2017 2018 DIVISION III ATHLETICS
WON THEIR FIRST MAC FREEDOM TITLE IN 2015 The oldest sport at Misericordia, the field hockey team has qualified for the post-season 18 times in the last two decades and has reached the MAC Freedom championship game in three of the last four seasons. The Cougars narrowly missed the post-season a year ago after winning their first MAC Freedom title and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in 2015. FIELD HOCKEY Forward Colby Eldridge was named first-team All-MAC Freedom for the third consecutive season. Head Coach Robyn Fedor Stahovic was part of three championship teams as a player and has more than 100 career wins as head coach at her alma mater. Misericordia practices and plays its home games on a pair of state-of-the-art artificial grass fields on campus.
2017 IS ROB WINGERT S FIRST SEASON AS HEAD COACH The Cougars begin a new era in 2017 with Rob Wingert serving as the first full-time head coach in the program s history. Nicole Tagerty earned All-MAC Freedom status and ended her career as MU s all-time leader in assists a year ago. The Cougars return 11 letter-winners for the 2017 season. The Cougars play their home matches in the Anderson Sports-Health Center and has qualified for the MAC Freedom championships four times in the last five years. Misericordia will begin varsity competition in men s volleyball in January 2018. MEN S AND WOMEN S VOLLEYBALL
TEAM REACHED MAC FREEDOM FINALS IN 2017 The Cougars continued their winning tradition with their 21st post-season appearance in the last 24 years by reaching the MAC Freedom championship game in 2016. Misericordia has reached the conference championship match 15 times in that span. Andy Loughnane was named MAC Freedom Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm. He welcomes 19 returning lettermen in 2017, including All-MAC Freedom performers Niko Amity, Devin Marriott and Levi Roberts. MEN S SOCCER
TOP 10 IN THE NATION FOR THE LAST 4 SEASONS The Cougars won the 2016 MAC Freedom championship and earned their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. Head coach Mark Stauffer was named MAC Freedom Coach of the Year and owns a career record of 240 97 19. Jacqueline Stevens was the MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Year and a third-team All-American while Kristen Ritter was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The Cougars return nine starters from last season s 15 3 squad, including eight All-MAC Freedom players. Misericordia has qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships 10 times in the last 15 years. WOMEN S SOCCER
MEN S AND WOMEN S CROSS COUNTRY The Misericordia University cross country teams enjoyed another solid season in 2016. Coming off back-to-back MAC championships, the women s team finished third a year ago while the men s team again equaled its best finish ever in fourth place. Sean Luzzi and Alex Fitch are both returning first-team All-MAC performers while the women s team had four runners earn second-team All-MAC status a year ago. Misericordia will host two home meets in 2017. HEAD COACH CHRIS WADAS IS A MEMBER OF THE MISERICORDIA ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME. Head coach Chris Wadas was a three-time conference champion for the Cougars.
MEN S AND WOMEN S TENNIS In their second season under head coach Jack Monick, the Misericordia University women s tennis team continued its winning tradition in 2017. The women s team qualified for the MAC Freedom championships for the ninth straight year. The MU women have advanced to the MAC Freedom title match seven times in the last nine seasons. Nellie Chmil was named first-team All-MAC Freedom while Linsey Parks was second-team. For the men, Corey Dulsky earned second-team All-MAC Freedom status. The women s team has had a winning record in 12 of its 13 varsity seasons. THE WOMEN S TEAMS HAS MADE THE MAC FREEDOM PLAYOFFS 8 STRAIGHT YEARS
MEN S AND WOMEN S SWIMMING The Misericordia University men s swim team tied for fourth at the 2017 MAC Championships while the women s team finished sixth. The women s team finished third or better at the MAC s from 2008-2016, including a first-place finish in 2010. The men s team enjoyed four straight runnerup finishes from 2012-2015. The Cougars swim their home meets in the recently refurbished Anderson Center natatorium. THE COUGARS SET 6 SCHOOL AND POOL RECORDS IN 2016-17 Misericordia has produced two All-Americans, including Eric Sweeney, the 1999 NCAA Champion in the 200 Butterfly.
