Gannon’s new women’s basketball coach Jim Brunelli, left, poses with Gannon president Keith Taylor, right.

Gannon announced the hiring of Jim Brunelli as the next women’s basketball coach Monday morning during a news conference at the university.

The hiring of Brunelli, Cleve Wright’s replacement, was reported in Monday’s Times-News. Wright left for Division I Miami (Ohio) in April after a successful run with the Golden Knights.

For the past five seasons, Brunelli, 40, was the head coach at Anderson (S.C.) University, where he led the Trojans to three conference tournament titles and three trips to the NCAA Division II tournament.

Brunelli was named South Atlantic Conference coach of the year this past season as the Trojans went 23-9 overall.

Here’s what Brunelli had to say about getting the Gannon job:

“I am very excited about the opportunity to be the next women’s basketball coach at Gannon University. It’s a wonderful opportunity for my family and me to be part of a great institution and athletics program in a great community.”

Here’s a look at Brunelli’s coaching history:

 • 2008-13: Anderson (S.C.) head coach

• 2006-08: Akron assistant coach and recruiting coordinator

• 2001-02: University at Albany interim head coach

• 2004-06: University at Albany top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator

• 2000-04: University at Albany assistant coach

•1998-2000: Clarion graduate assistant coach

View a video of Brunelli’s introductory news conference here.

Miami (Ohio) women’s basketball coach Cleve Wright, the former coach at Gannon, will have a staff with two familiar faces.

Wright recently announced the hiring of Rachel Folcik as an assistant coach and Ashley Saia as the director of basketball operations. Folcik and Saia were assistant coaches under Wright last season at Gannon. Folcik spent the past two seasons under Wright, while Saia was with the Knights for one season.

Wright also is keeping Colleen Day on as an assistant coach. Day has been on the RedHawks’ coaching staff for eight seasons.

Wright said the following about Folcik and Saia:

“I am so happy that Rachel and Ashley wanted this challenge. Their character, loyalty and work ethic are exactly what are needed to help us build the unique culture of Miami Women’s Basketball.”

Wright was hired by the Division I RedHawks in April after spending the past 11 seasons at Gannon, where he compiled a 233-100 record and led the Knights to NCAA Division II  tournament appearances in five of the past seven seasons.

Mercyhurst honored a pair of deserving senior athletes — volleyball standout Elyse Texido and basketball star Luis Leao – by recently naming them the Lakers’ Senior 
Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year, respectively.

Read more about the Lakers’ latest honorees in this week’s On Campus notebook.

Also, the PSAC revealed its final Dixon Trophy standings for the 2012-13 season.

Edinboro took fifth overall and Gannon led all women’s 
teams in the chase for the Dixon Trophy, awarded to the conference’s top athletic program.

West Chester took first place overall in the standings, while the Knights earned a best-ever eighth-place finish and Mercyhurst came in 11th out of 16 teams.

Get a look at the final Dixon Trophy standings in this week’s On Campus notebook.

Mercyhurst women’s volleyball standout Elyse Texido and Luis Leao of the men’s basketball team were named the Lakers’ Senior Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year, respectively, at the university’s annual Senior Sports Banquet this past weekend.

Elyse Texido

Luis Leao

Texido, a defensive specialist/libero, racked up a school-record 666 digs and was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year and All-PSAC first team selection. She helped Mercyhurst go to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. Texido finished third in program history in digs (1,627) and aces (126).

Leao, a 6-foot 5-inch forward, was the first Lakers’ player ever to be named to the NABC All-American Team. He averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this past season. Leao also was named PSAC West Athlete of the Year to go along with numerous other accolades.

Leao  finished ninth in program history in scoring (1,221 points).

The Gannon women’s basketball program reached its goal of $17,000 raised at the sixth annual Pink Zone event.

It  was announced this week that the program had reached its goal for the Feb. 16 Pink Zone doubleheader against Clarion at Hammermill Center. With nearly 2,000 fans in attendance, the event honored breast cancer survivors while raising funds for breast cancer research.

The funds raised will stay in the area as $8,500 was donated to the Erie chapter of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer/American Cancer Society and $8,500 was given to Linked by Pink.

The Gannon women’s basketball program has raised $85,000 during its six Pink Zone events.

Iroquois graduate Becky Zill finished her college softball career in memorable fashion.

Becky Zill

Niagara University catcher hit a walk-off home run in her team’s regular-season finale. She finished her four-year career with 26 homers for the Purple Eagles, who finished the season going 1-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.

Read about Zill’s accomplishments in this week’s On Campus notebook.

Also this week, find out about Edinboro senior guard Kiara Brown claiming another honor to add to her standout basketball career for the Fighting Scots.

The two-time All-American will have her No. 12 jersey placed on display at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn. The jersey will hang in the Hall’s Ring of Honor display alongside jerseys of high school and college All-Americans from around the nation.

Also, Cathedral Prep graduate Tommy Steele and Iroquois grad Rachael Ragen earned the Most Improved Award for their respective University at Buffalo men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams.

Read more in the On Campus notebook.

Kiara Brown’s No. 12 jersey will hang in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame “Ring of Honor.”

Here’s a bit of info for area women’s basketball fans: Former Gannon coach Cleve Wright has signed his first recruit with the Miami (Ohio) program.

Rachel Goddard of Wadsworth, Ohio signed with the RedHawks Thursday. The 5-foot 6-inch point guard averaged 13.0 points and 3.1 assists per game as a senior.

Wright left Gannon after 11 seasons to become Miami’s head coach on April 19.

Jonathan Ouegnin

Mercyhurst University basketball player Jonathan Ouegnin will not win a national college dunk contest being conducted online by hoopsmanifesto.com.

The 6-foot 4-inch junior guard lost to Syracuse’s C.J. Fair in the contest’s semifinals by a voting total of 54 percent to 46 percent. The results of the semifinal round were announced today.

Ouegnin made his spectacular dunk (check out the video below) Feb. 20 during the Lakers’ victory over Gannon.

His dunk was one of 16 entered in the contest’s opening round. He won his first-round matchup against Detroit’s Doug Anderson 58 percent to 42 percent. Ouegnin then won his quarterfinal matchup by a single vote over East Carolina’s Maurice Kemp.

In the other semifinal, Eastern Kentucky’s Marcus Lewis beat Jacksonville’s Daniel Skinner 57 percent to 43 percent.

Again, here’s video of Ouegnin’s dunk:

Jonathan Ouegnin

Mercyhurst University basketball player Jonathan Ouegnin has made the Final Four.

Actually, the 6-foot 4-inch junior guard has made the semifinals of a national college dunk of the year contest being conducted online by the website hoopsmanifesto.com.

Ouegnin made a spectacular dunk (check out the video below) Feb. 20 during the Lakers’ win over rival Gannon. ESPN’s Sportscenter show featured the dunk in its Top 10.

His dunk was one of 16 involved in the opening round of the contest. Ouegnin won his first-round matchup against Detroit’s Doug Anderson 58 percent to 42 percent. Ouegnin then won his quarterfinal matchup last week by a single vote over East Carolina’s Maurice Kemp.

In this week’s semifinals, Ouegnin is matched against Syracuse’s C.J. Fair.  Fans can vote before Sunday’s midnight deadline but are limited to one vote. (Vote at the bottom of the page.)

In the other semifinal, Jacksonville’s Daniel Skinner faces Eastern Kentucky’s Marcus Lewis.

This is the fourth year the site has run the contest.

Again, here’s video of Ouegnin’s memorable dunk: