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'Earnhardt' Trailer

Prime Video’s new docuseries “Earnhardt” dives deep into the legacy, triumphs, and heartbreak of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt and his iconic racing family. 🏁 Release Dates & Where To Watch Episodes 1 & 2: May 22, 2025 Episodes 3 & 4: May 29, 2025 Streaming On: Prime Video 🔥 What’s ‘Earnhardt’ All About? Genre: Sports Documentary, Biography Director: Joshua Altman Executive Producers: Brian Grazer, Ron […]

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'Earnhardt' Trailer

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Prime Video’s new docuseries “Earnhardt” dives deep into the legacy, triumphs, and heartbreak of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt and his iconic racing family.

🏁 Release Dates & Where To Watch

  • Episodes 1 & 2: May 22, 2025
  • Episodes 3 & 4: May 29, 2025
  • Streaming On: Prime Video

🔥 What’s ‘Earnhardt’ All About?

  • Genre: Sports Documentary, Biography
  • Director: Joshua Altman
  • Executive Producers: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Dan Lindsay, TJ Martin, and more
  • Why It’s a Must-Watch: This four-part series isn’t just for race fans—it’s a gripping, emotional deep-dive into family, fame, legacy, and loss.

Prime Video is putting the pedal to the metal with “Earnhardt,” a raw and riveting docuseries that chronicles the life, legacy, and lasting impact of Dale Earnhardt—a NASCAR icon whose name is etched into racing history.

Produced by Imagine Documentaries, the series features never-before-seen footage, emotional interviews with family and rivals, and a powerful look at how the Earnhardt name became synonymous with speed, determination, and sacrifice.

From his rise as a working-class hero to his transformation into “The Intimidator,” Dale’s journey is as thrilling as it is heartbreaking.

The series also highlights the family legacy that followed—from his father Ralph Earnhardt to his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose own career captured the hearts of a new generation of racing fans.

🎬 Watch The ‘Earnhardt’ Trailer Now

📺 Episode Breakdown

  • Ep. 101 – Ironhead: From humble beginnings to early glory, Dale’s rise is full of twists, turns, and tough decisions.
  • Ep. 102 – The Intimidator: Fame, fear, and family tensions mount as Dale becomes NASCAR’s most formidable force.
  • Ep. 103 – One Tough Customer: With fame and family colliding, Dale juggles legacy and legacy-in-the-making as his children step into the spotlight.
  • Ep. 104 – Dale: A bittersweet finale set at the 2001 Daytona 500—where history and heartbreak collide.

🏁 Final Lap

“Earnhardt” isn’t just about racing—it’s about resilience, family, and the legacy of a man who changed the sport forever.

Whether you’re a longtime NASCAR fan or just love a good underdog story, this docuseries delivers all the feels.

🏆 Will you be watching “Earnhardt” when it drops on Prime Video?

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How Penn State trustees plan to vote on campus closures could run afoul of transparency law

This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. The Penn State Board of […]

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This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from north-central PA, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown.

The Penn State Board of Trustees plans to meet virtually this month to determine the fate of multiple campuses, a decision that will impact the futures of thousands of students and employees.

However, the online-only nature of the meeting could run afoul of Pennsylvania’s public meetings law, according to legal experts.

“There’s nothing in Pennsylvania law that allows a virtual only public meeting under the Sunshine Act,” said Melissa Melewsky, media counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, of which Spotlight PA is a member.

If the meeting’s legality is challenged in court, a judge could potentially overturn any decision made at the meeting, she added.

Trustees will not consider closures on a campus-by-campus basis when they hold the special meeting, a university spokesperson told Spotlight PA. Instead, they’ll vote on a single plan from President Neeli Bendapudi proposing which campuses to shutter. The plan will require a simple majority to pass.

Trustees will gather at the University Park campus this week for a series of in-person meetings ahead of graduation festivities, but campus closures are not on the agenda.

According to three people with knowledge of the board’s schedule, trustees are instead expected to vote on the president’s proposal when they meet virtually this month. The trustees held a similar, virtual-only meeting last May to pass the $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation plan.

This structure could be problematic, Melewsky told Spotlight PA, as Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act — the law requiring transparency and public access to the meetings of governing bodies like Penn State’s board — doesn’t expressly allow for virtual-only meetings. However, only a judge can rule whether the law was broken.

“If there’s an issue under the Sunshine Act and someone feels the law has been violated, they have a statutory right to pursue the issue in court,” Melewsky said. “And if a court would find there was a violation, the court could do a number of things, including rescinding any official action taken at that public meeting.”

