6at7Saint Francis Photo by: Steven SchoenfelderSoftball Drops Tuesday Doubleheader to Saint Francis4/29/2025 6:58:00 PM | Softball The artists of the “Rony Roller Circus” perform for Pope Francis during his traditional Wednesday General Audience mourn the death of Pope Francis.  Francis  The pope who chose the name of il povero as a sign of solidarity with the poor and the voiceless of the world is busy lauding this pope from the “end of the world” appropriately praising him for his commitment as a peacemaker there has been little comment about his environmental credentials as we are constantly told in a kind of repetitive journalistic earworm shunned the glittering and dazzling symbols of the papal office in order to choose a humbler lifestyle overlooked and failed to extend his compassion to many billions of his flock here on earth.  He rarely mentioned them and even more rarely appeared to have a passing regard for them  Of whom can I be speaking?  I mean those essential parts of God’s creation with whom we share this fragile planet: non-human animals  Here is a shepherd who called us to live with the smell of the sheep but who sentient beings who are part of God’s gift to the world many will cry?  The ground-breaking 2015 encyclical was but — be honest now — when did you last hear it mentioned or referenced?  When was it last preached in a homily or included in your parish synodal way conversations?  Like so many of the encyclicals it will now be gathering dust on the shelves of the archives in the Vatican a thoroughly anthropocentric reflection.  After all is it not the work of the Church and the gospel to convert human beings?  Those who are dignified with reason and with eternal souls in a way that the rest of creation isn’t?  Sure  But the planet is patently not ours alone there needs to be more work done in truly seeing how essential animals are to the ecosystem and to authentic human thriving  If we are uniquely the ones with reason and with dominion surely there is a huge responsibility on us to care for those who do not have such qualities.  It would be a dereliction of duty to do otherwise They are here because God wills that they should be Their very existence gives him glory (see the CCC) God is the creator of non-human animals too Laudato Si’ references some of this in passing but remains heavily weighted towards humanity and human dominion of the planet for the animals who are here with us as part of God’s redemptive plan St Francis is often considered an animal lover (that apparently oh-so-English virtue!).  In fact he is so much more than that — he was a radical theologian who called on human beings to convert the whole earth with the good news using words if we must.  His famous Canticle of the Creatures doesn’t even mention animals amiable animal-regarding preacher which the popular view would have taking the Canticle as something of a template we can learn that it is the whole of creation that exists for the glory of God and requires care and attention.  Maybe it was the vision of this extraordinary saint that gave the compliers of our liturgies such rich material on which to draw.  We hear proclaimed again and again in Eucharistic Prayer III (one example among many): “You are indeed holy and all you have created rightly gives you praise for through your son our Lord Jesus Christ by the power and working of the holy spirit you give life to all things and make them holy…” We cannot get away from the truth that the way Christians (and others) treat animals called into being by God and filled with the potential for holiness with little genuine regard for their welfare and their ‘rights’ and billions of land animals die every year in hideous There’s no kind way of doing an unkind thing — even (or perhaps especially) for Christians Is an awareness of animals and their true worth something to which the Church should be looking?  Christians led the way and did it eventually  What about the holocaust that is the (often unnecessary) mass destruction of animal life across the entire planet We cannot have it both ways: on the one hand declaring that we are stewards of creation who care about the environment and continue to cause chaos and discord with the wanton (albeit often hidden) cruelty that we show to animals but turn a blind eye to the mindless cruelty inflicted on sheep If only Pope Francis had used his authority and huge charismatic influence to speak up for the voiceless in this context gospel-facing relationship with the environment to show genuine concern to unseen and unheard majorities which are the animals of this planet… If only…  God rest his soul — but I won’t hold my breath concerning his successor Fr Terry Martin is a priest of the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton He is the author of “Animals in Heaven A Catholic Pastoral Response to Questions about Animals” Get the latest news and special offers delivered to your inbox Subscribe Advertise Jobs About us Permissions Help Contact us Norwin senior Colin Bruno recently made a verbal commitment to Mercyhurst. He took the news hard because, at the time, it was life changing. The football lineman went from blessed and humbled to stunned and nervous. After all, he was secure in a future with the Red Flash and had hopes of solidifying his deal as a preferred walk-on by making the roster. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound gentle giant abruptly rebooted the recruiting process by reaching out to a few schools and, in turn, drawing new offers. One school impressed him more than the others during his do-over, and he made a second verbal commitment, this time to Mercyhurst, a second-year Division I program in Erie. Bruno had a previous offer to play at Mercyhurst. “Huge relief,” Bruno said. “I feel very welcomed there, and to be honest, I should have committed there before.” Concord, Hampton, West Virginia Wesleyan, Millersville, West Liberty, Wheeling, Clarion, Seton Hill and Lock Haven extended offers to Bruno, but Mercyhurst shined the brightest. Norwin coach Mike Brown is a Mercyhurst alum. “I’m very happy and excited for Colin and his family,” Brown said. “He found a place where he can receive a quality education and have an opportunity to play highly competitive football. He showed great maturity throughout the process where not too many student-athletes had to deal with. We’re proud.” Two other Norwin players also backed away from Saint Francis and were scouring the market for new deals in nose tackle/defensive end Mike Strutt and wide receiver/defensive back Mike Crnkovic. If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where our photos are available to purchase WILMINGTON – Seven nurses from Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington have earned Excellence in Nursing Awards from Delaware Today magazine The nurses were nominated by their peers for extraordinary care and commitment to serving the community The honorees from Saint Francis are as follows: RN – Emergency Department; Bolanle Folarin CNL – Med/Surg (Nurse Manager); Grace Maina RN – Emergency Department; Kathleen Ramirez “Our nurses are at the heart of our mission here at Saint Francis Hospital,” said Donna Casey director of Nursing at Saint Francis Hospital “This recognition shows these nurses’ passion and dedication to giving back to our patients and community.” Saint Francis Hospital congratulates all nurses awarded with this honor The awardees will be honored at the 13th annual reception hosted by Delaware Today and 302Health on May 8 Home » News Articles » Saint Francis to Hold Community-Wide “Blessing of Hands” Initiative to Honor Healthcare Workers In recognition of the vital role that healthcare professionals play in the lives of patients and communities Saint Francis Healthcare System is proud to announce its upcoming Blessing of Hands initiative – an uplifting and symbolic ceremony open to all members of the healthcare community and the public The Blessing of Hands ceremony is a moment of reflection and renewal designed to honor the dedication of nurses This meaningful observance celebrates the hands that bring healing our healthcare professionals use their hands not just to heal support and connect,” said Deacon Tony Peters Mission Integration Manager at Saint Francis Healthcare System “This ceremony is a small but powerful way to pause and express our collective gratitude for their unwavering commitment and compassion.” The Blessing of Hands ceremony will be held at Saint Francis Medical Center and is open to all Saint Francis colleagues caregivers and members of the broader community who wish to participate or observe If you or a companion are deaf or hard of hearing, please notify Saint Francis Medical Center. Notice of Non-Discrimination ©2025 Saint Francis Healthcare System, Unauthorized Use Prohibited | 211 Saint Francis Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703 | 573-331-3000 | Privacy Policy | Site Map 12vs7Saint Francis Photo by: Chris AurelioWomen's Water Polo Closes Season With Win Over Saint Francis4/27/2025 11:33:00 AM | Women's Water Polo Copyright © 2025 Duquesne University Athletics Accessibility and Legal Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Pitt Hosts Saint Francis Tuesday4/21/2025 5:04:00 PM | Softball Saint Francis University announced Tuesday its intention to transition from Division I to Division III athletics a move that will be in effect at the start of the 2026-27 academic year Saint Francis has already accepted an invitation from the Presidents' Athletic Conference in Division III The school is aiming for active membership by 2029-30 The Saint Francis men's basketball team just won the Northeast Conference tournament and suffered a two-point loss in the first round of March Madness to Alabama State The Red Flash women's lacrosse team is 2-6 (1-1 NEC) in 2025 The program has made two NEC tournament appearances (2023 2024) and is 82-262 (33-147 NEC) since its inception in 2002 Continue below for the full press release from Saint Francis University Saint Francis University announced a decision by its Board of Trustees that directs the president and the leadership team to pursue a reclassification of its NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics program to Division III The shift in athletics offerings for men's and women's athletic competition would occur concurrent with the 2026-2027 academic year and fall 2026 athletic competition with the Red Flash participating in the Presidents' Athletic Conference The university's athletics teams will continue to participate in Division I intercollegiate athletics as part of the Northeast Conference through summer 2026 competition The university will file the necessary paperwork with the NCAA and has accepted an invitation from the Presidents' Athletic Conference "This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees," stated Chairman and the Very Rev "The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission The Board of Trustees participated in an extensive discussion and review of their options for the future of the university's athletics program and determined that this decision helps Saint Francis to achieve the institution's mission and strategic plan "All of the university's offerings that are a core part of the Saint Francis identity and student experience are reviewed by the Board on an ongoing basis Based on the changes in athletics nationally it would be a disservice to our student-athletes and athletic department staff not to review and assess how we can best provide the resources necessary for them to be competitive." "The Board and I have been concerned about the student-athlete experience for many years Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between developing friendships or in the classroom This change allows our students to be present on campus and lets their friends attend more of their home and away games This decision is about creating and maintaining community and allowing our student-athletes to thrive in the classroom and their chosen sport." "I want to be clear—we are very proud of our Division I history and success We will do everything possible to support our student-athletes Saint Francis has established a website with additional information, including a chart that outlines what this decision means for current student-athletes, coaches, and athletic department staff. In addition, anticipated questions are answered online and other questions can be submitted to athletics@francis.edu. © 2025 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved. USA Lacrosse is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization (EIN 52-1765246) Photo by: Steven SchoenfelderSoftball Heads to Loretto for Tuesday Doubleheader versus Saint Francis4/28/2025 1:20:00 PM | Softball Home » News Articles » Honoring Foundation Supporters at the Grace Notes Dinner We are deeply grateful for the incredible generosity of our supporters At our annual Grace Notes donor appreciation dinner Saint Francis Foundation proudly recognized both Commerce Bank and Procter & Gamble with a Donor of Distinction Award for their leadership giving KFVS12 and Grant Dade’s First Alert Weather Team were also honored with a Focused Recognition Certificate for their unwavering commitment to keeping our community safe during the recent tornadoes The spirit of giving shown by our donors is truly a blessing – inspiring hope 8vs0Saint Francis Frazier Lead Pitt to a Shutout Win Over Saint Francis4/22/2025 8:10:00 PM | Softball PITTSBURGH – The Pitt softball team continued their momentum from last weekend as they defeated Saint Francis in five innings Tuesday evening at Vartabedian Field Gwen Sparks tossed 4.0 shutout innings to lead the Panthers in the circle. Sparks struck out four of the first seven batters faced and finished the outing allowing just two hits with five strikeouts. Sparks faced 14 batters and used just 55 pitches to earn her sixth win of the season. Shelby Frazier led the Panthers at the plate going 2-for-3 with two home runs and five RBI The Panthers took an early lead after drawing two walks and loaded the bases after a fielding error from Saint Francis. Kylie Griggs scored on a dropped ball from the catcher at home and Tieley Vaughn scored on a ground ball to the shortstop to take a 2-0 lead after the first inning Pitt hit three solo home runs in the bottom of the third inning to extend the lead 5-0. Frazier and Ana Hernandez led off the inning with back-to-back solo home runs before KK Esparza followed with another solo home run to cap off the inning Frazier gave the Panthers an eight-run lead to secure the run-rule victory with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Camryn Murphy drew a walk and Amanda "Tuta" Ramirez hit a single to left field to set up the clutch home run for Frazier Sparks retired the side in the top of the fifth inning to secure the win for the Panthers Home » News Articles » Saint Francis to Offer Free Skin Cancer Screenings Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States affecting millions of Americans every year About one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime In conjunction with the American Academy of Dermatology’s SPOT me® screening program, Saint Francis Healthcare System will offer free skin cancer screenings on Saturday, May 10, from 8 am to noon at Cape Radiation Oncology located at Entrance 6 of Saint Francis Medical Center Screenings will be provided by Richard Limbert, DO; Amy Willingham with Advanced Dermatology of Southeast Missouri Patients who have been seen at Advanced Dermatology within the past three years are asked to continue care through the office An appointment is required. To schedule, please call 573-331-5784 Francis was killed in a crash with a semi truck near Buse Township Monday evening was fleeing from officers after a traffic stop and rear-ended the semi at around 7:56 p.m She was killed in the crash and identified Tuesday as Jessica Sarah Vaux from St The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 the Penn State softball team cruised to a dominant 15-3 victory over the Saint Francis Red Flash in five innings of play on Wednesday night from Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field The Blue & White made history on the evening scoring 15 runs for the second straight game to mark the first instance of consecutive 15-run performances in program history Penn State defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights by a 15-11 differential on Saturday PSU additionally surpassed 12-or-more runs in consecutive games for the second time this season with this week’s performances joining back-to-back 12 and 23-run performances during the Penn State Softball Invitational against Canisius and Fairfield on March 7 the Nittany Lions last booked 12 runs or more in back-to-back games on April 8 and 9 in 13 and 15-run performances a Big Ten Conference weekend series against Indiana as well as three more program alumnae in Karlie Habitz both in the 2025 season and in her collegiate career with the Nittany Lion also becoming the fourth student-athlete on the roster to secure a multi-homer performance Klosowicz now stands atop the PSU doubles leaderboard alongside program legends Kaitlyn Morrison Danielle Kinley and Jen Acunto with 18 two-baggers booking a walk and strikeout while shutting the Red Flash down Despite the Red Flash putting a straight number on the scoreboard in the visitor’s half of the first PSU replied with an emphatic nine-run reply to take immediate control of the contest Back-to-back walks placed Ricks and Walters on the right side of the infield with both players taking 60 more feet on a Red Flash passed ball A fielding error by the SFU shortstop allowed Brunson to take over at first base while sending Ricks home and Walters to third with Brunson swiping second base moments later to keep a pair of runners in scoring position Klosowicz cleared the bases with her 18th double of the season Gordon singled and advanced on the throw while Klosowicz moved to third A two-RBI single and advancement to second on the throw by Barbanente kept the scoring coming and after some solid plate discipline and baserunning PSU saw Barbanente and Lieto on the left side of the basepath An RBI-grounder for Seidel bumped Lieto to third and plated Barbanente and Nelson stepped up to the dish moments later and clobbered a two-run shot over the fence in left field Ricks kept the inning alive with a bunt single down the third base line and Walters drew a walk to place runners on the right side once again Brunson loaded the bases on a fielder’s choice that SFU’s defense failed to make a play on and Klosowicz put a ball in play that resulted in a fielder’s choice and 6-4 putout at second while Ricks came in to score Penn State extended its lead in the second Lieto worked an infield single toward the second baseman to spark another key offensive frame for the Blue & White Seidel stepped up to the dish for her second at-bat of the game and went opposite-field for her first homer of the contest zipping the ball over the fence in right field After a pair of outs popped onto the scoreboard to open the home half of the third Gordon sparked a two-out rally with a single to left field and advanced to second after a Barbanente walk A Red Flash passed ball allowed both runners to move into scoring position and a single to the shortstop from Lieto plated Gordon while Barbanente stayed put at third base and Seidel made the previous stolen base moot with her second opposite-field home run of the game to provide PSU with a 15-1 advantage The Red Flash booked a pair of scores in the top of the fourth but the Nittany Lion defense and pitching staff buckled down to secure the run-rule win by a 15-3 margin in five innings SFU dropped to 14-21 overall and will carry their 7-5 conference record into another Northeast Conference series against the FDU Knights this weekend in Loretto Madison Seidel | 2-for-3 Jenna Nelson | 2-for-3 Natalie Lieto | 2-for-2 Mady Volpe | 2.0 IP T1| Savannah Nash started the game off with a single through the left side of the infield and AB Cipalla executed a 3-4 sacrifice bunt to bump her 60 feet further A productive groundout from Addie Smith advanced Nash to third base and an RBI double to center by Olivia Ulam marked the first tally of the ballgame B1 | Back-to-back walks placed Ricks and Walters on the right side of the infield B3 | After a pair of outs popped onto the scoreboard to open the inning Ulam delivered a first-pitch single to right field and advanced to second after a PSU fielding error allowed Sofia Zielinski to take over at first Another Saint Francis student-athlete popped out to put two away but a bases-clearing double by Olivia Kolowitz plated a pair of late-game tallies for the Red Flash Penn State softball continues its nine-game stretch of performances at Nittany Lion Softball Park and Beard Field this weekend with the Blue & White returning to Big Ten Conference play against the 22nd-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes All three games in the weekend set will stream live to a worldwide audience of authenticated subscribers via B1G+ and the B1G+ app Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State softball Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion softball team on Facebook at /pennstatesoftball as well as Instagram and X @PennStateSB Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | 4/26/2025 1:37:00 PM | Craig Lane Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Communications There are currently no upcoming/recent events Thanks for visiting Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Thanks for visiting 5at2Saint Francis University Photo by: Jack MackenzieLehigh Snaps Three-Match Skid In 5-2 Win Over Saint Francis3/23/2025 8:13:00 PM | Men's Tennis Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | 4/9/2025 5:30:00 PM | Derek W Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations & Sports Information Thanks for visiting ! Photo by: Mike ColemanWomen’s Tennis Visits Saint Francis Hosts Navy3/20/2025 9:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis Alabama State players react to a TJ Madlock basket during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against Saint Francis in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State players celebrate with fans following their 70-68 win over Saint Francis during a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State’s Jasteven Walker (25) celebrates with teammates following the team’s 70-68 win over Saint Francis during a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saint Francis’ Daemar Kelly reacts during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against the Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State guard TJ Madlock (20) shoots against Saint Francis’ Daemar Kelly (5) and Juan Cranford Jr (4) during the second half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saint Francis guard Wisler Sanon II reacts during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament (4) drives against Alabama State’s TJ Madlock during the first half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State guard Micah Octave (11) dunks during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against Saint Francis in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State guard Micah Simpson (2) makes a steal against Saint Francis guard Riley Parker (11) during the first half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saint Francis’ Wisler Sanon II (23) dribbles against Alabama State’s Micah Simpson during the first half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament reacts to a three-point basket during the first half of a First Four college basketball game against Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament Saint Francis guard Wisler Sanon II (23) chases a loose ball during the first half of a First Four college basketball game against Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament shoots against Saint Francis’ Chris Moncrief (0) during the first half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State center Ubong Okon (35) drives against Saint Francis guard Chris Moncrief (0) during the second half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State’s TJ Madlock (20) drives against Saint Francis’ Daemar Kelly during the second half of a First Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Alabama State guard Micah Octave dunks during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against Saint Francis in the NCAA Tournament Ohio (AP) — Amarr Knox’s layup with a second left lifted Alabama State to its first NCAA Tournament win Tuesday night 70-68 over Saint Francis (PA) in a matchup of No Knox scored 16 points to help the Hornets (20-15) earn a date with No 1 overall seed Auburn on Thursday in a South Region game at Lexington “You just said it: March Madness,” said Alabama State coach Tony Madlock “I think I’ve talked about this with all of the media either we have to get a bucket or we have to get a stop Fortunately enough we were able to get a bucket to finish this game off.” After forcing a turnover in the final seconds Alabama State had the ball out of bounds under its own basket Micah Simpson threw a long pass nearly the length of the court toward a scrum of players in the lane at the other end — not unlike a Hail Mary in football The ball deflected off a teammate and right into Knox’s hands near the rim giving him a simple layup for the winning points “We put our tallest athletic person to go get the ball,” Knox said “And fortunately everybody tipped the ball and I got the rebound and made the layup.” Saint Francis chose not to pressure Simpson on the inbounds pass Officials determined there was 1 second remaining after Knox’s layup but a desperation heave by the Red Flash fell short made an unlikely return to the arena as the 19th team to enter the NCAA Tournament with a losing record “These guys for 34 games left it all out on the court for us,” coach Rob Krimmel said and nothing can take that away from our group.” Alabama State is making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance Micah Octave’s steal and dunk put the Hornets ahead by four with 1:36 left but the Red Flash tied the score at 68 on Chris Moncrief’s 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining Valentino Pinedo scored 17 for the Red Flash (16-18) Saint Francis shot 59% and went 6 of 12 from 3-point range to take a 39-34 lead into halftime and we knew we just had to come out and play ball,” Knox said We knew as soon as the next half started that we would come out play aggressive and just do whatever it takes to win the game.” “We turned the ball over too many times,” Cranford said you can’t expect to come out with a good outcome.” Following a missed shot by Knox down the stretch TJ Madlock was fouled scrambling for the rebound but Saint Francis committed a turnover at the other end “I’ll figure that all out tonight,” Tony Madlock said I guess a couple hours down the road to play in Lexington at Rupp Arena Things didn’t start out so well for Saint Francis the officials asked several Red Flash players to remove their black undershirts undershirts must be the same color as the jersey Alabama State didn’t attempt a free throw until there was 5:09 remaining Thanks for visiting The student news site of Saint Francis University all current Saint Francis University student-athletes received an email from Father Malachi Van Tassell – president of the University – that triggered shockwaves across the institution and social media The SFU president shared the news that the University will transition from a Division I athletics program to one that competes at the Division III level The Red Flash will compete for one more academic year as a member of the Division I Northeast Conference (2025-26) before transitioning into the Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) in 2026-27 Malachi noted that the decision was made by the University’s Board of Trustees and that it was a unanimous one pay-for-play and the transfer portal have reshaped the intercollegiate athletics environment while costs have risen and revenues have decreased,” said Fr Malachi in an email that was sent to SFU faculty and staff members shortly after the email to student-athletes “These changes have impacted programs across the country The announcement that Saint Francis will transition to Division III comes two weeks after the SFU men’s basketball team captured its first NEC championship since 1991 It comes one week after this team competed in the “First Four” round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament sophomore basketball player Bobby Rosenberger entered his name into the transfer portal teammates and supporters of the SFU program for the past two years,” he posted on X “After hearing the news of the transfer to Division 3 The rosters of the Red Flash’s 22 sports teams will likely see major changes as other student-athletes who want to continue competing at the Division I level look to transfer Several members of the SFU swim team noted that the loss of international students is also a likely outcome because of decreased aid Division I student-athletes are eligible for athletic aid Division III programs do not offer athletic aid The 2024-25 Red Flash swim roster included five international student-athletes SFU will be completely different from what it is now,” said junior swimmer and Kraków coming here won’t make much sense since (athletic) scholarships will no longer be offered.” Malachi believes that SFU will remain a destination for international student-athletes “Our international students help to diversify the campus and they help to make this place really interesting,” said the University’s president but I still see a great place for international students here.” Emotions remain raw following the announcement “It’s really disappointing,” said Fanta Daffe so hearing that we’re moving to DIII is tough.” Daffe has one year of athletic eligibility remaining and plans to use it elsewhere “My teammates and I came here to play at the highest level Many students said that they felt betrayed upon receiving the news especially with all the different emotions coming and going,” said Allie Braly sweat and tears to get to the DI level of their sports are being taken for granted.” The softball team won the 2024 NEC championship and competed in the NCAA Division I Regional a season ago the softball team is currently 6-0 in the NEC Braly threw her first career no-hitter in the team’s most recent game against LeMoyne last Sunday “It really feels