It was a fall of firsts for the Golden Knights athletic teams.
Men's Golf
First was the position held by Matt Barto, the individual winner of the PSAC Men’s Golf Championship at the Hershey Country Club East Course. Barto’s individual title was the first for the golf program as a member of the PSAC. Tying for first place with a two-round score of 147 (73-74), the true freshman from Leechburg, Pa. took home the individual victory on the 18th hole of a playoff against Rob Rowe of Millersville. As a team, the Golden Knights finished sixth among eight teams with a combined score of 620 (316-304).
Football
The Golden Knights football team captured a share of the PSAC West Division football title with a 31-21 victory over Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Senior Day, Nov. 8 at Gannon University Field. The divisional title was the first in school history spanning two conferences, the PSAC and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The Golden Knights, who ended the season with an 8-2 record, finished tied for first place with Slippery Rock, which earned a berth in the PSAC title game with a 31-28 victory against Gannon on Oct. 4.
Junior Brock Jones was named PSAC Western Division Offensive Player of the Year. View highlights from the game vs. East Stroudsburg.
Men's Water Polo
The Gannon men's water polo team was the winner of the 2014 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division II Championship, the first one in the program’s history. With three fourth-quarter goals to help the Golden Knights rally for an 8-7 win over Mercyhurst on Oct. 18, at the Recreation and Wellness Center, freshman Gilberto Millan earned tournament MVP honors.
The Gannon Volleyball team celebrates during a match against Mercyhurst. Take an inside look into the coaching style of Matt Darling.
Volleyball
In a thrilling, five-set quarterfinal marathon loss to No. 2 seed Seton Hill, the Gannon women's volleyball team ended their conference season with a sparkling 24-6 mark. The Lady Knights made their sixth consecutive appearance at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament, and received a bid to the NCAA Division II volleyball tournament.
Women's Soccer
A pair of milestones was recorded at the final match of the women’s soccer team’s season finale. The team qualified for its fourth consecutive PSAC Tournament with the 4-1 road win at Clarion. It was head coach Colin Petersen's 100th win at Gannon. In the tournament, the Lady Knights dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 13 West Chester. For the third consecutive season, junior Mani Brueckner was named to the All-PSAC First Team, while senior Justine Rodrigues and sophomore Olivia Augustyniak were each selected to the conference's second team.
Women's Water Polo
The women’s water polo team, a program on the rise, will now have an opportunity to compete for an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament as the newest member of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA).
Conference Affiliations
Gannon University joined the venerable Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). Composed of more than 300 colleges and universities competing in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, the ECAC offers preseason opportunities and additional postseason selections for Gannon programs that are postseason-worthy, but don't qualify for the NCAA Division II and/or PSAC Tournaments. The Golden Knights’ primary conference affiliation will remain the PSAC.