Jerry Rickrode earns MAC Honor
Rickrode credited the quality student-athletes he mentored and coached as the reason for achieving this milestone. “Any accolades I earned I owe to them,” said Rickrode.
Rickrode’s accomplishments have been long recognized by Wilkes and Capital Area Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. More recently, he was inducted into the 2024 Middle Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame, honoring the best in NCAA Division III sports.
“I was very humbled to be inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame, the conference that set the standard for men’s basketball in the east region,” Rickrode said.
After Rickrode’s retirement from coaching in 2014, he joined the Office of Alumni and Advancement as a senior gifts officer, a position he held for a decade before officially retiring in 2024. Both of his roles at Wilkes helped to grow philanthropic support for the University and made lifelong connections and memorable impacts — on and off the court.
Mayor’s Cup Returns to Wilkes
Senior Xavier-Alexander Powell, quarterback, was named Mayor’s Cup MVP for leading the defeat against the Monarchs. He scored four touchdown passes to make it a 43-21 game. After going 11/18 through the air for 283 yards and four touchdowns, plus 65 yards on the ground, he scored another touchdown. Powell is from Poughkeepsie, New York, and is a sports management major.
Bringing the Mayor’s Cup back to Wilkes was a huge honor for Powell. “I appreciate being named MVP so much. Winning is hard in this league and every win is important, but this one especially felt good because of the rivalry and it was nice to spend the weekend with my teammates,” said Powell. “This year, Coach Biever emphasized the importance of the team as a whole and this team has become a brotherhood. When it gets tough, we come closer together to get a win.”
The Colonels are already eager for next year’s Mayor’s Cup game. “Our team has become a very close group over these past few months and I couldn’t be prouder of the way they show up everyday with a great attitude and a tireless work ethic. These young men embody what it means when we break ’on family’ everyday,” said David Biever, head coach.
