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Gannon University#Football

{{Short description|Private university in Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.}}

{{use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox university

|name = Gannon University

|image = Gannon University seal.png

|image_upright = 0.75

|former_name = Villa Maria College (1925–1989)
Cathedral College (1933–1944)
Gannon College of Arts and Sciences (1944–1964)
Gannon College (1964–1979)

|motto = Sanitas, Scientia, Sanctitas

|mottoeng = Health, Knowledge, Holiness

|established = {{start date and age|1925}}

|type = Private university

|religious_affiliation = Catholic Church

|endowment = $83.5 million (2022)As of Aug 26, 2022. {{cite report |url=https://www.gannon.edu/shareworthydetail.aspx?id=2359|title=Gannon president stepping down; search initiated}}

|staff =

|faculty = 200 full-time, 147 adjunct

|president = Walter Iwanenko Jr.

|principal =

|rector =

|chancellor =

|vice_chancellor =

|dean =

|head_label =

|head =

|students = 4,596

|undergrad = 3,165

|postgrad = 1,431

|doctoral =

|profess =

|city = Erie, Pennsylvania, and Ruskin, Florida

|country = U.S.

|campus = Urban

|free_label =

|free =

|colors = {{color box|#993333}} {{color box|#F9CF62}} Maroon and gold

|colours =

|mascot = Victor E. Knight

|sports_nickname = Golden Knights

|sporting_affiliations = {{hlist|NCAA Division II – PSAC|CWPA}}

|academic_affiliations = {{hlist|ACCU|CIC|CUMU|NAICU|Space-grant}}

|footnotes =

|website = {{URL|https://www.gannon.edu/|gannon.edu}}

|coor =

|logo = Gannon university logo.png

| logo_size = 100

}}

Gannon University is a private Catholic university with campuses in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Ruskin, Florida, United States. Established in 1925, Gannon University enrolls approximately 4,600 undergraduate and graduate students annually. Its intercollegiate athletics include 18 athletic programs for men and women competing at the NCAA Division II level. It plans to merge with Ursuline College by the end of 2026.

History

Gannon University was first established in 1933 as the two-year Cathedral College by the Diocese of Erie under the leadership of Joseph J. "Doc" Wehrle.{{Cite web |date=2012-03-29 |title=Gannon A to Z: D is for Doc Wehrle |url=https://edge.gannon.edu/gannon-a-to-z-d-is-for-doc-wehrle/ |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=Gannon Edge |language=en-US}} In 1944, the school became the four-year men's school Gannon College of Arts and Sciences, named in honor of the then-Bishop of Erie, John Mark Gannon, the driving force behind its opening and development. The college became coeducational in 1964 and gained university status in 1979.{{cite web |publisher=Gannon University |url=http://www.gannon.edu/about/history/default.asp |title=A Brief History of Gannon University |access-date=2007-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119134014/http://www.gannon.edu/about/history/default.asp |archive-date=2012-01-19 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=About the Diocese: 1918–1966 Golden Era|publisher=Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie|url=http://www.eriercd.org/history3.asp|access-date=2007-05-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518080456/http://www.eriercd.org/history3.asp|archive-date=2007-05-18}}

The all-girls school Villa Maria College, which was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1925,Note that Gannon University has adopted as its own the Villa Maria College's 1925 founding date. merged with the university in 1989.{{cite web |publisher=Peterson's |url=http://www.petersons.com/ugchannel/code/IDD.asp?orderLineNum=804133-8&reprjid=12&inunId=6423&typeVC=instvc&sponsor=1 |access-date=2007-05-03 |title=Gannon University |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091926/http://www.petersons.com/ugchannel/code/IDD.asp?orderLineNum=804133-8&reprjid=12&inunId=6423&typeVC=instvc&sponsor=1 |archive-date = 2007-09-29}} Its Villa Maria School of Nursing retains the name of the original institution.

In 2024, the university's board of trustees approved plans to merge the university with Ursuline College. Ursuline will become a part of Gannon as "Ursuline College Campus of Gannon University" with its own academic and athletic programs.{{cite web |url=https://www.highereddive.com/news/gannon-university-ursuline-college-merger-deal-announcement/736459/ |title=Gannon University and Ursuline College announce official merger deal |first=Ben |last=Unglesbee |publisher=Higher Ed Dive |date=January 3, 2025 |accessdate=January 3, 2025}}

Academics

The university is organized into three main colleges: the College of Engineering and Business, which includes the Dahlkemper School of Business Administration; the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences; and the Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences.

Campus

Gannon University's campus is located in downtown Erie, primarily concentrated between Peach and Myrtle Streets and 3rd and 10th Streets. In summer 2015, a doctoral branch campus opened in Ruskin, Florida focusing on healthcare majors.{{cite web|url=http://www.gannon.edu/NewsDetail.aspx?id=4117 |title=Gannon University | 2014-10-30 Ruskin Campus Announcement |publisher=Gannon University |date=October 30, 2014 |access-date=August 10, 2017}}

==Rankings==

Gannon University was ranked No. 260 in National Universities (2024) by U.S. News & World Report. Its rank rose to No. 244 in 2025.{{Cite web |title=Gannon University |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/gannon-university-3266 |access-date=2024-11-15}}https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/gannon-university-3266

Athletics

Gannon is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in NCAA Division II. Gannon offers 19 Division II scholarship-granting varsity sports, that includes nine men's and women's teams. The men participate in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, water polo, wrestling, competitive cheer. The women participate in basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, volleyball, water polo, wrestling, acrobatics and tumbling, and competitive cheer and dance.

In June 2007, Gannon University, along with cross-town rival Mercyhurst College, was accepted into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, where area schools Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro and Slippery Rock University are members. Along with Gannon and Mercyhurst as full members, LIU Post also was accepted into the conference as an affiliate member.{{cite news |last=Axelrod |first=Phil |title=Mercyhurst, C. W. Post, Gannon to enter PSAC |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07171/795549-134.stm |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=2007-06-20 |access-date=2007-06-24}}

=Football=

The school's football program began with the 1949 team that compiled a perfect 8–0 and shut out six of eight opponents. The 1950 team also compiled a winning record of 6–2. However, the teams did not draw well at the box office, and the Gannon board of control voted in April 1951 to discontinue the football program.{{cite news|title=Gannon Finally Decides Officially to Drop Football|newspaper=The Lake Shore Visitor-Register|date=April 13, 1951|pages=1, 5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lake-shore-visitor-gannon-finally-decide/167727983/|via=Newspapers.com}} After the 1950 season, Gannon did not field a college football team for the next 38 years. The school resumed college football competition in 1989.{{cite news|title=Gannon football coach gets tips|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|author=Kelly Carter|date=February 3, 1989|page=D2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press-gannon-football-coa/170099182/|via=Newspapers.com}} ("Gannon is bringing football back next season after nearly four decades. It fielded teams in 1949 and 1950 but canceled the program because of financial reasons") Since 1989, Gannon has competed at the NCAA Division II level.

Notable alumni

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{commons cat}}

  • {{Official website}}
  • [https://gannonsports.com/ Athletics website]

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Category:Catholic universities and colleges in Pennsylvania

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1925

Category:Education in Erie, Pennsylvania

Category:Universities and colleges in Erie County, Pennsylvania

Category:Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities

Category:1925 establishments in Pennsylvania