In the final edition of ‘This Past Year in Wilkes Sports,’ we conclude with the Spring 2026 semester, which was quite eventful to say the least. Nine different programs took to the field, court fairways and more this past semester.
Men’s Golf – Andrew Marshallsay
Wilkes men’s golf concluded their season with a record of 5-6-1, finishing 10th in the Landmark Conference Championship. Brady Noone led the team with a scoring average of 80.1, and recording a average score of eight-over-par this season.
Women’s Golf – Jake Mills
Women’s Golf finished with a 12-2 overall record and finished eighth out of 10 teams in the Landmark Conference Championship. Junior Kyleen McClane was named to Second Team All Landmark team, and finished with a 78.5 scoring average as well as a Par +7 during the course of the season.
Baseball – Andrew Marshallsay
An eventful season for Wilkes Baseball saw the team being knocked out of the Landmark Tournament in Lancaster, Pa. after losses to Drew and Elizabethtown.
On the mound, AJ Levandoski continued his great start to his college career, following up his breakout freshman year with a solid Sophomore campaign. At the plate, Andres Cruz broke out in a big way, leading the Colonels with six home runs and 39 RBI. He hit a slash line of .313/.365/.479 during the course of the season.
Overall, the Colonels finished as the number one seed in the Landmark Conference, amassing a 24-18 (18-6) record. Levandoski, Jack Mathis, Cruz and Mike Show were all named to the All-Landmark team for their play in 2026.
Softball – Andrew Marshallsay
Wilkes softball put together another memorable campaign, clinching a spot in the Landmark Tournament for the season year in a row. On the mound, Mia Butka and Lauren DeMarco were the two aces, as the Colonels recorded some fantastic pitching performances from the two.
Butka led the team at the plate as well, hitting for a team-high .357 batting average, while hitting five home runs and driving in 33 RBI. Hana Cross led the team with six home runs in the bottom of the batting order.
The Colonels had five members of their squad named to the All-Landmark team, with Butka, Cross, DeMarco, Maddy Maloney and Sammy Petersen earning those honors. Overall, the team finished 23-19 (8-8).
Following seven years at the helm of the program, Colonels head coach Jackie Klahold stepped down after amassing a record of 106-103 in those seven seasons. On May 14, Casey Carpenter was promoted to Head Coach, as well as the Assistant Athletic Director for Game Operations — a role that Klahold previously held.
Men’s Lacrosse – Topher DellaBella
he men’s lacrosse team, led by head coach Jordan Drumheller, finished the season with a record of 5-12. The Colonels played against teams like the University of Scranton, Delaware Valley, and Lycoming.
Standout players for this team include Caleb Miller, who after 15 saves against Scranton hit a milestone of 500 career saves, Anthony DiFrancesco as well as Austin and Stone Sosnovik. Other key contributors included Anthony DelDuca, Tim Hartka and Jackson Casper.
Women’s Lacrosse – Vin Santoro
Women’s lacrosse jumped out to the best start in its program (8-0). Newly hired coach Taylor Drumheller set the standard early with eight consecutive wins heading into conference play. For their hot start, the Colonels were featured in a USA Lacrosse magazine about their historic turnaround.
Alexis Guttilla surpassed the 50-point career mark and finished with 55 points in her time at Wilkes. Senior Mara Adams scooped over 50 career ground balls and finished her career with 73.
In addition, Taylor Sparks passed the 100 career draw controls in their game against rival King’s College. The ladies finished their season 8-9.
Men’s Tennis – Andrew Marshallsay
Men’s tennis went 7-9 this season, finishing with a 2-7 record in Landmark play. Sebastian Sylvester led the Colonels with 13 individual match wins. Alongside Cole Riley, the two recorded 15 wins in doubles matches. Sylvester was named to the All-Landmark Second Team.
Women’s Tennis – Andrew Marshallsay
Ana Savkovic completed a historic freshman season for the Colonels. As a team, Wilkes finished 10-9 (5-4), earned a berth in the Landmark Championships, but was bested by Drew in the first round.
Savkovic went 19-0 in individual matches this season, and was named Landmark Player of the year as well as rookie of the year.
She did not lose a single set all year, and finished as the sixth-best player in Division III Region III.
Men’s Volleyball – Vin Santoro
Men’s volleyball had lots of accomplishments this season, featuring head coach Joe Czopek winning his 100th coaching victory. Alex Derk set a new program record with 570 career digs, and Joshua Conley reached the milestone of 1000 career assists in their win over Wilson College.
He becomes the third-ever player to reach this mark in the program. The team will be on the search for a new head coach, after Czopek’s retirement.
Across all programs, Wilkes athletics showcased growth, resilience, and a strong foundation for the future. With historic benchmarks, academic honors, and breakthrough performances, the Colonels are well-positioned for continued success.
The combination of experienced leadership and emerging young talent should continue to elevate the program and build on this year’s momentum heading into next season.
Stay tuned for the Athletes of the Year, beginning tomorrow, May 14 when The Beacon announces the Male AOTY.
