2024-25 Women’s Basketball Schedule
November
Sat. 9 West Virginia State# L, 96-68
Sun. 10 @ Charleston# L, 64-59
Thu. 14 @ Holy Family L, 70-54
Mon. 18 Wilmington (Del.) ..........................................W, 90-54
Fri. 22 @ Slippery Rock L, 69-56
Sat. 23 @ Edinboro L, 75-67
December
Sun. 1 Jefferson W, 79-73 (OT)
Fri. 6 California 3:00 P.M.
Sat. 7 Indiana (Pa.) ................................................ 1:00 P.M.
Sun. 15 @ Chestnut Hill ............................................. 1:00 P.M.
Tue. 17 @ Pitt-Johnstown 1:00 P.M.
Sat. 21 Seton Hill...................................................... 1:00 P.M.
January
Fri. 3 @ Shepherd* 5:30 P.M.
Mon. 6 Lock Haven* ................................................ 5:30 P.M.
Wed. 8 @ East Stroudsburg* 5:30 P.M.
Sat. 11 Kutztown*+ ................................................. 2:00 P.M.
Sat. 18 Shippensburg* ............................................. 1:00 P.M.
Wed. 22 @ Mansfield* 5:30 P.M.
Sat. 25 Bloomsburg* 1:00 P.M.
Wed. 29 @ Millersville* .............................................. 5:30 P.M.
February
Sat. 1 @ Lock Haven* 1:00 P.M.
Wed. 5 Shepherd* .................................................... 5:30 P.M.
Sat. 8 Mansfield*! .................................................. 1:00 P.M.
Wed. 12 @ Shippensburg* 6:00 P.M.
Wed. 19 East Stroudsburg* 5:30 P.M.
Sat. 26 @ Bloomsburg* 1:00 P.M.
Wed. 26 Millersville* ................................................. 5:30 P.M.
March
Sat. 1 @ Kutztown* 1:00 P.M.
* = PSAC East Game # = MEC/PSAC Challenge !=Pink Zone & Senior Day ^ Parent’s Day + Alumni Game
2024-25 Men’s Basketball Schedule
November Fri. 8 @ #17 West Liberty# L, 114-91 Sat. 9 Wheeling# L, 88-68 Sat. 16 Wilmington ....................................................W, 92-78
Wed. 20 Jefferson .........................................................W, 78-70 Fri. 22 @ Slippery Rock W, 81-64 Sat. 23 @ Edinboro W, 80-79 Wed. 27 Chestnut Hill..................................................W, 74-52
December
Fri. 6 California ..................................................... 5:00 P.M. Sat. 7 Indiana (Pa.) ................................................ 3:00 P.M. Sat. 14 @ Caldwell 1:00 P.M. Tue. 17 @ Pitt-Johnstown 3:00 P.M. Sat. 21 Seton Hill...................................................... 3:00 P.M.
January Fri. 3 @ Shepherd* 7:30 P.M. Mon. 6 Lock Haven* ................................................ 7:30 P.M. Wed. 8 @ East Stroudsburg* 7:30 P.M. Sat. 11 Kutztown*+ 4:00 P.M. Sat. 18 Shippensburg* ............................................. 3:00 P.M. Wed. 22 @ Mansfield* ................................................. 7:30 P.M.
Sat. 25 Bloomsburg* ................................................ 3:00 P.M. Wed. 29 @ Millersville* 7:30 P.M.
February Sat. 1 @ Lock Haven* 3:00 P.M. Wed. 5 Shepherd* .................................................... 7:30 P.M. Sat. 8 Mansfield*! .................................................. 3:00 P.M.
Wed. 12 @ Shippensburg* 8:00 P.M. Wed. 19 East Stroudsburg* ...................................... 7:30 P.M.
Sat. 26 @ Bloomsburg* 3:00 P.M. Wed. 26 Millersville* 7:30 P.M.
March Sat. 1 @ Kutztown* 3:00 P.M. * = PSAC East Game # = Atlantic Region Crossover Challenge !Pink Zone & Senior Day + Alumni Game
University and Athletic Administration
University President Director of Athletics
Dr. Lorraine Bernotsky Terry Beattie
Dr. R. Lorraine (Laurie) Bernotsky was unanimously named the 16th president of West Chester University by the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), effective July 1, 2024. A longstanding champion for public education and State System students, Dr. Bernotsky is a first-generation college graduate who leads the largest *R2 institution within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Prior to being named president, Dr. Bernotsky held the position of interim president of Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) as a loaned executive from West Chester University. Known for being a transformative leader in higher education, Dr. Bernotsky is prepared to help West Chester University chart its path toward the next 150 years.
As a collaborative and inclusive leader who is centered on student success, Dr. Bernotsky holds nearly three decades of progressive experience in higher education. She began her career at West Chester University in 1996 as a member of the political science faculty. When the opportunity opened to serve as associate provost and dean of graduate studies at West Chester University, she competed in a national search for the role and served for several years before becoming provost in 2015.
As West Chester University’s provost, Dr. Bernotsky successfully led the University’s Academic Affairs Division, which oversees approximately 850 faculty and is comprised of six colleges, as well as two schools, that offers more than 100 academic degree programs while also housing the Office of Institutional Research, the Center for International Programs (now the Center for Global Engagement), the offices of undergraduate admissions, enrollment management, financial aid, the graduate school, and undergraduate student support services.
Executive vice president was added to Dr. Bernotsky’s role in 2017 and, as the University’s second-in-command, she also assumed leadership of the University’s budget and labor relations function.
Recognized throughout the Commonwealth as a highly respected and effective higher education leader, Dr. Bernotsky was asked by Chancellor Daniel Greenstein to serve PennWest temporarily in the fall of 2022 as executive vice president and chief operating officer, providing guidance and direction in all operational areas. From October 2022 through June 2023, Dr. Bernotsky worked collaboratively in this loaned capacity to help strengthen PennWest’s operational excellence, strategic enrollment management systems, and long-term plans for financial sustainability. The positive effects of Dr. Bernotsky’s work ultimately led to her appointment as interim president of PennWest on July 1, 2023 by PASSHE’s Board of Governors; she assumed the role four months after her appointment as PennWest’s acting president and following the retirement of PennWest founding president, Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson.
Terry Beattie begins his ninth athletic campaign as the Director of Athletics at West Chester University and 20th overall as a member of the Golden Rams’ athletic department. Previous to being named the Interim AD in 2017, Beattie served as the Associate AD overseeing facilities and game day operations. He also oversaw all of the grounds and equipment room operations for the athletic department.
A 32-year veteran in college athletics, Beattie recently spearheaded the development of the Michael Horrocks Emerging Leaders Institute at WCU, which provides leadership training and development to a select group of outstanding student athletes who, as recognized future leaders, will be taking on the mantle of leadership within their team sometime in the future.
In his eight years as the university’s athletics director, Beattie created a Sports Performance aspect to the athletic department implementing additional resources from which WCU student-athletes could benefit. His collaboration with a number of other areas on campus gives student-athletes access to mental health and sport psychology experts, an expanded and much improved strength and conditioning program as well as education on sport nutrition.
His work in the field of Sport Leadership Training gives West Chester University’s coaching staff and administrators access to some of the cutting edge research on how to become a better leader, coach and mentor to young adults.
