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PSU women's soccer slate announced

UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State women’s soccer head coach Erica Dambach announced the season schedule for the program’s 32nd varsity campaign on Wednesday, with the Nittany Lions slated to participate in 18 regular season matches with 10 opportunities on the Blue & White’s home pitch at Jeffrey Field in 2025. “I am thrilled to announce […]

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PSU women's soccer slate announced

UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State women’s soccer head coach Erica Dambach announced the season schedule for the program’s 32nd varsity campaign on Wednesday, with the Nittany Lions slated to participate in 18 regular season matches with 10 opportunities on the Blue & White’s home pitch at Jeffrey Field in 2025.

“I am thrilled to announce our 2025 schedule,” Dambach said. “Coming off another historic run in the NCAA Tournament to the Elite Eight a year ago, our team returns several key pieces that will look to continue our climb up the mountaintop this season. As always, our season schedule features a variety of challenges geared towards preparing us for postseason competition. Our staff has done an excellent job crafting a schedule that will test us while providing our student-athletes multiple opportunities for growth. Our returners know that the expectation has not changed, and our new arrivals are excited to take part in our program’s tradition of excellence. I am so excited to get back to work and join our amazing Penn State fan base at Jeffrey Field in 2025.”

Penn State will once again take on one of the most challenging schedules in women’s college soccer in 2025, with 10 fixtures scheduled against teams that reached the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament a year ago. Headlining the list of opponents is Women’s College Cup participant Duke, which is fresh off one of the most consequential seasons in program history after reaching women’s soccer’s proverbial Final Four for the first time since 2017 last year. Six of PSU’s seven non-conference challengers made the NCAA’s field of 64 last year, with the lone exception of Liberty being excluded from the national postseason despite logging a 15-2-4 finish in 2024. Of PSU’s 11 Big Ten Conference competitors in 2025, four reached the NCAA Tournament with Ohio State and Wisconsin both headlining PSU’s list of foes with each side reaching the Sweet 16 last year. Additionally, Penn State will play host to the newest Pacific Northwest additions to the Big Ten Conference for the first time as league rivals, with Washington and Oregon set to travel to the Keystone State in early October.

The 32nd varsity season of Penn State women’s soccer kicks off in earnest with one of the nation’s premier non-conference matchups on Thursday night, August 14, as the Blue & White travel to square off against the Duke Blue Devils from Koskinen Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. Following a weeklong hiatus, Penn State returns to the friendly confines of Jeffrey Field for a four-match homestand beginning on Thursday, August 21, with the program’s home-opening test against the Saint Louis Billikens. Home-opening weekend continues on Sunday, August 24, with a border battle against the Big 12 rival West Virginia Mountaineers coming less than 24 hours prior to the start of Penn State’s 2025-26 academic year.

Another pair of pivotal non-conference tests come to Jeffrey Field the following weekend, with the Nittany Lions hosting their third straight home match on Thursday, August 28, against the Santa Clara Broncos. The Blue & White round out their four-match non-conference home stretch on Sunday, August 31, with a test against the James Madison Dukes slated to conclude the non-B1G home slate. Penn State’s final non-conference matchups of the 2025 regular season bring the Blue & White to the state of Virginia, where PSU will test the Virginia Cavaliers from Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville on Thursday, September 4, before rounding out the non-conference campaign on Sunday, September 7, against the Liberty Flames in Lynchburg at Osborne Stadium.

The 32nd season of women’s soccer in the Big Ten Conference kicks off on Thursday night, September 11, with the Nittany Lions hosting the Maryland Terrapins at Jeffrey Field for the first of three home fixtures in league action. A weeklong hiatus precedes the arrival of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Happy Valley on Thursday, September 18, with a contest against the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday, September 21, closing out the three-match conference-opening homestand. The Blue & White gear up for their first road stretch in league play the following weekend, as PSU travels to Illinois to battle the Northwestern Wildcats on Thursday, September 25, and the Illinois Fighting Illini on Sunday, September 28.

Following a six-day break in league action, the Nittany Lions hit the road once again and ring in a new month against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday, October 4, in Piscataway, New Jersey. From there, the Blue & White return home and welcome the Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks to Jeffrey Field for the first time as Big Ten Conference members, with PSU’s clash against the Huskies slated for Thursday, October 9, followed by a Sunday, October 12, battle with the Ducks. Penn State travels to the state of Indiana for the final B1G road weekend of the regular season to test the Purdue Boilermakers on Thursday, October 16, and the Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday, October 19. The Nittany Lions close out the 2025 regular season on Big Ten Conference Decision Sunday, October 26, with PSU slated to host the Ohio State Buckeyes in Happy Valley.

Postseason competition opens on Thursday, October 30 with opening-round matches of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament. The league’s postseason event will run through the Championship Match on Sunday, November 9. Tournament format, as well as venue locations for the 2025 B1G Women’s Soccer semifinals and final, will be announced by the league office when available. The 2025 NCAA Tournament gets rolling with first round matches the weekend of November 14 through 16, followed by second and third round matches the weekend of November 20 through 23. National Quarterfinal matches will be contested the weekend of November 28 through 30. Every match in the opening four rounds of the 2024 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament will be contested on campus sites. The Women’s College Cup will be contested at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, home to the National Women’s Soccer League’s Kansas City Current, the first purpose-built professional women’s soccer venue in the world. National Semifinal matches will take place on Friday, December 5, followed by the National Championship match on Monday, December 8.

A year ago, the Nittany Lions advanced to the National Quarterfinals for the second year in a row, extended the nation’s longest streak of consecutive Sweet 16 appearances to eight-straight, secured the program’s 30th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and booked the program’s 31st consecutive season with at least 10 victories, the second-longest stretch of that nature in women’s college soccer. The Blue & White return six starters from last year’s Elite Eight run, including goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress, defenders Kayleigh Herr and Bella Ayscue, midfielder Molly Martin, and forwards Kaitlyn MacBean and Amelia White. MacBean, a native of Excelsior, Minnesota, is PSU’s lone returning United Soccer Coaches All-American, coming off the most prolific scoring season by a Nittany Lion in over a decade following a 34-point season comprised of 16 goals and two assists. Penn State additionally boasts the nation’s sixth-ranked recruiting class and strongest signing group in the Big Ten Conference per TopDrawerSoccer, while landing a pair of extra additions in UCLA transfer forward Taylor Cheatham and German midfielder Sophia Weixler.

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Amelia league’s goal: Let children ‘enjoy the awesome game of hockey’

WESTFIELD — Amelia Park Arena’s third season of outdoor youth floor hockey, which began on May 17, concluded on July 26. The league, dubbed the AFHL, had 105 players spread across eight teams competing in two divisions, ages 7-10 and 11-15. This year’s league championships went to Red Wings in the 7-10 division, who took […]

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WESTFIELD — Amelia Park Arena’s third season of outdoor youth floor hockey, which began on May 17, concluded on July 26. The league, dubbed the AFHL, had 105 players spread across eight teams competing in two divisions, ages 7-10 and 11-15.

This year’s league championships went to Red Wings in the 7-10 division, who took down the Rangers with a score of 12 to 6 in the final game, and the Wild in the 11-15 division, who bested the Kraken, 4-0.

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“The goal of the AFHL is to provide a place for the children of our community to enjoy the awesome game of hockey. Floor hockey is played in sneakers, with the only required equipment being helmet, gloves and shin pads, making it a very inclusive sport. The cost to play is also far lower than ice hockey, adding another layer of inclusivity to the program,” said Amelia Park General Manager and AFHL founder Billy Fellows.

The inaugural season in 2023 was the first time in many years that the game had been offered in Westfield. Fellows said he was inspired to start the program in part by his own childhood experiences playing floor hockey at the Westfield Boys and Girls Club.

“Floor hockey was an amazing part of my childhood that I will never forget. It created so many memories, friendships and even eventually led me to start playing ice hockey. I think it’s just such an important program to be offering for the youth of our community,” he said.

The AFHL has continued to grow every season, starting with 85 kids its first season and adding 10 more each year, and Fellows said he is hopeful the trend will continue. “It was awesome to see interest right away in our first year and even better to see a steady growth,” Fellow said, adding, “I really need to emphasize that it would not be possible without the help of the volunteer coaches who pave the way for these kids.”

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Fellows said one of the eight coaches who made year three of the AFHL a massive success is Blandford resident Mark Rizzo, who was excited to talk about the program.

