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 TODAY’S GAME
WEST CHESTER
(4-2)
Head Coach: Damien Blair Career Record: (284-155)
VS.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
West Chester leads 12-1 Streak: W7
First Meeting: 1/2/08 W, 66-58
Last Meeting: 11/22/23 W, 74-68
CHESTNUT HILL
(2-3)
Head Coach: Andrew Radomicki Career Record: (11-23)
Opening Tip... Since returning to Pennsylvania, the West Chester University men’s basketball team has found its footing once again, winning each of the last four games, with two of those wins coming by double digits (14 vs. Wilmington 11/16; 17 vs. Slippery Rock 11/22) and two more wins against Jefferson (8) and Edinboro (1) along the way. West Chester swept its first Crossover weekend for the second year in a row and fifth time since 2017 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024). West Chester will look to stretch its winning streak to five in a row on Saturday and tie its five-game winning streak from a year ago as its longest streak since winning 13 in a row to open the 2019-20 season. West Chester is 12-1 all-time against Chestnut Hill and has won each of the last seven meetings, including a 74-68 Thanksgiving Eve victory at Chestnut Hill a year ago. West Chester has only lost to Chestnut Hill in Hollinger once, with that setback coming in October 2014 by a 62-61 final after Francis Ashe’s jumper with 1.7 seconds to play gave the Griffins the decisive one-point lead.
WCU Men’s Basketball Notes ... West Chester was back in action on Saturday in its second game of the weekend at Edinboro as the Golden Rams looked to open Crossover play a perfect 2-0. West Chester trailed by as many as 12 in the first half and remained behind for much of the second half, but the Golden Rams shot 60.0 % from the field in the second half to erase a halftime deficit for the first time this season in the 80-79 victory. West Cheser closed the game on a 29-20 run and hit 10-of-16 shots from the field, led by 11 points from Dylan Blair, who finished with 17 points to storm back and defeat the Fighting Scots. Blair was second on the team in scoring, trailing only Elijah Allen, who scored a game-high 19 points, while Davante Dennis was the final Golden Ram in double figures with 14 on 6-of-8 shooting in the victory. West Chester also shot a season-best 80.0 % (12-of-15) at the free-throw line in the victory. Elijah Allen is first on the team in scoring, averaging 18.7 points per game, the 11th best in the PSAC and the sixth best in the PSAC East. In league action, Allen is fourth in scoring, averaging 22.0 points through the first two games after scoring 25 in the victory over Slippery Rock on Friday. One of the top rebounding teams in the PSAC, West Chester is second in the league in rebounding, averaging 42.7 per game, including a league-best 17.8 offensive rebounds per game. West Chester is eighth in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 81.7 points per game, while yielding an average of 82.2 per game, which is still on its way back down after allowing 114 in the season opener against West Liberty.
Chestnut Hill Men’s Basketball Notes...Chestnut Hill enters play after seeing its two-game winning streak halted by Adelphi by a 70-51 final on Saturday afternoon. The Griffins found themselves down just two (36-34) at the half after shooting 40.7 % from the field in the first half, but they shot 19.3 % in the second half and mustered only 16 points in the 21-point loss. IV Pettit scored a team-high 19 points in the loss as he went 5-for-12 from three-point range and 4-for-5 from the line. Alejandro Redondo-Cybak flirted with a double-double, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, and a team-best two assists in the loss. For the year, Chestnut Hill is averaging 63.8 points per game on 36.9 % shooting from the field, 27.7 % from three-point range, and 73.1 % from the line. The Griffins average 37.8 rebounds and 12.8 turnovers per game, trailing by -.06 and -.08 margins in both categories. IV Pettit leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game, while Noah Charles is second, averaging 10.0 points per game. Neal Hill leads the squad in rebounding, averaging 9.0 per game, while Redondo-Cybak is second, averaging 8.6 per game. Chestnut Hill opponents enter play, averaging 68.6 points per game on 44.2 % shooting from the field and 28.6 % from deep while also shooting 63.2 % at the free throw line.
Up Next… Today’s game is the first of a three-game homestand for West Chester as the Golden Rams will welcome California (Pa.) and Indiana (Pa.) (IUP) to Hollinger on the first weekend in December (12/6-7) for matchups at 5 p.m. on Friday against the nationally-ranked Vulcans and 3 p.m. on Saturday vs old rival IUP.
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 Golden Rams
Chestnut Hill Griffins
Head Coach: Andrew Radomicki (Widener '14)
Mike Bowens, Omar
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Notes
Conference Standings 2024-25
PSAC East Preseason Coaches’ Polls Statistical Leaders 2024-25
Millersville 18-4 24-7
Shepherd 10-12 13-15
Lock Haven (1) 18-4 21-8
Kutztown 3-19 4-24
Shippensburg 4-18 8-20 8. Mansfield 6-16 8-20
Bloomsburg 3-19 5-23
Pitt-Johnstown 4-18 6-22
Clarion 6-16 8-20
6-16 7-21
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
