Jan. 16—Quarterback Jack Salopek found a new home for his final two years of college football.
The Norwin graduate who entered the NCAA transfer portal in November announced he will sign with Elon (N.C.), an FCS program that plays in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Salopek (6-foot-3, 186 pounds) said he felt a growing disconnect with Western Michigan, where he had been for four years.
This season, he played in six games and completed 42 of 63 passes for 316 yards and one touchdown.
He started seven games last season and threw for 1,287 yards and seven scores. He has thrown 13 career interceptions.
Football
St. Francis (Pa.): Junior offensive lineman Wylie Spiker (Ligonier Valley) has entered the NCAA transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining. Known as one of the ironmen up front during his college career, Spiker (6-foot-3, 325 pounds) played in nine games this season and helped the Red Flash average 360.1 yards per game. Overall, Spiker played in 31 career games in Loretto.
Saint Vincent: Coach Aaron Smetanka added two assistants to his staff in Sam London and Chris Corrado.
London spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Waynesburg, a fellow Presidents' Athletic Confrence team. He will serve as the Bearcats' offensive coordinator. A former player at Millersville and an Air Force veteran who served in Iraq, London was formerly the head coach at J.P. McCaskey High School in Lancaster and was an assistant at Division II Cheyney.
Corrado was on staff at his alma mater, Geneva, also of the PAC, for six seasons. He will coach the SVC offensive line.
Wrestling
Saint Vincent: Freshman Chase Brandebura was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week. A 165-pounder, Brandebura recorded a pin in the Bearcats' 34-18 win over Waynesburg, the first conference dual-match win in program history. The victory was Brandebura's ninth of the season, the fourth via fall.
Men's swimming
Washington & Jefferson: Freshman Nathanial Harden (Hempfield) was part of a winning 200-yard medley relay team that finished in 1 minute, 45.3 seconds in a loss to Hiram.
Men's volleyball
Penn State: Often a dominating force from the right side, grad student John Kerr (Derry) is playing a key role for Nittany Lions, who are ranked No. 2 in the country. Kerr was named the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in his college career, a national accolade that stemmed from a career match. The 6-foot-6 Kerr had 31 kills, nine digs, four aces, two blocks, and hit .417 in a 3-2 win over No. 16 Lewis. He followed with seven kills, a .600 hitting percentage and two digs in a 3-0 win over Central State.
Saint Vincent: Senior Matthew Minkin was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference co-preseason player of the year per a vote by conference coaches. Minkin, an All-AMCC First Team pick last season, led the conference in kills (3.71) and points (4.0) per set and had 18 blocks and 15 service points. He had double-digit kills in 18 matches as SVC went 11-10 and made the AMCC Tournament semifinals. Penn State Behrend's Alex Jackson also received a preseason player of the year nod.
Women's swimming
Cal (Pa.): Sophomore Ashlyn Hornick (Mt. Pleasant) helped the Vulcans' 200-yard medley relay post a win in a time of 1 minute, 56.22 seconds as Cal beat Lock Haven by a 117-79 score.
Penn State Behrend: Freshman Camryn Watters (Hempfield) won the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races, in 26.23 and 58.22 seconds, as the Lions cruised past Penn State Altoona, 186-76.
Washington & Jefferson: Senior Amanda Graves (Penn-Trafford) swam a leg of the winning 200-yard medley relay that won by three seconds in a tri-meet against Franciscan and Hiram. The relay finished in 2 minutes, 6.6 seconds and the Presidents swept the meet.
Women's bowling
Pitt-Greensburg: Junior Erica Moss (Greensburg Salem) posted a top-15 finish at the Greater Pittsburgh Collegiate Classic with a 186.5 average score. Her high game was a 202 at Hillview Lanes in Greensburg.
Saint Vincent: The hosting Bearcats finished third out of 10 teams at the Greater Pittsburgh Collegiate Classic in Greensburg. Sophomore Abby Justice led SVC with a 194.5 average, with her traditional 802 total good enough for seventh place among 68 individuals. Senior Jackie Koehler was 12th (185.7).
Men's indoor track and field
Seton Hill: Junior John Giansante (Norwin) qualified for the PSAC Championships with a win in the triple jump (13.56 meters), sophomore Malwandia Baloyi qualified in the high jump (1.90 meters), and the 800-meter relay set a team record at the Muskingum Meet. The relay, which finished first in 1:31.99, included grad student Joey Piper (Latrobe), senior Andrew Campbell, freshman Blaise Verrastro and freshman Jacy Willis.
Washington & Jefferson: Junior Hayden O'Bryon (Norwin) took third place in the triple jump with a mark of 12.07 meters at the Muskingum University Muskie Invitational.
Women's indoor track and field
Seton Hill: The Griffins won the Muskingum Meet in Ohio as grad student Natasha Bernett tied a school record in the 60-meter hurdles and won twice, and the 800-meter relay set a school record. Bernett won the 60 hurdles (10.86 seconds) and the triple jump (11.19 meters). The relay of junior Koschinya Jefferson, freshman Ayiana Martin, senior Anna Roberts and sophomore Layla (Norwin) Robertson finished in 1:49.84.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
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