Stephanie Pencak graduated from La Roche University in 2001. She played on the women's basketball team for four years from 1997-2001. During her career, Pencak made the AMCC All-Conference First and Second Teams, scored 1136 career points (7th most in program history), recorded 883 career rebounds, 131 career steals. She also helped the Redhawks to four AMCC Tournament appearances.
Name: Stephanie Pencak
Class Year: 2001
Sport(s) Played at La Roche: Women's Basketball
Major: Criminal Justice
Current Job Title & Employer: PalAmerican Security Supervisor and PPG Account Manager
Brief description of job duties/responsibilities: Security Supervisor for a PPG facility and also the Account Manager for three PPG facilities. Responsible for hiring, training and mentoring my Guards at all three facilities. Responsible for Customer Service (answering telephones), performing Guard tours, keeping over 200 files updated regularly, and serving as an administrative assistant for various departments.
Career path following La Roche: I continued working at the PPG facility that I started at in 1999 as my college internship. I worked my way to being promoted to Security Supervisor and currently hold that position along with my recent promotion to PPG Account Manager.
Summarize your experience at La Roche: It was great. I loved playing basketball, spending time with my fellow players and roommates and working towards a degree that would lead me to an awesome career. It was great being able to live on campus and have access to everything you needed, from the Cafeteria, to the library, to the gym for practicing and exercising.
Favorite memory as a student-athlete: Scoring my 1000th point at home my senior year!
Notable athletic and academic accomplishments during college: Scoring over 1,000 points and being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Graduating with not only a college degree but also the knowledge and experiences that you learn while at college.
Extra-curricular activities at La Roche (outside of athletics): Worked at the Bookstore and in the Admissions Office and also worked at my current location (PPG) for my college intern.
Athletic accomplishments since graduation: I volunteered as a Basketball Coach at the YMCA. I was also offered the Assistant Girls' Basketball Coaching position for Kiski Area High School. I was not able to accept the position because of the scheduling conflict with my current job.
Stephanie was inducted into the La Roche Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.
What went into your decision to attend La Roche? There were not many colleges in 1997 that were offering Criminal Justice as a degree. Most colleges were not sure they would even be able to offer the degree a year or two after I enrolled. La Roche confirmed to me they would have my degree for my Junior Year. I also wanted to attend a college where I could be a starter as a freshmen for the Women's Basketball Team, and that was also offered to me at La Roche.
What advice would you give current La Roche student-athletes? No matter what, always work hard and give 100% in everything that you do. Never let anyone or anything hold you back from what you want to do. There will be challenges in life at college and after college, always keep your head up and never look back. It takes hard work to play a college sport and also get an education, so you have to be willing to always work hard no matter what and never give up. There's a saying that I like to share with people that I am trying to encourage and mentor; When life puts you in a tough situation, instead of saying "Why me?" say "Try Me".