He has also served on a number of strategic planning committee’s both within the athletic department and in conjunction with the university. During his previous 14 years in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Beattie has chaired search committees to replace head coaches and assistant athletic directors while coordinating scheduling for West Chester University’s numerous athletic facilities. He has also served on search committees on the university side.
Beattie supervised the athletic department’s nine on-campus facilities, including both John A. Farrell Stadium and Serpico Stadium as well as Vonnie Gros Field.
A member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), Beattie was recently named the chair of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Athletic Administrators for the 2023-24 campaign. He has also served roles on the NCAA regional and national advisory committees overseeing selections to the NCAA Division II Tournament in a variety of sports.
About West Chester University
West Chester University, a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, is a public, regional, comprehensive institution committed to providing access and offering high-quality undergraduate education, select post-baccalaureate and graduate programs, and a variety of educational and cultural resources for its students, alumni and citizens of southeastern Pennsylvania.
West Chester University is committed to attracting, enrolling and graduating quality students from a wide variety of educational, cultural and economic backgrounds. This endeavor requires the University to attract and retain highly qualified faculty and staff and to provide each member of the University community with learning and leadership development opportunities. To this end, the University supports and encourages programs which benefit all people and which seek to eradicate discrimination and injustice. We treasure what we believe to be the highest principles of American society: the worth and uniqueness of each individual, the belief that success is to be earned by individual effort put forth in an environment founded on equality of opportunity, and the appreciation of the ideal of an inclusive society.
We believe that it is incumbent upon all members of our community - staff, students, faculty and administrators - to conduct themselves with civility toward one another at all times. We value the special talents and contributions of each member of our community. We further affirm the worth and dignity of each member and the shared responsibility of all to treat each other as individuals, with respect and courtesy.
As a university owned by the citizens of Pennsylvania, we value our mission to provide the best educational opportunities possible which will enable the University community to successfully address the concerns of a global society. To this end, West Chester University seeks to provide diligent advising for students and to focus on teaching students to think clearly and critically, to make logical and ethical judgments, and to communicate effectively with others.
West Chester University’s community strongly supports the principles of academic integrity and academic responsibility, viewing both as the province of every member of the campus community. We hold the highest esteem for teaching directed toward student learning and affirm that mastery of content as well as mastery of teaching skills necessary to communicate such content are paramount.
As a university owned by the citizens of Pennsylvania, we value our mission to provide the best educational opportunities possible which will enable the University community to successfully address the concerns of a global society.
West Chester University will be a national model for excellence for public regional comprehensive universities and is especially noted for:
l Undergraduate programs that actively engage students in connecting the life of the mind to the world in which they live and work.
l The responsiveness of its graduate and post-baccalaureate programs to regional needs.
l Its focus on providing lifelong-learning, technical, and applied skills essential to graduates’ success now and in the future.
l A commitment by faculty, staff, and administrators to provide access and to serve effectively the educational needs of a diverse student body.
l Its role as a leading educational and cultural resource and partner in fostering the economic, social, and cultural vitality of southeastern Pennsylvania.
ABOUT THE WEEKEND (WBB)
Opening Tip... This weekend, West Chester will look to stretch its home winning streak to a Division II-best 28 games as the Golden Rams welcome California (4-4, 1-1) and Indiana (5-0, 2-0) to Hollinger Field House on Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., respectively. West Chester, who has not lost at home since January 2023, stretched its home winning streak to 26 in a row with a 79-73 OT victory over Jefferson on Sunday to open December with a victory over the seventh-ranked Rams. This weekend, West Chester will face a pair of stiff tests as the Golden Rams look for their fourth win (and second in three games after defeating the Vulcans in the 2023 NCAA Tournament) in 31 tries against Cal (Pa.) on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, West Chester will look to halt a five-game losing streak vs IUP and move to 10-15 in the all-time series against the Crimson Hawks. West Chester has not beaten IUP in Hollinger since December 2004, when the Golden Rams won by a 70-66 final in overtime.
WCU Women’s Basketball Notes ... West Chester (2-5, 0-2) stunned No. 7 Jefferson on Sunday afternoon with a 79-73 victory in overtime. West Chester trailed for much of the game (26:02 to be exact) and trailed by 10 late in the third and five (61-56) with two-and-a-half minutes to play in regulation. The Golden Rams outscored the nationally-ranked and previously unbeaten Rams 8-3 in the final two minutes of play and 15-9 in overtime, led by 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting from Michelle Kozicki to upset the Rams for the third time in four years. Kozicki scored 19 of her 23 points in the second half, with 15 of those points coming in the fourth quarter or overtime, as the senior forward was one of four players in double figures. Anna McTamney chipped in 17 points of her own, while Bella Mazur and Rachel Conran added 14 and 10, respectively. West Chester shot 43.8 % from the field, including a 46.4 % effort in the final 15 minutes of the game, while also going 7-for-18 from three-point range, including a 5-for-9 effort between the fourth quarter and overtime. West Chester also ended the game with a 41-31 lead in rebounding thanks to 13 rebounds from Michelle Kozicki, which helped lead to a 1610 advantage in second-chance points. As a team, West Chester enters play averaging 67.6 points per game on 39.9 % shooting from the field and 27.9 % from beyond the arc while also shooting 84.8 % from the free-throw line, which is third-best in Division II women’s basketball. West Chester is even in rebounding at 37.7 rebounds per game and rebounds allowed while now holding a +0.3 advantage in the turnover battle at 20.3-20.6, despite committing 43 turnovers in its season-opening loss against West Virginia State. Individually, Michelle Kozicki and Anna McTamney are first and second on the team in scoring, averaging 18.4 and 17.9 points per game, which rank fifth and sixth best in the PSAC and third and fourth in the PSAC East. Kozicki also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 8.6 rebounds per game, which is seventh best in the PSAC and fourth best in the PSAC East, entering the second weekend of crossover play around the league. First-year guard Ava Mazur is first on the team in assists and eighth in the PSAC in assists per game, averaging 3.6 per game, while McTamney and Kozicki are first and second on the team and top-10 in the league in steals, averaging 2.3, and 2.1 steals per game.
California Women’s Basketball Notes... Cal (4-4, 1-1) enters play after a 65-53 loss to Virginia State earlier this week in what was the team’s third loss in four games, with a 70-52 victory over Shepherd being the only thing preventing a four-game losing streak. The Vulcans held a six-point lead at the half and a one-point heading into the fourth but were outscored by 13 (25-12) in the fourth in the 12-point loss. Cal shot just 32.8 % from the field and 22.2 % from three-point territory while also shooting 56.3 % (9-of-16) at the freethrow line in the setback. Alicia Young scored 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field, while Talia Gilliard added 10 points of her own as the lone other Vulcan in double figures. For the year, Cal enters play with a team stat line that does not appear different from the Golden Rams. The Vulcans averaged 66.6 points per game on 35.6 % shooting and 23.6 % shooting from three-point range while also connecting on 66.9 % at the free throw line. Cal’s opponents average 64.5 points per game on 40.6 % shooting from the field and 30.3 % from three-point territory while losing the rebounding and turnover battle by -4.4 (43.6-39.3) and -4.5 (15.8-20.3) margins. Alicia Young leads the team in scoring this year, averaging 17.6 points per game, while ranking second to Allycia Harris in rebounding, averaging 5.6 rebounds. At the same time, Harris collects an average of 7.9 per game. Nina Shaw leads the team in assists, averaging 2.8 per game, while Talia Gilliard is first in steals, averaging 1.8 thefts per game.
