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Gulf Breeze beach volleyball wins state championship again

AI-assisted summary Gulf Breeze High School’s beach volleyball team won their second state championship in three years. They defeated New Smyrna Beach 3-0 in the Class 2A title game. The Dolphins finished the season with a 21-3 record and district, regional, and state titles. The crown has been defended. The Gulf Breeze beach volleyball team, […]

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Gulf Breeze beach volleyball wins state championship again

  • Gulf Breeze High School’s beach volleyball team won their second state championship in three years.
  • They defeated New Smyrna Beach 3-0 in the Class 2A title game.
  • The Dolphins finished the season with a 21-3 record and district, regional, and state titles.

The crown has been defended.

The Gulf Breeze beach volleyball team, in just its third year of existence, has won its second state championship after beating New Smyrna Beach, 3-0, in the Class 2A title game on May 10 at Florida State in Tallahassee. Playing just until they needed to win, the Dolphins’ first three pairings that played – the two’s, four’s and five’s – secured the abbreviated sweep.

Izzy Beech and Carmyn Ferguson put Gulf Breeze up, 1-0, after beating New Smyrna’s Beach squad in the fourth pairing, 21-10 and 21-6. Then Sydney Sutter and Allie Hepworth – who helped clinch the state crown in 2024 – won in the second pairing bout with set scores of 21-9, 17-21 and 15-7.

Sienna Wnetrzak and Emma Stromsness won in the fifth pairing battle, 21-13 and 21-13, to claim the crown as the state championship match was played until a team won, not all five pairings.

Delaney Rich and Peyton McDonald, in the third pairing, had won its first set, 21-9, and was in the middle of its second set, as well. Bella Satterwhite and Estelle Reese, in the first pairing, was in its first set that didn’t finish yet.

Gulf Breeze caps off its 2025 season with the District 1-2A, Region 1-2A and now state championships, along with a 21-3 overall record. This was the first year beach volleyball had full region tournaments, and the Dolphins were not fazed at all.

The sweep against New Smyrna Beach gave Gulf Breeze back-to-back sweeps after topping Fort Myers, 5-0, in the state semifinals to go undefeated throughout the Final Four weekend in Tallahassee. It was the Dolphins’ 15th sweep overall on the season.

The Dolphins virtually returned every starter from last year, minus two, and could be in good position again next year. There are only six seniors on the roster, five of which were in the starting pairs. Meaning half of the starters could be back in 2026.

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Three parades planned for Greater Pittston Area

GREATER PITTSTON — Three Memorial Day Parades will take place in the Greater Pittston Area on Monday. The Wyoming/West Wyoming parade will line-up at Dailey Memorial Park, Shoemaker Ave., West Wyoming at 9 a.m. The parade will step off at 9:30 a.m. traveling east on 8th Street before turning left onto Wyoming Avenue, stopping […]

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GREATER PITTSTON — Three Memorial Day Parades will take place in the Greater Pittston Area on Monday.

The Wyoming/West Wyoming parade will line-up at Dailey Memorial Park, Shoemaker Ave., West Wyoming at 9 a.m. The parade will step off at 9:30 a.m. traveling east on 8th Street before turning left onto Wyoming Avenue, stopping at the Wyoming Cemetery.

A brief ceremony will take place at the cemetery at the conclusion of the parade. All are welcome to attend.

The Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club is co-sponsoring the Wyoming/West Wyoming parade along with the Wyoming VFW and West Wyoming American Legion.

The Dupont Memorial Parade will line up at 10 a.m. and step off at 10:30 a.m. from the Suscon Road, to Chestnut Street, to Main Street, to the VFW.

The West Pittston/Exeter parade will start at Linden St. at the corner of Linden St. and Wyoming Ave., with parade lineup beginning at 11 a.m. and stepping off at 11:30 a.m.

The parade will end at the Wyoming Area Catholic School followed by a short service held in the school’s gymnasium with a guest speaker and musical selections.

Exeter American Legion, Exeter VFW and the Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club are the sponsors of the West Pittston/Exeter Parade.



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Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame honoring 12 inductees on June 8

A dozen of the finest athletes from a five-county area will be honored with enshrinement into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame when the organization holds its 41st annual induction banquet on Sunday, June 8, at Mohegan Pennsylvania. The inductees range from Olympic trial and champion swimmers, local and national field hockey luminaries, […]

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May 25, 2025

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A dozen of the finest athletes from a five-county area will be honored with enshrinement into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame when the organization holds its 41st annual induction banquet on Sunday, June 8, at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

The inductees range from Olympic trial and champion swimmers, local and national field hockey luminaries, College World Series players, to volleyball, basketball and football standouts.

Festivities begin at 3 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 4 p.m. and induction of nominees. Tickets are $70 for adults and $25 for children. Children 2-and-under are free. Tickets and program advertisements are only available through the organization’s website,

Inductees are: Steve Brezna, Hanover Township, Dave Shimshock, Plains Township and John Simonitis, Dallas, for football; Kristin Stretanski DePolo, Malvern, via Kingston; Stefanie Williams Moreno, Atlanta via Bloomsburg; and Stu Marvin, Bloomsburg, all for swimming and coaching.

Also, TJ Ziolkowski, Nanticoke, basketball; Sara B. Myers, Wapwallopen; and Molly O’Malley Watts, Leesburg, Va. via Tunkhannock, field hockey; Dr, Jeffrey Craig, Shavertown; and Chris Mayerski, Dallas, baseball; and the late Monica Wignot, volleyball and basketball.

“The 41st Induction class has everything from record-breakers to breath-takers,” said Jim Martin, LCSHOF president. “Eclipsing our 40th anniversary was a milestone, but this year’s Inductees and honorees have performed with distinction on the local, national and international stage. It appears there is a common theme to this year’s selections — from elite competition to successful coaching careers.

“The Hall will celebrate a young woman this year, whose abilities were boundless for a brief time, while still remaining the measure for her brand of athletics. Also being honored are individuals that write stories with pictures, beat the odds of physical limitations, and create a safe space for children to thrive and develop. These individuals are Frank Lauri, Chris McGavin and the late Anthony ‘Cooper’ Blaskiewicz.”

Here is a brief summary of the 2025 inductees’ accomplishments:

Steve Brezna

Steve Brezna was a standout in three sports at Hanover High School — football, wrestling and baseball.

In football and baseball he earned all-conference honors as a senior while in wrestling he was a District 2 champion at 180 pounds as a junior and runner-up as a senior at heavyweight.

It was his play on the gridiron which would elevate him to the next level.

Penn State, then under legendary coach Rip Engle, was in pursuit of his talent and sent his assistant coach — Joe Paterno — to Hanover Township to lure him to Happy Valley.

Engle would soon retire and Paterno would take over en route to a historic career.

After a redshirt year as a true freshman, Brezna returned and played on the Lions’ freshman team and the following year became the team’s punter. His junior and senior seasons (1968-69) would see the Nittany Lions go undefeated and play in back-to-back Orange Bowls.

Following graduation, Brezna returned to the area and began a teaching and coaching career at Hanover Area High School. He assisted Jim Moran in football and John Carr in wrestling and was the head coach of the Hawkeyes baseball team which won division titles in 1973 and 1974.

Jeffrey Craig

Jeffrey Craig experienced a stellar scholastic and collegiate career in baseball.

Now the director of special education in the Tunkhannock Area School District, Dr. Craig is a graduate of the former Bishop Hoban High School in Wilkes-Barre. He was a three-time All-Conference selection and earned the Most Valuable Player recognition in the conference in 2002. He was the key player in the Argents three WVC championships and a pair of District 2 crowns (2002-03).

He took his talent to Kutztown University where he was instrumental in the Golden Bears’ three Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles that included a Mid-Atlantic Region championship and a trip to the Division II College World Series in 2007.

He was named a PSAC all-star three straight seasons and, as a senior, was selected as Kutztown’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He also was named an Academic All-American by ESPN Magazine.

Craig remains in the Golden Bears’ record book with a top 10 showing in the following: career batting average (6th,.367); hits (4th, 211); RBI (6th, 136); doubles (4th, 48); home runs (7th, 17); and total bases (4th, 318). He also holds 10 single-season records: hits 73 in 2005 and 71 in RBI 55 in 2007) and 53 in 2996; doubles 17 in 2005; home runs, 9 in 2006) and total bases 113 (‘06); 103 (‘07) and 102 (05).

He received his masters and doctoral degrees in education from Wilkes University and resides in Shavertown with his wife Kate and four children.

Kristin Stretanski DePolo

Kristen Stretanski DePolo is one of the all-time greats in swimming in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

From an age-group national qualifier at the Greater Wilkes-Barre YMCA to Villanova University, all Stretanski has done is win, including being the first swimmer in the state to become a eight-time champion at that level.

At Wyoming Valley West High School, she powered the unbeaten Lady Spartans to championships in the Wyoming Valley Swim League and District 2 all four years. Her exploits in the water earned her numerous national awards. At the District 2 championships she went undefeated in 16 events and her 1994 time of 24.03 time in the 50-meter freestyle still stands.