“The Amelia Park youth floor hockey program is more than just a place for kids to play, it’s a staple of community growth and development. It teaches young athletes the value of teamwork, discipline, hard-work and perseverance, while also creating a welcome space where families come together and friendships are formed. None of this would be possible without Billy and the dedicated staff at Amelia Park, whose passion and commitment make this program such a positive force for our kids and the local community,” Rizzo.said..

The passion of the Amelia Park staff that Rizzo speaks of came into play for the championship games, where staff put in the effort to make the games extra special for the kids, adding in extras like the pre-game national anthem, music between whistles and a medal presentation for the winners.

This year’s league championships went to Red Wings in the 7-10 division, who took down the Rangers with a score of 12 to 6 in the final game, and the Wild in the 11-15 division, who bested the Kraken, 4-0.

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The AFHL will return in May 2026, with the annual registration period opening up early February. More information on the Amelia Park Arena at 21 S. Broad St. in Westfield may be found at www.AmeliaParkArena.org, or by calling 413-568-2503.

Read the original article on MassLive.



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USA Gymnastics Foundation awards $162,500 in men’s artistic athlete scholarships and Regional grants • USA Gymnastics

The USA Gymnastics Foundation has awarded $162,500 in 2025 scholarships and grants for men’s artistic gymnasts and Regional Elite Team support. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (July 30, 2025) – The USA Gymnastics Foundation has awarded $162,500 in 2025 scholarships and grants for men’s artistic gymnasts and Regional Elite Team support. Nearly $97,000 in academic scholarships were awarded […]

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The USA Gymnastics Foundation has awarded $162,500 in 2025 scholarships and grants for men’s artistic gymnasts and Regional Elite Team support.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (July 30, 2025) – The USA Gymnastics Foundation has awarded $162,500 in 2025 scholarships and grants for men’s artistic gymnasts and Regional Elite Team support.

Nearly $97,000 in academic scholarships were awarded to 32 athletes competing in men’s collegiate gymnastics programs. In addition, more than $65,500 was provided to the six USA Gymnastics men’s Regions to assist with costs relating to the Elite Team Cup competition and various camps and clinics throughout the season. Nearly $11,000 was allocated to each region.

“Grants from the USA Gymnastics Foundation are integral to strengthening all levels of the USA Gymnastics men’s artistic program,” USAG Vice President of men’s gymnastics Jason Woodnick said. “We are looking to build on our Paris 2024 success at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, and providing support for both our grassroots and collegiate athletes is key to that success.”

The 32 scholarship recipients are listed below by program.

Arizona State GymAct
Hunter Flechsig — League City, Texas
Connor Koepp — Las Vegas, Nev.

Georgia United GymAct
Jaydin Ashford — Bessemer, Ala./Auburn University

University of Iowa GymAct
Alexander Riley — Cary, Ill.

University of Minnesota GymAct
Jack Gagamov — Mundelein, Ill.

Northern Illinois University
Reece Deidrick — Boise, Idaho
Hunter Etherton — Lebanon Junction, Ky.
Lucas Gutman — Hillsborough, N.J.

New York Alliance
Adam Burger — Middletown, N.Y./Rochester Institute of Technology

Simpson College
Alexander Campbell — Cleveland, Ohio
Tzar Lyons — Littleton, Colo.

Springfield College
Mason Lupp — Middletown, Pa.
Kaleb Palacio — Bacliff, Texas
Gustavin Suess — Portland, Ore.

Stanford University
Kiran Mandava — Cypress, Texas
Michael Scheiner — Great Falls, Va.
Robert Nieves — Littleton, Colo.

University of California-Berkeley
Liam DeWeese — Murphy, Texas
Will Horenziak — Montgomery, Ohio

University of Washington
Riley Lineman — Seattle, Wash.
Drake Miesel — Lake Stevens, Wash.
Mitchell Payumo — Carlsbad, Calif.

College of William & Mary
Connor Barrow — Houston, Texas
Brayden Bates — Clermont, Fla.
Alexander Grapsas — Eureka, Mo.
Niko Greenly — Reno, Nev.
Nicholas Kosarikov — Spring, Texas
David Moroney — Owings Mills, Md.
Richard Pizem Jr. — Brecksville, Ohio
Michael Weiner — Newton, Mass.
Evan Wilkins — Franklin, Tenn.
Gavin Zborowski — Arvada, Colo.



