Kayla Shull

Clarion senior swimmer Kayla Shull, a Franklin native and graduate of Rocky Grove, was named as a Capital One First Team Academic All-District 2 selection.

Shull, a senior Speech Pathology and Audiology major, carries a perfect 4.0 GPA. She was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American this past season, placing fifth in the 100 backstroke in a school-record time of 55.40 seconds and also taking 16th in the 200 freestyle.

Shull, who earned Division II All-America status 15 times in her career, won a fourth consecutive PSAC title in the 100 backstroke this past season.

West Chester beat out Indiana (Pa.) to win the Dixon Trophy for the 2012-13 season. The award, given in each of the past 18 years to the PSAC’s top athletics program, is the first for West Chester.

The Dixon Trophy is awarded to the PSAC school that accumulates the top score based on results of conference playoffs and/or regular-season records.

Edinboro placed fifth overall, while Gannon was eighth and Mercyhurst finished 11th out of 16 teams. The Gannon women led all PSAC women’s sports programs with an average score of 11.75. The Knights claimed a PSAC crown in women’s volleyball.

Edinboro won conference titles in wrestling and men’s cross country, while Mercyhurst had a PSAC title in men’s soccer.

Check out the Dixon Trophy totals here.

Among its 22 sports, West Chester had an average score of 10.77 while IUP compiled a 10.74 for its 19 sports program. Shippensburg, with a 10.05 average, took third, while Slippery Rock (9.94) and Edinboro (9.85) were also in the top five.

West Chester won four conference championships (men’s and women’s swimming, field hockey and women’s lacrosse), while runner-up IUP won league titles in football, men’s golf and men’s basketball.

Shippensburg won more PSAC titles than any other school with crowns in men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and women’s cross country.

Shippensburg has the most Dixon titles with seven since the trophy was first awarded in 1996. Bloomsburg and Lock Haven have won three apiece.

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 baseball team will attempt to stay in contention in the PSAC baseball tournament when it faces Millersville today in Johnstown. Visit the On Campus blog for updates:

Update 1: Millersville 3, Gannon 0, 2nd inning: Millersville strikes for three runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Update 2: Millersville 5, Gannon 0, 3rd inning: Gannon will need to rally to stay alive. Millersville scores twice in the bottom of the third to take a five-run lead.

Update 3: Millersville 5, Gannon 0, 6th inning: Gannon has no hits through five innings.

Update 4: Millersville 5, Gannon 1, 8th inning: Gannon’s Shayne Herold breaks up no-hitter with double in eighth and later scores first run.

Update 5: Millersville 5, Gannon 1, 9th inning: Gannon has hope after loading the bases with one out on a single and two hit batsmen.

Update 6: Millersville 5, Gannon 3, 9th inning: Nico Baldelli hits a ground-rule two-run double with two outs to keep Gannon alive.

Update 7: Millersville 5, Gannon 5, 9th inning: Aaron Cox hits a 2-out, 2-run single to tie it. What a comeback. Gannon had no hits and no runs with two outs in the eighth inning.

Update 8: Millersville 5, Gannon 5, 9th inning: Millersville coming up in bottom of ninth. McDowell grad Matt Wilwohl pitching for Gannon.

Update 9: Millersville 5, Gannon 5, 9th inning: Millersville has runner on 3rd with one out in 9th.

Update 10: Millersville 6, Gannon 5, final. Zach Stone’s two-out single to right field brings in the winning run, giving Millersville the win. The loss spoils Gannon’s dramatic comeback and ends the Golden Knights’ season.

JOHNSTOWN — Brandon Shimo pitched a four-hitter as the Kutztown University baseball team beat Mercyhurst University 6-1 Wednesday in the opening game of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament at Point Stadium.

Mercyhurst (30-19) fell into the losers’ bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

The Lakers scored their only run in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Anthony Tomasone.

Mercyhurst ace Ben Rawding pitched a complete game but took the loss after allowing six earned runs on 12 hits.

The Lakers will play an elimination game Thursday at 11 a.m. against California.

Gannon (23-17) lost 8-5 to East Stroudsburg (29-11) in a game that was delayed more than 4 hours because of lightning.

Knights ace Shayne Herold (9-1) suffered his first loss as East Stroudsburg’s Chris Knott broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh with a two-out, three-run home run off Herold.

Michael Tomko led the Knights, falling a triple short of the cycle and driving in three runs.

Gannon will face the loser of Thursday morning’s game between Slippery Rock and Millersville at 2 p.m.

Check out a tournament preview from today’s Erie Times-News. To follow the tournament, check out the PSAC website.

Aaron Cox

Shayne Herold

Gannon University’s baseball team had one of its best regular seasons ever, and the Golden Knights were rewarded for their efforts today when the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its all-star teams.

Senior pitcher Shayne Herold was named PSAC Western Division pitcher of the year, and pitcher/infielder Aaron Cox was named freshman of the year for Gannon, which tied for the PSAC West title.

Herold also made the PSAC West first team, along with freshman third baseman Jared Wiesen. Second-team honors went to Gannon pitcher Cox, first baseman Jeff Bellanca and outfielder Mike Tomko.

Mercyhurst University, which shared the PSAC West title with Gannon and California, had five honorees. Starting pitcher Ben Rawding made the first team, along with relief pitcher Tanner Delahoy. Second baseman Brendan Cox, shortstop Zak Blair and outfielder Ryan Siegel made the second team.

The PSAC Tournament opens Wednesday in Johnstown.

Edinboro’s Gary Kagiavas has been a driving force in the success of the Fighting Scots’ women’s soccer team. The longtime coach, who took the helm when the program began in 1996, has led Edinboro to three straight appearances in the PSAC playoffs and consecutive NCAA Division II tournament berths.

Gary Kagiavas

Kagiavas earned a distinct honor Saturday night as he was named the Scots’ coach of the year at Edinboro’s Hall of Fame ceremony.In today’s Erie Times-News On Campus notebook, read more about Kagiavas and the Edinboro athletes of the year – basketball standout Kiara Brown and football player Branden Williams.

Also in today’s notes, read about former District 10 baseball players excelling for Westminster College. Senior Nick Grow (North East) set the Titans’ career saves mark last week, while senior starter Andy Wallen (Iroquois) and outfielder Kyle Allen (West Middlesex) are producing solid numbers.

In addition, check out notes on Lehigh University sophomore golfer Kelly Moylan (North East), Thiel sophomore tennis player Collin McAndrew (General McLane) and Buffalo swimmer Rachael Ragen (Iroquois). All three performed well recently in conference championships in their respective sports.

Read about all of that and more in the Times-News On Campus notebook.

Greg Walcavich

There’s been plenty of news out of Edinboro and Gannon the past few days.

On Thursday, the biggest headline was the retirement of Greg Walcavich, Edinboro’s 24-year men’s basketball coach. He was a consistent winner for the Fighting Scots.

Earlier in the week, Gannon announced it would build an indoor field house and renovate its rec center.

Finally, the Gannon and Edinboro women’s basketball teams are preparing to play in the PSAC Final Four tonight at Bloomsburg.

Check the links to read more about each.

Dan Matha

Dan Matha, a former standout lineman at McDowell, was scheduled to participate in a pro day workout at Duquesne University today.

Matha, a 6-foot 7-inch 315-pound offensive tackle, closed his college career with Indiana (Pa.) after orginally attending Pitt.

Among the teams reported to be sending officials to the Duquesne pro day were the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers.

On Friday the On Campus blog posted video of a spectacular dunk by Mercyhurst University’s Jonathan Ouegnin against Gannon Wednesday. The dunk was tremendous, and it received national attention on ESPN’s Top 10. However, Gannon also has a top-flight dunker in Darrell Blanton. Last week against Edinboro, Blanton rocked the Hammermill Center with a rim-rattling jam. (Check out Ouegnin’s video in the post below this.) Take a look:

Gannon University Senior Darrell Blanton’s Thunder Dunk Against Edinboro (February 13, 2013) from Gannon University Athletics on Vimeo.