Indiana Women’s Basketball Notes... Indiana (Pa.) (5-0, 2-0) enters play on the weekend a perfect 5-0 on the year, averaging 72.8 points per game and holding opponents to just 46.0 points per game. Shooting 46.0 % from the field and 28.6 % from three-point range, a nearly 50 rebound per game average (49.8) has played a significant role in the Crimson Hawk’s success under the tutelage of third-year head coach Craig Carey. Carey’s bunch will start the weekend in West Virginia vs Shepherd as the Crimson Hawks look to move to 6-0 on the year after vanquishing Shippensburg by a 77-41 final in their last game. The Crimson Hawks jumped out to a 12-point lead after the first and never looked back as they shot 48.3 % from the field and 41.7 % from three-point range while also winning the rebounding battle by a 43-28 final. Rookie forward Madison Zavasky led the team in points and rebounds in the victory, finishing with 13 points and nine rebounds. IUP boasts the top rebounder in the league in Nyshae’ Weaver, who averages a double-double, averaging 12.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Shamia Strayhorn is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.6 points per game and a team-best 2.6 assists per game.
Up Next for the Golden Rams ... West Chester takes to the road on Sunday for the first of two straight away from home with a matchup at Chestnut Hill on the schedule for Sunday, December 15 at 1 p.m. before visiting Pitt-Johnstown on December 17 beginning at 1 p.m. Due to the unexpected departure of Mercyhurst from the PSAC over the summer, West Chester’s game at UPJ will serve as a non-league game for the Golden Rams but will be a league game for the Mountain Cats to balance the Eastern and Western Division schedules.
STATISTICAL LEADERS
ABOUT THE WEEKEND (MBB)
Opening Tip... This weekend, West Chester will look to start PSAC play a perfect 4-0 for the first time since a 6-0 run through crossover play during the 2019-20 season when perennial powers California (Pa.) and Indiana (Pa.) visit Hollinger on Friday and Saturday. West Chester is slated to face Cal on Friday night at 5 p.m. before hosting and renewing its rivalry against IUP on Saturday in its first matchup against the Crimson Hawks since 2022. Riding a six-game winning streak, West Chester trails by just one (13-12) in the all-time series vs Cal. The Golden Rams posted a 100-97 victory over the Vulcans on the road a year ago, when their hosts were ranked ninth in the country, marking the Golden Rams first win over a top-10 foe since a 2015 win over IUP. Against IUP, West Chester trails 18-13 after dropping each of the last five meetings vs Joe Lombardi’s bunch. West Chester last defeated IUP in December 2017 when the Golden Rams won their third straight over the Crimson Hawks by a 93-78 final.
WCU Men’s Basketball Notes ... After dropping its first two games of the season by 20+ points and allowing 200 points over those two setbacks, West Chester (5-2, 2-0) has found its stride in recent weeks, winning each of its last five, with three of those five coming by double figures, including a 22-point victory over Chestnut Hill in its last game on November 27. West Chester wrapped up November with a victory and stretched its home winning streak to seven in a row with a 74-52 victory over Chestnut Hill on Thanksgiving Eve. West Chester held a 27-23 lead at the half but outscored its guests 47-29 in the second half, shooting 54.8 % (17-of-31) from the field to cruise to a 74-52 victory over Chestnut Hill. West Chester was balanced in the victory with four players in double figures, although none scored over 13 points. Davante Dennis, Joshua Walker, and Elijah Allen scored 12 points each, while James Johns Jr. added 10 of his own to help propel WCU to the 22-point victory, its largest margin of victory of the season. For the season, West Chester enters play averaging 80.6 points per game on 43.0 % shooting from the field, including a 31.7 % effort from three-point range, while also averaging a league-best 43.1 rebounds per game, which ranks 11th in DII. West Chester is also fifth in DII in offensive rebounding, averaging 17.4 per game, translating into an average of 17.7 points per game. Allen leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.7 points per game, while Davante Dennis, who is second in scoring, averaging 11.0 points per game, is first in rebounding, averaging 5.6 per game. Dylan Blair is third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.4 points per game, while ranking first in assists and steals, averaging 3.1 and 1.9 per game, respectively.
California Men’s Basketball Notes... Once ranked as high as fourth in the Nation, Cal (6-3, 1-1) enters play after suffering losses in three of its last four games, including an 89-83 loss at Wheeling on Sunday afternoon. Kadyn Hannah led the team in scoring with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including a 3-for-5 effort from three-point range, while Jordyn Buchanan added 14 points of his own in the losing effort. Leading by three at the half, Cal was sent to overtime after a big second-half surge by Wheeling, and the Cardinals outscored their nationally-ranked hosts 12-6 in OT to escape with the six-point victory. Cal shot just 34.1 % from the field and 24.1 % from deep in the loss while also going 20-for-26 (76.9 %) at the free-throw line. For the year, Cal enters play averaging nearly 88 (87.8) points per game on 43.5 % shooting from the field and 32.8 % from deep while also shooting 81.3 % at the free throw line. Cal’s opponents average 79.2 points per game on 41.6 % shooting from the field and 30.3 % from three-point range. Keith Palek III is first on the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 18.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, while Donald Whitehead Jr. is second on the team in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game while leading the group in assists (3.7/g) and steals (1.1/g). Former Golden Ram Cam Polak is also in the midst of a strong season, averaging 14.2 points per game and 2.0 assists to rank third on the team in both categories.
Indiana Men’s Basketball Notes... Indiana (Pa.) (5-3, 2-0) also enters the weekend looking to erase the memory of a loss earlier this week as head coach Joe Lombardi lost to protege Ron Fudula and South Carolina-Beaufort in Indiana earlier this week. The Crimson Hawks started their weekend away from home with a visit to West Virginia to take on the Shepherd University Rams on Friday evening. Against USCB, IUP trailed by just three at the half but was outscored by seven (52-45) in the second half in the eventual 94-84 setback. Averaging 74.5 points per game on 44.2 % shooting from the field and 31.3 % from deep, IUP played better than its averages on Monday night, shooting an even 50.0 % from the field in front of a crowd of nearly 1,000 but shot just 25.0 % from three-point range and 17-of-26 at the line in the loss. Christian Moore was one of three Crimson Hawks in double figures in the setback, finishing with 25 points and seven rebounds. In contrast, Kymani Merraro finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists while also committing five of 12 turnovers for IUP. Moore and Merraro rank first and second on the team in scoring, averaging 21.3 and 13.1 points per game, while also ranking in the top two in assists as Merraro averages 5.3 per game, while Moore contributes 2.9 per game. Damir Brooks, who Fudula and company found a way to hold to just five rebounds on Monday night, leads the team in rebounding, averaging 8.3 per game through eight games this season.
Up Next for the Golden Rams ... West Chester takes to the road on Sunday for the first of two straight away from home with a matchup at Caldwell on the schedule for Saturday, December 14 at 1 p.m. before visiting Pitt-Johnstown on December 17 beginning at 3 p.m. Due to the unexpected departure of Mercyhurst from the PSAC over the summer, West Chester’s game at UPJ will serve as a non-league game for the Golden Rams but will be a league game for the Mountain Cats in an effort to balance the Eastern and Western Division schedules.
