Union's Bethany Koch and Andrea Mortimer of District 9 and Slippery Rock High's Jence Rhoads of District 10 were selected for the Swintalya Cash District Players of the Year Award.

The award is named for the 1998 McKeesport High and 2002 University of Connecticut grad who was a basketball standout for each school, as well as an Olympian in 2004.

LEWISBURG, Pa. — Butler graduate Melanie Buczko, a junior on the Bucknell University track and field team, won the pole vault at the Liberty Invitational recently with an effort of 11 feet, 11 Er inches.That mark also qualified Buczko for the ECAC meet.

FORD CITY — Justin Macurak, 17, a senior at Karns City High, recently placed first and second at the Armstrong-Kittanning Weightlifting Competition held at Ford City High.Macurak, who weighs 146 pounds, won the bench press with an effort of 240 pounds and placed second in the deadlift with a mark of 370 pounds.He also placed fifth out of 80 lifters in the overall pound-for-pound category.Stephon Conto, a Karns City sophomore, placed third in the 148-pound bench press category with a lift of 225 pounds.

SLIPPERYROCK — Karns City senior Nicole McElroy is one of six recruits named to the Slippery Rock University women's soccer team.McElroy, a defender, is a four-year letterwinner and helped the Gremlins to their eighth straight District 9 Class AA title and PIAA quarterfinals last season.Michelle Eisel of Southview (Ohio) High School, Allison Hindley of Cheshire, England, Lauren McManus of North Penn High School, Linda Schirmeister of Middlesex, England, and Melisa Sharek of Kiski Area High School round of the recruiting class.

SLIPPERY ROCK —Slippery Rock University student athletes Jason Cardillo and Jen Zuzack were tapped for PSAC Winter Top Ten awards Thursday.Cardillo, a senior wrestler, carries a 3.59 grade point average as an exercise major at SRU.The Rock's 165-pound competitor, Cardillo won the NCAA Division I East Regional title and a berth in the national tournament as he ended the season with a 34-12 record and his career with a 102-58 mark.Zuzack, a swimmer from Latrobe, maintains a 4.0 GPA as a graduate student in physical therapy. She received her undergraduate degree in May 2005 with summa cum laude honors.At the 2006 PSAC Championships, Zuzack had three top-five finishes, topped off by All-PSAC honors with a third-place finish in the 200 backstroke. She finished fifth in both the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.The Top Ten Award recognizes student athletes who achieve academic and athletic excellence and are determined by a vote of the PSAC's sports information directors.