Kennedy Catholic High’s Candace Jurko and Joe Giglio will continue their education and athletic careers at Gannon University and the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg, respectively.

A daughter of John and Gerlyn Jurko of Brookfield, Candace competed for Kennedy Catholic’s tennis team for 4 years, was a cheerleader, member of Students for Charity and Students Against Drugs and Alcohol, and the Spanish and art clubs.

After serving as a 4-year starting soccer standout for the Golden Eagles, Giglio garnered 1st-Team All-District 10 regional honors as a senior, and was selected to compete in the annual Mercer vs. Lawrence County postseason clash. In addition, he competed for North United in the State Cup, helping lead that squad to runner-up berths the past two springs in the Penn-West Classic League. North United is a Pittsburgh-based club — Giglio competed 3 years for it — and the Classic League is regarded as one of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s premier soccer organizations. That club copped the well-respected Middletown Spring Blast tournament in Dayton, Ohio, also.

A son of Dominic and Connie Giglio of Sharpsville, he maintains a 3.0 grade-point-average, played tennis 1 season, was a member of the ski and art clubs at Kennedy and also presided over homecoming bonfire activities. He is undecided as to what he will study.

According to Giglio’s research, Pitt-Greensburg’s program “has qualified for the NCAA Tournament three out of the last five years. (I) will have the opportunity to earn playing time as a freshman.” Giglio, writing to The Herald, added, “I would like to thank my parents for all the traveling and support, and also would like to thank Kennedy Catholic soccer coach Bill Dodd. He is the person who got me to where I am today.”

ä A trio of Thiel College diamondmen are enjoying career years. DH Chris Dunham has drilled 14 home runs; outfielder Eric Boylan is batting .446 with 61 runs batted in, 10 homers and 23 doubles, and pitcher Eric Wadowsky is approaching the school standard for wins. Wadowsky (5-2) has woven a 21-11 career won-lost record — 1 win shy of former major league pitcher Kevin Meistickle (’73) during his Tomcat tenure.

Third-seeded Thiel (8-4 Presidents’ Athletic Conference, 26-12 overall) takes on Westminster (8-4, 24-14) in the opening round of the postseason tourney 3 p.m. Thursday in Crestview Hills, Ky. Top-seeded host Thomas More College (11-1, 24-11) welcomes 4th-seeded Grove City (5-7, 15-16) Thursday at noon. The 4-team, double-elimination tourney continues Friday and Saturday.

ä Former Slippery Rock High and Slippery Rock University basketball standout Heather Kearney has been promoted to head cage coach at California (Pa.) University. She replaces Darcie Vincent, who resigned to assume the head coaching post at Appalachian State (N.C.) University.

Kearney concluded her collegiate career with 1,760 points and 949 rebounds, Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in SRU annals. She had been Cal’s associate head coach the past 4 years and has been with the highly-successful Lady Vulcans’ program (212-47, 82 percent since 2000-01) for 8 years.

Ed Farrell is assistant sports editor for The Herald