In recent weeks, some trustees have questioned the university’s stated reasons and goals behind shutting down locations, the first sign of public fractures among leaders over how Penn State is handling the statewide campus system.

Meanwhile, the people whose livelihoods and communities are at risk have grown more vocal.

An open letter to trustees asking Penn State to consider options other than closing locations received hundreds of signatures, though it’s unclear if board leadership will see it. Andrea Adolph, a Penn State New Kensington professor who authored the piece, said the letter is too long for the board’s online public comment portal — the primary way the board gets public input. The website limits submissions to 500 words.

Penn State has not allowed in-person or virtual spoken comments during public meetings since 2021.

Joy Ramsingh, an attorney who specializes in public meetings law, told Spotlight PA a strong legal argument could be made that the board’s conduct exploits loopholes in Pennsylvania transparency statute and is contrary to what the General Assembly intended.

“If you’re going to go and you’re going to have days of back-to-back meetings and then, five days later, you’re doing a virtual meeting just because this is more of a stickier subject, I think you’re in hot water as far as the Sunshine Act is concerned,” Ramsingh said.

Neither Penn State’s Office of Strategic Communications nor its board leaders responded to questions about the public comment procedures or the legality of its virtual meetings.

Trustee and faculty pushback

The details of the president’s proposal to close campuses remain unknown. The university has previously said it will keep at least eight of its locations — Abington, Altoona, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Great Valley, Harrisburg, and Lehigh Valley. These campuses have the largest enrollments and are in regions of the state with stable or growing populations.

The remaining locations — Beaver, DuBois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, Hazleton, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York — are under review by Bendapudi’s administration and could close after the 2026-27 academic year. The university has said it will retain a presence in Northeast Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh region.

Until an announcement last month, it was unclear whether the university’s governing body would be involved in the decision. A university spokesperson previously declined to say whether or how trustees would be involved, and the president said publicly that closing campuses was an administrative decision she would make. Board support might not be unanimous.

In April, a group of five current and former university leaders, including current alumni-elected trustees Ted Brown and Jay Paterno, published an op-ed in StateCollege.com calling on the university to delay a decision until other options are considered. The declining commonwealth campus enrollments, often cited in arguments for closure, have flattened in recent years and the statewide system’s budget deficit costs Penn State less than 1% of its total budget, the group argued.

Paterno told Spotlight PA he would like to see more innovative choices for the campuses beyond staying open or closing. Trustees should be more involved with this plan given the potential impact, he said. “I would rather be a year late than a day early on a decision this big,” Paterno said.

Alice Pope, another co-author of the op-ed and an emerita trustee who cannot vote on a proposal, told Spotlight PA she feels the decision is being rushed.

“Before we take the irreversible step of closing any of our campuses, it seems to me we should first come together as a community to reimagine how we should fulfill our land grant mission in the next hundred years,” Pope wrote in a statement. (Brown did not respond to a request for comment for this story.)

The op-ed sparked Adolph, the New Kensington professor, to also write a public letter.

“Until very recently, we were all under the impression that the board was all there, all on board, and perhaps even hired [Bendapudi] to do this work,” she told Spotlight PA.

As of May 6, Adolph’s letter has received more than 600 signatures, including from alumni-elected trustee Barry Fenchak.

The statewide campus system, the letter argues, helps Penn State embody its land grant mission. Closing campuses would backtrack on the promises made to students across the state, the document reads.

Penn State’s commonwealth system enrolls a more racially diverse group of people, a greater percentage of Pennsylvania residents, and more first-generation college students than University Park, according to data reviewed by Spotlight PA.

One signatory of Adolph’s letter, Victor Brunsden, told Spotlight PA he wants trustees to reject Bendapudi’s closure plan. The administration has not been transparent about how it’s making decisions, including the criteria that will determine which locations survive, the Penn State Altoona professor said. First, the university said closures were a financial decision, he said, then the administration said some campuses were not providing students with the “Penn State experience.”

“That statement implies to me that unless students are able to go to every home football game, unless they are able to be in classes with 1,000 other students at the same time, they are not getting the ‘Penn State experience,’” Brunsden said. “It’s insulting to the work that a lot of my colleagues, both faculty and staff, do at the campuses. I think it’s insulting to the students, too.”

Last week, Nicholas Rowland, the academic trustee on Penn State’s board, wrote in StateCollege.com that Penn State should not operate like a business. “Our campuses are not line items to cut or assets to liquidate; they are integral parts of the whole,” Rowland said. “They are family. And while every family faces difficult seasons, we do not abandon one another when times are hard. We come together.” (Rowland did not respond to a request for comment for this story.)

Public comment

While these critiques from sitting trustees are notable, Penn State’s board has 36 voting members. Dissent from even a dozen trustees would not stop or delay a closure plan. Rejection would be historic.

A previous Spotlight PA analysis of trustee voting data between 2019 and 2024 found that the trustees passed nearly 85% of measures without a single oppositional vote. The board voted down just four of the 328 measures it considered during this period, three of which were motions a trustee proposed mid-meeting. The other, in July, was an option for how trustees should be elected to the board.

Apart from those votes, most trustees had not recorded a single dissenting vote, the analysis showed.

A university spokesperson said the public can provide written comments online ahead of the meeting. Penn State has not allowed in-person or virtual spoken comments during public meetings since 2021.

Restricting public comment — through moves such as requiring submission deadlines or not allowing in-person statements — raises free speech questions, Ramsingh said. Limiting speech generally backfires, she said, and draws more attention to the topic.

“The board doesn’t have to agree with what the public says,” Ramsingh said. “But that’s the piece that I think a lot of them don’t understand: It’s that hearing an opinion that is contrary to yours is not an attack. It’s this idea that we can come together when we have different opinions. We can disagree. … We’re going to do all this together in the same room. But if you try to suppress that, this is like trying to drown a fire out with kerosene.”

Adolph said her open letter is exactly the kind of statement that the trustees should hear in person. Otherwise, there’s no way to ensure the trustees receive that perspective, she said.

Spotlight PA, in partnership with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, sued the trustees in December 2023 for alleged violations of the Sunshine Act. The suit — which was amended to include additional allegations following the board’s February and May 2024 meetings — argues the trustees illegally conducted public business in private. The case is ongoing in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas.

SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results.



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Nick Saban to co-chair President Trump’s planned commission on college athletics: Sources

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban and Texas Tech board of regents chairman Cody Campbell would co-chair the commission President Donald Trump is interested in forming to examine the long list of issues facing college sports, a source briefed on the plans told The Athletic. The source said Trump is expected to be “very engaged” with […]

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Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban and Texas Tech board of regents chairman Cody Campbell would co-chair the commission President Donald Trump is interested in forming to examine the long list of issues facing college sports, a source briefed on the plans told The Athletic.

The source said Trump is expected to be “very engaged” with the commission because he sees the current state of college sports as an issue of national importance.

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported Trump was interested in weighing in with an executive order after the president spoke last week with Saban, who has expressed concern that college sports is being harmed by the big money pouring into it to compensate athletes with little regulation. Yahoo Sports first reported Wednesday that Trump is planning to create a presidential commission to examine a long list of issues facing college sports, from booster-funded payments and transfer rules to conference alignment and Title IX.

Campbell, who was elected chairman of the Texas Tech board of regents last month, is a former Red Raiders football player and one of the university’s most prominent donors. He is the co-founder and co-executive of Double Eagle Energy Holdings, an upstream oil and gas company based out of Fort Worth, Texas, which operates extensively in the Permian Basin region of West Texas. Campbell is also the co-founder of the Matador Club, an NIL collective that supports Texas Tech athletics, and he recently spearheaded the new $242 million south endzone project at Tech’s Jones AT&T Stadium, which overlooks Cody Campbell Field.

In February, Double Eagle sold a development for $4.1 billion, and in 2021, the company sold a previous development for $6.4 billion. Last month, Double Eagle announced a continued and expanded partnership with EnCap Investments, a prominent private equity company that specializes in the oil and gas industry. Campbell is a board member of Texas Public Policy Foundation and a distinguished fellow at the America First Policy Institute, the latter which has been integral to President Trump’s second-term policy agenda.

A presidential commission would typically dig into various aspects of an issue or enterprise and deliver a report suggesting possible solutions that could involve executive and legislative action. Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order creating the Religious Liberty Commission.

A spokeswoman for Rep. Michael Baumgartner, a freshman Republican from Washington who recently put forth an expansive bill to reform college sports, said he welcomed Trump’s involvement.

“College sports is a highly subsidized public good and should be regulated like the public good it is. A presidential commission offers the chance to bring fiscal sanity; restore regional conferences and competitive balance; and protect the future of non-revenue and Olympic sports,” the spokeswoman said in a statement to The Athletic.

It’s unclear how a commission would impact the current developments in college sports, including a potential landmark agreement to settle a trio of antitrust lawsuits facing the NCAA and major conferences and establish for the first time a system of direct payments from schools to athletes.

The settlement awaits final approval from a federal judge, who ordered the defendants to tweak part of the agreement that sets new roster limits for NCAA Division I schools that opt into the deal.

College sports leaders and attorneys for the defendants remain confident the judge will sign off on the deal.

Even if the settlement is approved, college sports leaders have acknowledged that it will need the backing of federal legislation, which they have been, for years, lobbying Congress for.

Tom McMillen, the former Democratic congressman who for several years led an association of athletic directors whose schools compete at the highest level of Division I, praised Trump for getting involved.

“I give President Trump a lot of credit. This is a time to bring the best minds in college sports together, in higher education, and figure a model out,” said McMillen, who has known Trump for more than 50 years.

“He’s always had a big interest in sports. It really fits his kind of whole M.O.”

McMillen first called for a presidential commission on college sports more than a decade ago. He said that while there has been some progress toward a bipartisan bill in Congress, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) leading the efforts, presidential leadership could help prioritize the issue for Congress.

“I’ve always said you’re going to need a presidential push to get something done,” said McMillen, who was a star basketball player at Maryland, a longtime NBA player and member of the 1972 Olympic team.

He also recalled how a commission on Olympic Sports that was formed by President Gerald Ford in 1975 led to the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 and substantive reform that boosted the United States’ performance in subsequent games.

A commission on college sports could help lead to long-term reform without interrupting what is already in motion, McMillen said.

“Not gonna be overnight, but it could be very, very symbolic and very significant for higher ed and college sports, and for America,” McMillen said.

— Chris Vannini, Justin Williams and Sam Khan Jr. contributed to this story.

(Photo: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)





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Norco College will get new gym, athletics building – Press Enterprise

Construction of a $62.5 million building with a new gymnasium is set to begin in July at Norco College. The 56,000-square-foot facility will be named the Center for Human Performance and Kinesiology. It “fulfills a very specific need on campus related to the health and wellness of students and faculty as well as the local […]

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Construction of a $62.5 million building with a new gymnasium is set to begin in July at Norco College.

The 56,000-square-foot facility will be named the Center for Human Performance and Kinesiology.

It “fulfills a very specific need on campus related to the health and wellness of students and faculty as well as the local community,” Hussain Agah, associate vice chancellor of facilities planning and development for the Riverside Community College District, said in a Thursday, May 1, email.

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A basketball court will be a feature of Norco College’s new kinesiology building, seen in an artist’s rendering. (Courtesy of Riverside Community College District)

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Today, Norco College lacks the proper facilities to meet the demand of some physical education courses and other activities that would allow the campus to expand programs, he said.

“Many high-demand physical education courses share space in modular trailers at the moment,” Agah said. “…Currently, the college can only offer its students two sports: soccer and cross country.”

The new two-story building will house a gymnasium and give the college space for basketball and volleyball teams.

The building will include:

  • A gymnasium court with 506-seat bleachers
  • Gym equipment storage
  • A lounge and classroom labs
  • Men’s and women’s showers and restrooms
  • Equipment and laundry rooms
  • Student lockers
  • Trainer support spaces, including an exam room, taping room and treatment room
  • A weight room
  • Exercise and wellness studios
  • Faculty and staff offices
  • Conference room

The construction cost is estimated at $51 million, but the total rises to $62.5 million when the expenses of equipment and furniture are included, Agah said.



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Campus resources for incoming freshmen | Penn State, State College News

The Student Health Center, or CAPs Building, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 in University Park, Pa.  Stella John The beginning of college can be both exciting and overwhelming for some. To help the transition, Penn State offers a variety of resources designed to support students from the start. The following is a roundup of key […]

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CAPs building, outside sign and front of of building

The Student Health Center, or CAPs Building, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 in University Park, Pa. 




The beginning of college can be both exciting and overwhelming for some. To help the transition, Penn State offers a variety of resources designed to support students from the start.

The following is a roundup of key student services available at University Park for all students.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Located in 501 Student Health Center at 542 Eisenhower Rd., CAPS has a wide range of mental health services including same-day appointments, group counseling and wellness workshops.

CAPS Chat sessions provide informal, drop-in consultations with counselors — and no appointment is necessary.

