Westmoreland County campus clippings: Palmer Jackson makes PGA Tour debut

Amateur Palmer Jackson is like a sponge when he is around professional golfers or plays high-level events at premier courses.

So when he was granted a sponsor exemption to play his first event on the PGA Tour, he had his mental notebook ready.

Jackson, a Franklin Regional grad and a senior at Notre Dame, shot 2-under-par 69 in the second round but missed the cut in his first Tour start.

Jackson opened with a 73 and could not rally to play the weekend at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Fighting Irish golf coach John Handrigan caddied for Jackson, who ranked 17th on the PGA Tour University Velocity Global Ranking.

Truly special to be part of a players dream as he competes in his first PGA Tour event. Thanks @pdjack_ for having me on the bag. You always make me proud and can’t wait to see you compete at the @PGATOUR @TheRSMClassic!
Thank you @Bermuda_Champ for a first class event! Go Irish! pic.twitter.com/4xIF6acgjM

— John Handrigan (@JHandrigan) October 30, 2022

He was 39th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Jackson carded top-20 finishes in all five fall tournaments for Notre Dame. He was a PING D1 All-Region selection in 2021 and helped the Irish reach the NCAA regional.

Jackson is set to play another Tour event, the RSM Classic, Nov. 14-20 at Sea Island Golf Club (Ga.).

Men’s soccer

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Caleb Yuricha (Norwin) and junior Jason Argueta netted goals as UPG defeated Penn State Altoona, 2-0, to earn its first playoff win since 2014.

Yuricha scored on a penalty kick, and Argueta scored in the run of play as the goals were about three minutes apart.

Junior goalkeeper Danny Rodgers earned the shutout in net.

The Bobcats (9-5-4) will visit Penn State Behrend on Wednesday in the next round.

Seton Hill: Junior Fletcher Amos had two goals, and Nathanial Huff and Bobby White combined for the shutout as Seton Hill (8-8-2, 6-2-2) blanked Cal (Pa.), 2-0.

Amos was named the PSAC West Player of the Week.

Women’s soccer

Akron: Rivals can harmonize. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Nguyen (Penn-Trafford) has a goal, while sophomore forward Lacey Bernick (Norwin) has an assist for the Zips (3-9-4). Bernick transferred from Pitt.

Florida Gulf Coast: Sophomore Katelyn Kauffman (Norwin) has a goal and an assist since joining FGC.

A Pitt transfer, Kauffman scored her first college goal against Eastern Kentucky. She has started all 17 games.

Pitt-Greensburg: Senior Ashley Lucas had two goals and an assist in a 4-0 win over Mt. Aloysius to become the all-time points leader in the program.

Freshman Megan Hickey had two assists in the win, and freshman Hailey Kepner made two saves in net.

Lucas now has 54 goals and 27 points for 135 points, which broke the previous mark of 133 set by Jen McIntosh in 2005.

Top-seeded UPG (14-3-1, 7-0) had a first-round bye in the AMCC Tournament.

Robert Morris: Freshman Malia Kearns (Penn-Trafford) was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team.

Kearns started all 18 games and finished with seven points on two goals and three assists.

Women’s cross country

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Sidney McCully finished fifth at the AMCC championships to earn all-conference recognition. Her time was 26 minutes, 30.4 seconds.

Saint Vincent: Freshman Kristen Prince was named PAC Newcomer of the Year after she placed third among 103 runners at the conference championship.

The Bearcats took third in the team standings.

Prince finished the 6-kilometer race in 22 minutes, 58 seconds.

Women’s tennis

Saint Vincent: Freshman Carolina Walters (Latrobe) was named the PAC Rookie of the Year and was lauded as a member of the first team.

Senior teammate Angela Popovich (Hempfield) also was a first-team selection with Walters as a doubles team.

Walters finished 12-3 at No. 1 singles, with 11 wins coming in straight sets.

She and Popovich were 10-4 as a tandem.

Men’s cross country

Saint Vincent: SVC came in fourth at the PAC championship as freshman Brady Sundin was named the conference’s top rookie. He earned second-team all-conference honors after a ninth-place finish (26:37).

Junior Tim Patterson, meanwhile, was the Bearcats’ top finisher as he took second in a 122-runner field in 25:55 to earn first-team honors.