CANTON, Ohio – The winter sports season at Malone University has concluded and there were a variety of highlights to showcase from the 2024-25 campaign.
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL:
The Malone University women's basketball team tied for third in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) standings with a 22-8 overall record and 15-5 mark in conference play. The Pioneers reached the G-MAC Semifinal Round and finished the season fifth in the NCCAA national poll.
 
Junior center Erin Kaufman received a variety of individual accolades on the court and off in the 2024-25 season. She was selected as an Honorable Mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and a Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) First Team All-Midwest Region honoree. At the NCCAA level, Kaufman was chosen as a First Team All-American.
 
Kaufman was a part of the First Team All-Conference in the G-MAC and senior guard Brooklyn Troyer joined her on the Second Team All-Conference. Troyer was also selected as a G-MAC All-Tournament Team member.
 
In the classroom, Kaufman, Troyer and senior Kyli Horn were tabbed as College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District recipients. Eight members of the Malone women's basketball team were named NCCAA Scholar-Athletes, including Kaufman, Troyer, Horn, junior Nataley Armstrong, junior Brinn Hunt, junior Anna Krupa, junior Aila Miller and redshirt junior Meredith Randulic.
 
During the regular season, the Pioneers conquered Walsh University to retain the Mayors' Cup in the 29th battle for the trophy. Kaufman won the G-MAC's Athlete of the Week award three times throughout the season.
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL:
For just the second time in program history, the Malone University men's basketball team was able to win the G-MAC Tournament championship to earn the league's at-large bid to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. The Pioneers faced the top seed in the Midwest Region, Missouri S&T, and were defeated in overtime 85-77 after a thrilling game.
 
To get there, Malone had to go through Kentucky Wesleyan College, Hillsdale College and Thomas More University for three straight wins in the G-MAC Tournament. Simon Blair was named the G-MAC Tournament MVP while seniors Tre Baumgardner III and Ryan Bartley were members of the All-Tournament Team.
 
Individually, Blair was a member of the All-Midwest District Second Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and a Third Team NCCAA All-American. The senior guard was selected to compete in the NABC's All-Star Game during the Division II Men's Basketball Championship weekend. Blair was chosen as a G-MAC First Team All-Conference recipient.
 
Academically, Bartley was a CSC Academic All-District honoree and Bartley, junior Jake Bruns and redshirt junior Caleb Conard were chosen as NCCAA Scholar-Athletes.
 
Malone finished the season with a 16-16 overall record and placed seventh in the G-MAC standings. The final NCCAA coaches poll had the Pioneers ninth. Baumgardner III was selected as an NCCAA Athlete of the Week and Bartley a G-MAC Athlete of the Week. Malone defeated Walsh 69-55 in the 61st Annual Mayors' Cup game on February 11.
 
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD:
The Malone University men's and women's indoor track & field programs competed for both an NCCAA national championship and G-MAC Championship over the course of the 2024-25 season. The Pioneers placed third on the men's side and fifth on the women's side at the NCCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. At the G-MAC Championships, Malone's men were tenth and women eleventh overall.
 
The Pioneers totaled 26 NCCAA All-Americans, including three national champions. Freshman Lexi Tucci won the high jump while sophomore Xander Heil claimed the mile run and junior Hayden Schmidt the 3,000-meter run.
 
Tucci was named G-MAC Athlete of the Week during the regular season and sophomore Gavin Tribelo claimed an NCCAA Athlete of the Week award. The NCCAA named 21 different members of the track & field program as Scholar-Athletes.
 
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING:
The Malone University men's and women's swimming & diving programs secured eighth- and ninth-place finishes at the G-MAC/MEC Swimming & Diving Championships in the 2024-25 season.
 
Senior Sydney Fleming was able to break two school records at the conference championship meet in the 50 Backstroke and 200 Backstroke. Fleming reached the A-final in three different individual events for the Pioneers.
 
The Malone men had a string of three consecutive G-MAC Athlete of the Week awards. Freshman Tillman Hawk, freshman Seth McMillen and sophomore Elisha Thompkins all received the honor throughout the season.
 
STUNT:
In their second season as a program, the Malone University STUNT team qualified for the postseason for the first time in history. The Pioneers were fourth in the G-MAC with an 8-11 overall record and 4-6 tally in conference play, good for a fourth-place finishing position in the league and a spot in the G-MAC Tournament.
 
Although Malone was bested by Davenport University and Tiffin University at the year-end event, the Pioneers had junior Megan Reifsnyder as a member of the All-Tournament Team for her efforts. Malone received their first-ever All-Conference performer as sophomore Makenna Jurkowski was tabbed as a member of the Second Team All-Conference.
 
Several members of the squad reached 100 career points during the 2025 season.