University Health Services (UHS)

For students far from home or in need of a walkable check-in, UHS is Penn State’s on-campus doctor’s office. It offers medical appointments, immunizations, health screenings and pharmacy services.

Students also have access to sexual health services, contraception and wellness education.

The Lion’s Pantry

The Lion’s Pantry is a student-run pantry that offers free groceries and toiletries to students in need, so food insecurity isn’t a barrier to academic success.

The organization has its main location at 133 Bluebell Rd., and its hours vary depending on the workers’ academic schedules since the pantry is staffed by students.

Student Disability Resources (SDR)

SDR works with students who have documented disabilities to ensure access through academic accommodations, assistive technology and testing support.

Students must register and provide documentation in order to receive services.

Paul Robeson Cultural Center (PRCC)

Located on the second floor of the HUB-Robeson Center, PRCC provides support and programming focused on multicultural awareness, leadership development and social justice.

The center hosts regular events such as Fun Friday, discussion groups, tournaments and more to create an appreciation of all cultures.

Penn State Global

The Global office supports international students as well as students seeking an education abroad. Its services include immigration advising, transition support and offers workshops on topics like work visas.

The office, which can be found in 410 Boucke Building, also coordinates global learning programs and international student orientations.

Penn State Learning Center

For students in need of free tutoring, academic coaching and writing support, Penn State Learning Center offers drop-in and appointment-based services for a variety of subjects, including math and foreign languages.

The Learning Center can be found in multiple locations: 220 of Boucke Building, 7 Sparks Building or W102 Pattee Library in Sidewater Commons.

Student Aid Office

The Penn State Office of Student Aid assists students with FAFSA submissions, scholarships, loans, work-study programs and tuition payment planning. Appointments and walk-ins are available throughout the academic year at 314 Shields Building.

Penn State Chaiken Center for Student Success (SSC)

SSC provides direct support for first-year, first-generation and change-of-campus or transfer students through academic coaching, financial literacy workshops and personal development programming.

At 325 Boucke Building, it also offers peer mentoring and connections to campus resources.

Bank of America Career Services

Located across from the HUB-Robeson Center, the Bank of America Career Services provides students with job search resources, resume reviews, mock interviews and overall career counseling. The center also hosts career fairs and networking events.

It is open for drop-in sessions and career appointments, which can be made via the center’s website.

In addition to campus wide services, each academic college at Penn State has its own support system for students, whether it be through advisors, professors and initiatives tailored to specific fields of study.

If you’re interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.



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Youngest Brother Bryan Closing Convertini Family’s Memorable 13-Year Run at MCC

Bryan Convertini is nearing the end of an amazing four-year athletic career for Muskegon Catholic Central, but this swan song is not just about him. Bryan is the last of the four “Convertini boys” at MCC, who collectively have provided Crusaders fans with plenty of big plays and thrilling wins – doing it all with […]

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Bryan Convertini is nearing the end of an amazing four-year athletic career for Muskegon Catholic Central, but this swan song is not just about him.

West MichiganBryan is the last of the four “Convertini boys” at MCC, who collectively have provided Crusaders fans with plenty of big plays and thrilling wins – doing it all with their humble, no-nonsense leadership style – over the past 13 years.

“The Convertinis have really become the first family of Muskegon Catholic Central,” said MCC baseball coach Steve Schuitema, noting their father, Kolin, is an assistant varsity football coach and their mother, Jene, has served as the team mom for baseball and football for years.

“It will be different and a little sad to not have a Convertini out there for MCC anymore. All of them were leaders and a coach’s dream and really an extension of the coach on the field.”

Mason, 26, graduated in 2017 and set the sports tone for his three brothers, playing football, hockey as part of MCC’s cooperative team with Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, and baseball.

Nolan, 23, graduated in 2020 and, at 6-foot-2, is the tallest of the brothers. He played the same three sports as Mason, and was the most versatile of the boys, playing almost every position in football, including starting two games at quarterback.

Sam, 21, graduated in 2022, and also played football, hockey and baseball, but he opted to play basketball his senior year so he could play with his younger brother, Bryan.

Bryan, 18, will graduate June 1 after a standout, three-sport career, including the past three years as the starting varsity quarterback, before beginning college this fall at Grand Valley State.

“My memories at MCC go way back to when I was like 6 or 7 and the waterboy in football and the batboy in baseball,” said Bryan with a smile.

“The first word that comes to mind when I think about it is family. The whole school is like a big family that pushes and supports each other.”

