Norwin notebook: Knights alum recognized for defense

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 11:01 AM

A Norwin graduate claimed a major award in Presidents Athletic Conference basketball.

Grove City senior guard Mara Polczynski was named the conference defensive player of the year.

Polczynski, known for her ability to force turnovers in the backcourt, had 80 steals and led the Wolverines with 6.5 per game. She also was named to the All-PAC Second Team.

She averaged 9.8 points and had a team-best 82 assists.

For her career, Polczynski racked up 235 steals, a number that ranks third in program history. Her 366 assists also rank second.

Girls wrestling

Norwin’s Karsyn Champion finished eighth at 155 pounds in the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships at Hershey’s Giant Center.

Champion fell to Cydney Rea of Northwestern, 4-0, in the seventh-place match.

Earlier in the consolation bracket, Champion had a 17-0 technical fall win over ChaseMarie Ryan of Quakertown in the early session but was pinned by Makayla Taylor of Clearfield in 3:44 in the late session.

At 170, Octavia Walker of Norwin suffered back-to-back defeats in the consolation round. She was pinned by Bryce Snyder of Palisades in 4:56 of the quarterfinals, then suffered another pin to Lane Harrington of Strath Haven in 1:22.

College watch

Updates on Norwin athletes competing at the college level:

Wrestling

Bucknell: Fifth-year Kurt Phipps claimed a championship at 133 pounds at the EIWA Championships on Bethlehem and punched his ticket to the NCAA Division I Championships for a third time.Phipps defeated Kyle Waterman of Drexel, 7-5, in the finals. Phipps is tied with Tyler Smith for ninth in Bucknell history with 107 wins.

Softball

Maine: Freshman Bailey Snowberger went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs as the Black Bears defeated Yale, 3-0.In a 9-0 victory over Sacred Heart, Snowberger doubled, drove in a run and scored two runs.

Women’s lacrosse

Westminster: Freshman midfielder Ava Kessler had two goals and three ground balls to go with a career-high four caused turnovers and eight draw controls in an 18-8 loss to Ohio Northern.

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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