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There’s no doubt about it. Everyone who has ever played a sport has had the mindset of “I’m the best.” That may be true, but right now, at least at California University of Pennsylvania, the seniors are “the best.”

In their final year at Cal U, various seniors competed in tournaments, important games, and post-season contests. Cal U seniors were awarded with many different accolades in many different sports.

When it came to her final season in basketball, Paige Wright helped her team tremendously to win another PSAC title. The team competed in the NCAA Tournament, but were not able to make it past the second round. However, Wright had her best Vulcan season, scoring 198 points, making 21 steals, and playing in 30 games. In her 30 games she participated in, she started 28 of them.

The men’s basketball team had four seniors in Josh Dombrosky, Nate Bellhy, Richard Smith, and Khalil Jabbie. Dombrosky had his best season this year in a Vulcan uniform, scoring a career-high 87 points. Dombrosky was a captain on the team, along with Jabbie, who scored 256 points this season. Jabbie started in every single game he played in this year, which was 28 games.

As for Smith, he almost matched his points from last season to this season. Last season, Smith scored 316 points and this year he scored 314 points. Smith missed one game this year, but started in all of the other 27 games he played in. As for Bellhy, the graduate student, listed a senior due to being a red-shirt last year at Washington & Jefferson, he scored 180 points for the Vulcans. Bellhy saw action in 26 games, but only started 13 games.

In cross country, for the men, senior Morgan Huegel won plenty of accolades. He was selected as PSAC Athlete of the Week twice in the season. At the Hood Open meet, back in October, Huegel finished seventh overall. Neftali Jimenez and Lenny Verdetto III were other seniors on the team.
In women’s cross country, Alex Zanella (R-Sr.), Shannon Marsteller, and Alison Kimble were the three seniors on the team. Zanella received U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Region Honors.

Zanella also received a number of accolades in women’s track, where she reached the NCAA mark at the Bucknell meet this month. Zanella also was named to the PSAC Winter Top 10. Other seniors in women’s track were Leisha Jackson, Kimble, Marsteller, and Emily Smith.

In volleyball, back in the winter, seniors Mary Lavery, Miranda Fouzie, and Ema Bobbitt were the seniors that made a playoff push. However, their playoff ran end with a loss to Edinboro in the first round. However, that didn’t halt the accolades. Lavery and Fouzie were named to the All-PSAC West Team, and Lavery even earned first-team status. Lavery was also named PSAC West Athlete of the Week twice in the season. As for Fouzie, she was named to the Vulcan Invitational All-Tournament Team early in the season.

Staying in the fall season, the football team had numerous seniors on the team. Quarterback James Harris participated in the sixth-annual National Bowl Game back in December, which was held in Miami. Harris, as well as Errol Brewster and Kowan Scott, were selected to the All-PSAC West First-Team.
Going back to the spring, in baseball two senior pitchers, Jack Dennis and Mick Fennell, were co-recipients of the Dal Canton Pitching Award. Fennell was also named a preseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Third-Team All-American player.

In softball, senior Natalya Smarra was named the PSAC West Hitter of the Week, Meghan Uher was named PSAC West Pitcher of the Week, and Alex Sagl was named PSAC West Pitcher of the Week twice this season. Also in softball, Lindsay Reicoff broke the Vulcans home run record with her 47 home run against Mercyhurst University.

In soccer, for the men, Lubos Kubik and Jesse Scheirer were named to the Conference Commissioner’s Association All-Region Second-Team at the end of their season. Scheirer was also named the PSAC Co-Athlete of the Week back in September. For the women’s soccer team, Chelsea Crockett was named the to PSAC Fall Top 10 team.  Earning All-PSAC Third Team rankings were seniors Kara Novotny and Lauren Pezzica.

In golf, for the women’s team, senior Cara Vanderham was named the PSAC Golfer of the Week, back in October twice. Grant Newton was the lone senior on the men’s golf team. In swimming, Janet Gates was also the lone senior member of the team.

With all of the senior members from teams graduating, juniors will have to step up their roles as leaders on the team. New players will be coming in and people wil be moving up. Best of luck to all of the senior athletes that are graduating in what ever endeavors they pursue.