like SFU does not care about who we are as student-athletes and would rather us just be students,” said the Kansas City a sophomore on the women’s golf team said that she wished SFU’s student-athletes had known that moving to DIII was a possibility “I feel like the coaches and the students were blindsided,” said Gagnon “This is going to change the school and the dynamic of our athletic program a lot.” The members of the women’s golf team received Fr Malachi’s email in the middle of a round of golf at an event in Ohio Many athletes noted that the announcement derails remaining competitions this spring “We were looking to build on our progress from the fall season It could also deter potential recruits and lead to current players leaving,” said freshman Patrick Kierzkowski a sophomore on the men’s soccer team from Manalapan “It’s a bad situation to be caught in.” a sophomore volleyball player from Meadville Pennsylvania said that the announcement should have been handled differently “I wish we would have received the information before the rest of the world had,” said Decker Senior Associate Athletics Director Shane Tay told members of the football team in a meeting that those players who enter the transfer portal could potentially still receive scholarship money and have a spot on the SFU roster if they choose to return to Loretto in the fall “It feels like being betrayed and disrespected,” said sophomore football player Giuseppe Pennolino from Highland Mills “I know a lot of people are going to transfer I’ve seen a couple of (freshmen) commits who already confirmed for next year say they’re not coming.” Sophomore Megan Marlin is a member of the SFU water polo team and a native of Flower Mound “This school is going to regret this decision because they quit on their student-athletes,” said Marlin “They quit on what made this a great school and they quit on the community around us.” Freshman soccer player Jack Geist said he is focusing on moving forward and not looking back but the realization that my life is taking a 180-degree turn has set in,” said the Catonsville “I trust God’s plan 100 percent and know that everything happens for a reason I am grateful for the opportunity here my freshman year.” The Colts’ “Road to 100” push to get 100 Hoosier high schools to commit to having a girls flag football team has already made major in-roads across Indiana Nearly 60 programs are currently on board; once 100 schools in the state field a girls flag football team the IHSAA will put girls flag football under consideration to be an officially-sanctioned sport The first 100 schools to join the “Road to 100” will receive a $10,000 support package from the Irsay family and Colts The total commitment from the Irsay family and Colts is $1 million toward growing girls flag football Indiana’s neighbor to the west – already sanction girls flag football at the high school level Indiana is one of 19 states with a pilot program Williams – the head women’s flag football coach at the University of Saint Francis and also an assistant at Fort Wayne Northrop High School – doesn’t want anyone to get left behind “I don’t want anybody to miss the train on what women’s flag is going to do,” Williams said “… I don’t want anybody to miss out and I don’t want us to be the reason why we miss out let’s make sure that we do what need to do so we can give these women the opportunities I want to make sure that there’s so much there that you can’t miss it I want this to be the next big sport.” Williams has been coaching flag football for 10 years but his most recent position at the University of Saint Francis – an NAIA school in Fort Wayne – has been part of a remarkable success story for the sport of women’s flag football Saint Francis offers scholarships for women’s flag football student-athletes; he has five players on scholarship from Fort Wayne as well as others from the Indianapolis area That girls flag football is a vehicle for women to attend college on a scholarship is not only a sign of the remarkable growth of the sport – it’s a sign of the positive impact the sport can make “I think it’s bigger than girls flag,” Williams said “I think it’s just for women in general and having that platform A big thing that I tell the girls that are getting recruiting by and are coming to the University of Saint Francis I want to make sure they have the platform to grow as women around the country and to do what they need to be leaders of the next generation It’s important for them to get on this stage and then for them to have a vehicle that’s going to pay for school whether they’re — for us — nursing or sports management or business or elementary education.” And Williams is encouraging anyone in charge of an athletic department – in this case at the high school level in Indiana – to do their research about girls flag football The sport will only continue to grow – especially in Indiana where the state’s biggest football brand is heavily promoting its development – and if a community doesn’t offer girls flag at the high school level it could risk losing top athletes to other communities or states “There’s a lot of women that are coming to the forefront of the space that they might be next in the NFL in the grand scheme of things,” Williams said “Or they’re getting on NFL staffs I think it’s a blessing seeing these women get these opportunities and they’re going to continue to pave the way in trailblazing.” has already played – and will continue to play – a big part in pushing the sport forward so girls can use it as a platform to elevate themselves not only within the sport of football but with whatever they want to accomplish in life “We’re in at a great time right now,” Williams said “I’m just putting it lightly — we’re at such an optimal spot they jumped on it at the right time and they’re building it at the right time so that we can get in to ride the wave as it gets ready to go through its ebbs and flows.” ShareSaveCommentBusinessSportsMoney‘A Time For Choosing’-Saint Francis’ Bold Shift To Division IIIByKaren Weaver Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Karen Weaver covers the intersection of college sports and higher ed Francis (Pa) Red Flash celebrate during the second half in the First .. More Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18 After advancing in the NCAA’s 2025 Men’s March Madness and facing Alabama State in a highly competitive “First Four” match-up in mid-March Saint Francis University caught many in the college sports world by surprise when they announced they were departing to Division III in 2026-27 Father Malachi Van Tassell told me about their decision their process and offered advice to other leaders as the college athletics landscape shifts Higher education leaders may benefit in learning more about his thinking “It’s a 'time for choosing’ in higher education,” Van Tassell told me As Division I has changed dramatically in the last several years it “became clear that future successes were dependent upon NIL” deals for men’s basketball did not lend itself to the kinds of business opportunities and donors found in larger metropolitan areas like Los Angeles “We’ve always been both D1 and a small school-have I’ve always been talking about how great it is to be a both/and institution You can be a D1 softball player and be a nursing major,” he continued there's a lot of factors here outside of our control Life as a D1 institution is going to get more difficult we really started to do some soul searching.” Where does the “typical” Saint Francis student come from it’s the D1 that attracts 40 % of our undergraduate population who are student athletes.” Like some private universities during the economic recession of 2008-09 they weathered the enrollment declines by using the attraction of membership in Division I They also began to attract international student-athletes adding a different dimension to the campus culture OHIO - MARCH 18: A detailed view of on-court signage before the game between the Alabama .. Francis (Pa) Red Flash in the First Four of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18 As Division I evolved financially with NIL they began to think about “market positioning” in other Divisions had also experienced a membership evolution expanding the footprint to include both Chicago and the Boston area and with no commercial airports closer than 90 minutes away athletes were spending an extraordinary amount of time on the road Van Tassell and his Board of Trustees spent months in frank discussions about the mission of the school “The thing is two thirds of my board are alumni Some of them had been student athletes…(recounting) memories of their own experiences in the 1970s So we needed to start by educating our trustees of this is what it’s like on ground in Saint Francis today to the complexities of the economics of ‘over-rostering’.” Once the group shared the same understandings of how much Division I college athletics had changed the table was cleared of old perceptions and the team could start with a fresh perspective trustees are folks on the board that I’ve invited to join the board I’ve had the opportunity to develop really strong relationships with It’s a luxury that I have versus an institution that’s a state institution where political appointees are the trustees” The board and his leadership team were unafraid to push back and challenge each other "The Board really wrestled with this-they asked the tough questions and it was factual There was emotion because it was people with their own ideas and their own expertise And it really was a great mix of ‘iron sharpening iron’ with people coming to a good decision "Part of one of the motivators in us making the switch is because of the NIL piece you’re typically on the losing end of that kind of stuff…then that’s where it goes into philosophy and mission where the longest bus trip will be three hours When I asked him for a final piece of advice he might offer to other institutional leaders considering a move like this But be smart about it….you don't want to be the last person to do this Important advice for all university leaders at a pivotal moment in higher education Game Recap: Softball | 2/23/2025 5:19:00 PM Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting ! FacebookEmailLORETTO 20 Penn State Men’s Volleyball made it two sweeps in a row as it went on the road to beat Saint Francis 3-0 (30-28 26-24) in a non-conference match Friday night at DeGol Arena The Nittany Lions head back to Happy Valley at 2-7 overall while the Red Flash dipped to 1-9 on the season The Nittany Lions hit .279 compared to .229 for the Red Flash. Ryan Merk fueled that effort with his nine digs. Rose, the EIVA leader in blocks/set, was strong at the net with his six blocks, while Gabriel and Matt Cosgrove chipped in with four blocks apiece Andrew Deardorff carried the Saint Francis attack But it wasn’t enough as the rest of the team combined to for 24 kills on .136 hitting who came through with a perfect 21-for-21 mark in serve receive Set 1Penn State opened the match with a 30-28 win in a back-and-forth first set which Saint Francis held at 11-8 and 16-13 The Red Flash had the first two chances at set point but followed with service errors both times Rose gave Penn State its first chance at set point with a kill to put his team up 26-25 but Saint Francis responded with a kill by Sam Lane The Nittany Lions’ next two chances were also thwarted after a kill by Deardorff to tie the score at 28-all Kuhns gave the Nittany Lions the lead with a kill and Gabriel followed with a solo block to secure the set win Set 2Penn State hit .429 behind 10 assists by Schwob as it rolled to a 25-17 win in the second set Luoma did a large chunk of the offensive work with six kills on .667 hitting Rose had an ace in addition to his three blocks The Nittany Lions trailed 7-4 before going on a 5-0 run that that started with a kill and a solo block by Rose They later used another 5-0 run to go up 17-12 and Cosgrove all had kills during that stretch Gabriel later added a solo block for set point Set 3The Nittany Lions overcame 10 kills by Deardorff to get a 26-24 win in the third set scoring 11 points on Saint Francis service errors two on aces by Luoma Luoma’s aces came back-to-back and capped a 4-0 run that put Penn State up 22-18 The Nittany Lions later upped their lead to 24-21 but had to stave off one last comeback attempt by Saint Francis The Red Flash scored three straight points to knot the score at 24-all and Luoma and Gabriel ended with a block for match point Career HighsMatt Cosgrove – blocks (4)Matthew Luoma – aces (2) Up NextPenn State and Saint Francis square off again this time at Rec Hall on Saturday at 4 p.m 14vs5Saint Francis Photo by: Catharyn Hayne / Catharynhaynephotography.comWomen's Water Polo Begins Weekend with Win Over Saint Francis4/5/2025 6:03:00 PM | Women's Water Polo Last week, Saint Francis was on the wrong end of a thriller when Alabama State's Amarr Knox's game winner knocked the Red Flash out of the NCAA tournament That First Four game might have been Saint Francis' last as a Division I program Saint Francis announced Tuesday that it will move its athletics programs to the Division III level in 2026 "This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees," Rev Saint Francis men's basketball made history in March The team hadn't reached the NCAA tournament since 1991 Coach Rob Krimmel played for the team in the late 1990s and then served as assistant on staff for more than a decade before becoming the program's leader the Red Flash were picked to finish last in the NEC preseason poll but the team won the conference tournament and automatic bid They were on the verge of victory before a wild finish and late bucket sealed the win for Alabama State The school will move all sports to Division III next year Its statement cited "changes" in the national landscape The NIL demands and forthcoming revenue-share model could prompt more schools to make the same decision Hartford reached the NCAA tournament in 2021 but then later announced that it would reclassify to Division III. 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Saint Francis robotics team secures district title (WPBN/WGTU) -- The Traverse City Saint Francis High School Robotics Team took home some extra hardware over the weekend The team won the district championship at the FIM Competition on Saturday It was at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste Winning the district qualifies Saint Francis for state competition Alabama State basketball's Amarr Knox will forever be a Hornets legend after hitting the game-winning shot to send them to the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Alabama State downed Saint Francis 70-68 on Tuesday in Dayton to earn the program's first NCAA Tournament win in its fifth try Alabama State sent the ball in from the opposite baseline using a full-court pass with Knox possession and hitting the layup to win Alabama State got the first basket of the game but struggled early as Saint Francis led by five at the break as the Hornets shot 59% in the first half Alabama State got the game within a point during various points of the second half but it took four tries for the Hornets to take a lead with just over four minutes left Saint Francis tied the game with just over 30 seconds to go The Hornets got the game within a point three times in the second half Then they finally were able to take the lead with just over four minutes left They used a 6-0 run into the under-four timeout to take their first lead since scoring the opening basket It started on an old-fashioned three-point play before CJ Hines hit a 3-pointer Alabama State gets off to a slow startThe Hornets offense struggled to get going early on which as been a trend for the 344th team in the country in field-goal percentage They started shooting 29% in the first four minutes and while that rose during the game Alabama State was playing from behind most of the way The slow start was compounded by the fact that Saint Francis shot 64% from the field in the first 13 minutes It was the Hornets' 5 of 11 shooting from 3-point range that kept them in the game Free throws the difference for Hornets in first halfSaint Francis shot 10 free throws in the first half That's seven more than the Hornets even shot as they had no attempts from the charity stripe Alabama State committed nine first half fouls with Saint Francis committing six The Hornets shot their first free throws with 5:09 left in the game AUBURN — Auburn basketball got its wish they'll be one of four teams that must wait to find out who their first opponent is in round of 64 play PRICES, HOW TO BUY: Auburn basketball tickets for 2025 NCAA Tournament they'll also have to prep for a round of 32 matchup with 8-seed Louisville or 9-seed Creighton both of which were runners-up in their respective conference tournaments Ready to win March Madness? Join USA TODAY’s Survivor Pool today "I've got some other guys on my staff working on St because that's going be the team we're going be playing against I'll probably spend my first day or two taking a look at Creighton and Louisville it'll have to be a quick study Tuesday night Wednesday to be able to get ready to go at either" As the Tigers prep for four different teams here's what you need to know about the Hornets and the Friars and when the Tigers will learn their opponent When does Auburn basketball know who its first NCAA Tournament opponent is?The Tigers won't know who they're facing until Tuesday night when Alabama State and Saint Francis tip off at 5:40 p.m It's one of four "First Four" matchups that'll take place between Tuesday and Wednesday Eleven-seed North Carolina and 10-seed San Diego State will also play Tuesday (8:10 p.m The Hornets finished fourth in the SWAC this year under third-year coach Tony Madlock who is having his best season yet in Montgomery Scouting report: Saint FrancisScouting Saint FrancisRecord: 16-17Overall seed: No 68 (Bid type: Automatic)KenPom: -12.76 (No 311)Stat leadersPoints: G Riley Parker (13.4)Rebounds: F Valentino Pinedo (6.5)Assists: G Riley Parker (3.4)The Friars didn't finish above .500 in regular-season or conference play but they're in a similar boat as Alabama State emerging victorious in their past six games Saint Francis hadn't won more than two in a row Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.