Local College Roundup: Keystone names McGinley field hockey coach

Keystone College has turned to Erin McGinley, who guided Wyoming Area to victories in each of the first three state tournament trips in school history, as its next head field hockey coach.

The school’s Department of Athletics announced the hiring June 20.

McGinley is the owner of PA Elite FHC where she also serves as goaltending specialist and curriculum creator. Teams from the club have won 18 national indoor tournament championships along with finishing as runners-up 23 times and in third place 11 times.

“I am excited for this wonderful opportunity that was provided to me by both Keystone College and athletic director Scott Gower,” McGinley said, according to a story posted on the school’s athletic website. “I am envisioning a bright future for Keystone with our current and future student-athletes.”

McGinley went 83-20-4 as the Wyoming Area field hockey coach from 2017 through 2021, taking the team to two Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state semifinals and another trip to the quarterfinals.

A state championship goalie at Wyoming Seminary during her playing career, McGinley served as an assistant coach there 2011-2016 and coached with the KaPow Field Hockey Club 2008-2012.

McGinley played at Bloomsburg University and King’s College. She earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from King’s.

Keystone will open its season Sept. 2 at Keuka, then play at King’s the next day. The Giants play their home opener Sept. 7 against Marywood.

ALL SPORTS

The Colonial States Athletic Conference and United East Conference officially merged July 1, continuing a plan that was announced in December.

The merged conference will carry the United East Conference name.

Clarks Summit University and Keystone were both CSAC members.

There were 10 CSAC and seven United East teams.

Stephanie Dutton, the United East commissioner since August 2019, will lead the newly merged conference.

“The merger of these two athletic conferences has been a gratifying process,” said Dr. Todd Williams from Cairn University, who is beginning a two-year team as chairman of the United East Presidents’ Council. “All who have been a part of this process believe it will benefit our student-athletes and institutions tremendously. The spirit of cooperation and shared vision, as well as the wisdom and practical insight that has been brought to the table by both groups, can serve as an example for others to follow.”

The conference will sponsor 20 sports in the 2023-24 academic year, a transition year as the two previous conferences work toward full integration. Previously approved schedules for the two leagues for men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball and women’s tennis will be used in a two-division format. Division champions will meet in a crossover championship to determine the conference’s automatic qualifier for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Tournament.

Field hockey, men’s volleyball, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse and men’s tennis will join together and play every conference member that sponsors each of those sports. Men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track and field and men’s golf will participate in conference championships at the end of their regular seasons.

The other conference members are: Bryn Athyn, Cairn, Cedar Crest, Gallaudet, Lancaster Bible, Notre Dame of Maryland, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont, Saint Elizabeth, St. Mary’s of Maryland, Valley Forge and Wilson.

FOOTBALL

Keystone College has set its football schedule, which includes being a member of the Landmark Conference for just the sport.

This will be the first season in which the Landmark Conference includes football.

The Giants play at home Sept. 2 against Gallaudet then go to Hartwick Sept. 9 before hosting St John Fisher Sept. 16 and playing at Hobart Sept. 23.

Keystone is at Moravian for a Sept. 30 Landmark opener. The Giants will host Susquehanna for Homecoming and their first Landmark home game Oct. 7.

The Giants play at Wilkes Oct. 14 before hosting Lycoming Oct. 21 and Catholic Oct. 28. They conclude the regular season at Juniata Nov. 4.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The Keystone College men’s basketball team will play an exhibition game against a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I opponent for the third straight season when it goes to Binghamton University Nov. 12.

The Giants played Virginia Military Institute in 2021 and Army in 2022.

Keystone plays its opener under new coach Andrew Kettel Nov. 9 at Wilkes University.

BASEBALL

Clarks Summit has named Joshua Knight baseball coach, dropping the interim tag after he led the program for nearly a year.

Knight is a 2022 graduate of the school, who because coaching in the Danville Little League as a 16-year-old.

The Defenders went 4-33, including their first victory over King’s College since 2014.