LEADERS
THE WOODEN FILE
Kiera
Wooden
TITLE: Head Coach
Years at WCU: 11th
Alma Mater: West Chester ‘03
The Wooden File
24-6 (18-4) NCAA 2015-16 21-8 (17-5) NCAA 2016-17 10-17(10-12) PSAC
23-6 (19-3) NCAA
16-14(11-9) PSAC 2019-20 9-13 (7-15) None
9-19 (7-14) PSAC
(18-4) NCAA
(18-4) NCAA
Kiera Wooden enters her 11th season in the first chair on the Golden Rams’ bench. The former Golden Rams standout won the most games by any WCU women’s head coach over their first five years running the program and landed her charges in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament all five times while adding an NCAA Tournament appearance three times.
She could not have set the bar any higher for herself, after leading West Chester to a combined 45-14 record in her first two campaigns. The WCU alumnae has picked up a PSAC East regular season title (2016), a spot in the PSAC Championship Game (2015) and three trips to the NCAA Tournament (2015, 2016, 2018) in her first six seasons at the helm before making back-to-back trips once again in 2023 and 2024.
Wooden’ brings an overall record of 160-104(.606) into the 2024-25 campaign and an 125-73(.631) mark against conference competition. Additionally, Wooden shows a 7-8 record in the PSAC Tournament and a 2-5 record in her four trips to the NCAA Atlantic Regional.
Wooden has been instrumental in the success of the Golden Rams’ program over the past decade and a half, helping West Chester to reach the postseason 13 times, including the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023, and 2024. She was hired as the first full-time assistant coach in the history of the women’s basketball program prior to the 2004-05 campaign.
In 2023-24, Wooden helped engineer another historic season for West Chester women’s basketball, guiding the Golden Rams to a record of 24-7 overall and 18-4 in league action. This record led to West Chester returning to the PSAC Semifinals and NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, while also ending the season tied with the 2023 and 2015 teams for the most wins in a single season under Wooden. West Chester fell in the PSAC Semifinals to eventual Tournament and Regional Champion, Gannon at Lock Haven before giving second-seeded Fairmont State all it could handle in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Fairmont, W.V. a few days later. West Chester went unbeaten at home in 2023-24 and set a new program record for the longest home winning streak in program history with a 46-39 victory over Kutztown on February 14. West Chester enters 2024-25 with a 24-game home winning streak, which is third longest in Division II women’s basketball. On the court, Wooden mentored PSAC East Player of the Year Leah Johnson, as she became the first Golden Ram to earn Player of the Year honors since Dana Weems in 2008 after rewriting the WCU record books in scoring, assists, and triple doubles in 2023-24. Johnson was one of four All-Conference honorees for the second year in a row as Emily McAteer repeated as a first team selection, while Michelle Kozicki and Anna McTamney were second team honorees.
In 2022-23, Wooden engineered one of the most impressive year-to-year turnarounds in program history, leading West Chester to a share of its first PSAC East Regular Season title since 2017-18, a PSAC Tournament Semifinal appearance, its first NCAA Tournament win in 20 years, and its first Regional Championship appearance in program history. Ending the year with a record of 24-9, which is tied for the most wins Wooden has recorded in a single season since her first year in 2014-15 when the team went 24-6, the Golden Rams returned to the NCAA Tournament as a three seed, the team’s highest seeding since the field expanded to 64 teams in 2003. Wooden, who was named PSAC East Coach of the Year for the second time in her career, mentored four All-Conference honorees, including first-team selections Leah Johnson and Emily McAteer, along with second-team honorees Anna McTamney and PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year Michelle Kozicki. With her Defensive Player of the Year honors, Kozicki became the first Golden Ram to receive this award since Alexandra Lennon in the 2012-13 season. Johnson, who joined the 1,000-point club during the season and finished the year with the third most points in single-season history (542), also earned DIICCA Second Team All-Region honors, becoming the first Golden Ram to earn this award since Brittany Sicinski in 2015-16. As a team, West Chester boasted one of the top offensive units in the PSAC, averaging 72.8 points per game, thanks to a 44.2 % field goal percentage and a program DII record 77.2 % free-throw shooting percentage.
In 2018-19, Wooden engineered an impressive turnaround in the second half of the season that saw the Golden Rams go 11-3 in PSAC East play to earn the No. 3 seed in the PSAC Tournament, thus, extending the Golden Rams PSAC Tournament appearance streak to 12 years in a row. West Chester won its first postseason game that year with an impressive win over Millersville to punch its ticket to the PSAC Quarterfinals for the second year in a row. The Golden Rams season came to a close in the quarterfinals as West Chester fell to Bloomsburg on the road to end the season with an overall record of 16-14 and a mark of 11-9 in PSAC play. Wooden also mentored a trio of PSAC East All-Conference selections in Destiny Jefferson and Madison Torresin, who earned first team honors for the first time in their careers while Gabrielle Troisi earned second team honors.
Upon succeeding her mentor, former head coach Deirdre Kane in July 2014, Wooden quickly began applying her personal stamp to the Golden Rams women’s basketball program. When she accepted the reins of the program, she became the first African-American women’s basketball head coach at West Chester University and only the 19th African-American female head coach in all of Division II.
During the 2014-15 season, the Golden Rams finished second in the PSAC Eastern Division and upset nationally ranked Indiana (Pa.) in the semifinals of the conference tournament that put the Golden Rams in the PSAC title game for just the second time in school history. She guided the Golden Rams to a 24-6 mark that first year on the job, falling one win shy of the school’s single-season wins record. She followed up that effort with a 21-8 showing in 2015-16 and a 17-5 slate in conference play and another NCAA Tournament bid.
Wooden has helped to recruit some of the top talent in the state to the Delaware Valley, doing her part to guide the Golden Rams to three 20-win seasons while suffering through just one losing season during her 10-year stint as an assistant coach.
The Wilmington, Del., native played all four years at WCU under Deirdre Kane, earning PSAC Eastern Division first team honors on three different occasions. During her first season in 1999-2000, Wooden, who played under her maiden name, Kiera Manlove, was named the PSAC East Rookie of the Year.
Wooden was named the team’s MVP on three different occasions and claimed outstanding scholar-athlete honors twice. She currently ranks fifth all-time in scoring with 1,378 points and stands 11th in scoring average at 12.2 points per game.
Wooden holds the school record for field goals made (569), ranks fourth in field goal attempts (1,300), sixth in free throws made (240) and fourth in free throws attempted (408). Wooden also ranks second all-time in WCU history in rebounds (871) and third in steals (259) while her 7.7 rebounds per game average stands fifth. She was inducted into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014
Wooden was a four-time PSAC scholar-athlete, an eight-time member of the WCU Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll, a two-time PSAC Winter Top 10 selection and a 2002 Arthur Ashe Award winner. She served two years as team captain and was a regular on the Dean’s List.
Wooden, a 2003 graduate of West Chester University with a degree in Exercise Science/Kiniesiology and three minors (Nutrition, Health, Coaching) went on to earn her master’s degree in Sports and Athletic Administration at West Chester University in 2006.
She currently resides in Wilmington, Del., with her husband, Charles, son, Christopher, and twins Carter and Christina.
Head Coach Damien Blair completed his 16th season at the helm of the Golden Rams in 2023-24. In his 16years with the Purple & Gold, Blair boasts a 281-153(.647) overall record with four NCAA Tournament appearances in the last nine years.
Blair has orchestrated a 191-108(.639) mark in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) contests throughout his tenure, and under his tutelage, the Golden Rams have landed inside the top-three of the PSAC East standings nine times, including a share of the regular-season title in 2022-23, and six second-place finishes. West Chester has advanced to the PSAC Championship Game on three occasions. The West Chester University alum boasts a 12-13 record in the PSAC Tournament and a 1-4 record in the NCAA Tournament.
Last season, Blair guided West Chester back to the PSAC Tournament as the fourth seed in the PSAC East and after defeating Shepherd in the First Round of the PSAC Tournament before falling to Lock Haven and ending the year with a record of 19-11 overall and a mark of 15-7 in league action. Blair saw two of his players eclipse the 1,000-point plateau in 2023-24 as Robert Smith did so first as part of a 100-97 road victory over No. 9 and previously unbeaten California (Pa.) before Elijah Allen accomplished the feat on January 10 vs Shepherd. Smith became the first WCU player to score all 1,000 points at WCU since Matt Penecale and Jackson Hyland in 2018-19. On the Golden Rams regular-season finale and Senior Day, Blair and the Golden Rams made national headlines after orchestrating a surprise reunion for graduate student forward Jordan Kellier and his parents, who were visiting from Jamaica to watch him play for the first time in his collegiate career. Kellier earned PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year honors and First Team All-Conference recognition nad was joined on the First Team by Allen while Smith was named Second Team All-League for the third year in a row.
In his 15th season, Blair guided West Chester to its seventh 20+-win season, ending the campaign with a record of 21-8 overall and a mark of 16-6 in PSAC East action en route to a share of the squad’s first PSAC East Regular Season title since 2006. This effort, which included a sweep of East Stroudsburg for the first time since the 2008-09 season, also saw the Golden Rams score the most points they ever have against the Warriors in a 106-98 victory in Hollinger Field House. Blair also mentored a pair of All-PSAC East honorees once again as Kyle McGee secured First Team honors while Robert Smith was named Second Team All-League for the second year in a row.
Coming off a shutdown of athletics due to the COVID-19 pandemic that wiped out the 2020-21 campaign, Blair guided his squad to a 17-12 overall record and a fourth-place finish and an opening round win in the PSAC Tournament that pushed West Chester into the quarterfinals. Two Golden Rams were named all-conference in the postseason announcements. He did all of this without a senior on his roster.
The 2019-20 campaign saw West Chester finishing the regular season with a 20-10 record, including a 13-game win streak to start the year, to earn third place in the PSAC East standings. With West Chester sitting at 13-0 to start the winter, the Golden Rams climbed to as high as eighth in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II national poll - it’s highest ranking since 1983 - the school’s first year at Division II, after re-classifying from Division I the previous year.
West Chester continued its upward projection in 2018-19, as the Golden Rams broke multiple records on their way to the 2019 NCAA DII Atlantic Regional. After starting the season at 6-5, WCU went on to win its next 15 straight contests to set a new school record for most consecutive victories in program history. In the midst of all the winning, Blair became just the second West Chester men’s basketball coach in history to eclipse the 200-win plateau, which secured Blair the No. 2 spot on WCU’s all-time wins list behind his former mentor and Messikomer Hall of Famer, Dick Delaney, who ended his 21-year career with 370 victories - a number that stands as the fourth most by any PSAC coach in conference history.
The Golden Rams capped off the 2018-19 season as one of the most dominating rebounding units in the entire country. Heading into the postseason, West Chester paced NCAA DII in total rebounds per game (45.3) and offensive rebounds per game (18.1), while sitting fourth in the nation in both total rebounds (1,359) and rebounding margin (+10.5).
Individually, the 2018-19 Golden Rams featured three All-PSAC selections in Jackson Hyland (First Team), Matt Penecale (Second Team) and Malik Jackson (Second Team). Hyland ended his illustrious career as a two-time All-PSAC selection and his 1,448 career points are the 10th most by a Golden Ram in program history. He continued his basketball career overseas in England for a season following graduation. A two-time Academic All-District selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Penecale capped off his career with the Purple & Gold as the program’s all-time career leader in assists (505) and No. 2 on the West Chester all-time career free throw percentage list (.869). A former PSAC East Freshman of the Year, Jackson’s 81 triples in 2018-19 were the third most makes by any WCU men’s basketball player in history. Jackson graduated in 2020 as the school’s fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,826 career points.
West Chester tallied a 22-7 overall record in 2017-18 to qualify for the NCAA Atlantic Regional for the second time in the last three years. Entering the tournament as the sixth seed. West Chester managed to clip the favored Cardinals, 82-77, inside the Virginia State University Multi-Purpose Center to give the Golden Rams their first NCAA Tournament win in nine appearances.
During the 2015-16 campaign, Blair guided his charges to a 23-7 mark, a spot in the PSAC Championship Game and a second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the past three campaigns. He did all of that with a pair of freshmen in his backcourt running the offense. Along the way, senior forward Matt Wiseley was named NABC All-Atlantic Region while also taking home PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year honors. Malik Jackson was the PSAC East Freshman of the Year as well. West Chester cracked into the NABC national poll for the first time since 2009 and rose as high as 16th in the country. That marked the Golden Rams’ highest national ranking since 2003.
In 2013-14, West Chester cracked the 20-win plateau for the first time in a decade and the first time under Blair’s watch. The Golden Rams finished with a 20-8 record and finished second in the PSAC East with a 17-5 mark. WCU’s 17 conference wins also set a record for most in a single season in school history. The Golden Rams defeated Millersville in the PSAC Quarterfinals, before falling to eventual champion Indiana, Pa., in the semifinals. The 20 wins set a new season record in Blair’s five years at his alma mater while the team’s appearance in the conference semifinals was West Chester’s second straight.
In 2011-12, Blair guided his charges to a 19-win season and helped the Golden Rams finish third in the PSAC Eastern Division. The Golden Rams upset Bloomsburg in the first round of the conference tournament, and when East Stroudsburg upset top-seeded Kutztown, West Chester earned the right to host the conference semifinals and finals as the highest remaining seed in the East.
Blair engineered an upset win over conference favorite and nationally ranked Indiana (Pa.) in the semifinals, landing the Golden Rams in the PSAC Championship Game.
In 2009-10, Blair led the Golden Rams to a 18-9 overall record and a 5-9 conference mark during one of the most competitive league slates in quite some time. That season’s Eastern Division champion suffered five losses in conference play.
It was Blair’s mission that winter to orchestrate a return to the PSAC semifinals and with it a shot at a PSAC championship. Blair led West Chester to the PSAC postseason tournament in his first season on the sideline in 2008-09, after inheriting a squad that had not reached the playoffs the previous two campaigns.
One of the top guards in school history, Blair made a big splash in his first season as head coach at his alma mater. The Golden Rams finished 18-10 overall and 9-5 in conference play, finishing third overall in the Eastern Division and leading the Rams to the quarterfinals of the PSAC postseason tournament. A loss to cross-town rival Cheyney ended Blair’s inaugural season prematurely.