Stretanski accepted a full scholarship to attend Villanova where, as a member of the 200 freestyle relay, qualified for the NCAA Championships. She was part of three relay teams (200, 400 and 800) which won Big East Conference titles. She also was named to the Academic All-American team all four years.

Stu Marvin

Stu Marvin’s presence in five halls of fame sums up his swimming contributions in one word: extraordinary.

At Bloomsburg University he was the Huskies’ first triple All-American award winner in 1975 and repeated it in 1977. He was an 11-time All-American while winning five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles. He set six PSAC records and upon graduation held six BU records. He was an Athlete of the Year three times and was inducted into the Bloomsburg Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990.

In addition to the Bloomsburg Hall, he also is enshrined in the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame, Broward County Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Upper Dublin High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Florida Gold Coast Masters Hall of Fame.

He took over coaching duties at his alma mater in 2008, holding that post for 15 years. During his tenure, the women’s team achieved a .650 winning percentage in dual meets while the men posted a .613 percentage. They have a combined 13 runner-up finishes at the PSAC Championships and finished as high as 15th at the NCAA Championships.

Under his guidance, the Huskies produced 41 PSAC champions, 109 PSAC All-Conference awards, eight PSAC all-time records and six PSAC meet records – five for the men and one for the women. Marvin won a PSAC title with the men’s team for the first time in program history in 2021 and completed the first undefeated season in 2017. Marvin was named the PSAC Coach of the Year six times.

Chris Mayerski

Chris Mayerski has been an all-star at every step of his athletic career, from starring on championship teams in the Swoyersville Little League to his time at Wyoming Valley West High School to his time at Wilkes University where he was one of the most feared hitters in the Freedom Conference.

As a sophomore and junior for the Spartans he was an all-Wyoming Valley Conference second team selection and was elevated to first team as a senior. He was game MVP when the Luzerne County All-Stars defeated their Lackawanna County counterparts in 2004.

For the Colonels he finished with a .336 batting average and ranks in the top five in multiple offensive categories, including the top spot in home runs and RBI with 36 and 167 respectively. He is second in games played (146); at-bats (518) and total bases (344). He also is fourth in hits (173); doubles (41) and triples (11). He powered the Colonels sweep to the 2007 Freedom Conference championship with seven RBI.

Mayerski was All-Freedom Conference all four years at Wilkes and in 2006 had the 10th best slugging percentage in the nation at .786.

A two-time team captain, he also was an assistant coach with the Colonels.

Stefanie Williams Moreno

Stefanie Williams Moreno excelled as a swimmer her entire athletic career from age-group to coaching at one of the country’s top universities.

Swimming for the Bloomsburg YMCA, she was a three-time national champion and was national record holder in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles and the 100 backstroke. At Bloomsburg High School, she never lost a scholastic race, including the PIAA Championships and powered the Panthers to the 1998 PIAA team title.

She won titles and set state records in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles and also was a member of two relay teams which won state titles.

She took her talents to the University of Georgia where she became a member of a three-time Southeastern Conference and NCAA Championship team, becoming a 28-time All-American. She captured two SEC championships in the 200 free and was an American record holder in the 200 and 400 relay teams and a 10-time SEC champion and four-time NCAA champion on relays. During college she also was a member of the USA national team that was a silver medalist at the 1999 Pan American Game, 2001 World Championships and 2003 World University Games.

As coach at Georgia she has continued the Bulldogs swimming success with SEC women’s team titles in 2013, 14 and 15 while also winning NCAA team titles in 2013, 2014 and 2016.She was inducted into Georgia’s Circle of Honor, the university’s highest athletic honor.

Sara B. Myers

Sara Myers began making her mark in field hockey at Crestwood High School where she was a three-year starter and helped the Lady Comets to three straight District 2 championships and PIAA playoff berths and was an Academic All-State selection.

She matriculated to Susquehanna University where she was a four-year starter and two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. She led the Crusaders (now the River Hawks) to the school’s first-ever NCAA tournament berth which advanced to the Elite Eight.

She began her coaching career at age 23 at the University of Scranton and, in her first season, was named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year. She moved to Wilkes University in 2005 and, over a 10-year career, was twice named conference Coach of the Year and made conference playoff appearances in all 10 seasons. Along the way, the Lady Colonels made school history by being regionally ranked in 2008 and 2009.

At Wilkes, Myers garnered more than 100 victories and helped develop 36 all-conference players, six rookies of the year and two defensive players of the year.

She is currently in her third year as head coach at King’s College.

Myers is the owner and director of Brave Athletics which offers sports opportunities for girls in four sports. She resides at Wapwallopen with her husband Greg and daughters, Allie, Emma and Lane.

