Some say Jack Whalen was a recruiting steal for the Seton Hill baseball program.
The Norwin alum has a record to prove it.
Whalen, a senior outfielder, is now the all-time leader in stolen bases in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, with 118.
Through 13 games this season, he had 14 steals in 15 attempts, including four in one game against Findlay. Nearly half of his steals came in his freshman season when he had 52. That season, he was an All-Atlantic region second-team pick.
He led the Griffins with 31 steals last year.
“He’s A-No. 1,” Seton Hill coach Marc Marizzaldi told Westmoreland Sports Network. “He plays the game fearlessly. Jack is such a competitor.”
Marizzaldi said he remembers Whalen’s first stolen base.
“It happened in Carey (N.C.),” the coach said. “He said he hopes his last one also is in Carey.”
Carey is the site of the NCAA Division II World Series.
A recent notable win for the Griffins came against national power Minnesota State Mankato, 10-0, in seven innings.
Freshman Brady Stone (Penn-Trafford) went 3 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs, and Whalen homered.
Redshirt junior Luke Deschenes and sophomore Sean Williams (3-0) combined on a two-hit shutout.
Minnesota State Mankota was 51-8 last season, reaching the championship of the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament.
The Griffins (10-3) were set to open a four-game series at home against Bloomsburg.
Junior Mark Wechtenhiser was named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week. He pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits, in a 1-0 win over Bloomsburg. He struck out 13 and did not walk a batter.
Palangio goes dancing
Former Norwin standout basketball player Lauren Palangio made it to the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament with Holy Family.
The sophomore forward had played in 29 games, with one start, and was averaging 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 18.3 minutes a game for the Panthers.
Holy Family won the East Regional Tournament with a 78-62 win over Daimen in the regional final as Palangio had nine points and six rebounds in 18 minutes.
The Panthers (30-4), who won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference regular-season title with a 20-0 record, were primed to take on IUP
Shaffer hired
Norwin alum Adam Shaffer was hired as athletic director at McKeesport.
Shaffer, 33, a former multi-sport high school athlete, replaces Charley Kiss, who is retiring after 23 years in the position.
Shaffer formerly coached the Hempfield girls soccer team and guided the Spartans to three WPIAL playoff appearances.
Norwin also filled its boys golf vacancy with the hiring of Dan Conwell, the former Knights head football coach.
Football sked out
The 2026 Norwin football schedule features 10 road games. With construction on going at Norwin Knights Stadium, the Knights will play all of their games away from home.
An official alternative home site has not been announced.
All games start at 7 p.m. except the Week Zero opener, which has a 7:30 kickoff.
The schedule is as follows: at Penn-Trafford (8-28), vs. Latrobe (9-4), vs. Franklin Regional (9-11), at Central Catholic (9-18), vs. Mt. Lebanon (9-25), at North Hills (10-2), vs. Hempfield (10-9), at Canon-McMillan (10-16), at Seneca Valley (10-23) and vs. North Allegheny (10-30).