College Sports
A fight to save beach volleyball and Utah athletics' 'disheartening' answer
SALT LAKE CITY — Coming off the best season in program history, Utah’s beach volleyball players were called into a mandatory meeting on April 29. Many went into the meeting thinking it was a conversation about the future, especially with the team’s head coach retiring just days before. Maybe there would be a conversation about […]
SALT LAKE CITY — Coming off the best season in program history, Utah’s beach volleyball players were called into a mandatory meeting on April 29.
Many went into the meeting thinking it was a conversation about the future, especially with the team’s head coach retiring just days before. Maybe there would be a conversation about the hiring process or talk about the values the players wanted to see from a new coach.
Instead, the University of Utah decided to cut the program entirely.
“I’d say it was disheartening,” said Maeve Griffin, a graduate senior on the team who was not a part of the meeting since she wasn’t a returner for the 2026 season.
Griffin didn’t learn of the decision until her teammates informed all the seniors of the meeting’s purpose. But she was not alone, members of the support staff — including the team’s nutritionist and therapist — were left in the dark, too.
Some incoming recruits also first learned of the change in news articles and social media posts, though Utah contacted each recruit personally minutes after the meeting with the team.
“They’re heartbroken, like, absolutely heartbroken,” senior Sonja Wessel said. “We all came off such a high, and then in two days, our whole world got flipped upside down; and knowing that our family that we’ve created is going to be broken apart and we’re never going to be together ever again is devastating.”
The decision to discontinue the beach volleyball program came after “significant and appropriate amount of thought, consideration and consultation,” Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan said in a statement as part of the announcement to the public.
The university didn’t see a path forward for the program, “with little evidence of the sport expanding at this time” at Utah, he added.
“With the sport’s growth stunted, and without the home facilities with amenities that allow us to host championship-level events, we are not providing the world-class experience that we seek to provide to our student-athletes,” Harlan said.
The athletes, though, felt those reasonings didn’t make much sense for a program that has grown since its start as a sanctioned sport at Utah. Even being one of the lowest-funded sports, the athletes felt they could still compete for a national championship.
This last season, Utah recorded its first 21-win season and a spot in the top 25, setting the team up for a potential wild card spot in the tournament.
Utah was doing more with less.
BOOOOOOOOOM
After winning 4-1 over CSU Bakersfield, the 2025 Utah Beach Volleyball Squad sets a new bar for MOST WINS IN A SEASON
The Utes end the regular season with a 20-12 record and look towards the Big 12 Tournament next week.#GoUtespic.twitter.com/Jiit7xJftZ
— Utah Beach Volleyball (@UtahBeachVB) April 19, 2025
And though former head coach Brenda Whicker, who retired shortly before the news in an unrelated move, advocated for more resources — like asking to up the two scholarships that were distributed between 18 women — all were content with their situation at Utah.
“Keep in mind, we are very content with the facilities,” Griffin said. “There’s nothing wrong with our facilities. We have a nice locker room, we have courts. We hadn’t complained about our facilities. We’re beach volleyball, like, we’re just happy.”
That fact added further doubt to the argument that beach volleyball’s growth was “stunted,” and that Utah — and teams in the Big 12 by extension — had no future in the sport, Griffin said.
“There clearly is a future in Big 12 volleyball, like TCU just won the national championship for the first time ever,” Griffin said. “It’s always been UCLA and USC that have gone back and forth, and this is the first time someone else has won it. And so that right there shows growth in beach volleyball, alongside the statistics that this year was the most Division I beach volleyball teams to play in the NCAA ever.”
“It’s just frustrating,” Wessel added. “Removing, cutting our program, we’re also impacting the Big 12, as well.”
The beach volleyball program brought in just shy of $223,000 in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year, while having an operating expense of $380,000 for a loss of $157,000, according to the latest financial reports.
That loss pales in comparison to the $2.17 million loss in baseball, or the $844,565 loss in golf and $803,658 in lacrosse, to name a few. Outside of football and men’s basketball, though, no other program at Utah brings in more than their operating expenses.
Those figures don’t take into account an incoming proposed NCAA court settlement that will require athletic departments to pay student athletes if they opt in — a max of $20.5 million for the entire department — this coming year.
In March, Utah announced a $14 million gift that was given to the athletic department to support women’s sports. But even as the lowest profile women’s sport, in terms of financial impact, Utah didn’t see a path forward and decided to no longer invest in beach volleyball.
