswald in 2007, ‘09, ‘10
• Led team in scoring with 35 points (12 G, 11 A, 35 P)
• Eighth most single-season points in team history
• Moved into eighth in career points with 60
Kaitlynn Haughey
• PSAC Tournament MVP
• First Team All-PSAC
• United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-America
• First Repeat All-American since Sarah Oswald in 2007, ‘09, ‘10.
• Part of four Conference Championship relay teams.
• Swimmer of the Year
• NCAA Championships
• All-American in 100 breast
• Also earned All-American honors with 400 free relay.
• Finished 12th in 200 IM
• Academic Honors
• 2024 PSAC Men’s Swimming Champions
• 36th Overall
• 25th consecutive at championships in which WCU has competed
• 2024 PSAC Women’s Swimming Champions
• 21st Overall
• 17th consecutive at championships in which WCU has competed.
• NCAA Championships
• Men’s Swimming and Diving - 18th
• Qualified three Individuals and two relays at NCAA Championships
• Women’s Swimming and Diving - 13th
• Qualified 11 individuals and all five relays at NCAA Championships
Steve Mazurek
• PSAC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year
Paul Demesy
• PSAC Championships
• Three individual Conference Championships (1650 and 1000 free)
• Set meet record in 1650 free
• Swimmer of the Year
• 18th Swimmer of the Year
• NCAA Championships
• Third in 1650 free
• Sixth in 1000 free
• 10th in 500 free
• PSAC Winter Top-10
Women’s Tennis
• PSAC Tournament
• Advanced to PSAC Semifinals before falling to Slippery Rock
• Fr. Delaney Tingle advanced to PSAC Individual Tournament Championship match. Match not played due to scheduling and travel conflicts for her opponent.
• Three All-PSAC East selections
• First Team Singles - Ashleigh Grooms, Tori Alexander
• First Team Double - Tingle, Alexander
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS
Men’s Tennis
• ITA Team Academic Award
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
• 2023-24 PSAC Track and Field Championships
• Indoor
• Men’s - 8th
• Women’s - 10th
• Outdoor
• Men’s - 10th
• Women’s - 15th
• 2024 Penn Relays
• Women’s
• 4x100 Relay (Curtis, Larsen, McDonald, Palacio-Lewis) - Second in Eastern Finals in 47.78 seconds.
