Several former Emmaus High School athletes competed on college athletic teams during the fall 2022 season. Some are in their fourth or fifth year of postsecondary education and missed entire seasons in 2021 due to the pandemic. On the other hand, many freshmen and sophomores are competing for playing time with graduate students and fifth-year seniors. Here’s a look at some former Hornets who are now competing at the next level.

Junior Izaiah McPherson played in 10 games this fall for the West Chester University football team. The defensive back had 14 tackles (11 solo), one fumble recovery, one pass break up and one tackle for loss for the Rams (7-4 overall; 4-3 PSAC) in 2022. In three seasons the former Hornet has played in 32 games with 39 career tackles (33 solo) and two interceptions.

Sophomore defensive back Chad Newhard made 41 tackles (23 solo), including two for loss, and picked off two passes this fall for the Moravian College football team. Newhard compiled all those stats over the first six games of the season, but wasn’t listed as playing in the Greyhounds’ final four games.

Senior linebacker Tim Higgins played in five games and made six tackles (4 solo) for the Muhlenberg College football in 2022. The Mules were 6-4 overall and 6-3 in Centennial Conference play during the regular season. They had one game remaining in their Nov. 19 Centennial-MAC Bowl Series contest against Lebanon Valley.

Three former Hornets were part of the Wilkes University football team in 2022. Alex Orlando played in all 10 games. He punted 37 times with an average of 38.6 yards, including 15 punts inside the 20-yard line, five of over 50 yards and one touchback. The sophomore has played in 20 games in two seasons in Wilkes-Barre. He’s punted 73 times with his longest covering 63 yards. Freshman long snapper Nick Davidson played in eight games for the Colonels this fall. Freshman defensive lineman Trevor Gitski was also on the team’s 2022 roster.

Sone Ntoh played in eight games for the Harvard University football team this fall. The senior running back rushed for 232 yards on 64 carries. He also caught two passes for 26 yards. Over three seniors Ntoh played in 19 games and ran the ball 106 times for 367 yards and three touchdowns.

Sophomore offensive lineman Justin Roman played in 11 games this fall for the Delaware Valley College football team. The Aggies tied a program record for wins, going 12-1 and reaching the NCAA Division III quarterfinals where they fell to second-ranked Mount Union.

Two former Emmaus players helped the University of North Carolina field hockey team to a national title in 2022. Senior Meredith Sholder earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association South Region First Team honors in her final college season. The forward/midfielder scored one goal and assisted on one this season while starting all 21 games. In five seasons in Chapel Hill, Sholder played in 107 games and made 69 starts. She scored 14 goals and assisted on 17 in her college career. She earned third-team All-America and All-ACC second team honors in 2020-21. Defender Madison Orobono started all 21 Tar Heel games and was fourth on the team with 1,145 minutes on the field. She helped the team hold opponents to a .149 shooting percentage and an even one goal against per game. In four seasons at UNC, Orobono has started 84 games (20 or more each season) and scored two goals while assisting on 15. She earned the team’s defensive player of the year award in 2021.

Senior midfielder Kayla Kisthardt earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association Mid-East All-Regional honors in 2022. Kisthardt started all 15 games for the Bucknell University field hockey team and was third on her team with five assists and three goals. She was fourth on the team with 11 points. She started all 46 games over the past three seasons and was twice an All-Patriot League selection.

Two former Emmaus players helped the University of Iowa field hockey team reach the national quarterfinals in 2022. Fifth-year senior Leah Zellner played in all 20 games and made 17 starts for the Hawkeyes. The forward/midfielder scored two goals and assisted on two. In five seasons she played in 96 games while making 70 starts and scoring 15 goals with 10 assists. Sophomore forward Annika Herbine played in all 20 games and made 19 starts for the Hawkeyes. She recorded a team-high 23 points on eight goals and seven assists. Herbine has 10 career goals and 10 assists while playing in 40 college games.

Senior midfielder Kacie Patton played in 12 games for the St. Joseph’s University field hockey team this fall. She assisted on one goal in 2022 and has scored six goals and assisted on four while playing in 44 games for the Hawks.

