A unanimous vote today by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Board of Directors officially accepted the Seton Hill Griffins and Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats as members of the conference.
On their acceptance, PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray said, “Adding Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown will undoubtedly bolster the PSAC’s reputation on a regional and national scale.”
The Griffins and Mountain Cats, formerly of the WVIAC, will join the PSAC West. Seton Hill sponsors 19 teams while UPJ will compete in 12 sports. With the additions, the PSAC now boasts 18 teams, the largest in the NCAA.
Both schools appear to be very excited of making the move.
“Our student-athletes and coaches are excited and ready for the challenges and opportunities that the PSAC provides. We look forward to building new rivalries with our fellow conference members,” stated Seton Hill’s executive director of Athletics Chris Snyder.
Pitt-Johnstown President Jem Spectar echoing similar sentiments. “This move fulfills a long-held aspiration to join the PSAC. We are delighted to join the PSAC and its many fine member schools across the Commonwealth… We look forward to welcoming many new visitors to our region and our campus, and showcasing our first-class athletic and academic facilities.”
The Mountain Cats men’s basketball team finished 2012 15-13, making it to the conference quarterfinals before losing to West Liberty. The women’s team finished comparably to the men with a 14-12 record before losing in the first round of the conference playoffs to Charleston.
The team will not be returning top scorer Kaitlynn Fratz, who averaged over 18 points per game for the team in 2012. Fratz has transferred to California University of Pennsylvania. Head coach Sasha Palmer left for an assistant job at Syracuse. UPJ is reportedly down to four head coach candidates with search committee leader Bob Rukavina telling the Tribune-Democrat the team is “getting close” to a hire.
Pitt-Johnston will be the only PSAC team not to participate in football.
Seton Hill’s football team has struggled, winning just three games in as many years including being blanked in the win column in 2012. The men’s basketball team fared much better, putting up a 16-12 record before a quarterfinal loss in the WVIAC playoffs at the hands of Fairmont St last year.
The Griffins’ sport impressive teams in women’s volleyball and basketball. The volleyball team went 22-12 last season while the basketball team finished the regular season 19-13 and falling just short of a WVIAC championship, falling in the title game to Fairmont St.
Seton Hill announced the hiring of Mark Katarski for the women’s basketball team today, replacing the recently retired Ferne Labati. Katarski most recently spent two years as an assistant with Niagara University.
With the additions and the departure of LIU-Post from the PSAC, Lock Haven Univeristy has become a member of the PSAC East.
Author’s Edit: As pointed out, Mansfield does not have a traditional football team and doesn’t compete in the PSAC.