Seeking answers
Looking to get more answers beyond a quick session with Harlan and Deputy Athletic Director Charmelle Green, the 18-member volleyball team asked for a follow-up meeting to have a conversation about the change.
The athletic department agreed and held a meeting that went about an hour as the two parties addressed the end of the program. That follow-up meeting, though, left the team more frustrated about the decision and by Harlan and Green’s response.
“We’re a group of 18 girls that just had our entire lives turned upside down,” Griffin said. “We’re 18 to 22 years old, and we are trying to go about it in the best way that we know how. And then you have two people in a power position that should be pretty well equipped to deal with these kind of situations that walk in and appear like they don’t know what they’re doing or why they made this rash decision.”
“We were coming from a place of just — we just wanted answers,” Wessel added. “We came in very calm, very almost, like, emotionless, because we don’t want to make things worse. So we’re like, we’re just going to go in with facts and want answers, and they were just not giving us the time of day.”
The two athletes described the meeting as “disrespectful,” with Wessel adding that the two athletic leaders were “scoffing at us when we would ask just basic questions.”
“I mean, everything that you think could go wrong went wrong,” she added, while also noting that neither leader knew any of the athletes’ names.
Griffin said there was “some sort of disconnect” in how the department responded to “speaking about the values that they have in the athletic department and the way they actually are treating the student-athletes on the inside.”
“I think we kind of called them on that, and that did not go over well,” Griffin said. “The more questions we asked, the less answers they had, and the more defensive and deflective they got over things.”
Speaking to KSL.com, a spokesperson for the athletics department acknowledged the sensitive nature of the meeting, citing the “difficult decision for the department” to discontinue the sport and the associated feelings from its athletes.
“We fully understand the student-athlete emotions that come with receiving this news. We have continued to have open dialogue with them, including a follow-up meeting that lasted more than an hour, to listen to their concerns and reiterate our commitment to supporting and assisting them through this process. We will continue to support them and do all we can to help.”
But for Griffin and Wessel, it was just the final blow to a team who didn’t feel like they were supported by the athletics department and didn’t see their top athletic leaders much at all. As such, the athletes felt like an afterthought.
“He has not shown up to a single practice, a single game,” Wessel said, speaking about Harlan. “We have one home game a year, we don’t ask for a lot, and they never have ever supported us in any way.”
“We have one home game a year that’s on campus, as in, like, a two minute walk from his office, and neither he nor Charmelle even made the time,” Griffin added.
A university spokesperson told KSL.com that Harlan was at the team’s first match (on Friday) but was “out of town” for the second day.
“Mark was present at a home match on the first day of their one home weekend, but he was out of town on that second day when they recognized their seniors,” the spokesperson said. “Sports supervisor Delaney Reilly was the formal representative for athletics.”
Despite that, the athletes said they loved being at Utah. They knew there were limited resources when they committed to Utah, but each came because they wanted to play at a school like Utah for the love of the game. Wessel and Griffin said it was the same for every other member of the team.
But a little more support would have gone a long way, Wessel said.
“It’s frustrating when (Harlan) makes this business decision that we need to cut our program when he has yet to show up,” Wessel said. “And I feel like it was just like an easy write-off for him.”
“I transferred into the University of Utah this year for my master’s program, and at the new student orientation, Mark Harlan promises each and every single student-athlete the best student-athlete experience in the country; and I can’t say I’ve had that here, like I don’t feel like he’s had our back or advocated for us in any capacity,” Griffin added.
And after that second meeting, hope for a reversal of the school’s decision has dwindled and become a reality to the athletes. But they remain optimistic for a change in direction.
Fighting to reinstate the program
Sitting in her hotel room in the Philippines, professional beach volleyball player and University of Utah alum Melissa Powell was frustrated by the news.
Earlier that day — just minutes before her competition, in fact — Powell saw the news that her former school was discontinuing the beach volleyball program.
“I was shocked, like this must be fake,” Powell recalled. “I kind of thought it was like a satire thing. And then I was like, of course they’d cut it, they don’t even care about the program at all. It’s not super shocking that they would take this decision.”
Powell had to shake the emotions off before her match, but said the feeling of shock never left her in the days that followed. “I just kind of let the anger kind of fester for a couple days,” she admitted.
“It was a mix of emotions — of not super shocked, because they don’t really care about the program, but also shocked because they just had their first top-25 year. And for a program with zero money, that’s really insane to accomplish,” Powell said.
And as someone who has followed her hometown collegiate program — even after following her husband, who played football, to the Houston area — Powell said she remained close to the program. For Powell, it’s the place she credits for her professional career.
“I don’t want to seem ungrateful, because I am grateful that they had the program,” Powell said. “It changed my life, because I would have quit volleyball if they didn’t have this program, and I wouldn’t be a professional athlete, and I wouldn’t have my business without them. So I don’t want to come off as like, ‘They never gave us anything,’ because they did give us a platform for the athletes.
“Even if they don’t give us a huge budget, just having a platform to play at such a big school as the University of Utah — it’s such an awesome school — is really great.”
Regardless of the decision, though, Powell had an offer for the University of Utah that could help the team: If the program could be reinstated, she’d let the team use her new Olympic facilities in Pleasant Grove for free to offset the perceived reasons to cut the team entirely.
They’d have world-class facilities, free coaching and training support, and a place to study while continuing their pursuit of the sport at a Division I school.
“It’s going to be a championship level facility, so if I have the means to host their trainings for free and not have the university have to worry at all about paying — if this is a money thing why they’re cutting,” Powell said. “I don’t see why getting a facility for free wouldn’t help the cause.
“I know the girls wouldn’t mind — cut the program or drive 30 minutes out of the way, right?”
But having off-site facilities not be a part of the campus community, where Utah could host tournaments or championship events, was part of why the athletic department felt the need to discontinue the program, according to Harlan’s initial statement.
Still, Powell believes her solution would solve most the problems the university faces in relation to keeping beach volleyball as a sanctioned sport. Upon returning to Utah, Powell formally submitted the offer to Harlan while also publishing it to Instagram, where it has picked up attention from the beach volleyball community.
But outside of the university confirming that the offer was received, Powell said she hasn’t heard anything more from the school and that it remains a waiting game.
The university, however, told KSL.com that “we’ve received a letter and have sent a response.”
While still in a sort of limbo, Powell made her case:
“Let me handle this,” Powell said, as if speaking to Harlan. “If this has been a headache for you or whatever is happening with this program, I can handle it for you. Like, let me take this off your plate. I would love to keep this dream alive and help these young women get the same experience I got. This is very important to me that women’s sports isn’t canceled.
“Is what we want really just men’s basketball and men’s football? Like, is that all we want to see in the collegiate level? Because that is kind of where we’re headed if we just look at it as a money perspective here. So I would really, really, really like the opportunity to show you, Mark, my facilities, my vision for this and how I can help.
“I can help give these athletes the championship experience that you’re looking for, and I’m offering this completely free, so I would love to talk at least; and if it doesn’t work out, at least we had a chance to sit down and chat about it and figure out a way to continue the dreams of these athletes and the recruits coming in.”
Hope for tomorrow
With the offer from Powell on the table, the beach volleyball athletes remain optimistic — especially as 5,300 individuals have signed a Change.org petition to help bring attention to the cause — but each recognizes that a reversal of the decision seems unlikely.
They’ll continue to fight, though, and work to help all those who put in the work at Utah.
“We have nothing to lose at this point — like we’re graduated, we’re done with our program, we’re moving on to the next chapter of our lives,” Wessel said. “It’s our duty to fight for these young women who have sacrificed so much for this team, for this university. They’ve never been in it for money. They’ve never gone to Utah being like, ‘Oh, I’m playing for the money.’ Like, they play for the pure love and joy that the sport brings and the sacrifices that they give for the organization.”
“I think at the end of the day, the best outcome for us is to be heard and to make sure that we’re advocating for the people that we love and for the people that are working hard and are representing the University of Utah,” Griffin said.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
College Sports
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College Sports
Area students honored for academic achievements at colleges, universities
CENTRAL PENN COLLEGE Mountain Top student earns dean’s list honor Patricia Searfoss, Mountain Top, was named to the Central Penn College dean’s list for the winter 2025 term. Searfoss is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in business administration. Of the students who took classes, 38% made the dean’s list. To qualify, an undergraduate student […]
CENTRAL PENN COLLEGE
Mountain Top student earns dean’s list honor
Patricia Searfoss, Mountain Top, was named to the Central Penn College dean’s list for the winter 2025 term. Searfoss is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in business administration.
Of the students who took classes, 38% made the dean’s list. To qualify, an undergraduate student must carry six or more credits and earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or better for the term.
EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY
ESU Theatre Department presents Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’
ESU’s Department of Theatre recently presented Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible.’ The cast and crew of nearly 40 included the following area residents:
• Jesse Carey, West Wyoming.
• Rebekah Hughes, Drums.
Kingston student spends spring break learning abroad
Traditionally a time to rest and recharge, spring break served as a rewarding learning opportunity for students in three East Stroudsburg University programs. Costa Rica, Guatemala and a cruise bound for the Bahamas became classrooms for the groups as they applied critical skills, learned from industry professionals and immersed themselves in other cultures.
Katelyn Mynes, Kingston, traveled to Guatemala to learn about public health and nursing.
In Guatemalan hospitals and group homes, students majoring in nursing and public health got to see classroom concepts being applied on the front lines of health care.
Led by Dr. Royal and Assistant Professor of Health Studies Elaine Rodriguez, Ph.D., the students shared a variety of cultural and service-learning activities from March 8 to March 15.
Working in rotations that included shadowing nurses and physicians in a hospital and assisting residents of a group home with mental and physical challenges, the group was exposed to settings and scenarios they can’t experience in the classroom.
Students also visited historical landmarks, an active volcano, and learned about major Guatemalan exports like coffee and cocoa. The group spent time in multiple cities but were primarily based in Antigua during the trip.
Local student leader recognized
East Stroudsburg University’s Student Activity Association, in conjunction with the Student Government Association, hosted its annual Student Organization Awards Banquet on Sunday, April 6. The banquet honored select clubs and organizations for their achievements during the 2024 calendar year.
During the banquet, Richermy Batista, Hazleton, a senior majoring in political science, received the Robert J. Dillman Student Leader Impact Award.
ESU’s Department of Biology participates in conferences
The Department of Biology at East Stroudsburg University recently participated in three conferences, allowing students to present research they’ve completed during their studies at ESU.
• The Northeast Natural History Conference was held in Springfield, Mass. April 4-6. Kelly Murman, a graduate student from Avoca, gave an oral presentation on “A Dietary Analysis of Four Streamside Salamander Species in Eastern Pennsylvania.”
• The 56th Annual Meeting of the Commonwealth of PA University Biologists (CPUB) was held on the campus of Bloomsburg University on April 5. During the conference, Gianna Donahue, a senior from Nanticoke, along with two other students, presented “Preliminary analysis reveals increased activity of oxidative stress enzymes post exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles in Daphnia magna.” Their project was developed from course-based research the students conducted in the Animal Physiology lab course.
During the conference, student awards were also given out. Donahue earned 2nd place in Ecology, Evolution and Organismal poster presentations.
Political Science and Economics students inducted into honor society
ESU’s Department of Political Science and Economics recently held the joint induction ceremony for the Iota Chi Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor Society) and Omicron Delta Epsilon (International Honor Society of Economics).
Local residents who participated are:
• Gianna Donahue, Nanticoke.
• Maya Kasa, Wyoming.
Students visit Aramark headquarters
On Tuesday, April 8, students majoring in hospitality, recreation, and tourism management (HRTM) at East Stroudsburg University visited Aramark’s world headquarters in Philadelphia for a firsthand look at the company’s operations and career opportunities.
The students on the trip are taking a Foundations of Food and Beverage Management course with Chuck Meitner, Ph.D., assistant professor of HRTM.
Local students in the class are:
• Mary Popielarz, Dallas.
• Riley Tolsma, Shickshinny.
HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
Dallas student helps beautify community
More than 230 Hofstra students went into the community on a recent Saturday morning to garden at neighboring homes. The University’s Annual Pride and Plant event connects students with local homeowners, who need help with yard work and planting.
Among the participating students was Elena Burdge, Dallas, who is studying Pre-Physician Assistant studies.
The beautification event, which started in 2017, was sponsored by Hofstra University’s Office of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach, directed by Anita Ellis.
Student employees recognized
During National Student Employment Week, Hofstra University celebrated the impact and experiences of student workers across campus and in the surrounding community. Through the student employment program — whether through Federal Work-Study or other opportunities — students are receiving more than just a paycheck. They’re building transferable skills, gaining practical experience, forming meaningful professional relationships, and in many cases, engaging with the wider community.
Jacqueline Meuser, Shavertown, is among the many student workers at Hofstra.
THE HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI
New members elected
The following local residents were recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
• Jennifer Kasel, Kingston, at Pennsylvania State University.
