Women’s Hoops: Vulcans top Mansfield 62-50

MANSFIELD, Pa. (Jan. 3) – Senior forward Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) registered her 50th career double-double on Monday evening, as the Vulcans earned a 62-50 win over Mansfield in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover action. With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team improves to 6-3 this season. Meanwhile, Mansfield drops to 5-4 overall this year after posting only five victories during the 2009-10 campaign. Smith finished with season highs of 26 points and 18 rebounds (10 offensive) against the Mountaineers. She shot 9-of-16 from the floor and made 8-of-10 from the free-throw line on Monday. The senior All-America candidate leads the Vulcans with 17.4 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game this season. Sophomore

Sources: Mike Kellar to replace Walt Harris as offensive coordinator at Cal U

Former Pitt coach Walt Harris is out as offensive coordinator with the California University Vulcans Football team, Inside Pittsburgh Sports has learned. Harris I’m told turned down an opportunity to join Colorado University’s coaching staff and would have liked to have returned as offensive coordinator with the Vulcans but the school doesn’t want him back as offensive coordinator. The school is expecting his possible resignation as the university restructures their coaching staff after under performing in 2010. The school interviewed two candidates last week and will be hiring Concord University head football coach Mike Kellar. Kellar will replace Harris and take on the position of associate head coach/offensive coordinator. Kellar previously had a successful five year stint as offensive coordinator

Vulcan Soccer: Green to play for USA in Maccabi Games

CALIFORNIA (Dec. 15) – California University of Pennsylvania senior Adam Green (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) will represent Team USA on the Open Men’s Soccer Team at the upcoming Maccabi Australia International Games from Dec. 26-Jan. 2 in Sydney. The games will take place at Olympic Park where many of the competitions took place during the 2000 Summer Olympics. Maccabi USA strives to provide Jewish athletes the world over the opportunity to share their heritage and customs in competitive athletic settings. Green was a four-year defender on the Vulcan soccer team, appearing in 61 games with 39 starts. He started a career-best 17 games this season and helped Cal U post an 11-5-2 overall record. The 6-1 senior posted a goal and assist

Cal U tops District of Columbia, 64-48

CALIFORNIA (Dec. 1) – Behind another 20-point effort by junior Amy Johns (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) and a double-double by senior Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins), the No. 24 Vulcans earned a 64-48 win over District of Columbia on Wednesday night at Hamer Hall. With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team improves to 4-1 this season after winning its last three games (all at Hamer Hall). Meanwhile, UDC drops to 4-2 this year. Johns tied her season and career high with 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the floor and six-of-seven from the free-throw line. She also posted seven rebounds against the Firebirds. In five games this season, Johns is averaging 16.6 points after scoring 9.0 points as a

Vulcan Football: Cal U features five on all-region team

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (Dec. 1) – The California University of Pennsylvania football team featured five players on the Daktronics All-Super Region 1 Teams, highlighted by senior offensive linemen Dan Jordan (Tionesta, Pa./Redbank Valley) and Nick Piccirillo (Mayfield, Ohio/Mayfield) earning first-team honors. Jordan received Daktronics first-team all-region honors for the second-straight year, while it marked the first regional laurel for Piccirillo. Junior linebacker Brett Diamond (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca), senior punter Derek Fiorenza (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan/Villanova) and junior defensive back Erik Harris (New Oxford, Pa./New Oxford) each received second-team accolades. Jordan and Piccirillo were two of the most experienced players for Cal U, as the senior duo combined to make 91 career starts. They anchored an offensive line that helped the Vulcans average

Women’s Hoops: Vulcans shut down Molloy, 67-28

CALIFORNIA (Nov. 28) – Behind one of the strongest defense performances in school history, the California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team cruised to a 67-28 victory against Molloy (N.Y.) on Sunday afternoon in the second day of the Thanksgiving Tournament at Hamer Hall. With the victory, the Vulcans move to 3-1 this season after winning both tournament games this weekend. Meanwhile, the Lions remain winless at 0-6 this year. The 28 points is the lowest single-game total allowed by Cal U in recent program history (since 2002-03). For the game, the Vulcans allowed the Lions to shoot only 16.4 percent (9-of-55) from the field and just 10.0 percent (2-of-20) from beyond the arc. In the first half, Cal U

Penguins, Cal U help make remarkable difference in wounded Vet’s life

I just wanted to share a quick note on Pat McIlvain, a former California University of Pennsylvania hockey player who was seriously wounded in Afghanistan last May. Last Thursday, Cal U hosted a special Veterans Day hockey event at the Consol Energy Center in honor of Pat, in what was a great event and on Friday, Pat was a special guest of the Penguins, attending the morning skate, meeting players in the locker room and attended Friday’s nights game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Pat returned to the Hunter Holmes McGuire Medical Center on Saturday and in remarkable fashion, returned a completely different person. According to Pat’s family members, the hospitals’ doctors, therapists, social workers, etc are in shock at

Cal U to honor wounded alumnus at Veterans Day hockey event at CONSOL Energy Center

California University honors wounded alumnus on a hockey night in Pittsburgh. On Veterans Day, Cal U’s men’s and women’s hockey teams will play in the Penguins new arena. WHO: Cal U men’s and women¹s hockey teams WHAT: Veterans Day games honoring former team member wounded in war WHEN: Nov. 11: women play at 6 p.m., Men at 8 p.m. WHERE: CONSOL Energy Center CALIFORNIA, PA — On Veterans Day, a former California University hockey player who was wounded in Afghanistan will be a special guest when the Cal U men¹s and women’s hockey teams take the ice at CONSOL Energy Center. Pat McIlvain, of Uniontown, will be recognized for his military service at a Nov. 11 event that brings Cal

No. 3 Cal U upset at Mercyhurst, 31-21

ERIE, Pa. (Oct. 23) – After committing four turnovers and allowing 17-straight points in the second half, the No. 3 California University of Pennsylvania football suffered a 31-21 upset loss at Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play at Tullio Field. With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 7-1 overall and into a tie with the Lakers for first place in the divisional standings behind a 4-1 mark in league play. The loss snaps Cal U’s 24-game winning streak in PSAC West play and it also is the first loss to an unranked opponent since September 2006. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst improves to 6-2 overall this season after totaling only four victories last year. In his first

Cal Football: Vulcans earn highest-ever ranking

WACO, Texas (Oct. 18) – After posting the fourth 7-0 start in school history, the California University of Pennsylvania football team garnered its highest-ever national-ranking at No. 3 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 Poll on Monday. The Vulcans advanced one spot in the coaches’ poll following a 28-3 win over Slippery Rock, while previous No. 3 North Alabama lost to nationally-ranked Valdosta State, 5-0. Cal U also retained the top spot in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Lambert Meadowlands poll, which was also released on Monday. Cal U has been ranked in each of the AFCA polls this season after entering the year with a preseason ranking of No. 6. From 2007-09, the Vulcans were