In his first two seasons on the bench, Blair mentored three first-team All-PSAC players and four all-leaguers total. Former all-league selection, Ralph Hegamin, continued his basketball career overseas in Portugal. Hegamin was also an All-ECAC pick and two-time Herb Good all-star selection under Blair’s tutelage.
Additionally, one former Golden Rams player, Kenneth St. George, was named to the PSAC academic honor roll both years with Blair while also being named a two-time recipient of the Arthur Ashe Scholar-Athlete Award.
The program’s second all-time leading scorer during his playing days, Blair became the program’s fifth head coach since 1960 and the first African-American mentor in program history in July 2008. During his collegiate playing career, Blair set seven individual scoring records on the career, season and game levels. His 2,025 career points stands second all-time at West Chester University and 12th all-time in PSAC history. The flashy guard was a two-time PSAC East player of the year (1994, 1995) and four-time all-league selection, including three first-team nods, during his illustrious playing career. Blair was inducted into the Messikomer Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame at West Chester University in 2001.
Blair received his bachelor’s of science degree in Education from WCU in May 2006 and is a certified Health & Physical Education instructor in the state of Pennsylvania. He completed his master’s in Athletic Administration from WCU in May 2007.
Blair resides in Downingtown, Pa., with his wife, Carolyn, a 1997 graduate of West Chester University and former women’s basketball player under former women’s head coach Deirdre Kane. The couple has four children: Hunter, Dylan, Autumn and Hayden. Hunter graduated from West Chester University while Dylan is a sophomore at West Chester after joining the Golden Rams from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Autumn will attend the University of Florida on a women’s lacrosse scholarship.
West Chester University Golden Rams
Women’s Basketball Roster (2-5, 0-2)
No. Player Pos. Ht. Cl.
Hometown/High School
0 Kyla Glasser-Hyman G 5-6 So. Inzai, Japan / Hightstown
3 Ava Mazur G 5-7 Fr. Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional
4 Alainna Hopta G 5-7 Jr. York, Pa. / West York
5 Bella Mazur G 5-8 Fr. Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional
10 Michelle Kozicki F 6-0 Sr. Wilmington, Del. / Padua Academy
11 Sanai Moore G 5-6 Jr. Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt
14 Erin Daley F 6-0 So. Lafayette Hill, Pa. / Plymouth Whitemarsh
22 Sofia Coleman G 5-11 Jr. Dresher, Pa. / Gwynedd Mercy Academy
25 Aaliyah Soliday G 5-8 Fr. Upper Providence, Pa./Spring-Ford
32 Anna McTamney G 5-10 Sr. Plymouth Meeting, Pa. / Plymouth Whitemarsh
33 Rachel Conran G/F 5-8 Sr. Springfield, Pa. / Springfield
Head Coach: Kiera Wooden (West Chester University ‘03) - 10th season
Assistant Coaches: Allison Hostetter (West Chester University ‘12) - 9th season, Mary Fromhartz, Marli McLaughlin
California (Pa.) Vulcans
Women’s Basketball Roster (4-4, 1-1)
No. Player Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School
1 Hope Hawkins F 6-0 Fr. Pittsburgh, Pa. / Woodland Hills
2 Angel Henry G 5-8 So. Aliquippa, Pa. / Aliquippa
3 Alicia Young G/F 5-10 Jr. McKees Rocks, Pa. / Sto-Rox
4 Nina Shaw G 5-4 So. Saxonburg, Pa. / Knoch
5 Iyahnna Williams G/F 5-9 Sr. Cleveland, Ohio / Cleveland Heights
11 Kimaya Williams G/F 5-11 So. Pittsburgh, Pa. / Obama Academy
12 Talia Gilliard G 5-9 Sr. Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg
14 Macy Sardone G 5-8 So. Homer City, Pa. / Homer-Center
21 Gia Piscitelli G 5-8 Fr. Cleveland, Ohio / SPIRE Academy
22 Trinity Balog G 5-8 Fr. Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg
23 Allycia Harris F 5-9 Sr. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Elmer L. Meyers
24 Sierra Bermudez G 5-9 Sr. Philadelphia, Pa. / Neumann Goretti
32 Mya Morgan G 5-8 Fr. North Huntingdon, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic
34 Alivia Huffman F 5-9 Fr. New Bethlehem, Pa. / Redbank Valley
Head Coach: Jess Strom (STRA-m) (14th season as HC; 19th at Cal)
Assistant Coaches: Katie Tetzlaw (12th season), Amy Gumbert, Kelly Sabo
West Chester University Golden Rams
Men’s Basketball Roster (5-2, 2-0)
/
Baltimore,Md./Red Lion/UIW
/
Isaiah Lester
California (Pa.) Vulcans
Men’s Basketball Roster (6-3, 1-1)
6-2 175 Sr. Laurel, Md. / Meade
Keith Palek III F 6-8 215 Sr. Woodbine, N.J. / St. Augustine Prep 12 Jordyn Buchanan G/F 6-4 175 Fr. Pensacola, Fla. / Robert A. Taft (Ohio) 13 Donald Whitehead, Jr. G 5-10 155 Jr. Hermitage, Pa. / Hickory 14 Jordyn Tavarez G 6-0 165 Fr. New Kensington, Pa. / Highlands 15 DJ Evans G 6-0 175 Jr. New Hope, Minn. / Robbinsdale Cooper 20 Dalman Alexander F 6-8 215 So. Fort Wayne, Ind. / Northrop
22 Kadyn Hannah F 6-4 210 Sr. Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional
23 Antoine Arnett F 6-6 210 So. Somerdale, N.J. / Sterling
24 Ibrahim Turay G 6-3 185 Fr. Lanham, Md. / High Point
32 Eli Brooks F 6-7 210 So. Glasgow, Ky. / Barren County 33 Aasim Gunther G 6-2 160 So. West Philadelphia, Pa. / Abington Friends
Head Coach: Danny Sancomb (7th season)
Assistant coaches: Steve Bridgeman (7th season), Ryan Kostur, Joshua McCray
West Chester University Golden Rams
Women’s Basketball Roster (2-5, 0-2)
No. Player Pos. Ht. Cl.
