This school year was supposed to be a big one, perhaps the biggest, in the life of the athletic programs at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
It still will be, just, not until, at the earliest, January 1.
That’s when the rest of the Presidents Athletic Conference will begin its athletic activity that was postponed or delayed because of COVID.
The significance for FUS stems from the 2020-21 season is the university’s first as a full-fledged member of the PAC.
FUS’ men’s and women’s lacrosse teams were accepted as associate members a few season’s ago. Last season, the women’s golf team, along with both indoor and outdoor track teams were full PAC members.
Other teams still played against in-conference competition. The women’s basketball team, which finished 10-15 overall, picked up a pair of wins against PAC teams in defeating Bethany and Geneva. The men’s team defeated Grove City.
Franciscan is the first new members full integrated into the PAC since Chatham and Geneva joined in 2007.
“The PAC Presidents’ Council was very impressed with the school’s academic stature and student-centered focus in a faith-based learning environment, as well as its commitment to continuing to develop a broad-based, successful NCAA Division III athletic program,” PAC Commissioner Joe Onderko said during the official announcement in 2019. “We believe they will make a seamless transition to our PAC culture, and look forward to them competing in all PAC championships beginning in the 2020-21 academic year.”
Making Moves
Working toward that greater commitment toward athletics, Franciscan announced earlier this week a partnership both with Under Armour and BSN Sports.
UA is now the official athletics apparel provider for the Barons and will be manufacturer the team’s uniforms. Translation? All 18 varsity programs on campus are getting outfitted with new uniforms.
Partnering with BSN Sports helped to make that UA deal possible.
“Franciscan Athletics is excited to start our new partnership with Under Armour and BSN,” Director of Athletics Scott Greve said via release. “As we strive for excellence in all of our sports, it is comforting to know our student-athletes will be outfitted with the very best athletic apparel, footwear and equipment. Under Armour and BSN are industry leaders and we are blessed to have them as partners.”
The University is also steadily ramping up its social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Previously the Barons played in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, a fellow Division III conference with teams in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Like the PAC, the AMCC has automatic NCAA tournament qualifying bids for its conference champions in various sports.
But the PAC will feature stiffer competition and a little more clout in the recruiting trail.
It should also help Franciscan recruiting locally, now that its teams will play in a more travel-friendly regional footprint against PAC teams.
Local Athletes
True, the Barons’ various team rosters are lined with players from far away, both nationally and internationally, there is some local talent to go with it. That number is sure to change as the next few recruiting classes are completed.
Look at the basketball team, coached by a valley native in former Bishop Donahue multi-sport standout Joe Wallace. Wallace began his career under Doug Wojcik at Tulsa and eventually found his way to Jefferson County to lead the Barons.
His roster features four OVAC products in Madonna’s Drazen Frankovitch, St. Clairsville’s David Lane, Big Red’s Josh Zimmerman, and Catholic Central’s Donnie Vandeborne.
The women’s softball team has two in Indian Creek’s Rachel Cooper and Wellsville’s Aleia Hawk. Cooper was third on the team in hitting before the season was cut short.
As the Franciscan name grows in the PAC, so too shall its appeal to athletes, both locally, and beyond, to join the Barons’ ranks.
