WARRIOR SPIRIT

RIBBON CUTTING EVENT PUTS FINAL TOUCH ON WARRIORS FOOTBALL LOCKER ROOM PROJECT

ESU Foundation hosts donors, supporters of program as new space unveiled

Photo by Susie Forrester

The state-of-the-art locker room is set for the ribbon cutting and tours on April 23, 2022.

Bill Lewis ’63, third from right, cuts the ribbon officially opening the new Warriors football locker room on April 23, 2022. With him during the event are, from left, Mike Terwilliger ’78, ESU Interim President Kenneth Long, ESU Foundation executive director Rich Santoro, Pat Flaherty ’78, and Warriors football head coach Jimmy Terwilliger ’07. The long awaited unveiling of the Coach Jack Gregory ’52 Football Locker Room took place on April 23, 2022, when the ESU Foundation welcomed back donors for the official ribbon cutting, tours and a reception. Nearly 200 donors, friends and supporters of the program attended in celebration of the campaign and new facility. The reveal of the new locker room took place before the Warriors Football spring game at Gregory-Douds Field at Eiler-Martin Stadium later that day. The You WIN In the Locker Room First campaign, a $750,000 fundraising initiative, was launched by the ESU Foundation and the Department of Athletics on Oct. 8, 2020. The campaign kicked off with a virtual event that invited more than 100 alumni and friends of the program to learn more about the project. A 17-member fundraising committee was tasked with reaching out to alumni and friends, led by co-chairs Pat Flaherty ’78 and Mike Terwilliger ’78. The campaign surpassed its goal and raised nearly $900,000 in six months. “To hit our goal at the six-month mark is pretty much unheard of. The football program is a close-knit group of alumni and having more than 200 former players donate from every generation, the 1960’s through recent graduates in 2020, helped make this new locker room a reality,” said Rich Santoro, executive director of the ESU Foundation. Located in what was the visitor’s locker room, the upgraded facility includes 30-inch wide, open cherry-wood lockers with LED lighting, a cell phone charging station, an equipment drying system on top of each locker, and a speaker system. The entire facility is named the Coach Jack Gregory ’52 Football Locker Room in honor of ESU’s former head coach. The space also includes eight named areas, including the academic center where players can work on assignments, and coaches’ space. All 102 lockers were sponsored by alumni and friends of the program and contain a plaque bearing the name of a campaign donor.

FOR A VIDEO EXPERIENCE OF THE RIBBON CUTTING, GO TO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoquWb_FQuA To see photos from Warriors locker room ribbon cutting, go to: https://www.flickr.com/photos/esualumni/ sets/72177720298438036

ESU lacrosse was the PSAC champion and NCAA DII runner-up, finishing with a 20-2 record. Head coach Xeni Barakos-Yoder ’11, center, has led ESU to three regional championships in four seasons.

ESU baseball won the NCAA subregional at Millersville, part of a record-setting 41-win season. The Warriors celebrate the winning goal in overtime of their NCAA semifinal win vs. Queens (N.C.).

Brock Kauffman Brent Francisco NCAA qualifier Eric Garner Wrestling All-America athletes Avia Bibeau and Mia Macaluso PSAC East Athlete of the Year Carlos Pepin

ATHLETIC UPDATES

MAGICAL SEASON ENDS WITH BEST-EVER NATIONAL RUNNER-UP FINISH FOR WARRIOR LACROSSE

A storied season that saw the ESU lacrosse team shatter records and play on the biggest stage for the first time in its 58-year history, ended with a heartbreaking 11-9 loss to the University of Indianapolis in the NCAA Division II national championship game on May 22 in Saint Charles, Missouri. The Warriors held a 7-6 lead in the third quarter, but the Greyhounds closed the game with a 5-2 run as the Warriors ended just short of their ultimate goal. ESU boasted a program-best 20-2 record under head coach Xeni Barakos-Yoder ’11, claiming three victories in four opportunities against rival West Chester. The Warriors won 15-12 at WCU for its second PSAC championship and first since 2017, then won 13-3 vs. Mercyhurst and 13-12 (OT) vs. WCU to win its third Atlantic Region championship in four seasons. In the national semifinals, the Warriors avenged their 17-14 loss to Queens (N.C.) in the 2021 tournament with a 13-12 overtime victory. A dramatic save by goalkeeper McKenzie Gaghan sparked a transition from Kayleigh Pokrivka to Maddie Heck, Kiki Fitzpatrick and ultimately freshman Sophia Graffeo, who buried the most important goal in school history to send ESU to the national championship game. Offensively, ESU was led by the threeheaded monster of sophomore Emily Mitarotonda, former walk-on turned All-American Gianna LeDuc and redshirt senior Fitzpatrick. The trio of Warriors accumulated 198 goals, 124

All-America shot putter Elizabeth Makar

assists and 322 points (66.3% of the team’s total). They top the ESU record books in points, becoming the first three Warriors to reach 100 points in a single season and ranking fifth, ninth and 12th nationally in points. Mitarotonda (89 goals, 22 assists) broke the ESU record of 72 goals set by Kristin Restivo in 2000. LeDuc had 55 goals and 53 assists, and Fitzpatrick notched 54 goals and 49 assists. Defensively, ESU was just as strong. With All-Atlantic Region honorees Kayleigh Pokrivka, Maggie Sell and Kristen Andreychak patrolling the defensive zone, ESU put together the sixth-best scoring defense in NCAA Division II, allowing an average of just 6.86 goals per game. Pokrivka, a graduate student and full-time nurse at Lehigh Valley Hospital, ranked third in the country in caused turnovers per game and eighth in ground balls per game. In the cage, Gaghan held her own, ranking fourth in the country in goals against average (7.62) and eighth in save percentage (.492). She had a career-high 13 saves against UIndy in the national championship game. Five Warriors earned All-America honors – LeDuc, Mitarotonda and Pokrivka on the first team, and Fitzpatrick and Sell on the third team.

Barakos-Yoder has a 95-25 record through seven seasons, guiding ESU to two PSAC championships, three regional titles, five consecutive NCAA Tournaments and three NCAA semifinal appearances. ESU had never reached an NCAA Tournament before she took the helm of the Warriors.

BASEBALL IS PSAC AND ATLANTIC REGION RUNNER-UP, REWRITES RECORD BOOK

The Warriors had a record-setting spring, finishing as the Atlantic Region runnerup and posting a 41-20 record to break the school wins mark set in 2016. Head coach John Kochmansky, in his 15th season, notched his 400th career victory in April and has led ESU to four NCAA Tournament appearances. The historic postseason run began inauspiciously when the Warriors secured a spot in the PSAC Tournament on the final day of the regular season – and then advanced to the title game, helping them earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed in a seven-team Atlantic Regional. They won the subregional at Millersville and the first game of the regional championship at West Chester before falling in the best-of-three series. As a team, ESU set single-season program records for home runs, stolen bases and strikeouts. The Warriors had five All-PSAC East selections with senior pitcher Chase Nowak, sophomore pitcher Brent Francisco, senior third baseman Brock Kauffman and sophomore outfielder Ben Piripavel named to the first team, and senior designated hitter CJ Peechatka to the second team. Nowak (9-0, 2.53 ERA, 91 strikeouts in 16 starts) and Francisco (6-3, 3.63 ERA, school-record 116 strikeouts in 16 starts) were both named to all three All-Region teams from D2CCA, NCBWA and ABCA. Jack Rothenhausler was named the PSAC East Freshman of the Year and set ESU freshman records for hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, runs scored, extra base hits and total bases. Kauffman concluded one of the top careers in program history, setting school records with 228 hits, 168 RBI, 57 doubles, 84 extra-base hits and 358 total bases. Redshirt senior Brainy Rojas set records with 134 walks and 338 times reached base, and was second with 162 runs scored and 79 stolen bases.

BIBEAU, MACALUSO CONCLUDE NCWWC ALLAMERICAN SEASONS

In just its second season, the ESU women’s wrestling team added its second and third National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship All-Americans in Bushkill native Avia Bibeau and Mia Macaluso. Macaluso finished fourth at 130 pounds at the national championships and Bibeau was fifth at 143 pounds to conclude their first seasons of collegiate competition. Macaluso, a USA Junior national champion, posted a 12-3 overall record. Bibeau, an East Stroudsburg North graduate and Northeast Regional champion, was 11-4 overall. Four other Warriors were national qualifiers in Natalie Dunn (116 pounds), Emily Klein (123), Bri Simisc (173) and Shola Cascen (191). ESU was 13th of 32 schools at the NCWWC meet, finishing fourth among Northeast Region teams and second among Pennsylvania schools. Bibeau and Macaluso join Tatyana Ortiz (2019) as ESU NCWWC All-Americans. The Warriors were 9-2 in dual meets and fourth of 12 at the NCWWC Northeast Regional. Klein and Bibeau earned regional championships.

SOFTBALL SETS SCHOOL WINS RECORD

After tying the school record with 29 victories in 2021, the Warriors posted a 3411 overall record in 2022, shattering marks for both wins and winning streak (17). Pitching was a major strength, led by freshman and Allentown native Katie Zaun, who set the school record with 166 strikeouts. She was fourth in DII in strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.76) and 14th in strikeouts per seven innings (9.6). She was named to the All-PSAC East and D2CCA All-Atlantic Region second team. Kate Donaghue was tabbed All-PSAC East first team at the designated player spot, batting .343 with four doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI along with a team-best .360 on-base percentage. Ashley Spencer (school-record 105 career RBI), Kaitlyn Caleen (2x All-PSAC catcher), Sofia Cecchin (#2 on ESU’s stolen base list), Rachel Seiverd (796 career putouts) and Mickayla Grow (2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army) closed their productive careers, totaling a 63-27 record the past two seasons.

MAKAR, GARNER LEAD TRACK & FIELD PROGRAMS

Sophomore Elizabeth Makar earned All-America honors both indoors and outdoors, and graduate student Eric Garner competed in the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships for the Warriors track and field programs. Makar, from Oxford, Pa., was ninth indoors in the shot put, breaking a 15-yearold school record, and was named PSAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and Rookie of the Year during the winter season. Outdoors, she was 10th nationally in the shot put, won the PSAC championship, and also set the school record in the hammer. Garner, a graduate student from Lititz, Pa., was 14th in DII in the javelin in his lone season with the Warriors and was PSAC runner-up. A number of other Warriors also produced PSAC runner-up performances - junior Kamya Edmonds in the long jump and sophomore Olivia Sforza in the javelin for the women’s team, and sophomore Caleb Carney in the 400m hurdles, junior Grant Fox in the pole vault, freshman Cole Gorham in the discus, sophomore Isaac Almoney in the hammer, Garner in the javelin, and the 4x400m relay for the men.

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PSAC runner-up efforts indoors were turned in by Makar in the shot put and the men’s 4x400m relay. Joining Makar with school records were Nickolina Annelli in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault, and Gorham and Isabella Marte in the men’s and women’s discus.

MEN’S BASKETBALL EARNS PSAC EAST REGULAR SEASON CO-CHAMPIONSHIP

Led by PSAC East Athlete of the Year Carlos Pepin, the Warriors posted a 19-8 record, winning eight of their final 10 games and earning a share of the PSAC East regular season championship – their seventh in the last 12 seasons. Pepin is the fifth Warrior to be named the PSAC East Athlete of the Year and the first since Matt Tobin in 2015. The native of Lodi, N.J. averaged 14.9 points and 7.9 rebounds while also excelling defensively. Redshirt freshman Lakeem McAliley was named All-PSASC East second team. ESU entered the postseason with a six-game winning streak before falling to Shippensburg in the conference quarterfinals. Head coach Jeff Wilson ’86 M’92 has led ESU to 358 wins, three PSAC championships and six NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2018 Atlantic Region title, in 19 seasons.

ACROBATICS & TUMBLING CONCLUDES INAUGURAL SEASON

The acrobatics and tumbling team wrapped up its inaugural season with a pair of victories over Stevenson. The Warriors also excelled in the classroom with 10 student-athletes – Chrystiana Brettle, Brielle Chmiel, Megan Compell, Alana Conaghan-Silva, Kaitlyn Crabbe, Courtney da Silva, Logan Dellacona, Gianna Mattia, Chloe Schaffer, and Alyssa Takacs – being named to the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) Academic Honor Roll for the 2022 season.

$1 MILLION SECURED FOR ESU SHESKA STADIUM COMPLEX

East Stroudsburg University’s already successful soccer programs secured a $1 million state grant to upgrade the Warriors’ soccer facility, it was announced in late April. The funding was supported by state Rep. Maureen Madden, D-Monroe, who supported the request for the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant awarded to the East Stroudsburg University Foundation. The new soccer complex, Sheska Soccer Stadium, will be built in the heart of campus adjacent to Eiler-Martin Stadium and will include a new NCAA regulation turf soccer field, perimeter fencing, spectator seating, field lighting, a press box, scoreboard and sound system. The new turf and lighting will allow for increased field utilization, and the facility itself will allow for greater community and collaborative engagement opportunities. “Within ESU’s long and proud athletic history, there is a renowned legacy of accomplishments in both men’s and women’s soccer,” interim ESU President Kenneth Long said. “The immense support provided by this $1 million RACP grant will enable us to get closer to building a stadium that is reflective of the many achievements of our student-athletes, our alumni and our coaches while also providing immense opportunities for community engagement and collaboration. We celebrate this funding award knowing that we still have much work to do to make a soccer stadium at ESU a reality.” The funding from RACP translates to opportunity for ESU’s student-athletes, said interim Athletic Director Dr. Nancy Jo Greenawalt. “Our hope is that the foundational funding ignites an enthusiasm among soccer fans throughout our community to envision the potential that a new soccer stadium could bring to our campus and the Pocono region,” Greenawalt said. “I see potential beyond the brick and mortar. Continued support of this campaign will enable us to attract student-athletes who long to become part of our historic soccer programs, which own the most men’s (20) and women’s (6) soccer championships in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.” The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, from which the grants were awarded, is a commonwealth grant program overseen by the Office of the Budget to assist with regional cultural, economic, civic and historical projects that improve a community’s economic growth by creating jobs and opportunities.

DR. ALLEN G. SNOOK NAMED DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Allen G. Snook, D.H.Sc., director of athletics, wellness and recreation at Cedar Crest College, was introduced as ESU director of athletics on June 14, 2022. He brings nearly two decades of experience with him to ESU as an athletics administrator, athletic trainer, and adjunct professor in numerous athletic areas. Snook has been director of athletics, wellness and recreation at Cedar Crest College since 2015, following 12 years at Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C. where he began as the director of sports medicine before taking on positions as associate/assistant director of athletics and senior associate director of athletics.

ALUMNI IRONPIGS PERSONNEL CONNECT WITH ESU AT PHILLIES CHARITY EVENT

Members of ESU’s administration and faculty made their way to Coca-Cola Park in Allentown in February for the Philadelphia Phillies Winter Caravan charity event sponsored by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. They had the opportunity to visit with ESU alumni who are also Pigs personnel. From left: ESU Interim President Kenneth Long; Dr. Gerard Rozea, associate professor and chair, athletic training; Dr. Shala Davis, professor and chair, exercise science; Jason Kiesel ’08, vice president of stadium operations; Ray Bleam ’00, manager of corporate partnerships; Ferrous, the Philly Fanatic, Ryan Hines ’10, director of group sales; and Pete Schiffert ’08, manager of sponsorship services. 32 the alumni herald