Westmoreland campus clippings: Seton Hill women's basketball team continues to rise in rankings

The unbeaten Seton Hill women’s basketball team (10-0) jumped seven spots to No. 7 in the D2CSC poll, while remaining No. 1 in the Atlantic Region rankings.

In addition, and perhaps more significantly, the Griffins vaulted seven spots to No. 14 in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll.

The 10-0 start is Seton Hill’s best since the program joined the NCAA in 2006.

Allegheny: Freshman Ava Kobus (Norwin) had eight points and five rebounds as the Gators cruised past Franciscan, 74-53, in Presidents’ Athletic Conference play.

In eight games, Kobus was averaging 6.0 points and 4.4 rebounds. Her 20 3-pointers ranked third on the team.

Bethany: Sophomore Kate Botti (Norwin) grabbed 15 rebounds, including 10 defensive boards, as the Bison dominated Westminster, 72-42, in the PAC.

Edinboro: Junior Maura Suman (Penn-Trafford) has started all 10 games and is second on the team in minutes played (30.3). She is averaging 7.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

Gannon: Sophomore point guard Olivia Cernuto (Southmoreland) tied a career high with 10 points and set a career high with eight rebounds in a 69-52 victory over Mansfield.

Freshman Olivia Pepple (Penn-Trafford) has played in all 12 games for the Knights.

Holy Family: Freshman Lauren Palangio (Norwin) is averaging 1.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in eight games off the bench.

Mercyhurst: Junior Bailey Kuhns (Greensburg Central Catholic) had 13 points and 11 rebounds in a loss to Robert Morris but was named a Northeast Conference Prime Performer for the third time this season.

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Autumn Matthews (Yough) registered her first double-double at the college level, with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but the Bobcats fell to Kenyon, 69-60.

Junior Tiana Moracco (Derry) led all scorers with 19 points for UPG (1-8, 0-2 AMCC).

South Carolina Upstate: Redshirt freshman Emma Blair (Latrobe) made her first collegiate start, against Iowa State. She grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes.

The 6-foot-2 Blair was averaging 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds through 11 games.

Men’s basketball

Carlow: Senior Riley Comforti (Southmoreland) is averaging 11.6 points for the Celtics and has played a team-leading 28.6 minutes per game.

Comforti has reached double figures in scoring in every game this season and recently topped 600 career points.

Saint Vincent: Junior Dev Ostrowski was named the PAC Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after a dominant performance against Washington & Jefferson.

Ostrowski scored 38 points, making 16 of 26 shots (6 of 7 3s), in a 90-71 victory.

Ostrowski had a 39-point game earlier in the season against Franciscan.

The win over W&J was the 399th of SVC coach D.P. Harris’ career (399-62). Harris, who has led the Bearcats for 19 seasons over two stints, will go for win No. 400 on Dec. 30 at home against Adrian.

Washington & Jefferson: Freshman Cam Rowell (Franklin Regional) scored 12 points and ripped off a season-high six steals as the Presidents downed Geneva, 85-69.

Rowell was averaging 7.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in nine games off the bench.

Wrestling

Ohio: Redshirt junior Garrett Thompson (Franklin Regional) was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Wrestler of the Week.

Thompson took third place at 174 pounds at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, which led to his No. 23 national ranking.

Pitt: Redshirt sophomore Chase Kranitz (Norwin) has a 3-3 mark this season at 184 pounds with a pair of major decisions and one fall.

Kranitz transferred to Pitt from Buffalo after his freshman year.

He is part of a large local contingent in Oakland.

Redshirt sophomore 285-pounder Dayton Pitzer (Mt. Pleasant) is 2-0, Jack Pletcher (Latrobe) is 3-2 at 149, redshirt sophomore Briar Priest (Hempfield) is 6-2 at 141, redshirt sophomore 149-pounder Finn Solomon (Franklin Regional) is 3-2 and freshman Juliano Marion (Franklin Regional) has an 0-2 mark at 285.

Pitt-Johnstown: Isaiah Vance (Hempfield), a redshirt junior 285-pounder, took third place at the Midwest Classic.

Vance, at champion in the same tournament in 2023, defeated Jake Swirple of Minot State to take bronze.

Saint Vincent: Freshman Anthony Orlandini was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week.

The 149-pounder entered the Messiah Petrofes Invitational unseeded but went on to place seventh, going 4-2 for the tournament.

Women’s indoor track & field

Arizona: Sophomore Mackenna Orie (Hempfield) won two events at the season-opening Red-White-Blue Challenge in Tucson.

Orie took the hammer throw and the discus for the host Wildcats.

Football

Washington & Jefferson: Senior tight end Zach Cernuto (Southmoreland) was named to the D3football.com All-Region 2 third team after a productive season.

Cernuto posted career highs in receptions (36), receiving yards (286) and touchdowns (6). He had 14 catches for 123 yards in a game.

Women’s soccer

Penn State Behrend: Junior goalkeeper Riley Morningstar (Norwin) was named to the United Soccer Coaches (USC) NCAA Division III All-Region VII fourth team.

Morningstar, who was an All-AMCC first team pick, had a 17-3 record, 12 shutouts and 38 saves in 20 games for the Lions.

Men’s soccer

Seton Hill: Junior midfielder Julian Marker was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region team.

Marker, a PSAC West first-teamer, had seven goals this season for the Griffins.

Women’s volleyball

Seton Hill: Senior outside hitter Paige Cole and sophomore middle blocker Catie Flohr were selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American team as honorable mentions.

Cole powered the Griffins’ attack with 382 kills and 257 digs.

Flohr, a two-time All-American pick, led the team with 85 blocks and had 302 kills.