Hometown/High School
0 Kyla Glasser-Hyman G 5-6 So. Inzai, Japan / Hightstown
3 Ava Mazur G 5-7 Fr. Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional
4 Alainna Hopta G 5-7 Jr. York, Pa. / West York
5 Bella Mazur G 5-8 Fr. Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional
10 Michelle Kozicki F 6-0 Sr. Wilmington, Del. / Padua Academy
11 Sanai Moore G 5-6 Jr. Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt
14 Erin Daley F 6-0 So. Lafayette Hill, Pa. / Plymouth Whitemarsh
22 Sofia Coleman G 5-11 Jr. Dresher, Pa. / Gwynedd Mercy Academy
25 Aaliyah Soliday G 5-8 Fr. Upper Providence, Pa./Spring-Ford
32 Anna McTamney G 5-10 Sr. Plymouth Meeting, Pa. / Plymouth Whitemarsh
33 Rachel Conran G/F 5-8 Sr. Springfield, Pa. / Springfield
Head Coach: Kiera Wooden (West Chester University ‘03) - 10th season
Assistant Coaches: Allison Hostetter (West Chester University ‘12) - 9th season, Mary Fromhartz, Marli McLaughlin
Indiana (Pa.) Crimson Hawks
Women’s Basketball Roster (5-0, 2-0)
0 Janeira Scott G 5-2 R-Jr. Bridgeville, Del. / Woodbridge
1 Nyshae' Weaver F 6-0 Jr. Baltimore, Md. / Coppin Academy HS
2 Macie Jarrett G 5-6 Sr. Zanesville, Ohio / Maysville
3 Shamia Strayhorn G 5-8 Sr. Cincinnati, Ohio / St. Ursula Academy
4 Marin Miller G 5-5 Jr. Hollidaysburg, Pa. / Hollidaysburg
10 Kamiya Dambreville F 5-10 Jr. Brooklyn,, NY / John Adams
11 Ellie Wilkerson G/F 5-9 Jr. Plainfield, Ind. / Plainfield
20 Chimera Iloanya F 6-0 Jr. Tampa, Fla. / Seffner Christian
21 Lily Jordan G/F 6-0 Fr. Morgantown, W.Va. / Morgantown HS
23 Madison Zavasky F 6-0 Fr. Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine-Richland
24 Naomi Zulueta F 5-10 Jr. Lancaster, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic
30 Tessa Seagreaves G 5-5 Fr. Coopersburg, Pa. / Lehigh High School
33 Grace Centrulla F 6-1 5th Cincinnati, Ohio / Mt. Notre Dame
Head Coach: Craig Carey (West Virginia '12) 3rd season
Assistant Coaches: Molly Bauer, Jesse Maddox
West Chester University Golden Rams
Men’s Basketball Roster (5-2, 2-0)
Hometown/High School
0 Myles Grey G 5-10 175 So. Reading, Pa. / Reading 1 Anthony Purnell Jr. G 6-0 150
Chester, Pa. / Kiski Prep 2 Larenzo Jerkins G 6-4
Fr. Chester, Pa./Neumann-Goretti 3 Saleem Payne G 5-10
Philadelphia, Pa. / Phelps School 4 Elijah Allen G 6-2
Dover, Del. / Dover 6 Anthony McCall G/F 6-4 200 Jr. Philadelphia, Pa./ANC/Rider
8 Davante Dennis F 6-7 220 Jr. Baltimore,Md./Red Lion/UIW 10 Luke Boyd G 6-2 170 Jr. Somerton, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan 11 Joshua Walker F 6-8 230 Sr. Upper Marlboro, Md. / Riverdale Baptis
12 Dylan Blair G 5-10 165 So. Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West/Army 13 Darrius Phillips F 6-8
East Stroudsburg, Pa. / Seton Hall Prep
14 James Johns Jr. G/F 6-6 195 Jr. Claymont, Del./Long Island Lutheran/Fairfield
15 Nix Varano G 6-2 175 Jr. Chalfont, Pa. / La Salle College High School
20 Gavin Dalen F 6-9 220 Fr. Milford, Oh./Milford
22 Moro Osumanu G/F 6-6
Coaches: Ben Kay (Drexel ’12), Eric Anderson,Tyler Smith, Isaiah Lester
Indiana (Pa.) Crimson Hawks
Hometown/High School
1 Kymani Merraro G 5-10 165 Fr. Toronto, Canada / C.O.D.E. Sports Academy 2 Ian Herring G 6-5 180 Fr. Sewickley, Pa. / Kiski School/Quaker Valley
3 Alfonso Pickens Jr. G 6-2 170 Jr. Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep / Albany Tech CC
4 Denzel Kabasele G 6-3 185 R-Jr. Kinshasa, DRC. / Lancaster Catholic / Miles CC
5 Dallis Dillard G 6-3 180 Sr. Harlem, N.Y. / St. Raymond
10 Luke Triggs F 6-7 220 Jr. Gainesville, Va. / Paul VI Catholic / Mercyhurst
11 Christian Moore G 6-1 185 Jr. Suffolk, Va. / Hargrave Military Academy / New Hampshire
12 Damir Brooks F 6-6 215 R-Jr. Harlem, N.Y. / Kipp College Prep
13 Bautista Rodriquez F 6-7 210 Fr. Sante Fe, Argentina /
14 Anthony Watson G 6-2 175 R-So. Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park / Butler County CC
20 Tyler Grove F 6-7 205 Fr. Erie, Pa. / McDowell
25 Sarp Furtun G 6-3 182 So. Ankara, Turkey / DME Academy
32 Callum MacNamara F 6-8 230 R-Jr. Melbourne, Australia / Sandringham College
Head Coach: Joe Lombardi, 19th Season at IUP (Youngstown State ’81)
Assistant Coaches: Kevin Scuilli (1st Season), Brandon Mayhan (1st Season), Brayden Meyer
Team Statistics
2024-25 West Chester Women's Basketball
Team Results
West Chester University Names Basketball Floor After
Some ideas are way off base. Other ideas are discussed and debated by committees and sub-committees. Then there are the no-brainers. The ideas that just seem like the right thing to do and people ask, “Why did we wait so long?”. This is one of those ideas.
Saturday afternoon, former West Chester men’s basketball and women’s basketball head coaches, Dick DeLaney and Deirdre Kane were immortalized on the hardwood inside Hollinger Field House when the court was renamed Kane DeLaney Court in their honor during a ceremony.
“It’s really unbelievable,” DeLaney said when reached at home earlier this week. “It’s very touching, and I never could have imagined something like this when I came to West Chester University in 1965.”
“West Chester University has been so great to me,” Kane added. “It was a fantastic place to spend a career and build lasting relationships.”
One relationship cultivated on endless bus trips up and down the Eastern Seaboard and back-and-forth across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was between two iconic coaches fighting to shape their programs into one of the top clubs in the region. It was inevitable really. The two spent more time together during the winter season than they probably did with their spouses.
Two Legends in Coaching
“We were good friends,” DeLaney mentioned. “We drove to league meetings together. I knew some schools where the men’s and women’s coaches didn’t get along at all. That wasn’t the case with Deirdre and I.”
What did they talk about on those trips?
“We certainly had different coaching philosophies,” DeLaney pointed out. “But, one thing we had in common was that we wanted to recruit decent people first.”
That is evident in who the two turned the keys over to when they retired – DeLaney in 2008, and Kane in 2014.
“The court-naming is a direct reflection of the impact that two individuals had on sculpting countless lives,” current West Chester men’s basketball coach, and former player for Delaney, Damien Blair said. “It speaks to the culture of our WCU basketball community and the importance of relationships and nurturing excellence.”
The year was 1987, and West Chester University Director of Athletics, the late Dick Yoder, was looking for a pair of head coaches to lead both the men’s and women’s basketball programs. He settled on an alum, who was better known for his contributions to the game of soccer and baseball, to take the lead role on the men’s side, and he selected an assistant coach at Penn one year removed from head coaching duties at two Division III programs, for the first chair on the women’s sideline. Little did Yoder know at the time that he was making perhaps the two best hires of his career and changing the fortunes of West Chester basketball for decades to come.
Kane and DeLaney spent 21 years together in Hollinger Field House, driving vans to games in the beginning, and borrowing the swimming team’s warmups for contests. Conditions within both programs were less than ideal. However, determination and perseverance in the face of adversity pulled them through. Now, their destinies and their legacies are forever intertwined; you can’t mention one’s name without thinking of the other. You also won’t see one’s name on the court in Hollinger Field House without the other’s right next to it.
“I am so overwhelmed and honored by this gesture,” Kane continued. “If I make it through my remarks on Saturday without becoming a blubbering mess, I will consider it the greatest victory of my career.”
That career included 447 wins, 16 PSAC Tournament appearances and four NCAA Tournament appearances. She was named the PSAC Coach of the Year five times and was a regional coach of the year three times. Her crowning achievement was negotiating inclusion for full-time coaches across all 14 PASSHE schools in the APSCUF union, protecting the rights of athletic head coaches in the state system.
“Coach Kane created a winning culture on and off the court,” started current West Chester women’s basketball head coach Kiera Wooden, who played under Kane for four years (1999-2003) and coached alongside her for 10 years after her playing days ended. “She earned numerous coach of the year awards, won championships, and made some NCAA tournaments along the way! More importantly, she established a legacy that is more than just basketball. She created a sisterhood that transcends generations! The legacy that she created is one that cannot be mimicked, imitated, or recreated. Her legacy is built on love, woven together in sisterhood, and draped in togetherness that spans a lifetime! With all that she’s done for WCU WBB, it makes perfect sense that we celebrate her in such a meaningful way with the court unveiling,” concluded Wooden.
DeLaney stepped aside as men’s basketball coach in 2008 after 370 career wins, 18 winning seasons and four PSAC Eastern Division titles to his credit. He reached the PSAC Championship Game twice and qualified for the NCAA Tournament three times. However, DeLaney is most proud of the fact that every one of his basketball players graduated during his 21-year stay at West Chester.
“Having made a significant difference in the lives of many student athletes and alumni, Coach DeLaney’s and Coach Kane’s contributions remain at the heart of the university’s women’s and men’s basketball programs,” said West Chester University President Laurie Bernotsky. “These two extraordinary coaches, who have been exceptional teachers and inspirational mentors, have set an example for all of us to follow as we work to ensure that all of our Golden Rams succeed on and off the court.”
More than 300 alumni, former West Chester University athletes, friends, and members of the community filled Hollinger Field House to celebrate the two winningest coaches in WCU’s history. On prominent display during the ceremony is a special plaque that has been installed at Kane DeLaney Court to highlight the impact these two individuals have made on WCU’s men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as on the entire university community.
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Notes
Conference Standings 2024-25
Division
1. West Chester 2-0 5-2
2. Shepherd 2-0 4-3
3. Millersville 1-1 5-3
4. Shippensburg 1-1 2-5
5. East Stroudsburg 0-1 6-2
6. Kutztown 0-1 3-4
7. Lock Haven 0-2 3-5
8. Mansfield 0-2 2-5
9. Bloomsburg 0-2 1-7
1. Clarion 2-0 7-1
2. Gannon 2-0 6-2
3. Pitt-Johnstown 2-0 6-3
4. IUP 2-0 5-3
5. California 1-1 6-3
6. Edinboro 1-1 4-4
7. Seton Hill 0-2 7-2
8. Slippery Rock 0-2 3-6
Statistical Leaders 2024-25
PSAC East Preseason Coaches’ Polls
Bloomsburg 3-19 5-23
Pitt-Johnstown 4-18 6-22
Clarion 6-16 8-20
Edinboro 6-16 7-21
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Notes
Conference Standings 2024-25
Statistical Leaders 2024-25
1. Millersville 2-0 5-1 2. Mansfield 1-1 5-2
3. Lock Haven 1-1 5-2 4. Bloomsburg 0-2 4-3 5. East Stroudsburg 0-1 3-3 6. Kutztown 0-1 3-5
7. Shepherd 0-2 3-5
8. Shippensburg 0-2 2-5
9. West Chester 0-2 2-5 Western Division
1. Gannon 2-0 10-1
2. IUP 2-0 5-0
3. Clarion 2-0 7-1
4. Edinboro 2-0 6-1
5. Seton Hill 2-0 8-0
6. California 1-1 4-4
7. Slippery Rock 1-1 3-5
8. Pitt-Johnstown 0-2 1-7
PSAC East Preseason Coaches’ Polls
10-12 15-13
1-27
2024-25 West Chester University Cheerleaders
From late August through early-to-mid March each school year, West Chester University’s cheerleaders are front and center at all Golden Rams football games in the fall and both men’s and women’s basketball games in the winter. Additionally, West Chester University’s cheerleaders have traveled to Orlando, Fla., and the Wide World of Sports in January to compete in the UCA Nationals. The Golden Rams Cheer Squad placed among the top five at UCA Nationals in each of the past four years, including a national championship effort last winter and a runner-up performance in 2023.
The cheerleaders work hard in the preseason learning mostly new material for the upcoming campaign, conditioning and developing a pride in the West Chester University community. Aside from preparing their 35-member team for the year ahead, the West Chester University cheerleaders also host high school clinics in order to develop cheerleading around the area.
The West Chester University cheerleaders take on many community service projects focusing mainly on breast cancer awareness, as well as doing many youth and high school cheering clinics, donating to needy schools and volunteering with the elderly within the West Chester community.
The team also makes many public appearances as representatives of WCU, highlighted each holiday season with a spot in the borough’s annual Christmas Parade.
Name Pos. Cl. Hometown / High School
Alexis Aguiar Base Gr. Delran, N.J./Delran
Jess Berry Base Fr. Warrington, Pa./CB South
Brooke Bradley Base Fr. Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights
Jasmin Bullers Base So. Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland
Valley
Alexis Casale Back Jr. Springfield, Pa./Springfield
Aubrey Fink Base Fr. York, Pa./Dallastown
Alexis Grimes Flyer So. Matamoras, Pa./Delaware Valley
Emily Ham Backspot Jr. West Grove, Pa./Padua Academy
Justice Haynes Flyer So. Reading, Pa./Conrad Weiser
Cameron Heron Base So. Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Hubert
Madison Hines Flyer Jr. Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley
Sarah Hogan Base Sr. Holland, Pa./Council Rock South
Julia Hunt Base Jr. Ridley, Pa./Archbishop Carroll
Reese Kucher Backspot Fr. Quakertown, Pa./Lansdale Catholic
McKenna Maffei Flyer Sr. Oxford, Pa./Oxford Area
Adelyn Mariani Flyer So. Springfield, Pa./Springfield
Aubrey Moyer Backspot Fr. Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson
Allison Nadin Base Jr. Chadds Ford, Pa./Unionville
Samantha Noble Base So. Bordentown, N.J./Northern Burlington
Kylie Orseno Backspot So. North Wales, Pa./North Penn
Rosalia Passanisi Base Fr. Northampton, Pa./Northampton
Camrynn Pellegrini Base So. Doylestown, Pa./CB West
Madison Polansky Flyer Jr. Lansdale, Pa./North Penn
Aubreigh Rogers Base Fr. York, Pa./Dallastown
Abby Roman Base Sr. Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood
Noelle Schusko Backspot Jr. Malvern, Pa./Pope John Paul
Bryanna Shunk Flyer Fr. Reading, Pa./Exeter
Grace Smith Backspot Fr. Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown
East
Kylie Smith Base Fr. Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield
Devon Stein Base So. Norristown, Pa./Norristown
Lexi Swisher Flyer Sr. Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley
Kyleigh Taylor Base So. Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Hubert
Peyton Taylor Base So. Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom
