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
Head Coach: Kiera Wooden Career Record: (161-106)
VS. JEFFERSON (5-0)
ALL-TIME SERIES: Jefferson Leads 21-18
Streak: L1
First Meeting: 2/2/80 W, 95-71
Last Meeting: 11/24/23 L, 75-63
Head Coach: Tom Shirley Career Record: (886-378)
Opening Tip...After going 1-5 through the first month of the season, the West Chester University women’s basketball team returns home on Sunday afternoon, hoping that returning to its home court will bring a change of fortunes as the season’s second month gets underway. Today’s game is the first of a three-game homestand for West Chester as the Golden Rams host just their second game of the year against non-league foe Jefferson before hosting California (Pa.) and Indiana (Pa.) on Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7. West Chester trails 21-18 in the all-time series vs Jefferson, including a loss a year ago, which halted a modest two-game winning streak against the Rams. West Chester started the series in 1979 with a 79-74 loss to the Rams before winning each of the next two meetings. After a win in Hollinger in 1982, West Chester would not defeat the Rams again until 1991. In modern history, West Chester enjoyed a five-game winning streak against Jefferson from 2008 to 2012 before seeing its streak halted in November 2015. West Chester bounced back with wins in 2014-15 and 15-16 but has lost four of six since, with the exceptions being November 2021 and 2022 victories.
WCU Women’s Basketball Notes ... West Chester nearly stormed back to stun Edinboro on Saturday afternoon as the Golden Rams cut a 20-point deficit down to four with under a minute to play. Still, the Fighting Scots eventually closed the game out at the line to escape with a 75-67 victory over the visiting Golden Rams. West Chester kept things close early and trailed by just one midway through the first quarter before a 10-2 run to close the frame gave Edinboro a comfortable 24-15 lead heading into the second quarter. West Chester trailed by only 11 at the half but quickly found itself down 20 late in the third quarter, although a late Ava Mazur layup helped West Chester trail by 15 heading into the fourth. In the fourth, West Chester outscored its hosts 25-18, and Rachel Conran hit two threes late in the quarter to cut the deficit to four before Ava Haddad and Morgan Gentile closed the game for Edinboro. West Chester shot 40.0 % from the field after shooting 53.3 % in the fourth and was led offensively by 24 points from Anna McTamney and 13 more from Michelle Kozicki as the two Golden Rams in double figures. Averaging 65.7 points per game on 39.2 % shooting from the field, the West Chester offense has not been as high-powered as fans might remember from recent years, but the Golden Rams have found a way to stay in games early this year, nearly pulling upset victories on the road at Charleston and Edinboro before late free throws put the game out of reach. Anna McTamney and Michelle Kozicki rank seventh and eighth in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 18.0 and 17.7 points per game, while Erin Daley is third in scoring, averaging 9.0 points per game. Kozicki is also first on the team in rebounding, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game, while West Chester averages 37.2 per game. Ava Mazur is first on the squad in assists, averaging 2.8 per game, while Daley is second, averaging 2.3 per contest. McTamney also leads the team in steals, averaging 2.7 thefts per game, also fifth-best in the PSAC.
Jefferson Women’s Basketball Notes...For its part, Jefferson enters play on Wednesday night with a perfect 5-0 record, including wins over PSAC East foes Kutztown and East Stroudsburg in each of its last two games. Similarly to West Chester, today’s game is an important tune-up for Jefferson as the Rams jump into CACC play on December 3 at home against Goldey-Beacom beginning at 6 p.m. in the Gallagher Center. The Rams are well rested, as they have not played since a 69-58 victory in East Stroudsburg on November 20. The game was tight throughout as the two sides were tied at 14-14 after the first quarter, and Jefferson saw its three-point halftime lead cut to two heading into the fourth quarter. In the fourth, the Rams outscored the Warriors 21-12 to put the game out of reach and leave Kohler Field House with an 11-point victory. Cassie Murphy led the team in scoring (22 points) and rebounding (seven), while Tori Nigro chipped in a team-high three assists. Murphy was one of four Rams in double figures in the victory. For the year, Jefferson is averaging 73.0 points per game on 47.9 % shooting while holding opponents to 60.8 per game on 40.6 % shooting from the field. Murphy is first on the team in scoring and second in rebounding, averaging 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while Emma Kuczynski is second in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game. Sam Yencha is first in rebounding, averaging 11.3 rebounds per game.
Up Next... Today is the first of a three-game homestand and the first of four December home games for West Chester as the Golden Rams will remain home next weekend to host longtime PSAC West rivals Cal and IUP on Friday and Saturday beginning at 3 and 1 p.m., respectively.
WEST CHESTER (1-5)
THE WOODEN FILE
Kiera
Wooden
TITLE: Head Coach
Years at WCU: 11th
Alma Mater: West Chester ‘03
The
File
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.
West Chester University Golden Rams
No. Player Pos.
Women’s Basketball Roster (1-5)
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 Coach: Allison Hostetter (West Chester University ‘12) - 9th season, Mary Fromhartz, Marli McLaughlin
Jefferson University Rams
Player
Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School
1 Kaya Burkhart G 5-4 Sr. Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson
2 Tori Nigro G 5-4 So. Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Aca. / Villa Joseph Marie
35 Jordyn Thomas F 6-1 So. Lafayette Hill, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh
Head Coach: Tom Shirley (35th season at Jefferson, 43rd overall; DeSales ‘76)
Assistant Coaches: Matt Bamford, Lindsay Gilbert, Bria Young. Kevin McKenna
Pronunciations
#1Kaya Burkhart Ky – uh
#2Tori Nigro Nigh-grow
#12Carolyn Sipprell
#14Janice Ashong
#20Emma Kuczynski
Sip-prell
Juh – niece Ash – ong
Kuh – chin – skee
#21Sam Yencha Yen - chuh
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Notes
2024-25 Women’s Basketball Conference Standings and Statistics as of 11/27/24
Conference Standings 2023-24
Eastern
1. Millersville 2-0 5-1 2. Lock Haven 1-1 4-2
3. Mansfield 1-1 4-2
4. East Stroudsburg 0-1 3-2
7. Bloomsburg 0-2 4-3
8. Shepherd 0-2 2-4
Statistical Leaders 2024-25
PSAC East Preseason Coaches’ Polls
5. East Stroudsburg 8-14 10-18
6. Bloomsburg 6-16 8-20
7. Shippensburg 5-17 6-22
8. Mansfield 8-14 11-17
9. Shepherd 4-18 6-21
West Chester University Names Basketball Floor
After Two Legends in Coaching
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.
“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.
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
