Wrestling’s Season Highlighted by D’Agostini’s Run to Championships
Going 11-8 in dual match competitions, the wrestling team placed 11th at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships in February.
Senior Dan D’Agostini set a program record for wins (39-5) while becoming the first Scranton wrestler since 2007 to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He recorded his record-breaking win at the national championships after finishing as the Mideast Region runner-up. D’Agostini and junior Keegan Connelly both earned National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American honors.
Women’s Golf Places Sixth at Conference Championships
Enjoying its best season in its three-year history, women’s golf posted a 13-2 record in dual matches before finishing sixth at the Landmark Conference Championships in April. Freshman Emma Nemitz earned Second Team All-Landmark Conference honors after leading the Royals by tying for 12th at the Landmark Conference championships.
Men’s Golf Posts Undefeated Regular Season
The men’s golf team posted a perfect 16-0 record in dual match competitions during the regular season before finishing in sixth place at the Landmark Conference Championships, which was held at the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course in Harrisburg in May.
The men’s golf team posted a perfect 16-0 record in dual match competitions during the regular season before finishing in sixth place at the Landmark Conference Championships, which was held at the Dauphin Highlands Golf Course in Harrisburg in May.
Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams finished third at the Landmark Conference Championships in February.
Men’s diver Michael Diana led the Royals and was named the Landmark Conference Diver of the Year after winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competitions at the conference championships.
In women’s swimming and diving, sophomore Audrey Campo became just the fourth Scranton women’s swimmer and first since 2001 to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Sophomore Lauren Byrne was named the Landmark Conference Swimmer of the Year. Coach Mark Yankovich was named the Landmark Conference Coach of the Year.
Bill Bessoir Inducted into MAC Hall of Fame
Former men’s basketball standout Bill Bessoir ’85 became the eighth person from the University selected to the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Hall of Fame. He and his father, legendary Royals’ coach Bob Bessoir, are the first father-son duo in the MAC Hall of Fame.
A three-time National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-American and a three-time MAC All-Star, he led Scranton to three straight MAC championships and was named the NCAA championship Most Outstanding Player after leading the Royals to the national title in 1983.
Bessoir, who totaled 1,630 career points, went on to play and coach professionally in Germany for 20-plus years and played for the New York Generals.
A 20-win Season for Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball team reached the 20-win plateau for the 25th time in program history and 10th under head coach Carl Danzig. The Royals finished the year with a 20-6 record and reached the Landmark Conference semifinals.
With a starting lineup including two juniors and three freshmen, Scranton won its first 12 games of the season and was ranked as high as 25th in the nation during the regular season. While traditionally known for their defense, the Royals proved an exciting offensive force this season, averaging 76.5 points per game, going for 80 or more points eight times and surpassing the 100-point plateau for the first time in more than a decade in a win over Manhattanville in December 2018.
Baseball Returns to Conference Playoffs
Making its second straight trip to the Landmark Conference playoffs, baseball overcame the loss of 14 seniors from the 2018 conference runner-up team to make a run to the postseason tournament.
The Royals earned the fourth and final seed in the Landmark Conference playoffs with a 9-9 mark in conference play. In the postseason, Scranton had its season end with a pair of heartbreaking, one-run losses as the Royals fell to eventual champion Susquehanna in the first round before getting edged out by Catholic in 10 innings in an elimination game.
Leading the way for Scranton this spring was sophomore Connor Harding (pictured), who was named the Landmark Conference Player of the Year.
Women’s Lacrosse Achieves National Recognition
The women’s lacrosse team enjoyed a record-breaking season, posting a 16-3 overall record and finishing as the Landmark Conference runner-up. The Royals set a program record for wins in a season and were ranked as high as 18th in the nation, their highest national ranking ever.
After posting a 15-2 record during the regular season and claiming the second seed in the Landmark Conference playoffs, Scranton fell to Catholic in the championship game.
Scranton boasted six All-Region performers on the season and had five First Team All-Landmark Conference selections and one Second Team All-Conference honoree. Becca Russo was named an Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Second Team All-American, the first student-athlete in Scranton history to earn All-American honors in more than one sport, having also earned Second Team honors in women’s soccer this past fall.
Men’s and Women’s Tennis Finish as Landmark Conference Runners-Up
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams finished the spring as the Landmark Conference runners-up. After a 1-2 start to conference play, the men’s team won five straight matches in April to enter the postseason as the second seed but ended up falling at top-seeded Goucher in the title match.
The women’s tennis team entered conference play with a 4-5 record but closed the regular season by winning six of its final seven matches to claim the second seed in the Landmark Conference playoffs. They fell at top-seeded Moravian in the championship match.
Track & Field’s Second Season
In its second season of competition, the men’s track & field team finished sixth at the Landmark Conference indoor championships in February before tying for fifth at the outdoor championships in May. Sophomore Matt Kinback highlighted the season for the Royals by winning a conference championship in the 800-meter run during the outdoor season.
The women’s track & field team — also in its second season — placed fifth at the Landmark Conference indoor championships in February and finished sixth at the outdoor championships in May.
Men’s Lacrosse Reaches Landmark Conference Semifinals
The men’s lacrosse team qualified for the Landmark Conference playoffs for the ninth consecutive season after earning the second seed and a home semifinal game after winning five of its six conference games during the regular season.
The Royals, who finished the season with a 10-8 overall record, went 5-1 in Landmark Conference action to earn the No. 2 seed in the conference playoffs but were defeated by Susquehanna in the semifinal round. (Pictured: Michael Elefonte)
Go to athletics.scranton.edu for the latest news.