• Kelsey Leck, Shickshinny, at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania.
• Alison Rancont, Freeland, at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania.
• Briana Sebastian, Wilkes Barre, at Texas A&M University.
They are among approximately 20,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5% of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Fall 2024, Winter 2025 degree recipients announced
Kutztown University conferred degrees for 414 students for the 2024 fall semester and 2025 winter session.
The university announces degree conferment twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer. Commencement exercises are held in May and December; however, students finish the requirements for graduation throughout the entire year.
The cumulative grade point average necessary for honors distinction is: with honor (cum laude) 3.40; with high honor (magna cum laude) 3.60 and with highest honor (summa cum laude) 3.80.
Students who have requested privacy (FERPA) are not listed publicly.
Local graduates are:
• Morgan L Allen, Freeland, Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art, summa cum laude.
• Thaddeus K Erzar, Wyoming, Bachelor of Arts in political science, summa cum laude.
• Peter Joseph Ferdinand, Sugarloaf, Bachelor of Science in business administration – marketing.
• Mackenzie Lynn Kile, Mountain Top, Master of Business Administration; Certificate in Decision Making; Certificate in Leadership.
• Anthony Nelson, Wyoming, Bachelor of Science in computer science; Certificate in Scripting for Data Manipulation, cum laude.
• Annie R Plitnick, Sugarloaf, Bachelor of Arts in English professional writing, summa cum laude.
• Nicholas A Semanek, Wyoming, Bachelor of Arts in music – commercial.
• Adam Matthew Wisnewski, Wyoming, Bachelor of Science in computer science; Certificate in Scripting for Data Manipulation, summa cum laude.
LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE
Regan Welch Participates in theater production
Regan Welch, Nescopeck, participated in Wig and Buckle Theater Company’s recent production of “Sorority House of the Dead” at Lebanon Valley College. The show ran in late March.
Welch, a graduate of Berwick Area Senior High School, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and molecular biology at The Valley.
Karly Kile inducted into honor society
Karly Kile, Nescopeck, was one of the Lebanon Valley College students recently inducted into Phi Sigma Iota during the College’s Inquiry celebration.
Kile, a graduate of Berwick Area Senior High School, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in actuarial science at The Valley.
Phi Sigma Iota, the Department of Languages honor society, recognizes outstanding accomplishment in the study or teaching of any of the academic fields related to a foreign language, literature, or culture. These fields include not only modern foreign languages, but also classics, linguistics, philology, comparative literature, bilingual education, second language acquisition, and other interdisciplinary programs with a significant foreign language component. Phi Sigma Iota is the highest academic honor in the field of foreign languages, with 250 chapters of Phi Sigma Iota at institutions of higher learning in the U.S., Mexico, and France.
MUHLENBERG COLLEGE
Shickshinny resident recognized for academic excellence
Academic awards are bestowed each spring at Muhlenberg College’s annual Honors Convocation — a formal academic ceremony designed to honor and celebrate leadership and scholarly excellence in the college community. This year’s convocation was held Sunday, April 27, in Egner Chapel.
Lindsay Sherrick, Shickshinny, received the Elizabeth A. Carlson Memorial Prize, awarded for outstanding creative leadership in dance.
A graduate of Northwest Area High School, Sherrick is studying dance and media and communication at Muhlenberg College.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GLOBAL CAMPUS
West Hazleton resident completes Leadership Development Program
Alba Espinosa, West Hazleton, completed the Leadership Development Program through the University of Maryland Global Campus chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success during the 2024-25 academic year. The leadership program prepares NSLS members to be effective leaders in their lives and careers.
NSLS is a leadership development organization with more than 1.5 million members and more than 700 chapters across the United States and Latin America. NSLS began 20 years ago to help the greatest number of people in the most significant way through a dedicated mission to build strong, successful leaders. The society encourages community action, volunteerism, personal growth and strong leadership from its chapters and members around the world.
UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION
Kingston student’s research selected for SCHOLAR Day
The University of Mount Union hosted its 18th Annual Student Celebration Honoring Our Latest Academic Research (SCHOLAR) Day on Tuesday, April 22.
SCHOLAR Day is traditionally a campus-wide, day-long event filled with presentations showcasing academic excellence and scholarly research conducted by Mount Union students.
Alexa Harvey, Kingston, was selected to present a research project titled, “Free Your Mind Support Group,” during Mount Union’s SCHOLAR Day.