Two former Emmaus players were part of the Misericordia University field hockey team in 2022. Freshman Tatyanna Lainez earned All-MAC Freedom Conference Honorable Mention as a forward. She played in 19 games and started 15 and was tied for fourth on the team with 11 points on four goals and three assists. Freshman forward/midfielder Abigail O’Donnell played in 17 games and started 15 this past fall, scoring one goal and assisting on one.

Freshman Emily Buss played in 17 games this fall for the Millersville University field hockey team. The forward had one goal and one assist while helping the Marauders go 16-5 overall and 7-2 in PSAC play. They reached the league title game where they lost to East Stroudsburg in overtime and will move on to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional.

Joy Muller played in all 18 games and made 12 starts for the Wagner College field hockey team in 2022. The senior defender was eighth on the team with 827 minutes of playing time this fall. Over four seasons for the Seahawks Muller played in 52 games and made 45 starts, while assisting one goal in 2,591 career minutes on the field.

Freshman defender Kyleigh Faust was on the roster for the Liberty University field hockey team in 2022.

Three former Emmaus players were part of the backfield for the West Chester University mens soccer team this fall. Alex Aiken, a senior defender, played in eight games and made three starts. In his WCU career Aiken played in 18 games and made eight starts while playing 1,088 minutes over the past two seasons. Thomas Hanvey, a redshirt sophomore defender, played in 16 games this fall and made 12 starts. He scored one goal while logging 1,089 minutes of playing time. Jaden Amato, a freshman defender, played in 13 games and made eight starts in his first season with the Rams, logging 526 minutes on the pitch.

Two former Hornet soccer players were teammates at Elizabethtown College this fall. Junior forward Jake Groh led the team in goals (5) and points (14) in 2022. He added four assists (tied for second on team) and had one game-winning goal while making 13 starts and playing in 17 games. Over two seasons he’s played in 34 games and made 23 starts while scoring eight goals and assisting on five. Sophomore midfielder Hudson Peck played in 16 games for the Blue Jays and made five starts. Peck assisted on four goals this fall.

Freshman forward Bryan Flor played in 11 games for the Muhlenberg College mens soccer team this fall. He scored two goals and assisted on one in 184 minutes of play.

Sophomore Patrick Walsh earned an All-PSAC Second Team selection in 2022. The Bloomsburg University forward/midfielder started 19 games and was third on the team with five goals. His four assists were second-most on the team and he was third in points with 14. The Huskies went 14-5-1 overall and 8-3-1 in the PSAC East before losing to Mercyhurst in the league title game.

Sophomore defender Lindsey Aiken started 17 games for the East Carolina University womens soccer team in 2022. Aiken assisted on three goals for the Pirates (8-8-3 overall, 3-3-2 AAC). In two seasons the former Hornet has played in 26 games and made 18 starts.

Two former Emmaus players were part of a stellar season at Kuztown University this fall. The Golden Bears made the national Sweet 16 for just the second time in school history while going 11-6-4 overall, marking the 20th straight season the team has won 10 or more games. Senior forward/midfielder Madison Fey played in 17 games for the Bears in 2022 while making 13 starts. Fey assisted on one goal this fall. In three seasons on the pitch at KU she’s played in 31 games while making 14 starts. Junior forward Sydney Cole was also part of the KU team, playing in eight games and starting one in 2022.

Lauren Latchford played in 16 games and made two starts for the Moravian College womens soccer team in 2022. The junior defender scored one goal on seven shots.

Junior Maddie McWhinney scored three goals and assisted on two this fall for the Elizabethtown College womens soccer team. The midfielder has played in 31 games and made 29 starts over the past two seasons.

Freshman forward Kameron Watkins scored two goals and played in 19 games for the Susquehanna University womens soccer team in 2022. She had nine shots on the season with seven shots on goal.

Junior goalkeeper Alexa Ryan played in two games this fall, making two saves while not allowing a goal over 15:58 minutes for the Bloomsburg University womens soccer team.

