ERIE, Pa. – With a great Centennial Homecoming Weekend in the rearview mirror Gannon's fall sports continue action as week number three gets underway. The Golden Knights enter the week with two teams appearing in their respective national rankings. The women's soccer team was tenth a week ago and improved to 3-0 with 1-0 shutout of California (Pa.) to cap the Homecoming festivities. The volleyball team moved up to 16th and is off to an impressive 5-2 start while facing some of the best teams Division II has to offer. That continues this week with the Golden Knight playing four times in West Virginia, including a rekindling of the rivalry with Wheeling.

Below is the schedule for the week ahead, along with a quick preview of each team.

THIS WEEK IN GANNON ATHLETICS

Football (0-3)
Saturday, Sept. 20 at Kutztown – 12 noon - Video | Livestats | Tickets

• Head coach Erik Raeburn knew his squad had a monumental task in front of it to start the season, and several injuries at key positions have not helped. The Golden Knights are still looking for win number one after falling to East Stroudsburg on Homecoming. The Warriors were picked to finish second in the PSAC East and snapped a seven-game winning streak for Gannon on Homecoming.
• Now the Golden Knights look to slow down the preseason favorite in the division, Kutztown. The Golden Bears were also an NCAA Playoff team a year ago and come in with a perfect 2-0 record after a 34-0 whitewashing of Edinboro. Kutztown is ranked fourth in the latest AFCA Division II Top 25.       
• Despite the disappointing start Gannon has exhibited a dangerous passing game in the early going behind a pair of quarterbacks. The Golden Knights are averaging 296.0 ypg. through the air.

Volleyball (5-2)
Wheeling Invitational
Thursday, Sept. 18 at Wheeling -- 7:00 p.m. - Video | Livestats 
Friday, Sept. 19 vs. Fairmont State -- 1:00 p.m. - Video | Livestats 
West Liberty Invitational
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. West Virginia State -- 1:00 p.m. - Video | Livestats 
Saturday, Sept. 20 at West Liberty -- 6:00 p.m. - Video | Livestats 

• The No. 16 Golden Knights improved to 5-2 on the young campaign with wins in two of three matches in the Hampton Inn & Suites Grand Rapids Downtown Classic hosted by Davenport. As was the case with the opening weekend, Gannon dropped its first match in three tight games vs. Findlay before coming back to post impressive victories over Tiffin and Davenport.
• Now Darling's squad plays in a tournament for the third weekend in a row. The action gets underway with two matches in the Wheeling Invitational before making the short journey through the mountains of West Virginia for two matches in the West Liberty Invitational. It all gets underway on Thursday with a showdown at Wheeling. The Cardinals and Golden Knights met in last year's Atlantic Regional Championship with Gannon advancing to the Elite Eight with a 3-1 win. Saturday finds the Golden Knights playing another NCAA playoff team as the day begins against West Virginia State.

Women's Soccer (3-0-0)
Tuesday, Sept. 16 vs. Roberts Wesleyan – 6:00 p.m. - Video | Livestats 
Saturday, Sept. 20 at Seton Hill – 1:00 p.m. - Video |  Livestats  

• In one of those "it can happen in soccer" games tenth-ranked Gannon opened PSAC West action on Saturday with a 1-0 win over California (Pa.) on Saturday night. The Golden Knights totally dominated the action holding a 35-0 edge in shots. But Ella Fadale (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) was the lone Golden Knight to find the back of the net, that coming in the 59th minute. 
• Goalkeeper Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) was literally never challenged but thanks to a strong defensive effort the graduate student broke Gannon's career record with her 16th career shutout.
• Gannon plays its second straight home match on Tuesday, September 16 hosting Roberts Wesleyan before returning to PSAC West action on Saturday, September 20 at Seton Hill.   

Men's Soccer (1-1-1)
Tuesday, Sept. 16 vs. Post (at Lock Haven, Pa.) – 12 noon - Video | Livestats
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. West Chester – 1:00 p.m. - Video | Livestats 

• As former ESPN announcer Chris Berman used to say, no one circles the wagons better than a Billy Colton-coached team!  Off to an unexpected 0-1-1 start the Golden Knights hosted No. 25 Ashland on Friday night to get Homecoming started. In front of a large group of alumni including members of the star-studded 1985 team Gannon picked up win number one in 2025 with a physical 1-0 win.  Jack Kenyon's (London, United Kingdom/Harris Crystal Palace) first career goal as a Golden Knight in the 62nd minute was the difference. Samuel Alarcon (Madrid, Spain/Colegio el Valle II) made the goal stand up in goal for his tenth career shutout.
• Gannon plays twice this week. For the second year in a row the Golden Knights face Post at Lock Haven in a somewhat midway point game for both teams. Colton's squad returns to McConnell Family Stadium for a non-conference game against West Chester on Saturday, September 20.       

 
Men's Golf
Monday, Sept. 15 to Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Midwest/Central Regional Preview Tournament in Big Rapids, Mich. -- Livestats 
 

• The men's golf team opened the 2025 fall season in impressive fashion a week ago, capturing first place in the UC Invitational. The Golden Knights won by five strokes over runner-up Wilmington (Del.).
• Rasmus Seppanen picked up where he left off last spring, placing fourth with a 2-under par 218 total for the 54-hole event. Mattia Parrini was a stroke back at 1-under par 219, finishing in a three-way tie for fifth. Giovanni Delorenzi was also in the top 20 at 225 (5-over).
• Head coach Scott Stano's squad faces a very strong field with 19 teams expected to tee it up when they compete in the Midwest/Central Regional Preview Tournament hosted by Ferris State on Monday, September 15 and Tuesday, September 16. The teams will play 36 holes on Monday and 18 more on Tuesday.        

 
Women's Golf
No events scheduled (Return to action at Bulldog Fall Classic, Saturday, Sept. 27 to Sunday, Sept. 28 in Big Rapids, Mich.) -- Livestats
 

• The women's golf team is off to an impressive start following two tournaments. Head coach Scott Stano's squad brought home first place in the season-opening UC Invitational and followed that up over this past weekend with a fourth-place showing out of 15 teams while competing in the ODU Invitational hosted by Ohio Dominican. A total of 15 teams teed it up in the tournament.
• Tournament number one saw freshman Anastasia Lopes (Noverasco di opera (MI), Italy/ISTITUTI DEAMICIS MILANO) take home second place in her collegiate debut. Lopes turned in another solid showing but it was veteran Cloe Mateo (Sabadell, Spain/Montcau la Mola) who paced the Golden Knights this time around. The junior from Spain fired rounds of 74 and 76 to finish in a tie for third with a 10-over 150 total, four strokes back of the medalist.  

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 20 at YSU Alumni Cross Country Meet in Youngstown, Ohio

• The men's and women's cross country teams debuted in 2025 with the Race in the Park two weeks ago. The men's team finished first in the 6K race while the women's team placing second over the 4K course.
• Head coach Rob Arhens' continued to work on their conditioning and stamina during a week off. They'll look for that work to pay off on Saturday, September 20 competing in YSU Alumni Cross Country Meet hosted by Youngstown State.

Men's Water Polo (3-4)
at Bucknell Invitational
Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. Air Force – 10:20 a.m.
Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. Salem – 2:20 p.m.
 

• Head coach Zarko Sadikovic's Golden Knights won two of three contests while competing in the W&J Invitational last weekend, scoring 65 goals in the process.  They look for continued offensive production on Sunday, September 21 while playing twice in the Bucknell Invitational.
• Sunday begins with a much-anticipated matchup with Air Force, marking just the second meeting between the two.  The Falcons will enter the weekend with a 12-3 record. Later in the day Gannon faces WWPA rival Salem in a non-conference meeting.