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
West Pittston student inducted into honor society
Madison Kuharchik, West Pittston, was among the University of Scranton students inducted into Alpha Phi Sigma, the national honor society for criminal justice students.
For induction into the honor society, students must be a junior or senior having a criminal justice major or minor, complete at least four criminal justice courses, maintain a 3.2 grade point average overall as well as in criminal justice, and have a standing in the top 35 percent of the class.
The University’s chapter of the honor society was established in 1982.
Kuharchik is a senior majoring in forensic chemistry at the Jesuit university.
Duryea student inducted into honor society
Andrew Mauriello, Duryea, was among the 30 University of Scranton students inducted into Alpha Mu Gamma, the national honor society for students of foreign languages. The University’s chapter of the honor society was established in 1973.
Mauriello is a junior biochemistry, cell, molecular biology major at the Jesuit university.
Local residents inducted into Counseling Honor Society
The following local residents were among the 36 University of Scranton students inducted into Chi Delta Rho, the University’s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, the international honor society for counseling. The international honor society was established in 1985 to recognize outstanding achievement and service within the profession of counseling. The University’s chapter of the honor society was established in 1994.
• Federico Gutierrez, Hazelton, a graduate student pursing a school counseling degree.
• Angelina Penatzer, Pittston, a graduate student pursing a clinical mental health counseling degree.
• Madison Moyer, Mountain Top, a graduate student pursing a clinical mental health counseling degree.
• Destiny Andes, Kingston, a graduate student pursing a clinical mental health counseling degree.
• Kayleen Post, Kingston, a graduate student pursing a clinical mental health counseling degree.
• Kendalyn Yurkin, Shickshinny, a graduate student pursing a school counseling degree.
Local residents inducted into Communication Honor Society
The following local residents were among the 18 University of Scranton students inducted into Lambda Pi Eta, the national honor society for communication majors. The national honor society was founded in 1985 to encourage high levels of scholarship and leadership in the field of communications. The University’s chapter was established in 1999.
• Ethan Lieberman, Mountain Top, a senior journalism and electronic media major.
• Alex Taylor, Duryea, a senior journalism and electronic media major.
Local residents inducted into Counseling and Human Services Honor Society
The following local residents were among the 16 University of Scranton students inducted into Tau Upsilon Alpha, the national human services honor society. The University’s chapter of the honor society, established in 2008, recognizes academic excellence of undergraduate counseling and human services students.
• Adina DeStefano, Yatesville, a sophomore pursuing a counseling and human services degree.
• Jocelyn Mendoza, Wilkes Barre, a senior pursuing a counseling and human services degree.
Local residents inducted into Healthcare Administration Honor Society
The following local residents were among the 32 University of Scranton students inducted into Upsilon Phi Delta, the national honor society for graduate and undergraduate students in healthcare administration programs. Students must have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.5 for induction. The University’s chapter of the honor society was established in 2002.
• Priyal Patel, Mountain Top, a senior pursuing a health administration degree.
• Brandon DaGrosa, Hazel Township, a graduate student pursuing a Master of Health Administration degree.
• Shashank Kotakonda, Shavertown, a graduate student pursuing a Master of Health Administration degree.
West Pittston student inducted into honor society
Daniel Marinelli, West Pittston, was among the University of Scranton students inducted into Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the only existing international honor society in the computing and information disciplines.
Undergraduate requirements for induction into the honor society include junior academic standing, completion of 18 credits in computing sciences and a grade point average of 3.2 or higher. Graduate requirements for induction include completion of 15 credits in software engineering courses and a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. The University’s chapter of the honor society was established in 1985.
Marinelli is a junior computer science major at the Jesuit university.
College Sports
Dhull, Truong bows out of NCAA singles and doubles tournament
Story Links CLAREMONT, CA – The Skidmore College women’s tennis senior duo of Konika Dhull and Grace Truong saw their NCAA singles and doubles tournament run come to a close, with Dhull falling in the second round of the singles competition and the duo bowing out in round one of the doubles […]
CLAREMONT, CA – The Skidmore College women’s tennis senior duo of Konika Dhull and Grace Truong saw their NCAA singles and doubles tournament run come to a close, with Dhull falling in the second round of the singles competition and the duo bowing out in round one of the doubles portion.