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CEC boys hockey focused on ‘one goal’ this summer – Cloquet Pine Journal

PROCTOR — The calendar hasn’t even flipped to August, but Cloquet-Esko-Carlton looked to be in mid-season form on Friday, July 25 in the first game of the 2025 SummerFest hockey tournament at Aspirus St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center. The Lumberjacks systematically dismantled the St. Cloud Crush 4-0 and the team has been singularly focused […]

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PROCTOR — The calendar hasn’t even flipped to August, but Cloquet-Esko-Carlton looked to be in mid-season form on Friday, July 25 in the first game of the 2025 SummerFest hockey tournament at Aspirus St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center.

The Lumberjacks systematically dismantled the St. Cloud Crush 4-0 and the team has been singularly focused since starting daily workouts this summer.

high school boys play hockey

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton’s Jacob Hurst scores the third goal of the game against the St. Cloud Crush at the Aspirus St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center on Friday, July 25 in Proctor.

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

“We’ve skated every day this summer,” incoming senior Cole Painovich said. “We’re all getting together at the rink and trying to get better and just have fun. We get better skating together and we’ve got one goal — let’s get to the state tournament.”

The Lumberjacks were among the top-ranked Class A teams in Minnesota throughout the season and even beat perennial section champion Hermantown late in the regular season. CEC advanced to the section final for the first time in 17 years, but suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss to Hibbing/Chisholm.

Throughout June and July, the team has gathered daily — typically with 30 or more players — at 6:30 a.m. to work together and prepare, which will make competition this fall even fiercer, CEC coach Shea Walters said.

“The gains they get from doing that are impressive,” he said. “Spots are hard to come by and every kid is working to solidify a spot as the season approaches.”

high school boys play hockey

Cloquet players celebrate after Jordy Sewell scored the first goal of the game against the St. Cloud Crush at the Aspirus St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center on Friday, July 25 in Proctor.

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

The late July hockey tournament gave the Lumberjacks something to look forward to during summer practices. The practices are a lot of hard work, focused on skills and conditioning, so changing things up and skating against another team was just what the Lumberjacks needed, Painovich said.

“It’s fun to play against other teams and get that competitive edge going,” he said. “The Crush are a good team. It was fun to get back in the rink and set the tone for the season.”

The Lumberjacks summer program builds to the SummerFest tournament and Walters was pretty happy with what he saw from his team Friday.

“It definitely felt a little more like an in-season game today,” Walters said. “It was a physical game, but I liked where we were at. A lot of players did a lot of good things. As a team, we looked good — of course there’s some things you write down, things we could work on. But for this point in the year, I like what we saw.”

high school boys play hockey

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton goalie Jacob Iallonardo makes a second-period save against the St. Cloud Crush at the St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center on Friday, July 25 in Proctor.

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

Painovich’s 14 points were behind only Conor Sullivan and Jordy Sewell among returners for the Lumberjacks, and tied with Luca Gentilini. They also return goalie Jack Iallonardo, who posted a .923 save percentage and a 1.95 goals against average over 22 games last season. Sewell is part of a strong sophomore class for CEC that also includes Brahm Snesrud, a defenseman that scored 12 points as a freshman.

They won’t have leading scores Niko Gentilini or Grady Knutson, nor

Minnesota Duluth recruit Karson Young

, but Painovich believes they can still get it done this year.

“I’m just excited to see what we can do,” he said. “We’ve got one goal: to go to state and see what we can do.”

high school boys play hockey

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton players gather around the bench at the start of the second period against the St. Cloud Crush at the Aspirus St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center on Friday, July 25 in Proctor.

Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group

Jamey Malcomb

Jamey Malcomb has a been high school sports reporter for the Duluth News Tribune since October 2021. He spent the previous six years covering news and sports for the Lake County News-Chronicle in Two Harbors and the Cloquet Pine Journal. He graduated from the George Washington University in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in history and literature and also holds a master’s degree in secondary English education from George Mason University.