Grandpa’s boys

The Convertini boys come from good stock, starting with their grandfathers.

On their mother’s side is Grandpa Bryan McLay who, at the age of 87, is still considered “Mr. Hockey” in Muskegon.

The four Convertini boys take a photo together after one of Bryan’s football games in 2023. From left: Sam, Bryan, Mason and Nolan.McLay, a Kenora, Ontario, native who first came to Muskegon in 1960 (the same year that the downtown hockey arena opened), tallied more than 1,000 points over his 13 seasons with the Muskegon Zephyrs and later, the Mohawks.

McLay moved in with the family after his wife, Peggy, died four years ago, and regularly regales his grandsons with his “old-time hockey” stories.

Jene picked up her father’s passion for sports and has been a natural in the Crusaders’ “team mom” role – organizing meals, carpools, fundraisers and sending out emails for game and schedule changes, among other things.

On their father’s side is Grandpa Fred Convertini, a California native who played in the 1966 Rose Bowl as an offensive lineman at Michigan State – as part of what is considered the top offensive line in MSU history.

Kolin certainly inherited his father’s athletic ability, making first-team all-state in football (running back), wrestling and track & field (pole vault) during his senior year of 1989-1990. He went on to play defensive back at Eastern Michigan University.

He also picked up his father’s humility and toughness, the latter which was put to the test in 2014 when he was diagnosed with cancer.

“Kolin’s cancer really brought us together as a family,” explained Jene. “We didn’t know how long we had, and we decided we weren’t going to do travel sports any more. I didn’t want to be in Chicago and Kolin in Detroit for the weekend and then we say hi on the way out the door to work on Monday morning. We decided to spend more time together.”

Like their grandfathers and father, all four of the Convertini boys were known for their dependability, rarely if ever missing games due to sickness or injury.

In fact, Bryan suffered an injury in the opening football game of his junior season, then played the remaining 10 games on what was later determined to be a broken left ankle – and, by the way, he earned first-team all-state as a defensive back with five interceptions.

“It hurt so bad,” Bryan said, shaking his head. “But I needed to be out there. My team needed me to be out there.”

Home cooking

The Convertini house in Norton Shores has been a gathering place for MCC athletes for years.

It all started when the boys were little, wrestling between the couches and shooting pucks at the walls in the basement.

Convertini brings the ball upcourt during basketball season.Later on, that basement became the annual meeting spot for the MCC football team for “Selection Sunday,” when the team would learn its draw for the postseason playoffs.

Mason and Nolan, the two older boys, certainly enjoyed the most team success. Mason was part of three straight Division 8 championship football teams from 2014 to 2016. Nolan, meanwhile, played in three national championship games (with two titles) as a member of the Hope College men’s club hockey team.

The two younger boys had less team success, in large part because MCC really started struggling with numbers, but Sam and Bryan certainly did all they could and were rewarded with individual accolades.

Sam was the first of the brothers to make first-team all-state, earning the honor as a tight end in 2021. Bryan did one better, making all-state twice – after his junior year as a defensive back and his senior year as an “athlete” for his contributions all over the field.

Bryan also made first-team all-state last year in baseball, batting .478 as an outfielder.

In football, he rose above his broken ankle as a junior to rush for more than 800 yards and 11 touchdowns. In a win over Benton Harbor, he had a rushing TD, a passing TD, a receiving TD and returned an interception for yet another TD. This past fall as a senior, he threw for 880 yards and rushed for 621, while making a team-high 81 tackles in his first year at linebacker.

But when asked about the individual highlight of his football career, he doesn’t hesitate.

“That would have to be my freshman year, when I threw a halfback pass to my brother (Sam) for a touchdown,” recalled Bryan, noting a play that occurred in a victory over Muskegon Heights Academy during what ended as the 500th win in MCC football history.

Going out with a bang

Bryan hopes to tack on some additional highlights over the next month of baseball season, effectively writing a happy ending to the Convertini novel.

The Crusaders’ baseball team is off to an 11-4 start after a home sweep of Byron Center Zion Christian on Tuesday, during which MCC pitchers allowed just one run over two games.

Convertini (22), stands for the national anthem this past fall. Bryan is currently batting .375 while playing the critical position of shortstop, out of need, since he is a natural outfielder.

He would love to have a repeat of his freshman year, when he batted leadoff and helped the Crusaders to District and Regional championships. MCC had won 11 straight Districts before falling short last spring, so he said avenging that District loss is a major priority.