FIRST AND SECOND ROUND SINGLES
- Facing off against Carnegie Mellon’s Shelly Zinchenko in round one, Dhull pulled away in an exciting three-set match that saw the senior win set one 6-3, concede set two 2-6, before advancing onto the second round with a closely contested 6-4 victory in the third set.
- Competing against the second-seeded Emily Kantrovitz of Emory in the second round, Dhull was defeated in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 to bow out of the tournament.
FIRST ROUND DOUBLES
- Taking on Brooke Despriet and Ansley Carpenter of Sewanee, the Skidmore duo of Dhull and Truong lost set one 1-6, before nearly forcing a third set after losing in tiebreaks, 7-4, to concede the second set 6-7.
College Sports
Saturday's Night Main Event recap & reactions
WWE jumped back in to prime time last night (May 24) with their third installment of the relaunched Saturday Night’s Main Event, emanating from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. You can get the full results at our live blog here. Let’s jump into it. Ruining Wrestling [embedded content] The main event title match between […]
WWE jumped back in to prime time last night (May 24) with their third installment of the relaunched Saturday Night’s Main Event, emanating from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. You can get the full results at our live blog here.
Let’s jump into it.
Ruining Wrestling
The main event title match between Jey Uso & Logan Paul, serving as Paul’s guaranteed yearly world title match, ended up playing into the larger story in WWE. That would be the John Cena story.
Cena’s earlier match with R-Truth was short and to the point. Ron Killing’s mission was to remind John who he really was. He felt short of his goal and Cena renewed his vows with heeldom by kicking Truth in the nuts to get the win.
He later ran into Jey Uso backstage and told him that a YouTuber like Logan Paul would really “ruin wrestling,” which happens to be The Last Real Champ’s mission statement.
That brings us to the world title main event between Uso & Paul. It was a solid title bout. I know lots of words are made on social media and wrestling corners of the web about how Uso can’t wrestle, which makes for a bad champion. My response to that would be to not ignore your ears. These crowds do not care. I was inside Allegiant Stadium when Jey Uso won the title. There was yeeting as far as the eye can see, with zero concerns how many thumbs downs Uso videos on YouTube have gotten.
Logan Paul, as much as the man outside the sport grates on me, continues to show flashes in the ring. And they did what they needed do, with the crowd into it (even got a “This is Awesome” chant, but I will say those are very easily handed out nowadays), until we got to the important part.
That would be John Cena pulling the referee out of the ring when Uso had secured the win. He really is all about this ruining wrestling thing. That led to the return of the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes to save the day, neutralize Cena, and allow the champ to get the win over Paul.
Immediately after, Cody made the challenge for a tag team match at Money in the Bank – John Cena & Logan Paul vs. Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso. (Thank all the Gods Travis Scott’s name was not muttered.) While Cena & Paul are going to make an interesting team, and I look forward them exploring that dynamic, Cody & Jey were tag team champions. Rhodes saving the day was as much about saving his friend as it was stopping his enemy.
Given I’m not ready to see Logan Paul win the title (though have resigned that one of these years, he will), I’m perfectly fine with this match being used to set up Money in the Bank in two weeks. It’s also smart to try to get folks who may be tuning in out of curiosity free on NBC to consider checking out the PLE in a couple weeks.
The Third Man
The opener to this event was the high profile tag match between the new duo of Seth Rollins & Bron Breakker against the more tenuous group of CM Punk & Sami Zayn.
The hot crowd helped this by the numbers tag match feel special. This degree of star power will do that. I did have the thought that Punk can still go when his number is called. Yeah, he sometimes looks like he’s 46 years old with those years of wear and tear, but when it’s time, he can still do it.
The true moment of the match was the somewhat shocking return of Bronson Reed to aid Seth & Bron.
I called this shocking for two reasons. 1) That ankle injury was gnarly, and I thought he’d be out much longer than he was. 2) Within the story, he has history with Rollins that you’d think would prevent an alliance. But they don’t call Seth the Architect for nothing, and right now, he’s Frank Lloyd Wright.
A little detail that I appreciated is that even though he took a Bronson crossbody through a barricade, Punk still tried to get his hands on Paul Heyman inside the ring. This is despite Heyman being surrounded by evil genius Seth and two big Brons. It’s a sign of true hatred for the man who betrayed him on the biggest stage.
It also allowed Reed to deliver a returning Tsunami to the Second City Saint (though no Wade on the call).
I love the addition to Reed to Seth’s team – a team that’s going to need a name soon. Bron & Bronson are a nasty duo. Good lucky to anyone who wants to step to these beefy dudes. Also, it’s much better than returning to Solo. Reed saw where the the trajectory of both teams were going and chose wisely.
A Definitive End (probably)
I give Drew McIntyre & Damian Priest a ton of credit. I was not into this feud when they booked it for WrestleMania. But they’ve brought a physicality to the feud that had me looking forward to this match the most.
They delivered with the physicality again tonight in their cage match. (Part of me wanted to old school blue cage to go with the old school theme, but I understand why they didn’t.) However, the ending left my surprised.
Damian Priest used a chair to the throat and then a con-chair-to to his nemesis before walking out of the cage and winning the match.
Between the two men, Drew is still the man with the higher ceiling. So I figured he’d win what I assumed was the blow off match. So it was surely surprising to see Damian not just beat McIntyre, but to do it with a period at the end of the sentence. This feud feels over and Priest definitively won it.
I don’t care he didn’t pin him. Leaving Drew for dead in the ring and leaving him behind is symbolic enough. And it saves McIntyre taking a pin while still losing convincingly. To give him a moment to save face, the Scotsman refused a stretcher and walked off on his own.
It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for these men. That type of win would put Damian back in the title picture, but I don’t imagine he’s facing John Cena. Drew will be fine after this, but could such a definitive beating be an impetus for a face turn? Is he getting time off since it sounds like he’s often working hurt? We’ll see what the coming weeks have in store.
And Still
Zelina Vega retained her United States championship despite interference from the Secret Her-vice.
It was a fine match that ended with a pretty cool Code Red from the top turnbuckle. Generally, I have no issue with Vega, but she’s a pretty bland babyface right now. That’s not a real big deal for someone holding a secondary title, but the contract with Chelsea is stark.
Green has been special when it comes to her characters and personalities dating back to when she was the Hot Mess Laurel Van Ness in TNA in 2017. (Damn, that was 8 years ago?) Chelsea’s work as her current iteration is always entertaining. Her type of cowardly heel is going to get hers like she did tonight, but it is noticeable that when someone so entertaining loses to someone who really needs to refreshen their character.
It feels like these new Saturday Night’s Main Event shows have been trying to find their place when it comes to importance. They have the vibe down. The retro set up has been fantastic and I really loved the no frills small entrance right into audiene they used here. It’s a true throwback – well outside Dude Wipes as a sponsor. No guy in the 1980s was using a product remotely similar to Dude Wipes during those Reagan years.
While they have the vibe down, the importance hasn’t been there. The first couple shows felt more like a glorified house shows. But tonight felt more like a very important Raw bordering on a B level PPV. The return of Bronson Reed was a great moment, moving that story forward. We had what felt like a definitive end to a feud, or at least the end of an important chapter, with Priest’s win inside the cage. And of course Rhode’s return to set up the Travis Scott free tag match at MITB.
The lone women’s match left something to be desired (it was the only match that wasn’t long enough to have a commercial break). But this was generally a fun two hours with more story implications than SNME past.
Grade: B+
Sound off below.
College Sports
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Wyoming Seminary holds 181st commencement ceremony
Head of School Martin J. Mooney spoke to a crowd of students, faculty and guests at Wyoming Seminary’s commencement ceremony on Saturday morning. Sam Zavada | Times Leader Class President Theodore Kraus addressed his fellow students at Wyoming Seminary’s commencement ceremony on Saturday morning. Sam Zavada | Times […]
Head of School Martin J. Mooney spoke to a crowd of students, faculty and guests at Wyoming Seminary’s commencement ceremony on Saturday morning.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
Class President Theodore Kraus addressed his fellow students at Wyoming Seminary’s commencement ceremony on Saturday morning.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
Wyoming Seminary graduates listen to a speech during the upper school’s commencement ceremony on Saturday morning.
Sam Zavada | Times Leader
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KINGSTON — Wyoming Seminary held its 181st commencement ceremony on Saturday. There were 110 graduates in the Class of 2025.
Student speakers included Nicholas Delayo, Theodore Kraus, Matthew Swartz and Clare Griffin, all of whom were members of the graduating class. Christopher J. Kersey, a teacher of history and interim athletic director at Wyoming Seminary, delivered the “Charge to the Graduates” address.
For more information on the ceremony, including a full list of graduates, look for the Times Leader’s special graduation section in June.
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