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The odds are against you | Columns

F rom the world of cinema come many unforgettable movie lines. “The Godfather” gave us “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Dorothy Gale in “The Wizard of Oz” tells us, “There’s no place like home.” And after naïve Lloyd Christmas professes his undying love for socialite Mary in “Dumb and Dumber,” she shoots […]

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F

rom the world of cinema come many unforgettable movie lines. “The Godfather” gave us “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Dorothy Gale in “The Wizard of Oz” tells us, “There’s no place like home.” And after naïve Lloyd Christmas professes his undying love for socialite Mary in “Dumb and Dumber,” she shoots him down by telling him that his chances aren’t good. When he asks, “Like one in a hundred?,” she counters with “More like one in a million.”

An exultant Lloyd bursts forth with, “So you’re tellin’ me there’s a chance. Yeah!”

That came to mind when I read about a recent extensive study of youth sports in America. Nearly 2,000 parents of kids participating in youth sports were surveyed on various topics, including the athletes’ eating habits, undue pressure from coaches and/or teammates, and potential signs of burnout. The question that caught my attention was when parents were asked whether they thought their son or daughter had the potential to reach Division I level in NCAA college athletics.

Slightly more than one in five (20.5%) parents believed that this was the case. That’s a one-in-five chance that their kid will make it to D-I. Let me say first that there’s nothing wrong with wishin’ and hopin’ and plannin’ and dreamin’… It’s cool to aim high, but there have to be some realistic expectations thrown in.

It used to be that getting a college scholarship meant you could keep playing the sport you loved (or at least were very good at) and get a free college education as well. That was a great deal. Today, it’s that and there’s money on the table. That’s even more incentive, more pressure and more heartbreak.

Lots of kids play club softball, soccer and basketball. But the club sport that seems to be the most popular and perhaps best organized is club volleyball. Many club volleyball kids play the sport year-round to the exclusion of all else. Some have been convinced that exclusivity is the key to success, while other may simply have found the sport for them and don’t want to spend time playing other sports. 

While not every kid who plays club volleyball aspires to play in college, it’s safe to assume most do. A look at how many actually reach that level is eye-opening. Remember that one-in-five percentage of parents who believed their kids were good enough for Division I sports? Well, for women’s volleyball, it’s actually one in 84. Yes, at those huge weekend volleyball tournaments that take over all the high school courts in town or are held at massive sports complexes in Phoenix or Orlando, out of roughly 1,000 girls playing, about 12 will make it to D-I. 

To be fair, reaching Division I isn’t the ultimate goal for college athletics. Athletes can also compete at D-II, D-III, NAIA or junior colleges. Of course, not all of these offer athletic scholarships, so financial considerations may influence the decision. With all these options available, the likelihood of playing college volleyball at some level becomes much more attainable in 17. 

However, if one in five thinks that their kid is D-I quality, what percent must feel that their child can play college ball somewhere? 50%? More? It’s brutal to learn that the actual number is around six percent.

It’s not just volleyball and it’s not just girls. It’s tough all around. For girls basketball, it’s one in 82 to go D-I. For guys, it’s one in 112.

The best odds for girls to make D-I come in the sports of lacrosse and ice hockey, both at one in 24. However, for that to happen, you’d have to go back in time and somehow see to it that your parents settled in New England or upstate New York so that you could grow up playing those sports at a high level.

The longest odds for males (one in 152) and for females (one in 183) come in tennis, where a lot of D-I scholarships go to foreign athletes.

A full 15% of boys who play high school lacrosse go on to play in college, although only 3% play Division I. A robust 12% move on to college baseball and more than  9% do so in football. 

For girls, the sport that comes after the aforementioned ones (ice hockey and lacrosse) in terms of a best shot at playing in college: Field hockey, which basically isn’t played anywhere west of the Mississippi. That’s some serious regional bias there. 

So, the odds are long, but that’s why dreams are dreams.



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Men's Soccer Dedicates Coaches Award in Memory of Mike McIlwain

Story Links COLLEGE PARK, MD — Maryland men’s soccer head coach Sasho Cirovski has dedicated the team’s annual Coaches Award in honor of former player Mike McIlwain. McIlwain passed away on June 6 after a courageous battle with cancer. “It is my distinct honor to dedicate our Coaches Award in memory of Mike McIlwain.”, said head […]

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Men's Soccer Dedicates Coaches Award in Memory of Mike McIlwain

COLLEGE PARK, MD — Maryland men’s soccer head coach Sasho Cirovski has dedicated the team’s annual Coaches Award in honor of former player Mike McIlwain. McIlwain passed away on June 6 after a courageous battle with cancer.

“It is my distinct honor to dedicate our Coaches Award in memory of Mike McIlwain.”, said head coach Sasho Cirovski. “Mike was one of the very first student-athletes I recruited, and he played a pivotal role in laying the foundation for our early success here at Maryland. He exemplified professionalism in everything he did and was the ultimate teammate. Mike carried that same passion and dedication into his professional life, selflessly serving his patients and giving back to his community. Above all, he was a devoted husband and father who always put his family first. There is no one more deserving of this recognition. Mike’s legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of this program.”

McIlwain played at Maryland from 1994-97, and was a member of the 1996 team that won the first ACC championship under coach Cirovski. Over his four years in College Park, McIlwain played in 67 games and made 16 starts. He finished his career with 13 goals and 10 assists, and helped lead the Terrapins to four consecutive Sweet 16 appearances. Maryland was the only program in the nation during that four-year span that reached the Sweet 16 every year. The team’s 16 wins during the 1997 were the most in school history at the time.

Following his time at Maryland, McIlwain went to graduate school at the University of Florida to study dentistry. He brought the same hard work and dedication he learned on the soccer pitch to his next career, becoming a Diplomate and Fellow of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. For over 20 years Mike dedicated himself to his patients and his community, offering outstanding care and supporting families. He dedicated himself to many outstanding organizations, including donating his time and expertise to the Tampa Bay Cleft and Craniofacial Center.

Mike’s love for soccer continued after his playing days, as a youth coach for Tampa Bay United. He loved mentoring young athletes, and strived to develop the same love for the game that he learned as a youth player. 

Mike McIlwain is survived by his loving wife Cristina Yarnoz McIlwain, their three children: Ella, Grayson, and Lucia. He will be remembered for his tireless dedication to his family and his community.

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Hartwick College Announces Connor Bishop as Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach

Men’s Lacrosse | 7/30/2025 11:30:00 AM Story Links ONEONTA, N.Y. – Paul Vecchio, Hartwick’s Executive Director of Athletics, has announced the appointment of Connor Bishop as the new Head Coach of the men’s lacrosse program, effective August 4th, 2025.   Bishop comes to Hartwick after most recently serving as Associate Head Men’s […]

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Men’s Lacrosse | 7/30/2025 11:30:00 AM

ONEONTA, N.Y. – Paul Vecchio, Hartwick’s Executive Director of Athletics, has announced the appointment of Connor Bishop as the new Head Coach of the men’s lacrosse program, effective August 4th, 2025.

 

Bishop comes to Hartwick after most recently serving as Associate Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach at his alma mater, Shenandoah University, a role he has held since October 2024. Prior to becoming Associate Head Coach, Bishop also served as an Assistant Coach at Shenandoah for over three years. During his tenure with the Hornets, Bishop assisted in bringing the program to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference quarterfinals every season, while the team maintained an impressive cumulative GPA of over 3.13 each year.

 

Connor has all of the qualities I was looking for in our next head coach: proven recruiting ability, a passion for developing student-athletes holistically, a love for the game of lacrosse and a non-stop work ethic,” comments Vecchio. “His experiences at both Swarthmore and Shenandoah, who compete in two of the premier athletic conferences in Division III – the Centennial and ODAC – also stood out. I know Connor is going to go above and beyond to continue the momentum our team has – coming off our first-ever Empire 8 playoff victory – while building a program capable of competing for Empire 8 Championships.”

 

Bishop also spent considerable time as an assistant coach at both Swarthmore College and Adrian College, respectively. While at Swarthmore, Bishop helped develop a man-up strategy that ranked the Garnet as high as 19th nationally. His recruiting efforts at Swarthmore set the table for them advancing to the NCAA Tournament for three straight seasons (2022-24).

 

I’m incredibly honored, humbled, and excited to join Hartwick College as the Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach,” Bishop says. “I want to thank Paul Vecchio for seeing the vision I have for this program. A great foundation has been laid and I’m looking forward to relentlessly pursuing excellence for the young men in this program.”

 

Before beginning his coaching career, Bishop earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from Shenandoah University in 2017. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

 

ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE

The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com.

 

EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA

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