That would also be an appropriate ending after an uncharacteristic football season when the young Crusaders (who started three 14-year-old freshmen on the offensive line) finished 1-7.

Things went much better in basketball, as Bryan teamed with all-stater Bradley Richards to help MCC to an 11-10 record, its first winning season in six years.

Through winning or losing, MCC football coach Steve Czerwon said the strong Catholic faith of the Convertini family is always front and center.

The family will gather to celebrate in early September, when Mason and his fiancée, Sophie, get married at St. Michael’s Church in Muskegon. That is about the same time that Bryan will be off to Grand Valley, and Czerwon and the MCC football program will begin the post-Convertini era.

“Bryan and all of his brothers have an inner strength which sets them apart,” said Czerwon, who took over as MCC’s head coach in 2013, which was Mason’s freshman year. “All of them respect authority and they want to learn and get better, which is all that you can ask.

“It’s been a pleasure working with their family. We are all going to miss them.”

Tom KendraTom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon Catholic Central’s Bryan Convertini takes a look down the third-base line during a baseball at bat. (2) The four Convertini boys take a photo together after one of Bryan’s football games in 2023. From left: Sam, Bryan, Mason and Nolan. (3) Convertini brings the ball upcourt during basketball season. (4) Convertini (22), stands for the national anthem this past fall. (Baseball and basketball photos by Michael Banka. Football photo by Tim Reilly. Family photo courtesy of Jene Convertini.)



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All-WIAC Women’s Lacrosse Awards Revealed

Women’s Lacrosse 5/8/2025 12:59:14 PM Story Links Printable PDF of the 2025 All-WIAC Women’s Lacrosse Team MADISON, Wis. –The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced it women’s lacrosse award for the 2025 season, based on voting by conference coaches. […]

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Printable PDF of the 2025 All-WIAC Women’s Lacrosse Team

MADISON, Wis.

–The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has announced it women’s lacrosse award for the 2025 season, based on voting by conference coaches.

 

Colorado College’s Charlotte Iler, Sofia Mancino and Cassidy Schnaufer were selected the Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year, Midfielder of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. College of Saint Benedict’s Ava Mosley was tabbed the Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year. In addition, Colorado College was chosen the Kwik Trip Coaching Staff of the Year.

 

Iler secured first team honors for the second straight year and was named the Newcomer of the Year last season. She leads the conference with 83 points, while tying for the lead with 58 goals and ranking sixth with 25 assists. Iler has produced 14 hat-tricks and scored a season-high six goals against Rhodes College (Tenn.) on March 14. She had a season-best nine points (5 goals, 4 assists) against Catholic University (D.C.) on March 12.

 

Mancino is second in the WIAC with 80 draw controls and fourth with 53 goals. She had a season-high five goals in the WIAC Tournament championship game against UW-Eau Claire on May 3. Mancino added a season-best seven ground balls against University of Chicago (Ill.) on March 8.

 

Schnaufer leads the conference with a 6.45 goals against average and .541 saves percentage. She posted shutouts against Hamline University (Minn.) on March 29, and Augsburg University (Minn.) on April 13.

 

Mosley is fifth in the WIAC with 50 goals and eighth with 66 points. She is the second player in program history with 50 goals in a season. A newcomer is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in women’s lacrosse this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in women’s lacrosse at their previous institution.

 

Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago include: Colorado College’s Evelyn Baher-Murphy (Defensive Player of the Year); UW-Eau Claire’s Reegan Werner; UW-La Crosse’s Ava Schiltz; and UW-River Falls’ Samantha Hayek.

 

Colorado College won the WIAC regular season and tournament titles and owns an 18-3 record heading into the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship. The 18 wins are a program record. The coaching staff includes head coach Susan Stuart, along with assistant coaches Ashley Johnson, Ryan Murphy and Evelyn Pickett.

 

An All-Sportsmanship Team was named for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each team as selected by that team.

 

2025 All-WIAC Women’s Lacrosse Team

First Team

Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)

Evelyn Baher-Murphy, Colorado College, Senior, Defense, Mountain View, Calif. (Los Altos)

Healy Bledsoe, Colorado College, Senior, Defense, Bend, Ore. (Summit)

Lilah Gilyard, River Falls, Junior, Defense, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Coon Rapids)

Samantha Hayek, River Falls, Junior, Attack, Scandia, Minn. (Forest Lake)

Charlotte Iler, Colorado College, Sophomore, Attack, Simsbury, Conn. (Deerfield Academy)

Megan Maloney, La Crosse, Junior, Attack, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Park)

Sofia Mancino, Colorado College, Sophomore, Midfield, Sag Harbor, N.Y. (St. Paul’s/Concord, N.H.)

Ava Mosley, College of Saint Benedict, Freshman, Attack, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater)

Peyton Murphy, Colorado College, Senior, Attack, Austin, Texas (Westlake)

Ava Schiltz, La Crosse, Junior, Midfield, Prior Lake, Minn. (Prior Lake)

Cassidy Schnaufer, Colorado College, Junior, Goalie, Williston Park, N.Y. (Mineola)

Reegan Werner, Eau Claire, Junior, Midfield, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)

 

Second Team

Cecilia Cantu, Southwestern Univ., Junior, Midfield, Katy, Texas (Katy)

Ellie Fisher, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Attack, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater)

Luci Fitzgerald, Stout, Sophomore, Defense, Janesville, Wis. (Craig)

Emily Griege, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Goalie, Chesterfield, Mo. (Westminster Christian Academy)

Sami Hackley, College of Saint Benedict, Junior, Attack, Plymouth, Minn. (Wayzata)

Frances Hansot, Colorado College, Sophomore, Defense, Seattle, Wash. (Seattle Prep.)

Kaley Hendrick, La Crosse, Senior, Defense, Holland, Mich. (West Ottawa)

Julia Hayek, River Falls, Sophomore, Defense, Scandia, Minn. (Forest Lake)

Courtney Leising, Stevens Point, Senior, Midfield, Maple Grove, Minn. (Maple Grove)

Tobin Lonergan, Colorado College, Senior, Attack, Brattleboro, Vt. (Northfield Mount Hermon School)

Gretchen McCann, La Crosse, Junior, Defense, Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake)

Meilani Molina, Colorado College, Sophomore, Midfield, San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic)

Mai Nou Vang, Stout, Senior, Attack, Green Bay, Wis. (Preble)

Alexandria Shea, Eau Claire, Senior, Goalie, Pleasant Prairie, Wis. (Indian Trail)

 

Honorable Mention

Briana Brenteson, Stout, Sophomore, Defense, Monticello, Minn. (Monticello)

Devon Crews, Eau Claire, Junior, Midfield, St. Louis, Mo. (Rockwood Summit)

Megan Feeney, La Crosse, Senior, Attack, Libertyville, Ill. (Libertyville)

Brooke Glumack, River Falls, Junior, Attack, Scandia, Minn. (Forest Lake)

Oliv Janerico, Colorado College, Sophomore, Midfield, Napa, Calif. (Justin-Siena)

Chloe Lewis, College of Saint Benedict, Junior, Goalie, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Osseo)

Susette Mireles, Southwestern Univ., Junior, Midfield, League City, Texas (Clear Springs)

Nicole Schuster, Augsburg Univ., Junior, Goalie, Champlin, Minn. (Champlin Park)

Marissa Van Dyke, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Attack, Green Bay, Wis. (Southwest)

Avery Wilson, Hamline Univ., Senior, Attack, Rogers, Minn. (Rogers)

 

All-Sportsmanship Team

Paige Allen, Stevens Point, Junior, Midfield, Maple Grove, Minn. (Maple Grove)

Evie Brilz, La Crosse, Sophomore, Attack, Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-La Vista)

Tess Cavanaugh, College of Saint Benedict, Sophomore, Midfield, Edina, Minn. (Visitation)

Ellie Fisher, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Attack, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater)

Isabella Kohout, Augsburg Univ., Junior, Midfield, Sauk Rapids, Minn. (Sauk Rapids-Rice)

Kylah Link, River Falls, Sophomore, Midfield, Delano, Minn. (Delano)

Sydney Martin, Southwestern Univ., Sophomore, Midfield, San Antonio, Texas (Winston Churchill)

Hannah Sweeney, Colorado College, Senior, Defense, Lexington, Mass. (Lexington)

Loryn Tornell, Stout, Senior, Attack, Montrose, Minn. (Rockford)

Sophia Warner, Hamline Univ., Junior, Defense, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)

 

Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year:  Charlotte Iler of Colorado College

Kwik Trip Midfielder of the Year:  Sofia Mancino of Colorado College

Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year:  Cassidy Schnaufer of Colorado College

Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year:  Ava Mosley of College of Saint Benedict

Kwik Trip Coaching Staff of the Year:  Colorado College

Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete:  Kaley Hendrick of La Crosse

 

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