COUGARS HAVE WON 3 LEAGUE TITLES IN THE LAST 6 YEARS In his second season as head coach at his alma mater, Will Chandler led the Misericordia men s basketball team to a MAC Freedom championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Chandler spent six years as an assistant at MU and helped the team to a pair of MAC Freedom titles. Jason Kenny was named first-team All-MAC Freedom for the second straight year and teammate Tony Harding was named MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year. Griffin Sponaugle ended his career as a member of the 1,000-point club. Chandler was an All-American at Misericordia and is the second leading scorer in NCAA Division III history. MEN S BASKETBALL
JASON RHINE EARNED 3 COACH OF THE YEAR AWARDS IN 2016-17 Under first-year head coach Jason Rhine, the Misericordia University women s basketball qualified for the MAC Freedom and ECAC championships, making their 18th post-season appearance in the last 24 years. Justine Seely ended her career as the MAC Freedom Player of the Year while sophomore Rachel Carmody was named second-team All-MAC Freedom. Sophomore Japriya Carroll earned honorable mention. Rhine was named MAC Freedom, ECAC and Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year after guiding the Cougars to a 19 9 record. WOMEN S BASKETBALL
5 STRAIGHT TOP-5 UCA FINISHES The cheerleading program at Misericordia is recognized as a varsity activity. The squad performs at home basketball games and pep rallies and competes on a regional and national level. MU grad Tara Sinclair serves as head coach at her alma mater. The team regularly competes at the UCA Nationals in Orlando, FL. The Cougars finished fifth at the 2016 2017 UCA Nationals, their sixth consecutive top-five finish at the event. CHEERLEADING
WON 7 STRAIGHT MAC FREEDOM TITLES The MU baseball team won its seventh consecutive MAC Freedom championship in 2017 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the seventh straight year. Senior Tim Burek was the MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Year while teammates Jake Kurtz, Kenny Jarema, Steve Weisensee and Tyler Holzapfel were named second-team All-MAC Freedom. Holzapfel was the MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year. BASEBALL The team participates in a non-traditional season during the fall and traditionally opens the spring campaign with trips to Virginia and Florida. MU plays its home games at Tambur Field, a beautiful on-campus facility that was christened during the 2013 season. Head coach Pete Egbert has 380 career wins.
QUALIFIED FOR POST-SEASON 19 TIMES IN 21 YEARS In her second season at the helm, head coach Lindsay Freitag led the Misericordia University softball team to the post-season for the second consecutive season in 2017. The Cougars have reached the post-season 20 times in the last 22 years, including winning the 2012 MAC Freedom title. Eight Misericordia players were named to the All-MAC Freedom team, including Rookie SOFTBALL of the Year and NFCA All-Region performer Taylor Kenerson. Returnees Brooke Moyle, Alexis D Amico, Lori Brennan, Abby Marzzacco and Caitlin Kennedy were all second-team. The Cougars play a demanding schedule, including a season-opening trip to Florida, and play their home games on campus at Anderson Field.
MEN S AND WOMEN S GOLF The Misericordia University men s golf team had two players earn first-team All-MAC Freedom status, including two-time runner-up Tyler McGarry. Senior Jamie Egan ended his career with a fourth-place finish. Zach Mulhern was 15th to help MU to a fourth-place finish in the team standings. First-year Alexis Wyandt led the Misericordia women s golf team with an 11th place finish at the MAC Championships. The Cougars play their home matches at nearby Irem Temple Country Club. Darcy Brodmerkel and Paul Roman return for their third seasons as head coaches of the women s and men s teams, respectively. THE MISERICORDIA GOLF TEAMS PRACTICE AND PLAY AT NEAR BY IREM TEMPLE COUNTRY CLUB GOLF
MEN S AND WOMEN S TRACK AND FIELD The Misericordia University track & field teams continued to enjoy success on the national level in 2017. Juwan Petties-Jackson claimed the NCAA Indoor title at 200m and was an All-American at 100m and 200m during the outdoor season. Reilly Wagner was the NCAA Indoor runner-up in the heptathlon and qualified for the NCAA s in three events during the outdoor season. Oniesha Clarke finished third at 60m at the NCAA Indoor championships and was the national runner-up at 100m during the outdoor season. She also earned All- America honors in the long jump. Wagner, Clarke, Katie Fairchild, Kelty Fairchild and Kelsey O Donnell were all named to the All Mideast Region team. Petties-Jackson was joined on the all-region team by Alex Fitch and Tobi Olugbenga. The women s team finished second at the MAC Outdoor Championships and won the ECAC title while the men were fifth in the MAC and sixth at ECAC s. During the indoor season, the women were second in the MAC and the men were fifth. The Cougars compete on campus at the Anderson Outdoor Athletic Complex, a six-lane synthetic track with an eight-lane straightaway that also features areas for all major events, including steeplechase, pole vault and hammer throw. WOMEN S TEAM EARNED 7 ALL-AMERICA HONORS IN 2017
WON MAC FREEDOM TITLE IN 2017 The Misericordia University men s lacrosse team won its first MAC Freedom title and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth in 2017. The Cougars set a school record for wins at 13-4 and head coach Jim Ricardo went over the 100-win mark for his career. MU reached the MAC Freedom championship game for the fourth time in five seasons. Seven MU players were named to the All-MAC Freedom team, including first-teamers Pat Kellish, Brandon Winslow and John Tierney. Ricardo was named MAC Freedom Coach of the Year. MU traditionally opens the season with a trip to Florida and plays their home games on the lighted, synthetic surface at Mangelsdorf Field. MEN S LACROSSE
PLAYED IN 3 STRAIGHT MAC FREEDOM TITLE GAMES The Misericordia University women s lacrosse team reached the post-season for the fourth straight year in 2017 and advanced to the MAC Freedom championship game for the third straight year. The Cougars also qualified for the ECAC championships for the third consecutive year and advanced to the title game. Senior goalkeeper Katie McLoughlin was named MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Year and was joined on the first team by Brianna Ladner, Kaila Quinlivan, Olivia Garcia and Liz Mulvey. Quinlivan was also named MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year. Ladner was named to the IWLCA all-region team for the second straight season. The Cougars play their home games on the lighted, synthetic grass surface at Mangelsdorf Field. WOMEN S LACROSSE
52 PLAYERS NAMED TO MAC ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL The Misericordia University football team enters its sixth varsity season with its biggest roster ever in 2017. With more than 50 lettermen returning and another impressive recruiting class, the Cougars are poised to take another step on their journey toward becoming a force in the Middle Atlantic Conference. In their fifth season of existence, the Cougars FOOTBALL picked up a win for the fourth straight season in 2016, a 40 36 win over FDU-Florham in the season finale. Sam Johnson, Alec Rhoads and Pat Newins were all named to the All-MAC team. The Cougars compete in the 10-team MAC and play their home games on a lighted, synthetic grass surface at Mangelsdorf Field.
MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY IS DIVISION III Misericordia University is a member of the NCAA Division III. The largest of the NCAA s three divisions, Division III promotes a wellrounded approach to intercollegiate athletics participation. While Division III is best known by some for what it doesn t offer athletics scholarships it has plenty to offer. Knowing that Division III student-athletes play for the love of the game, the D-III experience is structured to help participants develop fully as students, athletes and citizens. Athletics participation at many of the 450 institutions that comprise Division III allows for student-athletes to succeed in the classroom and athletics. That certainly is the case at Misericordia as student-athletes are often active in student government, residence life and other extracurricular activities. In addition, Division III playing seasons and class schedules are designed to minimize conflicts between athletics and academics and promote academic success. This is evidenced by MU s 395 MAC All-Academic honorees and overall 3.26 GPA among student-athletes and in 2016 17. While Division III athletics programs promote a wide range of participation, they don t sacrifice when it comes to competition. In fact, the NCAA sponsors 39 national championships annually at the Division III level. Misericordia has enjoyed its share of success since joining the Division III ranks in 1992. MU has captured 58 conference championships and sent 33 teams to the NCAA Championships, including the 2012 women s soccer team that advanced to the NCAA Final Four. In addition, several individual efforts have helped put Misericordia on the national map: Ashlee Ward, track & field: NCAA Division III Indoor & Outdoor champion in the high jump. Juwan Petties-Jackson, track & field: NCAA Division III Indoor champion at 200m. Eric Sweeney, swimming: NCAA Division III champion in the 200 butterfly. Willie Chandler, basketball: Second leading scorer in NCAA Division III history with 2,898 points. Heather Dougherty, swimming: School s first NCAA All-American. Amy Viti, track & field: NCAA runner-up, three-time All-American. Reilly Wagner, track & field: NCAA runner-up, two-time All-American. Sam Helmstetter, women s soccer: First-team All-American. Michelle Myers, volleyball: Led NCAA Division III with 2.86 blocks per game. Amy Bower, cross country: All-America honors despite not running competitively until college. Frank Redmond, track & field: MU s first track & field All-American at 800 meters. Kim Daniel, field hockey: Eighth all-time in NCAA Division III with 58 career assists. Mike Murphy, baseball: Division III singlegame record with eight hits.
MANGELSDORF FIELD AT THE ANDERSON OUTDOOR ATHLETICS COMPLEX Founded in 1924, Misericordia is a liberal arts based, co-educational Catholic institution located in northeastern Pennsylvania. Sponsored by the Religious Sisters of Mercy, MU is one of 18 Mercy institutions in the United States and welcomes individuals from all faiths and offers a variety of liberal arts and professional programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. MU offers 37 majors in three academic colleges: Arts and Sciences; Health Sciences; and Professional Studies and Social Sciences. The University is dedicated to the values of the Sisters of Mercy: mercy, service, justice and hospitality. These values are found throughout the University, from programs of study to service projects. The hallmark of MU is a dedicated faculty and a high quality core liberal arts and sciences curriculum. With a total enrollment of 2,879 students, including 1,898 full-time, Misericordia offers the benefits of a small university with the scope of a larger institution. Misericordia s average class size of 19 ensures personalized attention and an 11:1 student/faculty ratio allows students and faculty to truly know one another. Located in Dallas, PA, MU s 123-acre campus has a suburban atmosphere and is only nine miles from Wilkes- Barre and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia. 301 Lake Street Dallas PA 18612-1090 athletics.misericordia.edu