Forward/midfielder Andrew Gaines played in 14 games and started three this fall for the Muhlenberg College mens soccer team. The junior scored one goal and assisted on two for the Mules (8-6-8 overall, 3-1-5 Centennial Conference).

Millersville University’s Becca Dalstad had 482 digs this fall and is among the top 10 (eighth) in program history in career digs with 1,218 over her three seasons. She added 17 kills and 92 assists during her red-shirt junior season in 2022. Dalstad earned PSAC Second Team honors.

Caroline Bond earned NCAA Division III All-America Honororable Mention this season as a member of the Emerson College womens volleyball team. Bond, who was selected to the New England Womens and Mens Athletic Conference All-Conference First Team and the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III All-Region team. for the second straight season, played in 59 matches and 76 sets this fall. The senior setter led her team in assists (660) and service aces (39). She was second on the team in digs (181) while adding 57 kills (sixth on team) for the Lions.

Senior Hannah Lingold played in 37 sets and 10 matches this fall for the Lock Haven University womens volleyball team. The middle blocker recorded 13 kills and 18 blocks in 2022. Over three seasons the former Hornet has played in 48 matches and 131 sets with 58 kills and 48 blocks.

Makenzie Krasley played in all 29 matches this fall for the Moravian College womens volleyball team. The sophomore had 193 kills in 2022 and has 292 over her two-year college career.

Sophomore Kelsie Baus played in 50 sets this fall for the Shippensburg University womens volleyball team. The defensive specialist recorded 40 digs and 10 aces in her second season with the Red Raiders (18-12 overall; 10-4 PSAC).

Sophomore Geoffrey Kleinberg finished 18th at the Landmark Conference Cross Country Championships to help Moravian College to its fifth straight league title. Kleinberg ran a time of 27:12.5 to earn the fifth spot on his team and round out the team scoring. Two other former Hornet runners, juniors Paul Petre and Brendan Ward, were also part of the Greyhounds’ championship team this fall. Both ran personal best times at the Paul Short Invitational Brown Race in September. Ward clocked a 27:33.3 while Petre came in at 30:55.8 in the 8000-meter race.

Wilkes University freshman Gabe Krem ran in four meets for the mens cross country team in 2022, with his best finishing coming at the Cougar Classic in September where he placed 31st in 33:!3.6.

Junior Amanda LaVana helped the Shippenensburg University womens cross country team to seventh-place finishes in the PSAC Championships and the NCAA Division II Metro Atlantic Region Championships. The former Hornet was fifth on the team with a 52nd-place finish in 24:36.3 at the league championship meet and 99th overall (25:09) and sixth on the team at regionals.

Sophomore Landon Kershner competed on the DeSales University mens cross country team in 2022. He ran a season-best time of 33:00.8 at the Gettysburg College invitational last month.

Freshman golfers Aiden LeBlanc and Evelyn Wong competed on the Lehigh University golf teams in 2022. LeBlanc finished 19th at the Lehigh Invitational. He shot 72-77 (149) over two rounds. The first-year Mountain Hawk also won his singles match in a President’s Cup style event against Lafayette. Wong shot a three-round score of 219 (71-74-74) at the Hornet Classic at the Creek in Rehoboth Beach Del. to earn a spot in a five-way playoff for first place. She also placed 37th at the Navy Invitational, shooting 76-87 (163) over two rounds.

Matt Zerfass competed in two tournmanets for the St. Joseph’s University golf team in 2022. The former East Penn Conference champ shot 78-74 in the two-round event.

Patrick Bova competed for the Susquehanna University golf team in 2022. The freshman placed 36th overall (fifth on his team) at the Landmark Conference Fall Preview and was 25th overall (fourth on his team) with a two-day total of 168 at the Cardinal Classic, where the River Hawks finished fourth as a team.

Editor’s Note: If you know of athletes from the East Penn School District area that competed in fall college athletics and deserve recognition in the Press, please email their name, school and sport to Mike Haines at mhaines@tnonline.com.