Pennsylvania Western University

Ari Kaser's path to becoming a PennWest California golfer and a two-time PSAC Athlete of the Week was a series of unexpected turns. A gymnast for most of her life, the Wadsworth, Ohio, native picked up golf after a shoulder injury at age 14 led her to seek a new sport. With a golf coach for a father and a family full of golfers, she had grown up surrounded by the game. Her gymnastics background gave her a unique advantage: the ability to "hit the ball really far, especially for a girl."

The journey to PennWest Clarion was a long one for Luna Castellanos, both in distance and in time. As an international student, she knew that athletics would be her pathway to an American education. Her connection to PennWest Clarion came through a teammate at a Texas club, who had previously dived with Luna's current coach, Heath Calhoun. That small connection sparked a recruitment process that would change her life. After visiting the campus, Luna "already knew I really wanted to come here." The feeling of being a PennWest student-athlete is profoundly meaningful to her. "If I wasn't a student athlete, I probably wouldn't be getting my degree here in the States," said Castellanos, who is pursuing dual degrees in psychology and criminal justice. "It's just like it's opened the doors for me and I love this campus and I love to represent it with everything I have." Luna's dedication to her sport is evident in her recent, historic accomplishments. She was named Division II Women's Diver of the Year after a national title sweep, winning both the one-meter and three-meter dive championships in Indianapolis. Her score of 542.55 in the three-meter dive didn't just win; it shattered both the school and national meet records. Despite her success, Luna is candid about the mental challenges of her sport. She still gets scared before some dives, but she relies on a strong support system, including her coaches and a sports psychologist. Her mental preparation for a dive is simple but powerful: "I just try to take a deep breath, remind myself that I've done this before and I'm capable of doing it again." She is a firm believer in the importance of time management, noting that it was initially difficult but that her coaches are very supportive, always reminding her that academics come first. Her advice to new students is to "get yourself out there" and to utilize all the resources available on campus. She encourages students to surround themselves with people who have the same goals and mentality because "at the end of the day, those people are going to become your family here." Luna Castellanos's story exemplifies PennWest's commitment to providing a supportive community that allows students to thrive. Her journey from international student to national champion showcases how PennWest helps students achieve their ambitions, fostering an environment where talent, dedication, and resiliency can lead to incredible success. Luna was recently featured on PennWest's Podcast, "The Power of PennWest." Listen to her story here.

When JT Taylor's previous college unfortunately shut down, he was forced to find a new academic and athletic home. A native of Pittsburgh, he came to PennWest Edinboro as a transfer student from Notre Dame College. His first visit to the campus was all he needed to know he had found the right place.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced its nominees for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year. Clarion alumna London Fuller (Baltimore, Md., Baltimore Polytechnic) was one of the conference's two nominees for the prestigious honor, joining Gannon's Sam Pirosko.

California senior Noah Bernarding was recently voted a Third-Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC). Bernarding becomes the program's second Academic All-American in the last three years and the 10th all-time in program history - all since 2009.

California (PA) junior pitcher/utility Caleigh Rister repeated as a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Third-Team Academic All-American on Tuesday afternoon, becoming the fourth multi-time Academic All-American in program history.

Outside hitter Cassidy Snider became the fifth player in program history to earn Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Athlete of the Year honors, highlighting a trio of Golden Eagles named to the all-conference team on Thursday afternoon.

Senior Malia Anderson earned an individual qualifier for the NCAA National Championships for a consecutive year, as the Vulcans finished No. 11 at the NCAA Regional Championships on Saturday morning. Led by a pair top-10 individuals, the California (PA) women's cross country team registered 281 points to finish 11th at the regional race hosted by Lock Haven. The Vulcans were the only team in the field to feature multiple runners in the top 10 on Saturday.

In recognition of a stellar start to the season, California sophomore guard KJ McClurg was featured on the initial Bevo Francis Award Watch List. The Bevo Francis Award is presented annually to the player who had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball, which is comprised of NCAA Division II and III, NAIA, USCAA and NCCAA.

Behind an impactful fourth quarter, California (PA) sophomore linebacker Ibrahim Sanogo was announced as the D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday night.

Clarion featured 129 student-athletes recognized for their work in the classroom, making up a chunk of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's (PSAC) nation-leading 1,923 honorees.

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced their USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award winners for the 2022-23 academic year today. The Clarion volleyball team found themselves on the list for the fifth straight year, marking the 14th such honor since the award was started in 1992-93.

California track & field standout Divonne Franklin (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop John Carroll) was recently selected as a nominee from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year. Franklin and West Chester swimming standout Ann Carozza were chosen as the league's nominations for the prestigious award, which was established in 1991. The NCAA Woman of the Year program honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions.