WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's golf team is set to begin its 2024 spring season on Saturday, April 6 at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club against Susquehanna University under the guidance of head coach Jeff Lewis who was hired to lead the program on July 26, 2023.

In the fall semester the team went 2-4 overall with victories over Mount Saint Mary College (NY) on September 14th and FDU-Florham on October 22nd.

The Colonels return five student-athletes from the fall season and four starters in senior Mollie Corbett (Hanover Twp., PA/Hanover Area Jr./Sr.), junior Lauren Koval (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West), junior Morgan Andretta (Middleburg, PA/Midd-West), and senior Kylee Laudenslager (Kingston, PA/Wyoming Valley West). Junior Bhavika Dawar (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) rounds out the returners.
 
"These student-athletes brought us back to relevance and they will all be a huge part of what we accomplish in the spring," Lewis said.
 
In addition to the returners, the Colonels have added a few talented golfers to the fold for the spring season.
 
Among them is first-year transfer Kyleen McCance (Hanover, PA/Hanover Area). McCance is a Hanover Area product who transferred from Division I Savannah State. She is a former PIAA District 2 champion and PIAA State Tournament medalist and will have an immediate impact as one of the best players in the Landmark Conference.
 
"Kyleen is one of the best players to come out of the Wyoming Valley Conference and District 2 in the past few years," said Lewis. "She brings vast tournament experience and an impressive skill set to our team. Her game and leadership will have an immediate impact."
 
Senior Gianna Picco (Waverly, NY/Waverly), from the Wilkes women's soccer team, also offers a boost to the team's growing roster. Picco is a former New York State high school qualifier and looks to cap off her senior year as a Landmark Conference contender.
 
"Gianna is a welcome addition," Lewis stated. "Her ability and work-ethic come at a great time for our rebuild."
 
Two other senior additions from the women's soccer team in goalkeepers Lauren Sweeney (West Chester, PA/West Chester Rustin) and Hannah Landis (Red Hill, PA/Upper Perkiomen) have burst on the scene looking to make some noise in the spring campaign and Conference Championships at Shawnee on the Delaware.
 
"They've worked incredibly hard on their games and will contribute immediately," Lewis said about Sweeney and Landis.

Coach Lewis also recently added Wilkes women's ice hockey first year Rissa Brazeau (Timmins, ON) to the roster for the spring.
 
Following the spring season opener against Susquehanna the Colonels are set to face Misericordia University at Irem Country Club on Sunday, April 7. Wilkes will compete at Wyoming Valley Country Club against King's College, Marywood University, and FDU-Florham on Saturday, April 13 and at Stone Hedge Golf Course against Marywood, King's, and FDU-Florham on Sunday, April 14. The Colonels are set to host Misericordia, King's and the University of Scranton at Huntsville Golf Club on Saturday April 20 with the Landmark Conference Championships set to Saturday and Sunday April 27 and 28 at Shawnee Inn.

Get to Know the Team

Favorite local pizza:
Andretta – Januzzi's
Corbett – Gerry's
Koval – Gerry's or Grotto
Landis – Franco's
Laudenslager – Pizza Perfect
McCance – Gerry's
Picco – Gerry's
Sweeney – Vesuvio's
 
Putting with the Pin IN or Pin OUT:
Andretta – In
Corbett – In
Koval – In
Landis – In
Laudenslager – In
McCance – Out
Picco – In
Sweeney – Out
 
Go-to Starbucks Order:
Andretta – Iced green tea with liquid cane sugar
Corbett – Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher – no fruit
Koval – Peach green tea lemonade
Landis – Iced chai latte
Laudenslager – Iced white mocha with sweet cream cold foam
McCance – Hazelnut iced shaken espresso
Picco – Hot caramel latte
Sweeney – Iced peach green tea unsweetened
 
Hat or no hat on the course:
Andretta – No hat
Corbett – Hat
Koval – Hat
Landis – Hat
Laudenslager – No hat
McCance – Hat
Picco – No hat
Sweeney – Hat
 
Favorite club in the bag:
Andretta- Driver
Corbett – Driver
Koval – 6 iron
Landis – Driver
Laudenslager – Hybrid
McCance – Driver
Picco – 7 iron
Sweeney – 8 iron
 
Weird golf superstition:
Andretta – Always must wear skirts no matter how cold it is. She won't do well if she wears pants.
 
Corbett – Only plays with even-numbered golf balls, marked with her initials MC and her lucky number 21 in purple marker. Visors are bad luck. She only uses pink ball markers on the green.
 
Koval – Needs double gloves.
 
Landis – None
 
Laudenslager – If she doesn't look good, she won't play well.
 
McCance – Having a Coca-Cola after nine holes.
 
Picco – She couldn't tell us.
 
Sweeney – Uses a different glove at the range than on the course.