Spartans Recognized by MAC Commonwealth

The MAC Commonwealth recently announced all-conference teams in men’s and women’s lacrosse, tennis, softball, and baseball; golfers and track and field athletes earned their distinctions through top performances at the league championships. York College honors included:

• Softball: Junior Emma Wade earned York College’s highest individual honor of the spring when she was named MACC Player of the Year. She is the first league POY in Spartan softball history. Her campaign was headlined by a Division III-leading 72 RBIs, and she hit .426 with 13 homers (seventh nationally), 15 doubles, 36 runs scored, and a 1.338 OPS (.493 on-base, .845 slugging). 
• Women’s lacrosse: Coach Jen Muston received Coach of the Year honors after leading her team to a regular-season league title. Before the Spartans closed their season in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, seven York College players received all-conference recognition. Junior Zoe Kluegel was named MACC Attacker of the Year, and graduate student Bella Garabo repeated as Goalie of the Year. Kluegel and Garabo were joined on the first team by attacker Madison Kurland, midfielder Sydney Mentzer, and defender Sarah Christensen. Attacker Gianna Huet and defender Christina Vendelis were second-team selections.
• Men’s lacrosse: Coach Brandon Childs received Coach of the year honors after leading his team to a regular=season league title. Fifth-year seniors Brett Blackmon and Vinny Facciponti were named MACC Defender of the Year and Specialist of the Year, respectively. Both players won the same awards in 2023; Facciponti finished his career as a four-time selection to the league’s first team. The All-Commonwealth first team included attacker Will Harnick, midfielder Jack Grayson, defenders Blackmon and Nick Biava, short-stick specialist Jackson Shields, and faceoff specialist Facciponti. Midfielder Coleton Mahorney and goalie Noah Womack made the second team. Attacker Davis Fisher, defender Colin Kane, and short-stick specialist Hayden Sock were honorable mentions.
• Baseball: Nine Spartans received all-conference honors after York’s season ended in the MACC semifinals. Freshman pitcher Evan Hughes was named the Commonwealth Rookie of the Year after going 5-2 with a 3.27 ERA. Third baseman Michael Tinneny and outfielder Chris Betler represented the Spartans on the MACC first team. Hughes, relievers Jason Cassidy and Dillon Michaloski, first baseman Andrew Santarpia, second baseman Lucas Prendergast, and outfielder Robbie Elzinga made the second team. Outfielder Connor Pickle was an honorable mention.
• Tennis: Senior Elsa Oestermarker made the women’s All-Commonwealth first team for the fourth time in as many seasons, capping a career in which she set program records for singles and doubles victories. Sophomore Hannah Sult made the second team, while junior Eleanor Beck received honorable mention after going 12-3 in singles. On the men’s side, sophomore Jason Lutz earned first-team honors and junior Hayden Musser made the second team. Lutz went 10-5 in singles, including 5-0 in conference play. York is slated to return all six starters in 2025.
• Golf: When the York College men captured the MAC Commonwealth team title on April 28, three Spartans earned MACC first team honors with top-five individual finishes. Gavin Ganter tied for second at the two-day event, while Matthew Salter and Thomas O’Connell tied for fourth. Jason Velez tied for ninth to make the MACC second team. The Spartans began play at the NCAA D-III Championships Tuesday at Boulder Creek Country Club in Las Vegas. York’s women placed second at the nine-team MAC championship, which wound up being a one-day tournament on May 4 due to rain. Freshman Victoria Jolakian’s round of 77 earned her the MAC Rookie of the Year honors and a spot on the first team. Sophomores Grace Strickland and Jess Shay made the second team by finishing tied for ninth.

Learn more about York College Athletics at www.ycpspartans.com.