Dave Shimshock

The Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre produced a number of great running backs over the decades, players like Joe Cunningham, Joe O’Donnell, Joe Perkowski, Jim Lazarski, Rodney Smith, Baldo Vinciarelli and Matt Walsh.

Dave Shimshock doesn’t take a back seat to those legends.

Shimshock’s football talents were recognized early as he started in the defensive backfield as a sophomore and recorded three interceptions and gained more than 250 yards and scored three touchdowns as a back-up running back.

He was elevated to the role of a team captain as a junior and was the featured running back with more than 1,000 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns, earning him a first team All-Conference selection.

It was as a senior that Shimshock entered the record book, leading the Wyoming Valley Conference and Pennsylvania with more than 2,000 yards rushing — a WVC record that held until Raghib Ismail came on the scene.

Shimshock’s heroics powered the Crusaders to an 11-0 record in the WVC and was a first-team All-State and Big 33 Game selection. On defense he helped anchor a team which surrendered just 21 points.

Shimshock matriculated to the College of the Holy Cross where he started four games at running back as a freshman and, as a sophomore finished with more than 500 rushing yards.

He was switched to strong safety as a junior and senior, finishing with four interceptions.

He currently is a senior wealth advisor at Wilmington Trust/M&T Bank. He and his wife Lisa reside in Plains Township and are the parents of two children and have one grandchild.

John Simonitis

John Simonitis joins a long list of terrific athletes from Dallas High School in the Luzerne County Hall of Fame with his exploits on the gridiron and basketball court.

In basketball, he was a two-time Wyoming Valley Conference first-team selection was was named MVP of both the AAU Basketball Tournament and the local Crossin Christmas Holiday Classic.

It was on the gridiron where he made his mark.

Despite not playing until his sophomore year, he quickly distinguished himself as a guard on offense and a tackle on defense.

After just one year of varsity experience, Simonitis was selected to the All-State second team and as a senior was named to the first team.

The Mountaineers went 26-9 during his three years as a starter with berths in the PIAA playoffs each year and was a two-time first-team WVC selection.

He took his talent to the University of Pittsburgh where, after a redshirt season, he started all four of his varsity seasons, including being named a Freshman All-American. He was a team captain his junior and senior seasons and was a Big East All-Conference selection. He was considered a top draft choice by NFL scouts only to have his professional career cut short by injury.

Anyone entering Mountaineer Stadium in Dallas is greeted by a banner that highlights his career wearing the blue and white.

Molly O’Malley Watts

Molly O’Malley Watts is one of Tunkhannock Area High School’s all-time greats.

She was a three-sport standout, earning 10 varsity letters, including four each in hockey and track and field.

She powered the Lady Tigers field hockey team to the Wyoming Valley Conference title in 1992 and, in 1994, was an All-State first-team selection along with being named the Most Valuable Player in the WVC.

In track, she captured six District 2 medals, including a gold medal in 1992 in the 800-meter run.

She took her talent to the Ivy League, keying Princeton to a 65-15 record in her four years. That run included three appearances in the NCAA final four, twice advancing to the championship game. She finished her career with 101 goals, tied for 10th all—time.

She was a first-team All-American in 1998 and a three-time All-Ivy League selection and was a member of the Team USA Under-23 national team.

She is considered a national expert in Medicaid and long-term care policy and is owner of Watts Health Policy Consulting. She and her husband Andrew, reside in Leesburg, Va., and are the parents of three children.

Monica Wignot

The late Monica Wignot was a tremendous two-sport athlete at both the scholastic and collegiate level. At Holy Redeemer High School she was a four-year starter in both volleyball and basketball.

In volleyball she was named Player of the Year three times in the Wyoming Valley Conference. She amassed more than 1,000 kills in leading the Royals to four WVC and District 2 championships and four appearances in the PIAA playoffs. As a senior she was first in the state in kills and second in hitting and received national recognition by MaxPrep and the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Wignot nearly matched those feats in basketball, twice being named Player of the Year and surpassing the 1,000-point milestone. She keyed the Royals to three league championships and one District 2 championship. She was a three-time All-State selection.

At the University of Pittsburgh she played four years of volleyball and added basketball as a graduate senior. Longtime Pitt coach Dan Fisher said Wignot was a key cog in taking the Panther volleyball program to a higher level.

“She was on my first team (2013) and by the end of the season she was the best player on the court,” Fisher said.

She had a career-best 368 kills as a sophomore and, as a junior, was named to the All-Big East second team. Wignot joined the basketball team as a graduate student.

With Pitt then joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, she was the team’s second leading scorer and third leading rebounder. Her 83 blocks set a Pitt season record. The Panthers qualified for the NCAA Championship that year and won their first-round game before being eliminated by Tennessee.

TJ Ziolkowski

TJ Ziolkwski is one of the standout basketball players that, over the last eight decades, have graced the hardwood from the Nanticoke Rams to the Greater Nanticoke Area Trojans.

As a two-year starter for GNA, he scored 986 points and is in the top 10 all-time in rebounding.

He enrolled at Luzerne County Community College and became the first LCCC player to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He finished with 1,369 points which still tops the LCCC record book and also ranks in the top 5 in rebounding. He was twice named to the EPCC All-Conference Team.

Ziolkowski transferred to Wilkes University for his junior and senior years and was a member of the Colonels’ 1998-99 Middle Atlantic Conference team which reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III championships and was inducted into the Wilkes Sports Hall of Fame as a member of that team.

At Nanticoke Area, his career featured a first-team Wyoming Valley Conference selection as a senior.



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High school football will never be the same in era of transfers, NIL money

When Charles Dickens began his 1859 novel “A Tale of Two Cities” with the legendary line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” who knew that it would aptly describe the state of amateur football in 2025? From college athletics to high school athletics, if you’re a parent, coach, athlete […]

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When Charles Dickens began his 1859 novel “A Tale of Two Cities” with the legendary line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” who knew that it would aptly describe the state of amateur football in 2025?

From college athletics to high school athletics, if you’re a parent, coach, athlete or fan, you have plenty of stories to tell. Take notes, because there’s so much material you’ll be able to write a book, launch a podcast or participate in court cases still to be decided.

“It’s all crazy,” said future Hall of Fame football coach Matt Logan of Corona Centennial.

Football isn’t in a crisis but it is in a black hole with stakeholders seeking an escape path.

With final rules still not adopted in how name, image and likeness is supposed to work and college programs not only paying their own athletes but high school recruits, too, everyone is adjusting on the fly. Parents trying to navigate the changes are hiring agents, who are showing up to high school camps trying to find clients. There’s the college transfer portal and something similar in high school that saw more than 17,000 students switch schools in California last year.

Until NIL rules are figured out, it’s roll your eyes and don’t be surprised at anything.

Some elite high school players have been reclassifying their graduation years to take advantage of money opportunities. And that’s after parents held them back entering high school to be bigger, stronger and faster as a 16-year-old freshman.

It’s all legal and even logical but the changing landscape is riddled with pros and cons and bad actors.

One big concern in high school sports is that parents might be too focused on scholarships for their kids and earning NIL money while forgetting the real reason people play sports — for the love of the game.

“For me, the whole value in sports has been degenerated,” Logan said. “You don’t play sports to get a scholarship. You play to learn how to lead, how to take orders, how to be a good teammate, how to work together. This could be the only chance to have fun, play with their friends, have a great experience.”

There have been football scandals in recent years — twice at Narbonne High, which had City Section championships taken away in 2019 and 2024 for using ineligible players. Now the football community is focused on what the Southern Section intends to do this fall about Bishop Montgomery, which supposedly has numerous transfer students (some from Narbonne) and is so confident it’ll ‘ll be declared eligible that a trip to Hawaii and a nonleague game against powerful Mater Dei have been scheduled.

Every week, coaches have to decide how to deal with players and parents who have little patience and many options. It’s a balancing act, and for the elite of the elite, coaches can’t even count on juniors returning as seniors because of opportunities to skip ahead to college.

“I understand why they are doing it. They have my full support,” said Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse, who’s losing star defensive lineman Richard Wesley to Oregon a year early after he reclassified to the class of 2026.

Ellinghouse is embracing the idea his job is to “put them into positions to have life-changing opportunities.”

There are many different paths to success and failure. Remember how LaVar Ball didn’t care that his youngest son, LaMelo, was 13 years old playing summer basketball as a freshman for Chino Hills. He threw him in against older players and the rest is history. He averaged 25.2 points this season for the Charlotte Hornets as a 23-year-old in his fifth NBA season.

There are others who were 19-year-old seniors in high school, stopped developing, kept switching schools and will probably blame their coaches for not making the pros when the truth is it’s difficult to become a professional athlete.

It is the best of times with all kinds of money to be given out for being a good athlete. It is the worst of times because many of the treasured lessons from playing amateur sports no longer receive priority treatment. What happened to the importance of getting a college degree?

It will take someone with magical ideas to return a balance to the amateur sports world.



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US beats Sweden 6-2 to set the final against Switzerland at ice hockey worlds | National

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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 […]

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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.



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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 […]

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May 25, 2025

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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.



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